Director of Corporate Partnerships in Draper, Utah at The Living Planet Aquarium
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Job Description
Position: Director of Corporate Partnerships
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Why Utah?
Utah is home to five national parks, world-class skiing and snowboarding, hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, and stunning deserts, mountains, and lakes, all within easy driving distance. Outdoor adventure is part of everyday life. The Salt Lake Valley consistently ranks high for safety, clean communities, short commute times, and family-friendly amenities. Draper offers a balance of suburban comfort and urban access, with downtown Salt Lake City just 15 minutes away. Enjoy all four seasons without extremes—sunny summers, colorful falls, snowy winters, and mild springs, perfect for both outdoor recreation and city living. Utah’s communities are known for being engaged, supportive, and service-oriented, making it easy for newcomers to feel at home.
About Loveland Living Planet Aquarium:
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) is a mission-driven institution dedicated to inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Founded in 1997, the Aquarium provides impactful educational experiences for guests of all ages and backgrounds.
Since opening its Draper, Utah facility in 2014, LLPA has welcomed more than 10 million visitors and delivered over 650,000 educational experiences to students. Home to over 4,000 animals representing 650 species, the Aquarium features immersive habitats from around the world, including coral reefs, kelp forests, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, tropical rainforests, Asian cloud forests, and Utah’s freshwater ecosystems.
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2019, LLPA is in an exciting phase of growth. With the opening of the Sam and Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center, the Aquarium became the largest in the Mountain West and the fifth largest aquarium in the continental United States, offering expanded opportunities for education, research, and professional impact.
Position Summary:
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Corporate Partnerships serves as the Aquarium's leader for all corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and strategic business relationships. This position is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive partnership strategy that generates sustainable earned revenue while advancing the Aquarium's mission, education initiatives, conservation efforts, community engagement, and long-term strategic priorities.
The Director of Corporate Partnerships leads the Aquarium's corporate sponsorship program, cultivating meaningful relationships with business leaders, corporate foundations, and strategic partners that provide financial support, marketing value, and mutually beneficial community impact.
Working closely with the CEO, COO, executive leadership team, and the Director of Development, this position develops innovative partnership opportunities that create measurable value for both the Aquarium and its partners while maintaining the integrity of the Aquarium's mission, guest experience, and brand.
The Director of Corporate Partnerships is expected to be both a strategic leader and an active business developer, maintaining a personal portfolio of high-value corporate relationships while creating scalable systems and processes that strengthen the Aquarium's long-term partnership program.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent required
- Advanced degree in business administration, marketing, communications, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred
- Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in corporate partnerships, sponsorship sales, business development, strategic alliances, or related fields
- Demonstrated success securing and managing six- and seven-figure corporate partnerships
- Proven experience negotiating complex sponsorship and partnership agreements
- Experience developing long-term strategic business relationships
- Experience partnering with executive leadership and volunteer boards preferred
- Experience using Salesforce or comparable customer relationship management software
- Strong understanding of sponsorship valuation, partnership fulfillment, brand management, and business development
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and relationship-building skills
Critical Skills/Competencies:
- Strategic business development and partnership leadership
- Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills
- Strong negotiation and presentation abilities
- High level of professionalism and business acumen
- Ability to develop innovative revenue-generating partnerships
- Excellent organizational, planning, and project management abilities
- Financial analysis and contract management skills
- Ability to manage multiple high-profile partnerships simultaneously
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate partnership performance and return on investment
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments
- Commitment to maintaining the Aquarium's mission, reputation, and guest experience in all partnership activities
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth
- Develop and execute a comprehensive multi-year corporate partnership strategy aligned with the Aquarium's Strategic Plan and annual operating goals
- Establish annual sponsorship and partnership revenue goals and measurable performance objectives
