Vice President, Strategic Partnerships

REPORTS TO: President & CEO

DIRECT REPORTS: Manager, Strategic Partnerships

SALARY RANGE: $98,688 – $246,721

LOCATION: Washington, D.C.

About the Public Affairs Council

The Public Affairs Council is the leading organization for public affairs professionals worldwide. Launched in 1954 at the urging of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, we are both nonpartisan and nonpolitical. Our mission is to advance the field of public affairs and provide our 700-plus member companies and associations with the executive education and expertise they need to succeed while upholding the highest ethical standards.

Our Standards of Excellence

Every team member is expected to embody these seven standards:

• Act with Integrity – Do the right thing, always.
• Collaborate to Succeed – Leverage diverse perspectives for superior outcomes.
• Adopt a Bias for Action – Move quickly on opportunities with informed decisions.
• Embrace Accountability – Own your outcomes and take full responsibility for results.
• Pioneer Innovation and Forward-Thinking – Challenge conventional approaches.
• Pursue Knowledge and Utilize New Insights – Commit to continuous learning and application.
• Champion Nonpartisanship Across All Perspectives – Value diverse viewpoints objectively.

Position Overview

The Vice President, Strategic Partnerships leads the Council’s enterprise-wide strategy for cultivating, managing, and expanding high-value relationships that drive organizational growth. This role oversees the acquisition of new members, the development of sponsorships, consulting lead generation, and institutional collaborations that strengthen the Council’s visibility, resources, and global reach.

Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the Vice President serves as a key member of the senior leadership team—designing and executing strategies that align partnership growth with the Council’s mission, Standards of Excellence, and long-term sustainability. This leader ensures that every external relationship contributes to both member value and organizational advancement.

Key Responsibilities

Membership Growth & Engagement

• Lead the Council’s strategy for acquiring new member organizations and strengthening institutional participation.
• Partner with the Vice President, Member Success & Practice, to ensure seamless onboarding, integration, and sustained engagement.
• Build and maintain a robust prospect pipeline through targeted outreach, referrals, and relationship cultivation.
• Utilize data-driven insights to evaluate membership trends, anticipate emerging opportunities, and inform growth strategies.
• Develop relationships in new markets and member communities across the U.S. to grow the Council’s impact.

Strategic Partnership Development

• Design and implement a comprehensive strategy for cultivating partnerships that expand the Council’s reach and impact.
• Identify and secure strategic relationships across corporations, associations, and allied organizations.
• Develop collaboration frameworks that advance shared goals while maintaining PAC’s nonpartisan standards.
• Establish performance metrics to evaluate partnership effectiveness and long-term value creation.

Sponsorship Leadership

• Oversee strategic sponsorship development for major programs, conferences, and events.
• Create sponsorship opportunities that provide measurable value to partner organizations.
• Ensure exceptional sponsor engagement, fulfillment, and stewardship that foster lasting relationships.
• Collaborate with internal teams to integrate sponsor visibility across Council platforms.

Consulting Growth & Lead Generation

• Identify and cultivate consulting opportunities in collaboration with the Council’s advisory and consulting teams.
• Build relationships with prospective clients across industries to expand awareness of the Council’s consulting capabilities.
• Support the scoping, positioning, and refinement of consulting engagements to ensure high-impact delivery.

Member Awards & Recognition Programs

• Lead the strategy, visibility, and growth of the Council’s member awards and recognition programs.
• Strengthen nomination pipelines and elevate the prestige of award recipients.
• Partner with Strategic Communications & Marketing to promote awardees and enhance storytelling.

External Engagement Support

• Support the Council’s external engagement strategy by cultivating trusted relationships with partner organizations, sponsors, and stakeholders.
• Represent the Council as appropriate in select collaborative settings to expand engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate with the President & CEO on outreach that enhances the Council’s profile and strategic alliances.

Organizational Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide planning and strategy.
• Collaborate across departments to align partnership initiatives with organizational objectives.
• Develop annual goals, dashboards, and forecasts to measure partnership and revenue performance.
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field.
• 10 years of progressive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or member acquisition.
• Demonstrated success in building and managing high-value partnerships and achieving growth targets.
• Strong understanding of corporate, association, or nonprofit relationship management.
• Proven ability to engage senior executives and institutional leaders in long-term collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MBA, MPA, or equivalent).
• Experience in associations, professional networks, or member-driven organizations.
• Familiarity with the public affairs, corporate responsibility, or stakeholder engagement sectors.
• Demonstrated success in sponsorship development or philanthropic partnerships.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Designs and drives initiatives that align relationships with organizational strategy.
• Partnership Excellence: Builds and sustains high-value collaborations that generate measurable outcomes.
• Revenue & Growth Orientation: Achieves financial and engagement goals through thoughtful relationship strategy.
• Executive Communication: Represents the Council with professionalism, clarity, and diplomacy.
• Analytical Insight: Uses data and metrics to inform strategic decision-making.
• Collaboration & Influence: Works seamlessly across teams to integrate partnership and member strategies.

Position Attributes

• Mission-Driven: Dedicated to advancing the public affairs profession through strategic relationships.
• Strategic & Entrepreneurial: Proactively identifies and cultivates growth opportunities.
• Relationship-Oriented: Builds authentic connections that advance shared goals.
• Results-Focused: Driven by measurable success and sustainable impact.
• Ethical & Nonpartisan: Operates with transparency and integrity in all partnerships.

Location & Work Arrangement

Headquarters: Washington, D.C. (with European office in Brussels).

Work Model: Hybrid arrangement with regular in-person presence for partner engagement and team collaboration.

Travel: Required for meetings, partnership development, and industry events.

Benefits

The Public Affairs Council offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid time off (PTO), medical insurance, life insurance, retirement benefits, and time off for federal holidays.

How to Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter to employment@pac.org with the subject line: Vice President, Strategic Partnerships

The Public Affairs Council is an equal opportunity employer. Employment at the Public Affairs Council is based solely on a person’s merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. The Public Affairs Council does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, military status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.