Partnership & Business Development Specialist

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

Partnership & Business Development Specialist

Effective:            June 2026

Type:                  Full-time, Exempt

Reports to:        Director of Learning

• Are you a connector who enjoys building trusted relationships with employers, school leaders, and community partners?
• Do you enjoy developing new partnerships, managing an organized pipeline, and turning ideas into active engagement?

The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) is seeking a Partnership & Business Development Specialist to build and maintain employer and K-12 school partnerships that strengthen the region's talent pipeline. This position is responsible for developing new partnerships, supporting existing partner relationships, managing outreach and engagement activities, and promoting participation in a regional workforce development platform designed to connect employers, educators, and students through career-connected learning and work-based learning opportunities.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and relationship builder who is comfortable working across education and industry. This role requires an individual who can independently manage a portfolio of employer and school partners, maintain an organized prospect pipeline, utilize CRM tools effectively, support platform adoption and engagement efforts, and represent E-REP professionally in business, education, and community settings. The successful candidate will be equally focused on developing new partnership opportunities and fostering meaningful engagement with existing partners.

Scope of Work

Partnership Sales & Business Development

• Identify, prospect, and secure new employer, industry, and education partners.
• Conduct outreach through calls, meetings, presentations, networking events, and referrals.
• Communicate the value proposition and benefits of E-REP workforce development initiatives and technology platforms.
• Promote participation in a regional workforce development platform that connects employers, educators, and students.
• Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective partners.
• Meet established partnership growth and engagement goals.
• Utilize CRM tools to track prospect activity and manage the sales pipeline.

Partner Onboarding & Activation

• Lead the onboarding process for new employer and education partners.
• Ensure partners understand available programs, opportunities, expectations, and benefits.
• Coordinate with internal staff to successfully launch partner participation.
• Monitor partner engagement and identify opportunities to increase involvement.

Relationship Management & Retention

• Serve as the primary contact for assigned partners.
• Conduct regular check-ins and stewardship activities.
• Support retention and renewal efforts.
• Gather feedback and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Key Qualifications and Personal Attributes

Education:

• Bachelor's degree preferred in business administration, marketing, communications, education, workforce development, public administration, economic development, or a related field.
• Equivalent combinations of education, training, and relevant professional experience will be considered.

Skills and Experience:

• Experience working with K-12 schools, districts, or education partners.
• Experiences working with employers or industry partners in a relationship or business development capacity.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills – comfortable in both a superintendent’s office and a manufacturing plant.
• Experience using a CRM or managing an organized pipeline (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar).
• Self-starter who can manage a portfolio of accounts independently.
• Background in workforce development, economic development, or talent pipeline work.
• Familiarity with work-based learning, internships, or career pathways programs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other business technology platforms.
• Knowledge of the Evansville region's business, education, and workforce landscape preferred.

Performance Expectations

Success in this role will be measured through:

• A healthy and growing pipeline of employer and school prospects.
• Movement of prospects from initial outreach to active partnership.
• Strong retention and engagement of existing partners.
• Partner understanding of E-REP's value and return on investment.
• Clean, current, and consistently used CRM records and pipeline data.
• Strategic, proactive outreach rather than reactive follow-up.
• Quality communication, collaboration, and representation of E-REP in the community.

E-REP is proud to be an equal opportunity employer focused on fostering an inclusive workplace and committed to hiring a workforce comprised of diverse backgrounds, cultures and thinking styles.

About the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership:

The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) leads economic development for the Evansville, Indiana region, enhancing quality of life through transformational projects, strategic planning, advocacy, and business engagement. E-REP supports business attraction, startup, and growth, operating with a commitment to:

• Regional collaboration
• Equitable prosperity
• Small business empowerment
• Public-private partnership
• Advancing global relevance

Learn more at https://evansvilleregion.com