We're Hiring! Manager, Strategic Partnerships and Impact

Ever wondered what the meaning is in the songs of whales, in the chirping of the birds in your garden, or in the ultrasonic communications of bats? You’re not alone…

Earth Species Project (ESP) is a non-profit using AI to decode animal communication to find new ways of listening to and learning from the rest of nature. Our ultimate goal is to drive a renewed relationship with the rest of nature that allows the diversity of life to thrive. 

ESP partners with biologists and machine learning researchers at leading universities and institutions around the world, and we are honored to be supported by many forward-looking philanthropists and groups, including Reid Hoffman, Waverley Street Foundation, the Paul G Allen Family Foundation and the National Geographic Society.

Our global team is growing, and we have recently established our theory of change, which has strategic partnerships at its heart. We are looking for a talented Strategic Partnerships Manager with exceptional relationship management skills to lead efforts to identify, cultivate and manage these relationships.

Purpose of Role

The Manager, Strategic Partnerships and Impact is a key member of ESP’s impact team, reporting to the Director of Impact. The position will play a critical role in developing and leading the effective management of key strategic partnerships to help advance ESP’s mission, and in ensuring that ESP is delivering effectively against its theory of change.

ESP’s new theory of change identifies three key programmatic pillars - Research, Building the Field, and Preparing Society for Impact.  This role will work closely with ESP’s Leadership Team and program teams to take the lead on developing and managing a suite of relationships critical to successful delivery against these program pillars. These might include partnerships with:

• Major institutions (government agencies, universities, museums, large NGOs, tech companies) that will help ESP advance its research agenda, including data sharing and development of joint projects
• Academic institutions to support ESP's efforts to build a broader field of AI and animal communication.
• Convening and capacity-building organizations to help build capacity among ethologists that could benefit from AI expertise.
• Organizations demonstrating new relationships to the rest of nature, including incorporating the voice of nature into decision-making and exploring new ways to value nature
• Partnerships with organizations that can help to amplify ESP's work

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Work closely with the Director of Impact and wider Leadership Team to develop Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation (MLE) frameworks to track progress against our strategic plan and evaluate our impact; and to develop strategic approaches for how partnerships can support effective delivery across ESP’s program pillars. 
• Stay informed on news and key trends relevant to ESP’s impact work, share with the team, and use these insights to inform strategy and the development of new partnerships and thinking on broader impact.
• Work closely with various teams across the organization to identify and develop key relationships and ensure we have measures in place to steward these relationships moving forward.

Best Practice

• Develop best practice on partnership management; use of Hubspot and other systems to effectively manage relationships; and effective stewardship of ongoing partnerships.
• Provide training to key team members on these best practices and support them in negotiating new partnerships.
• Develop best practice for use of MLE frameworks and ensure these are fully institutionalized across the organization.

Relationship Management

• Work with the leadership team to lead the proactive development of cross-organizational partnerships that will support delivery against strategic objectives.
• Directly manage a set of these strategic relationships, and support the LT in managing the relationships they hold. 
• Ensure that Hubspot is effectively driving relationship management.

Project Management & Reporting

• Where appropriate, support the development and delivery of major events with key partners.
• Work on joint funding proposals we might submit with partners.
• Manage a suite of pilot projects to be initiated with partners in support of the Preparing Society for Impacts program pillar.
• Manage additional projects that evolve with partners, as appropriate.
• Deliver regular reporting based on an established MLE framework, both to external and internal audiences. 

Your Background

You are an experienced impact, program or project manager with an innate ability to think strategically and to develop and nurture new relationships. As a small organization that is growing rapidly we value people able to operate at the highest strategic levels while also able to directly implement in their areas of responsibility.

You will bring

• Experience gained in a fast-paced tech, academic, or science-focused non-profit environment, with direct experience managing strategic relationships and establishing impact frameworks.
• A proven ability to hone in on strategic approaches that will deliver the best results and a stellar “connector of dots” across programs, teams, and relationships.
• Demonstrated experience developing best practices for relationship management and building team capacity to do this effectively.
• Wizard organizational skills - able to juggle multiple priorities and work independently while also being comfortable with directing or collaborating with others.
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to be nimble in responding to a fast-moving environment.
• Understanding and comfort with current industry terminology (jargon) in machine learning and/or biological sciences, or the ability to get up to speed fast. 

Preferred Qualifications

• A track record in supporting an organization with developing and implementing Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation processes.
• A demonstrated track record of effective project management to deliver results.
• Experience with effective management and facilitation of events and workshops. 

Essential Qualities

• A passion for the natural world and excited by the prospect of using technology to decode communication of other species and deliver global change
• Precise and detail-oriented while also able to inspire
• Good communicator, writer, and listener
• Flexible, adaptable team player who enjoys collaboration and working with others
• Openness to feedback, willingness to learn, and curiosity
• Comfort with ambiguity and creativity in your approach to problem solving

We are a fully remote team, and you can be located anywhere in the world, but will ideally be willing to work East Coast U.S. working hours, with expectations to occasionally participate in virtual meetings outside your typical working hours.  Additionally, you must have the willingness to travel internationally (<20%) for events and in-person team gatherings.

Benefits

• 110,000-130,000 USD depending on the level of seniority
• Medical insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance - ESP covers 100% of the premium
• 401k plan with match (if based in the United States)
• 2,000 USD home office stipend
• Unlimited paid time off, with a recommended minimum of three weeks per year
• Flexible working hours
• Regular team retreats around the world
  

ESP is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, and criminal history, consistent with legal requirements. We encourage folks of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply.

If you require any accommodations, please email us at jobs@earthspecies.org, and we’ll work with you to meet your accessibility needs.

Please submit your application by clicking the link below. Interviews will begin in mid-January 2025, and we will be in touch with selected candidates at that time.

Apply here

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