Specialist, Sponsorship Development & Corporate Partnerships

About the role

Remote within California, Must reside in California, Approximately 25% travel for in-person events

The Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC) is seeking a proactive, relationship-oriented Specialist, Sponsorship Development & Corporate Partnerships to help expand sponsorship opportunities across statewide conferences, summits, and events that support California's community colleges. Working within a collaborative and nimble team, this position helps cultivate meaningful partnerships that advance student success, innovation, workforce development, and educational opportunities.

What You'll Do

This is not a traditional nonprofit fund development position. This role focuses on business-to-business (B2B) sponsorship sales, corporate partnership development, and revenue generation. Working closely with the Manager, Partnership Engagement, the Specialist will identify and engage prospective sponsors, manage leads, develop customized sponsorship packages, and secure commitments that support event and organizational goals.

The ideal candidate is a confident communicator and relationship builder with a sales-oriented mindset who enjoys developing new business opportunities, cultivating corporate partnerships, and creating opportunities for long-term sponsor engagement.

• Identify and pursue new corporate sponsorship opportunities for statewide conferences, summits, events, and initiatives supporting California's community colleges.
• Drive sponsorship sales through proactive prospecting, outbound outreach, lead generation, and consistent follow-up to secure new sponsorship commitments and generate revenue.
• Build and maintain relationships with prospective and existing corporate sponsors, identifying opportunities to expand engagement and develop long-term partnerships.
• Manage sponsorship leads generated through independent outreach, client referrals, internal teams, and existing corporate relationships.
• Lead discovery conversations with prospective sponsors to understand their business objectives, marketing priorities, and opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Develop and present customized sponsorship packages, proposals, and creative event engagement opportunities that connect corporate partners with relevant audiences.
• Communicate the value of sponsorship opportunities, address prospective sponsor questions, and advance sales conversations toward securing commitments.
• Independently manage assigned sponsorship opportunities throughout the sales pipeline, from initial prospecting and qualification through securing commitments and coordinating appropriate handoffs.
• Utilize Salesforce to manage sponsorship pipelines, track outreach activities, monitor prospective revenue, and maintain accurate records of sponsor communications and follow-up.
• Collaborate with the Partnership Engagement Manager, event teams, and internal stakeholders to identify new business opportunities, strengthen corporate relationships, and support sponsorship revenue goals.

Attributes for Success

• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in sales, business development, sponsorship development, corporate partnerships, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of sponsorship development, prospect identification, relationship cultivation, and strategies for advancing partnership opportunities.
• Demonstrated experience in outbound prospecting, lead generation, relationship development, and consistent follow-up to advance sponsorship or business development opportunities.
• Experience managing prospective client or sponsor relationships, advancing opportunities through the sales pipeline, and contributing to revenue goals.
• Demonstrated proficiency using CRM systems to manage sales pipelines, document prospect communications, track outreach activities, and monitor opportunities; direct Salesforce experience strongly preferred.
• We're recruiting for mission-driven, passionate, equity-minded individuals with a strong desire to impact and change people's lives for the better
• Our work holds great weight and responsibility, and the opportunity to impact the lives of millions
• Innovation, creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurship are encouraged as employees work to achieve organizational goals
• FoundationCCC blends the impact of a non-profit, the culture of an entrepreneurial start-up, and the scale of a state agency
• Team members are hired for their expertise in niche areas across our areas of impact and higher education overall, and for their knowledge of business, philanthropy, technology, communications, and more
• We have a commitment to professional development and an emphasis on shared leadership, to ensure growth for employees and the organization overall

What we Offer

FoundationCCC is fully committed to a "remote-first" philosophy, and recruits and hires talent across the state in fully remote positions, where virtual work is possible. Our headquarters are located in Downtown Sacramento, just blocks from California's State Capitol.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, generous PTO, holidays
• Medical, dental, and vision plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Wellness offerings
• CalPERS retirement program and optional 403(b) and 457 Retirement plans
• Tuition reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness certified employer

Budgeted Annual Salary Pay Range

$70,304.00 - $73,000.00

Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.