Corporate Partnership Coordinator

Zoo Knoxville is one of the region's most beloved cultural institutions, dedicated to inspiring people to protect the natural world through connections with wildlife. The Corporate Partnership Coordinator is a key revenue driver and relationship builder within the Development team, responsible for growing Zoo Knoxville's portfolio of corporate partners through strategic outreach, tailored sponsorship proposals, and exceptional stewardship.

• Working closely with the Development, Marketing and Communications, and Guest Experience teams, the Corporate Partnership Coordinator ensures partner satisfaction, benefit fulfillment, and long-term relationship growth through tailored activations and stewardship.
• This role blends sales-minded prospecting with mission-driven relationship management.
• The ideal candidate brings energy and professionalism to every touchpoint, whether pitching a new prospect, executing a sponsor activation at Boo at the Zoo, or delivering an impact report that makes a partner proud to have their name on an exhibit.
• Success in this role means growing revenue, deepening partner loyalty, and ensuring that every corporate relationship advances both the partner's goals and Zoo Knoxville's mission.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS:

• Corporate partnerships are a significant and growing revenue source for Zoo Knoxville.
• This position manages and expands that portfolio, serving as the primary point of contact for business partners ranging from local sponsors to regional companies investing in cause marketing and community visibility.
• The Coordinator works across the zoo's signature events, naming rights, exhibit sponsorships, and philanthropic giving programs, connecting the right opportunity to the right partner at every level.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Revenue Development & Portfolio Management
• Meet and exceed annual revenue goals through the acquisition, renewal, and growth of corporate sponsorships and philanthropic partnerships.
• Manage a defined portfolio of active and prospective corporate partners, conducting regular outreach, stewardship visits, and personalized check-ins.
• Build and maintain a healthy prospect pipeline using research tools, networking, and referrals to identify businesses aligned with Zoo Knoxville's mission and programs.
• Negotiate sponsorship agreements and ensure contract deliverables are met on schedule and within scope.

Proposal Development & Customization

• Develop creative, tailored sponsorship packages and proposals that connect partner marketing and philanthropic goals to Zoo Knoxville programs, events, and exhibits.
• Align offerings with current trends in corporate social responsibility (CSR), cause marketing, and employee engagement.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to ensure proposals reflect current brand standards, accurate program details, and compelling storytelling.
• Present proposals with confidence in one-on-one meetings, formal presentations, and community settings.

Stewardship & Partner Experience

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for corporate partners, ensuring a seamless and high-quality experience from first contact through multi-year renewal.
• Prepare and deliver compelling impact reports, ROI summaries, and stewardship communications that demonstrate value and reinforce long-term engagement.
• Coordinate with the Marketing Events Manager and cross-departmental teams to execute sponsor activations, on-site visibility, digital promotions, and hospitality experiences.
• Track and fulfill all contractual benefits and recognition commitments, including signage, social media mentions, event tickets, and animal naming rights.
• Manage signage requests through the zoo's design team, ensuring accuracy, timely production, and proper placement in alignment with each partner's recognition package.

Events & Community Representation

• Attend and support Zoo Knoxville events with a corporate partnership component, including Boo at the Zoo, Brew at the Zoo, Red Panda Run 5K, Smoky Night Lights, Earth Day, and other special events and seasonal programming.
• Represent Zoo Knoxville at external networking events, chamber gatherings, community activations, and relevant business functions.
• Support the Development team in executing major donor engagement efforts, including Circle of Friends and other cultivation events.
• Data Management & Reporting
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date partnership records, contact reports, and pipeline data in Tessitura (CRM).
• Track performance against annual goals and provide regular pipeline updates to the VP of Marketing, Events, Sales and Communications.
• Assist in the development of sponsorship materials, presentations, and collateral in collaboration with the Communications team.
• Regularly review and refresh sponsorship offerings to reflect evolving market trends, partner feedback, and new programmatic opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Required
• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, nonprofit management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum two years of professional experience in sponsorship sales, corporate development, fundraising, marketing, or a related field.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue targets in a sales or development role.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including persuasive proposal writing and confident presentation delivery.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with a wide range of stakeholders, from small business owners to senior corporate executives.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and CRM platforms; Tessitura experience preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in relationship management and community engagement.
• Acts with integrity and has high standards of professional conduct and respect for confidentiality.
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects while maintaining attention to detail and deadlines.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as required for events and sponsor activations.

Preferred

• Experience in a nonprofit, zoo, aquarium, museum, or other cultural institution setting.
• Familiarity with cause marketing, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, and employee giving campaigns.
• Experience using prospect research tools to identify and qualify new corporate leads.
• Understanding of sponsorship activation, benefit fulfillment, and impact reporting best practices.
• Attributes of the Ideal Candidate
• Mission-driven Genuine connection to Zoo Knoxville's work in wildlife conservation and community education.
• Self-starter.
• Comfortable working with autonomy, setting priorities, and driving results without constant direction.
• Relationship builder. Warm, engaging, and professional in every interaction, with a long view on relationship development.
• Strategic and creative. Able to connect organizational needs to partner goals and build proposals that feel custom, not canned.
• Collaborative.
• Works across departments with respect, clarity, and a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Accountable.
• Tracks commitments, follows through, and communicates proactively when priorities shift.
• Don’t meet every requirement? At Zoo Knoxville we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the  , we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• This position operates primarily in a professional office environment with regular external meetings and on-site zoo events.
• The role requires effective communication in English, including use of phone, email, two-way radio, and in-person settings.
• Hours vary based on business needs and will include evening and weekend shifts, particularly during signature events and seasonal programming.
• As a Zoo Knoxville employee, this position may require working in proximity to exotic and domestic animals.
• Employees must be aware of the inherent risks associated with this environment.
• Zoo Knoxville is a drug-free workplace.
• All employees are required to pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Zoo Knoxville offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, and complimentary zoo admission for employees and immediate family.
• Zoo Knoxville is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic team.

Salary

• $21.00-%25.00