Partnership Engagement Manager, Conferences and Events

We are seeking a Partner Engagement Manager to join the Foundation in its mission of benefitting, supporting, and enhancing the California Community Colleges—the largest and most diverse system of higher education in the nation.

The Conferences and Events team provides comprehensive event planning and logistical support for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. The team supports a wide range of convenings, meetings, conferences, and special events that advance engagement and systemwide priorities.

What You’ll Do

The Manager, Partnership Engagement will be part of a dynamic nonprofit team focused on increasing resources, strengthening partnerships, and elevating event experiences. This is a client management role at its core. The Manager serves as the primary point of contact for clients, including the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and is responsible for owning and advancing sponsor relationships from initial cultivation through long-term stewardship.

The Manager, Partnership Engagement is responsible for developing, managing, and executing sponsorships that support the goals of FoundationCCC and our client(s). This role leads sponsor relationship development by identifying aligned opportunities, creating customized sponsorship packages, overseeing logistics, and ensuring all deliverables are fulfilled to maximize satisfaction and engagement. The Manager also serves as a connector within the organization by recognizing when sponsor relationships are ready to grow beyond events and facilitating introductions to the appropriate FoundationCCC teams. The Manager works cross-functionally with internal teams and external partners, especially FoundationCCC’s Resource Development Department and Communications and Marketing Department, to drive event revenue, amplify the brand, and support strategic philanthropic partnerships and long-term growth.

• Own the sponsor relationship end-to-end, serving as the primary client-facing point of contact for sponsors and the Chancellor’s Office throughout all phases of sponsorship engagement, from identification and cultivation through commitment, execution, and post-event stewardship.
• Design, write, and submit high-quality event sponsorship proposals that support comprehensive strategies aligned with event goals and organizational priorities.
• Manage the sponsorship pipeline, including prospective sponsors, active conversations, confirmed commitments, renewals, and opportunities for expanded engagement across multiple events annually.
• Oversee the fulfillment of all sponsor deliverables at in-person and virtual events, ensuring commitments are met, including branding, activations, speaking opportunities, recognition, and other agreed-upon benefits, while maintaining high sponsor satisfaction.
• Serve as an internal connector, identifying when sponsor relationships are ready to evolve beyond events and actively facilitating introductions to the appropriate FoundationCCC teams, including Corporate Philanthropy and CollegeBuys & Strategic Partnerships, to support multi-faceted, long-term partnership pathways.
• Lead the development, documentation, and continuous improvement of sponsorship processes, templates, timelines, and workflows to create clear structure, consistent execution, and shared accountability across events.

Attributes for Success

• Minimum of three to five (3–5+) years of related client-facing experience in end-to-end event planning, sponsorship activation, conference services, and logistics.
• Minimum of two to three (2–3+) years of experience managing programs, projects, or stakeholder relationships with demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration.
• Proficiency in using CRM systems to manage stakeholder and sponsor data; direct experience with Salesforce is highly preferred.
• Experience working within or supporting educational institutions or nonprofit organizations is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of sponsorship value, audience engagement strategies, sponsor stewardship, and current trends in event sponsorship.
• Strong client management skills, including the ability to serve as a trusted point of contact, understand client priorities, manage expectations, navigate competing needs, and maintain strong relationships with sponsors, clients, and internal partners.
• Proven skills in relationship management, negotiation, sales, client service, and sponsor communications.
• 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

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].

Budgeted Annual Salary Pay Range:

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