Open Arms of Minnesota Job Description:
Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships
Organizational Summary:
Open Arms of Minnesota (OAM) is a nonprofit that prepares and delivers healthy, nutritious food to people living with life-threatening illnesses. Our mission: by providing food as medicine, we nourish our clients and build community. In our two state-of-the-art kitchens, OAM staff members and more than 6,500 volunteers create meals specifically designed for our clients’ nutritional needs. We use fresh and, whenever possible, organic ingredients, including produce from our own 5 Open Farms urban garden locations. Volunteers deliver meals throughout the Twin Cities metro area to approximately 3,687 clients, caregivers, and dependents annually, providing nourishment and hope for families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. In addition, families in need throughout Minnesota receive meals shipped to them weekly. There are no fees for any of Open Arms’ services. Open Arms is a volunteer-driven organization and is culturally unique in our high commitment to an excellent volunteer experience.
To learn more, visit www.openarmsmn.org
Open Date: August 14, 2026 Closing Date: Until Filled
Position Summary
The Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships is responsible for leading Open Arms' institutional partnership strategy by building, cultivating, and stewarding transformational relationships with corporations, foundations, healthcare organizations, and community institutions.
This position goes beyond traditional corporate fundraising to develop comprehensive, long-term partnerships that advance the mission of Open Arms while creating meaningful value for our partners. Through a relationship-centered approach, the Senior Manager works to understand each organization's goals, culture, and philanthropic priorities to develop customized partnerships that align with both the partner's objectives and Open Arms' strategic priorities.
The Senior Manager provides leadership for the Institutional Relationships team, supervising the Partnerships Development Officer, Grants Manager, and the Corporate Partnerships Manager while working in close partnership with the Grants Manager. Together, the team creates a seamless institutional engagement strategy that integrates volunteerism, philanthropy, community engagement, grant funding, sponsorships, employee engagement, and strategic partnerships.
As a member of the Relationships & Engagement leadership team, the Senior Manager fosters cross-department collaboration to ensure every institutional relationship is coordinated, stewarded, and positioned for long-term success.
Essential Responsibilities
Strategic Partnership Development
- Develop and execute Open Arms' institutional partnership strategy.
- Build and manage a portfolio of high-capacity corporate and institutional partners.
- Create customized, multi-year engagement strategies for key partners.
- Identify new partnership opportunities that align with Open Arms' mission and strategic priorities.
- Cultivate executive-level relationships that lead to transformational philanthropic investment.
- Develop innovative partnership models that create mutual value for Open Arms and its partners.
Relationship Management
- Build authentic, trust-based relationships with corporate and institutional leaders.
- Conduct regular cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and partnership meetings.
- Develop individualized stewardship plans for major institutional partners.
- Ensure partners experience meaningful engagement throughout every stage of the relationship.
- Collaborate with Communications and Marketing to recognize and celebrate partner impact.
- Maintain accurate documentation and relationship strategies within the CRM.
Institutional Fundraising
- Secure corporate philanthropic support through sponsorships, grants, workplace giving, employee campaigns, matching gifts, and other contributions.
- Develop and implement strategies that increase institutional revenue while strengthening long-term partnerships.
- Collaborate with the Grants Manager to maximize foundation and institutional funding opportunities.
- Identify opportunities for integrated fundraising across multiple revenue streams.
Team Leadership
- Supervise the Partnerships Development Officer, Grants Manager, and the Corporate Partnerships Manager.
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
- Establish team priorities and work plans.
- Foster a collaborative, relationship-centered culture.
- Ensure consistent stewardship standards across the Institutional Relationships team.
Cross-Department Collaboration
Work collaboratively across Open Arms to create coordinated, organization-wide relationship strategies.
Partner closely with:
- Volunteer Engagement to transform volunteer experiences into long-term partnerships.
- Individual Giving to identify executives, employees, and volunteers with major gift potential.
- Communications & Marketing to elevate partner stories and recognition.
- Events to maximize sponsorship, committee engagement, and corporate participation.
- Programs and Nutrition Services to demonstrate measurable mission impact.
- Executive Leadership to cultivate strategic institutional relationships.
Strategic Planning
- Contribute to departmental strategic planning and annual goal development.
