Director of National Partnerships

Urban Strategies

. Develop and execute a multi-year national partnerships strategy aligned with Urban Strategies’ broader strategic direction .

Posted 9/15/2026full-timeRemote • District of Columbia • United StatesLead💰 $80,000 - $95,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in developing and executing national partnership strategies, building cross-sector collaborations, and managing the full partnership lifecycle. Proficient in executive communication, negotiation, and leveraging resources to drive community development initiatives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

National Partnerships Strategy DevelopmentCross-Sector Partnership BuildingExecutive Communication SkillsPartnership Lifecycle ManagementCommunity Development Expertise

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Community DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsBusiness DevelopmentOutcome MeasurementProposal DevelopmentNegotiationPartnership EvaluationResource DevelopmentImplementation PlanningCross-Functional Leadership

Soft Skills

Relationship ManagementFacilitationPresentation SkillsWriting SkillsHumility

Tools & Technologies

Customer Relationship Management SystemsPartnership Dashboards

Industry Keywords

Affordable HousingEconomic MobilityPublic-Private PartnershipsNeighborhood RevitalizationCDFIsFoundationsGovernment AgenciesPhilanthropyWorkforce DevelopmentUrban Planning

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and execute a multi-year national partnerships strategy aligned with Urban Strategies’ broader strategic direction
Build and maintain a qualified national partnership pipeline
Lead the full partnership lifecycle, including prospecting, qualification, cultivation, opportunity design, internal alignment, negotiation, activation, stewardship, evaluation, renewal, and expansion
Develop cross-sector partnerships with foundations, corporations, banks, CDFIs, government agencies, national intermediaries, universities, peer community-development organizations, and other aligned institutions
Translate place-based Community Development work into partnership models that can be replicated or adapted across communities
Create partnership proposals, scopes, MOUs, implementation plans, roles, deliverables, timelines, resource commitments, and measures of success
Identify opportunities that bring funding, capital, technical assistance, expertise, referrals, research, training, visibility, program collaboration, or other strategic resources to Urban Strategies and partner communities
Coordinate with Executive leadership, Business Development, Grants, Finance, Communications, Program Evaluation/Data, Legal/Compliance, and executive leadership
Support grant and resource-development opportunities connected to national partnerships
Support national learning exchanges, peer networks, convenings, site visits, and technical-assistance collaborations
Represent Urban Strategies at national conferences, coalitions, philanthropic forums, governmental meetings, roundtables, and partner convenings
Maintain detailed Customer Relationship Management system and partnership records
Provide executive-level reporting on partnership pipeline health, resources leveraged, implementation progress, strategic value, risks, outcomes, and future opportunities
Develop repeatable partnership playbooks, due-diligence criteria, templates, activation processes, and accountability practices
Lead assigned staff and/or cross-functional partnership teams
Connect community needs, external trends, organizational priorities, and long-term opportunities
Translate relationship opportunities into defined commitments, owners, milestones, and outcomes
Ensure disciplined follow-through and measurable value from partnerships
Adjust partnership strategies as community, funding, policy, and market conditions evolve
Ensure partnerships respect local voice, culture, leadership, and shared ownership
Approach communities and partners with credibility, responsiveness, humility, and mission focus

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in community development, public administration, urban planning, nonprofit management, business, social sciences, or a related field; equivalent significant experience may be considered
8 years of progressively responsible experience in community development, strategic partnerships, business/resource development, philanthropy, affordable housing, economic mobility, or related mission-driven work
Demonstrated success building senior-level cross-sector partnerships that produced measurable strategic, financial, programmatic, or community value
Experience moving complex partnerships from initial relationship through agreement, implementation, measurement, and renewal
Strong executive communication, facilitation, negotiation, presentation, writing, and relationship-management skills
Ability to lead across functions and geographies in a matrixed organization and manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously
Ability and willingness to travel nationally
Graduate degree in urban planning, public policy, public administration, nonprofit management, business, or a related field preferred
Experience with CDFIs, foundations, government, financial institutions, affordable housing, economic development, workforce development, neighborhood revitalization, or public-private partnerships
Experience scaling or replicating place-based community-development initiatives across multiple geographies
Experience with CRM systems, partnership dashboards, outcome measurement, and executive or board reporting
Employment is conditional pending satisfactory results of all required tests and background checks

Benefits

Comp & perks

Remote work for eligible positions
Medical and Dental is paid 95% by company and 5% by employee (individual or family)
Vision is covered 100% (individual or family)
401K matched contributions up to 4%
Employee Assistance Program
Vacation time is generous but varies depending on program and position
9 Sick Days and 11 Holidays
Every teammate gets long and short-term disability free
Positions that require laptops, the company provides one
Positions that require cellphone, company issues one
Meaningful employee engagement programs