- Diversify corporate revenue streams through sponsorships, strategic alliances, naming opportunities, cause marketing, corporate memberships, and other partnership initiatives
- Develop long-range strategies that strengthen corporate engagement while supporting organizational growth and financial sustainability
- Identify emerging partnership opportunities and recommend innovative revenue-generating initiatives
- Prepare annual operating budgets and revenue forecasts for the Corporate Partnerships Department
- Regularly evaluate partnership performance and recommend strategic improvements
Business Development & Partnership Acquisition
- Develop and maintain a personal portfolio of high-value corporate partners and prospective sponsors
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, negotiate, and close new corporate partnerships
- Develop customized sponsorship proposals that align partner objectives with Aquarium priorities
- Create innovative partnership opportunities supporting exhibits, education programs, conservation initiatives, community outreach, research, special events, and capital projects
- Coordinate executive participation in partnership development and solicitation efforts
- Prepare presentations, proposals, contracts, and partnership agreements
- Maintain an active pipeline of qualified partnership opportunities to support annual and long-term revenue goals
Partnership Stewardship & Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary relationship manager for key corporate partners
- Develop stewardship plans that encourage long-term partner retention and growth
- Ensure all sponsorship benefits and contractual obligations are fulfilled at the highest level
- Coordinate regular partner meetings, performance reviews, and renewal discussions
- Develop recognition programs that appropriately acknowledge corporate support
- Measure partner satisfaction and implement continuous improvements to strengthen relationships
Team Leadership & Organizational Development
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing development team
- Establish clear goals, accountability, and performance expectations for staff
- Foster a culture of collaboration, professionalism, and continuous improvement
- Ensure appropriate staffing, structure, and resources to achieve development goals
Partnership Operations & Performance Management
- Oversee the Aquarium's partnership relationship management (CRM) system, ensuring data integrity, reporting accuracy, and consistent business development practices
- Develop dashboards and key performance indicators that monitor pipeline health, sponsorship revenue, partner retention, fulfillment performance, and overall program effectiveness
- Utilize data and analytics to improve partnership strategy and resource allocation
- Establish policies, procedures, and operational standards that improve the efficiency and scalability of the Corporate Partnerships program
- Develop annual departmental budgets and monitor expenditures
- Evaluate partnership initiatives based on financial performance, guest experience, mission alignment, organizational impact, and return on investment
External Relations & Representation
- Represent the Aquarium throughout the business community to strengthen awareness and expand strategic partnerships
- Develop relationships with corporate executives, chambers of commerce, community organizations, tourism partners, and regional business leaders
- Participate in industry organizations and professional associations that strengthen the Aquarium's corporate engagement efforts
- Monitor trends and best practices in sponsorship, cause marketing, corporate social responsibility, and strategic partnerships
- Position Loveland Living Planet Aquarium as one of Utah's premier nonprofit partnership opportunities
Physical Demands of the Job:
- This position will be primarily in an office environment
- Periodic evening and weekend work is expected
- May be required to lift up to 50 pounds
Benefits & Perks
- Comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus optional FSA/HSA accounts
- Paid time off & 12 paid holidays per year
- Paid bereavement leave and paid new child leave (birth, adoption, or placement)
- Employer-paid short-term disability; optional long-term disability coverage
- Convenient onsite childcare (employees pay approximately 20% of the cost)
- 401(k) with match up to 4% - fully vested from day 1 of contribution
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Free Aquarium membership
- Discounts on tickets, gift shop, and café purchases
- Free and discounted animal encounters
- Pet insurance and discounts
- Footwear discounts
- Entertainment, travel, and retail savings through Tickets at Work
While this job description attempts to describe the essential functions of the position, it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. It does not restrict management’s right to assign or reassign duties or responsibilities to this job at any time. The overall work environment while performing this job includes exposure to weather conditions and the noise level is usually moderate. The employee is expected to adhere to all policies and to act as a role model in the adherence to the policies.
The Living Planet Aquarium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or military status. The Living Planet Aquarium is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application and interview process. Should you require accommodations, please contact accommodation@livingplanetaquarium.org.