- Monitor institutional fundraising trends and identify emerging opportunities.
- Develop strategies that strengthen partner retention, growth, and engagement.
- Analyze portfolio performance and recommend improvements.
- Support implementation of CRM best practices and relationship management systems.
Leadership Competencies
The successful candidate demonstrates:
- Strategic thinking
- Relationship-centered leadership
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Business development and partnership strategy
- Collaboration and influence across teams
- Innovation and creative problem-solving
- Strong organizational and project management skills
- Data-informed decision making
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, and community engagement
Success Measures
Success in this role is measured not only by revenue, but by the strength and sustainability of institutional relationships.
Performance indicators include:
- Growth in institutional philanthropic revenue.
- Increased partner retention and multi-year commitments.
- Growth in corporate volunteer-to-donor conversion.
- Increased sponsorship and cause marketing participation.
- Expansion of workplace giving and matching gift revenue.
- Growth in strategic community partnerships.
- Successful collaboration across departments.
- Accurate CRM utilization and pipeline management.
- Staff engagement and professional development within the Institutional Relationships team.
- Achievement of annual departmental goals and KPIs.
Guiding Philosophy
The Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships approaches every relationship through a 360-degree lens. Rather than asking, "How can this organization support Open Arms?" the Senior Manager asks, "How can we build a partnership that advances both Open Arms' mission and our partner's goals?"
By understanding each partner's values, culture, business objectives, employee engagement priorities, and philanthropic interests, the Senior Manager creates partnerships that are mutually beneficial, strategically aligned, and built to grow over time.
Success is measured not simply by dollars raised, but by the depth of trust, the longevity of partnerships, and the collective impact created through meaningful collaboration.
Requirements:
- 4+ years of demonstrated success researching, writing, and successfully obtaining foundation and other grants.
- 4+ years of experience working within a non-profit development department.
- 4+ years’ experience writing reports and tracking data for grants.
- Experience in planning and working within budgets.
- Experience researching, writing, securing, and managing foundation grants for nonprofit organizations.
- Demonstrated experience managing a grant calendar.
- Strong editing and proofreading skills, as precision in proposal language can directly impact funding success.
- Experience using donor, CRM, or grant management systems to track proposals, reporting requirements, and funder stewardship activities.
- Strong organizational and project management skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, including the ability to organize, analyze, and present grant-related information.
- Ability to think strategically, creatively, and proactively.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Ability to build effective working relationships across departments and collaborate with diverse stakeholders to gather information and meet grant deadlines
- Ability to provide friendly, excellent collaborative service to internal and external constituencies.
- Ability to create and contribute to a positive team environment.
- Willingness to provide occasional support in other operational areas as needed, including meal delivery, kitchen meal packaging, and support at events
- Ability to work onsite at either location.
- Reliable transportation and an active Minnesota driver’s license, unrestricted for work-related driving, with an acceptable driving record and ability to be insured under current policies.
- Ability and flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends.
- Sensitivity and commitment to diversity and ability to work respectfully with a wide array of co-workers and members of the community.
- A passion for the mission and values of Open Arms.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in English.
- Able to operate standard office equipment (such as telephone, computer, printer, and copy machine).
- Able to sit for extended periods of time and/or work on feet for extended periods of time.
- Ability to review and reply to documents and information on computer screens as well as to use a computer and variety of software programs.
Reports To: Director of Development and Relationships
Location: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN
Pay Rate: $85,000- $92,000 annually
Hours: 40 hours per week
To Apply:
Please send a resume and cover letter to:
OAM HR
- Email: [email protected]
- Fax: 1-866-499-1630
- Mail: 2500 Bloomington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Benefits:
This position is eligible for an excellent comprehensive benefits package that includes medical/dental/life/ STD/LTD insurance, employee assistance program, pet insurance, commuter-transit and parking, paid Holidays, and personal time off (PTO), retirement plan with employer match program. Employee-paid vision plan, voluntary life, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance are also available.
Open Arms of Minnesota is committed to hiring and fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce that leverages the skills and talents of all employees in our organization, regardless of race, gender, national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, disability, or socioeconomic status. We encourage all individuals with direct or transferable experience to apply for our open positions.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Pay: $85,000.00 - $92,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
