About Sage Solutions
Sage Solutions provides privately funded, concierge care management services to older adults. With a strong emphasis on quality of life and independent living, Sage delivers highly individualized services based on comprehensive assessments and personalized care plans.
About the Role
We are seeking a relationship-driven Associate Director of Business Growth and Partnerships to lead Sage's business development strategy and referral source development for our care management practice. This role is central to our growth strategy and is a high-visibility, externally facing position ideal for someone who thrives on building trust, opening doors, and translating relationships into sustainable referral pipelines. You will identify, cultivate, and maintain strong relationships with referral sources such as hospitals, physician practices, discharge planners, elder law attorneys, financial advisors, senior living communities, and other professionals who serve our target client population.
Position Summary
The Associate Director of Business Growth and Partnerships is responsible for leading and executing Sage's business development strategy to drive revenue growth, expand market presence, and strengthen strategic partnerships. Reporting to the Director, this role owns the day-to-day execution of growth initiatives including partnership development, referral expansion, and contract support. The Associate Director serves as a key external representative of Sage and is accountable for translating strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes.
Essential Functions
Business Growth & Development (Primary Ownership)
- Lead the execution of Sage's business development strategy with accountability for expanding referral networks, securing new partnerships, and increasing service utilization
- Identify and prioritize high-value referral source opportunities across healthcare systems, professional services, and community organizations
- Identify, pursue, and help secure new group contracts and business opportunities aligned with organizational growth goals
- Develop and implement targeted outreach plans to establish and grow Sage's presence in new and existing markets
- Build and maintain a robust network of referral relationships through regular outreach, in-person visits, and relationship management
- Build, manage, and grow relationships with referral sources including hospitals, physician practices, discharge planners, elder law attorneys, financial advisors, and senior living communities
- Develop and execute a strategic business development plan with measurable referral and revenue targets
- Maintain and actively manage a business development pipeline tracking outreach, opportunities, conversion rates, and outcomes using CRM tools
- Identify emerging opportunities, trends, and market needs and elevate strategic recommendations to the Director
- Stay current on trends in care management, aging services, and healthcare referral patterns
Customer & Partner Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for key referral partners ensuring a high-touch, responsive, and relationship-driven experience
- Manage high-volume and high-priority referral relationships with accountability for satisfaction, retention, and growth
- Collaborate with internal clinical and operations teams to ensure referral sources understand service offerings and client outcomes
- Monitor and track partner engagement, referral activity, and satisfaction and implement improvements based on feedback and data
- Represent Sage in a professional and credible manner at industry events, conferences, and networking functions strengthening brand reputation and increasing referral volume
- Develop marketing materials and messaging tailored to different referral source segments
Leadership & High-Level Engagement
- Serve as a strategic liaison in complex or high-profile client and partner situations requiring leadership-level involvement
- Represent Sage in key meetings with partners, clients, and stakeholders ensuring alignment and clear communication
- Drive accountability by ensuring follow-through on commitments, action items, and partnership agreements
- Mentor and potentially manage junior business development staff
- Support the Director in advancing organizational priorities and reinforcing a culture of service excellence and accountability
Contracting & Financial Contribution
- Support and participate in contract development and negotiation processes with external partners ensuring alignment with organizational standards
- Contribute to rate discussions and service alignment to support financial sustainability and growth
- Accountable for overall revenue growth through new or enhanced contracts, referral expansion, partnership development, and maximizing service utilization
Business Operations & Cross-Functional Execution
- Collaborate in the development, implementation, and refinement of systems and processes that support operational effectiveness and scalability
- Partner with cross-functional teams to support successful rollout of new initiatives, tools, and workflows
- Ensure alignment between business development efforts and operational capacity
- Participate in finance and operational meetings contributing insights on growth performance, partner activity, and market trends
- Report on key referral and pipeline metrics to leadership on a regular basis
Performance Expectations
Success in this role will be measured by:
- Growth in referral volume and strategic partnerships
- Expansion into new markets or service areas
- Contribution to revenue growth and service utilization
- Strength and retention of partner relationships
- Effective execution of business development initiatives and follow-through
- Performance against measurable referral and revenue targets
Education
- Bachelor's degree required
- Healthcare or gerontology background is a plus
Experience
- 5 to 8 or more years of progressive experience in business development, sales, or relationship management ideally in healthcare, senior services, care management, or a related field
- Proven track record of building and sustaining referral networks or B2B partnerships
- Demonstrated experience in business development, partnership management, or referral growth
- Experience working with older adults and/or individuals with disabilities strongly preferred
- Proven ability to build and sustain relationships with healthcare providers, community partners, and referral sources
- Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
- Self-starter who can work independently and manage a territory or portfolio
- Experience navigating complex client situations and coordinating across multiple stakeholders
- Familiarity with CRM systems and pipeline management
- Exposure to contract management, program growth, or service expansion initiatives preferred
- Willingness to travel throughout Connecticut for in-person meetings, visits, and events
Preferred Qualifications
- Candidates with a strong track record of generating referrals, developing strategic partnerships, or growing service lines will be given strong preference
Pay: $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
Experience:
- Sales: 5 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
Location:
Work Location: On the road
