1871 - Growth Partnerships Manager

ABOUT 1871

The story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 isn’t just about a fire…it’s about what happened next: A remarkable moment when the most brilliant engineers, architects and inventors came together to build a new city. Their innovations, born of passion and practical ingenuity,  shaped not just Chicago, but the entire modern world. What started 140 years ago continues to this day.

1871 is the leading non-profit global tech innovation hub that exists to inspire, equip, and support founders, growth scalers, and corporate innovators in building extraordinary businesses.  The team supports 700+ early and growth stage companies and 50+ Fortune 500 corporate partners made up of the world’s brightest leaders shaping tomorrow’s technologies by disrupting old business models, and resetting the boundaries of what’s possible. 

Come to a place where you can share ideas, make mistakes, partner with others, work hard, grow professionally and, with a little luck, change the world. If that sounds like you, join us.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships, the Partnership Manager will drive organizational revenue growth by securing net new partnerships with both startup organizations and startup service providers (ex: law firms).  This includes membership acquisition as well as participation in 1871 events and programming. 

You’ll collaborate with the Head of Partnerships to  develop the strategy to identify and acquire net new members through a variety of activities including attending events, warm introductions, cold outreach, and fielding inbound inquiries.  This role is responsible for managing the entire sales cycle from prospecting through contracting.   You will then work closely with the Membership Experience team to ensure a clean handoff after a contract is signed. 

Additionally you’ll  own the process for identifying and securing participation of startups in our Innovation Labs.  This requires close collaboration with the Product team to set participation goals, monitor pipeline health and ensure a high quality cohort of participants. 

As a front facing member of the organization, you will influence the company’s trajectory not just through membership growth, but also by generating a positive, lasting impression within the startup community. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in the development of the strategy to grow our startup community and service provider membership base 
• Own and manage the health of our new membership pipeline 
• Research, identify and develop a pipeline of new potential members
• Generate leads across all outbound and inbound sales channels 
• Lead sales pitches to prospective partners 
• Negotiate contract terms when needed 
• Create and manage sales activity details in our CRM (Hubspot) 
• Lead scouting efforts to secure startup participation in our Innovation Labs
• Monitor Lab participation pipeline and troubleshoot when necessary 
• Manage post contract internal handoffs to Member Experience team

SKILLS REQUIRED: 

• Persuasive and clear communication - ability to craft simple, compelling, fact based narratives that inspire the recipient to act  
• Command of the details - ability to organize information in a way that is accessible and digestible for yourself and others, strong project management skills
• Critical thinking - ability to think beyond the immediate next step to spot trends or opportunities that could either positively or negatively impact goal achievement 
• Creative problem solving - ability to think on your feet and identify solutions to roadblocks that arise 
• Collaborative approach - clear and direct communication and supportive approach to working with others to achieve shared goals/objectives 
• Self starter - proactively identify opportunities to get ahead rather than waiting to receive direction from peers or leadership 
• Multi tasker - ability to simultaneously juggle multiple projects with overlapping timelines 

HOW SUCCESS IS MEASURED: 

• Achievement of quarterly/annual membership revenue targets
• Generating ongoing full pipeline of qualified membership leads 
• Number of new startup companies added to the 1871 community
• Achievement of Innovation lab cohort participation goals 
• Positive new partner feedback

Requirements

• 3-5 years of sales and/or account management experience
• Familiarity with CRM tools like Salesforce or Hubspot preferred
• Strong desire to be part of the tech industry and community

Benefits

1871 offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, 401k, unlimited PTO, opportunities to participate in workshops and events, and more!

PERKS

In addition to our impressive benefits, there are other fun reasons to work with us.

• Work at the center of Chicago tech innovation
• Unparalleled access to opportunities and networking with some of the biggest players in tech
• Convenient downtown location
• Casual environment and dress code
• Work as a part of a diverse team
• Remote work opportunities [This role has a hybrid format - virtual 2 days a week and in person from the 1871 space in the Merchandise Mart for 3 days a week]

1871/CEC is an equal employment opportunity employer with a strong focus on crafting an inclusive and diverse environment. We encourage individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply for this position.