Department: Development Date Written/Updated: August 4, 2025
Reports To: Chief Advancement Officer Status: Full-time, Non-exempt
Supervises: N/A Salary: Up to $25.00 per hour
SUMMARY OF POSITION:
The Corporate Partnership Coordinator plays a key role in advancing Zoo Knoxville's mission by cultivating, managing, and growing relationships with corporate partners. This position is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive strategies that generate revenue through sponsorships, corporate philanthropy, and community engagement. 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 position is a dynamic blend of strategic planning, relationship building, and hands-on event execution. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives on creating win-win partnerships that support both Zoo Knoxville's mission and the marketing and philanthropic goals of our partners.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Meet and exceed annual financial goals through the acquisition, renewal, and stewardship of corporate sponsorships and philanthropic partnerships.
Manage a portfolio of current and prospective corporate partners, conducting regular check-ins, stewardship visits, and personalized outreach.
Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team, especially the Marketing Events Manager, to execute partner activations, on-site visibility, digital promotions, and hospitality experiences.
Attend and support events and activations related to corporate partnerships, including press opportunities, community days, and sponsor recognition moments.
Present creative, customized proposals that align with partner goals and Zoo Knoxville’s programs, exhibits, events, and mission-based initiatives.
Maintain accurate and detailed partnership records and contact reports in the donor CRM (Tessitura).
Collaborate cross-departmentally to ensure timely and successful implementation of all partnership deliverables.
Prepare and deliver compelling impact reports, presentations, and stewardship communications to demonstrate ROI and maintain long-term engagement.
Regularly review and enhance sponsorship offerings to align with evolving trends in cause marketing and corporate social responsibility.
Support the Development team in executing major fundraising events such as Zoofari and donor engagement efforts like Circle of Friends.
Assist in the creation of marketing materials, proposals, and signage in collaboration with the Communications team.
Represent Zoo Knoxville at external networking events, community partner activations, and relevant corporate gatherings.
Additional duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Strong affinity for Zoo Knoxville’s mission of saving animals from extinction and promoting conservation education.
At least two years of professional experience in fundraising, sales, marketing, sponsorship, or corporate relations.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with a warm, engaging, and professional demeanor.
Proven ability to think strategically, communicate clearly, and work collaboratively across departments.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including persuasive proposal writing and presentation delivery.
Experience with CRM systems (Tessitura preferred) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Comfortable working evenings and weekends as needed for events and sponsor activations.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in relationship management and community engagement.
Ability to prioritize multiple projects while maintaining attention to detail and deadlines.
Acts with integrity and has high standards of professional conduct and respect for confidentiality.
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: As an employee of Zoo Knoxville, you must possess English communication skills as well as the ability to communicate using a 2-way radio, email and telephone. The position hours vary depending on business needs and will require weekend and some holiday shifts. Depending on the specific tasks, this position will be required to work within close proximity of exotic and domestic animals and must be aware that there are dangers inherent in working under those conditions. Zoo Knoxville is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and as such, each employee must pass a pre-employment drug screen as well as background check.
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