Deputy Director/Director, Partnership Accelerator

Deputy Director/Director, Partnership Accelerator

Resonance

Remote, United States

POSITION MANDATE

The Partnership Accelerator (PA) designs and implements actionable, results-driven, and context-appropriate multi-stakeholder partnerships, supporting our private sector clients and development partners to drive climate resilience, entrepreneurial growth, and market opportunities through collaboration. We bring together organizations with a common drive for impact to create collaborations that are easy to be part of and accelerate delivery at scale by connecting partners’ unique resources in a new way.

As a Resonance leader, the Deputy Director/Director, Partnership Acceleration, will play a transformational role in the company’s growth from a small business to a sustainable and innovative mid-size firm. Externally, they will drive Resonance’s partnership acceleration growth strategy, leading business development efforts in partnerships across thematic areas including agriculture, digital, circularity, market systems, enterprise development, trade, and competitiveness. Internally, they will lead staff and teams to build and execute the Accelerator’s foundational systems, processes, and learning, autonomously overseeing delivery of key workstreams, providing important quality control, and thought leadership. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, roll-up-your-sleeves, entrepreneurial environment. They must be comfortable with ambiguity, creative yet practical, and bring supreme agility to strategy development and execution, always driving towards solutions that create impact for the business, and those we serve.

This is a full-time position reporting to the Managing Director of Partnership Acceleration, traveling to developing countries and global convenings, as necessary, to support business development and project implementation activities.

OUTCOMES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Business Development and Thought Leadership

• Lead the execution of activities that contribute to the growth of Resonance’s PA portfolio by working with senior leadership, the Business Development team, Impact Advisory team (RIA), and the Technical Services Team (TST) to grow the PA practice and the organization by identifying, overseeing – or leading – business development teams and processes, winning relevant opportunities, and liaising with potential partners;
• Lead pitching conversations with corporates, philanthropies, and donors in collaboration with expert consultants; and identify and communicate innovative partnership models and projects that meet prospective client needs and challenges;
• Autonomously lead the writing and development of pitch decks, concept notes, proposals, and project design for partnership projects for both corporate and donor clients; overseeing technical contributors and support staff across Resonance;
• Lead partnership design co-creation sessions and strategy, including collaboration with prospective or existing clients on agenda development, development of facilitation guides, and leading the facilitation of co-creation sessions;
• Execute on annual PA sector business development and revenue growth goals;
• Support Resonance thought leadership through writing blog posts and articles, making public presentations, attending, and speaking at relevant conferences, etc.

Practice Building & Delivery

• Lead the execution of PA workstreams to build Resonance’s systems and infrastructure for partnerships, including partnership acceleration tools and approaches, business development resources, knowledge management initiatives, mentorship programs, and thought leadership strategy;
• Supervise Resonance staff to deliver on partnership management, business development, and learning and knowledge management for the PA;
• Direct and provide oversight of consultants with expertise in partnership and business development; providing strategy support, tactical direction, and contract oversight;
• Promote the effective professional development of team members inside the Partnership Accelerator, and those across Resonance working on PA projects;
• As the team continues to grow, support the MD to identify, and recruit high-level PA talent;
• Enable and support organization in driving social, economic, and environmental impact.

Technical Delivery & Client Engagement

• Serve as a senior-level technical contributor and task lead on existing partnership projects;
• Develop, refine, and introduce technical approaches, methods, and tools that improve Resonance’s service offerings on partnership projects under the PA portfolio;
• Coach and guide PA staff and the project delivery teams supporting partnership projects to deliver technical excellence and ensure high client satisfaction on PA projects;
• Develop and manage strategic senior-level client relationships with development implementers, donor agencies, commercial customers, foundations, NGOs, and others.

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Advanced degree in international relations, economics, business administration, or related field;
• 12-15 years of experience working on partnership design, management and/or advisory in two or more of the following technical areas: sustainability, agriculture and food security, climate and resilience, enterprise development, digital development, trade and competitiveness, circularity, and women’s economic empowerment;
• 4-6 years of experience leading or providing senior level advisory support to a multi-stakeholder partnership project (either as a standalone initiative or as a part of a larger project), preferably for international companies, NGOs, donors, or foundations operating in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East;
• 6+ years of business development experience for a mix of philanthropy, donor, and corporate clients, including developing slide decks, writing concept notes, and/or leading business development or research teams;
• Successful track record of converting proposals and concepts into funded projects;
• Outstanding verbal and written communications skills; including experience writing concept notes, proposals, pitch decks, thought leadership pieces, blog posts, and/or articles;
• Demonstrated experience and ability to autonomously lead teams, produce high quality written and slide deck deliverables, and meet stated deadlines;
• Experience developing and growing junior and mid-level staff.

PREFERRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with both corporate and donor clients;
• Experience working directly for, or advising major philanthropies/foundations on business development and project delivery;
• Demonstrated networks and relationships with philanthropy and corporate sector stakeholders;
• Experience designing or delivering global development alliances (GDAs) or Private Sector Collaboration Pathway (PSCP) opportunities on behalf of USAID;
• Fluency in French, Spanish, or Arabic preferred.

TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS

• Ability to travel up to 20% internationally on short notice.

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