Partnership Acquisition Specialist at 160 Driving Academy – Chicago, Illinois

The Partnership Acquisition Specialist is responsible for identifying, developing, and onboarding new employer partners to support job placement for CDL graduates, including Amazon Career Choice students. This role focuses on outbound prospecting, building a strong employer pipeline, setting hiring expectations, coordinating candidate referrals, and maintaining ongoing partner relationships. The Specialist collaborates with Career Services and internal teams to ensure employers receive qualified referrals and that hiring outcomes are tracked accurately. Success in this role requires strong communication skills, B2B sales or recruiting experience, CRM proficiency, and the ability to work independently in a metrics-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct outbound research, calls, emails, and digital outreach to identify employers hiring entry-level CDL drivers.
• Qualify employer needs and build a growing pipeline of prospective partners.
• Onboard new partners, define hiring criteria, and document all requirements in CRM systems.
• Coordinate referral distribution and monitor employer responsiveness and hiring progress.
• Maintain consistent communication, gather feedback, and expand partnerships where possible.
• Track outreach, partnerships, referrals, and hiring results; prepare weekly performance reports.
• Collaborate with Career Services and leadership to align hiring needs with graduate availability.

What You Will Do

• Prospect and onboard new employers hiring CDL drivers.
• Qualify hiring needs and document requirements in the CRM.
• Coordinate referrals with Career Services and ensure timely employer follow-up.
• Maintain partner relationships, track hiring outcomes, and provide weekly performance updates.
• Identify opportunities to expand partnerships and improve referral results.

What You Bring

• 2+ years in B2B sales, business development, staffing, or recruiting.
• Strong outbound prospecting and communication skills.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to work independently.
• CRM experience (Salesforce preferred).
• Transportation/logistics experience a plus.

Why It Matters

• You directly impact graduate job placement by building employer relationships that hire new CDL drivers.

Why You’ll Love It

• Build a national employer network.
• Make a real impact on student careers.
• Fast-growing company, clear goals, mission-driven culture.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of B2B sales, business development, recruiting, or staffing experience (Bachelor’s preferred).
• Strong outbound prospecting skills and relationship-building ability.
• Highly organized; strong follow-through and time management.
• Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Transportation/logistics experience is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and meet activity and performance targets.