New at Dryad: We’re recruiting a Partnership Development Manager  (Remote)

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Dryad is seeking a Partnership Development Manager to expand the global community of institutions, publishing organisations and academic societies leveraging our world-class service for data publishing and help achieve our vision for open data to help drive the translation of research into benefits for society.

The successful candidate will have experience in a sales or business development role in a scholarly communications context and be passionate about open research.

Job description

The Partnership Development Manager champions the growth of Dryad’s community of partners. Driven by a clear value proposition and fee model, this role focuses on generating and qualifying leads, building strong relationships with prospective partners, and helping to convert interest into committed partnerships. The successful candidate will work closely with the Head of Partnership Development to deliver outreach plans, maintain an active pipeline and establish agreements with new partners. The role reports to the Head of Partnership Development.

What success looks like

  • A healthy, well-qualified pipeline of prospective partners is maintained and regularly advanced.
  • Milestones for progress are agreed with the Head of Partnership Development and routinely met.
  • New partners are successfully recruited in line with agreed targets.
  • Meetings, demos and follow-ups are well prepared, timely and professional.
  • CRM records, notes and documentation are accurate, complete and up-to-date.
  • The Head of Partnership Development receives clear, regular updates on activity and results.

Key responsibilities

1. Lead generation & pipeline management

  • Research and identify potential partners.
  • Qualify inbound and outbound leads through email, online calls and events, including demos.
  • Respond to routine prospective partner queries, escalating issues to colleagues where appropriate.
  • Maintain an active, organised pipeline and ensure next steps are always clear and followed through.
  • Collaborate with the Head of Partnership Development to design and deploy the most effective strategies for Partner recruitment.

2. Relationship development & partnership agreements 

  • Build rapport with prospective partners and understand their needs and operational context.
  • Present Dryad’s mission, values and core offering in a clear, accessible way.
  • Deliver online demos and presentations of the Dryad service and platform.
  • Prepare and deliver follow-up emails, proposals and supporting documents after meetings.
  • Initiate process for new agreements to be signed
  • Assist with renewals.

3. Documentation, reporting & CRM

  • Record all contact, activity and outcomes in the CRM.
  • Keep contact details, organisation records and opportunity stages accurate and current.
  • Prepare simple reports on outreach activity, meetings held, pipeline status and conversions.
  • Maintain shared documents, templates and tracking sheets used by the Partnerships team.

Daily responsibilities

  • Make outreach calls/emails to prospective partners and follow up on expressions of interest.
  • Respond to prospect enquiries and schedule meetings.
  • Lead demos and online meetings .
  • Update CRM records, notes and tasks.

Weekly responsibilities

  • Review pipeline, priorities and targets with the Head of Partnership Development.
  • Plan outreach activity for the week ahead, including campaigns and follow-ups.
  • Coordinate with colleagues on onboarding tasks, renewals and new partner communications.
  • Contribute to preparation for upcoming events, webinars or conferences as needed and within the scope of the role

Monthly responsibilities

  • Provide activity and pipeline summaries to the Head of Partnership Development.
  • Review progress against outreach and recruitment targets and adjust actions as needed.
  • Support preparation of simple performance reports and board/leadership updates.
  • Capture and share feedback from partners and prospects to improve our approach.

Expectations and approach to work

The Dryad Partnership Development Manager will: 

  • Take initiative and ownership for the responsibilities outlined above.
  • Work in a structured, disciplined way, managing time and priorities in a remote setting.
  • Communicate clearly, confidently and professionally in writing and on calls.
  • Represent Dryad with credibility, warmth and enthusiasm in all interactions.
  • Collaborate closely with colleagues across the organisation and be open to feedback.
  • Travel occasionally (e.g. conferences, key partner meetings) as agreed and required.

Skills and qualifications 

The Dryad Partnership Development Manager has:

  • At least five years’ experience in a relationship-focused sales or business development role in a scholarly communications context.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to explain concepts clearly and listen actively.
  • Confidence in giving online presentations or demos.
  • Fluency with CRM tools (e.g. Salesforce) and maintaining accurate records.
  • Strong organisational skills, sense of initiative and attention to detail.
  • An interest in open research practice and systems.
  • Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience.

Compensation and benefits

This is a remote position requiring a minimum of 25 hours per week and up to five hours per day in U.S. timezones. Applications to fulfill this role on a freelance and employment basis are welcome.

  • Base salary (full-time equivalent): £45,000 to 59,000 (UK), $65,000 to 80,000 (USA), depending on experience.
  • On-target earnings (OTE): £12,000 – 41,000 (UK), $16,000 to 42,000 (USA).
  • Commission: Uncapped, with accelerators for exceeding institutional growth targets.

U.S.-based applicants wishing to work with Dryad as employees must be based in Michigan, New York State, Oregon, or North Carolina. 

Dryad offers a fantastic set of co-workers and a competitive benefits package for employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Dryad is dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all people, regardless of background or identity. We are an equal opportunity employer and give consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, disability or protected veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by US federal, state, or local law. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

To apply

Please submit a resume or CV and cover letter expressing why the Partnership Development Manager role at Dryad would be a good fit for you – to jobs [at] datadryad [dot] org. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. We are not considering applications made via agencies. Informal inquiries are welcome to our Head of Partnership Development, Maria Guerreiro, via partnerships@datadryad.org. The position is open now and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the role is filled.