Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships

• Develop and execute strategies to grow a portfolio of corporate partnerships, with a focus on retailers, footwear, and apparel brands.

• Drive both product donations and financial contributions, aligning partner goals with Soles4Souls impact model.

• Identify opportunities across inventory management, sustainability, and circularity to position Soles4Souls as a strategic partner.

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing business development team, fostering a culture aligned with Soles4Souls’ values.

• Set clear goals, KPIs, and accountability measures for team performance.

• Mentor team members to strengthen partnership development capabilities and executive presence.

• Build team structure and capabilities to support future growth.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with leaders across the organization.

• Identify, cultivate, and manage relationships with corporate partners to secure long-term, high-impact partnerships.

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships across brand, retail, and manufacturing organizations.

• Ensure strong partner engagement, retention, and expansion opportunities.

• Design and implement partnerships that go beyond product donation, including CSR programs, cause marketing campaigns, and strategic collaborations.

• Lead the full partnership lifecycle: prospecting, needs analysis, solution development, pitch, negotiation, and execution.

• Create tailored, compelling presentations and proposals aligned to partner priorities.

• Drive outreach to corporations to engage them in product philanthropy and responsible inventory solutions.

• Represent Soles4Souls at industry events, conferences, and within key retail and footwear networks.

• Leverage market insights and relationships to unlock new partnership opportunities.

• Partner with CSR, marketing, supply chain, and sustainability teams within partner organizations to build integrated programs.

• Collaborate internally across marketing, logistics/operations, finance, and leadership to ensure successful execution.

• Contribute to executive strategy, board materials, and organizational planning.

• Establish and achieve product acquisition and cause marketing goals, metrics, and milestones.

• Track and report on performance, including footwear and apparel-specific KPIs.

• Own the business development budget, including forecasting, scenario planning, and resource allocation aligned to strategic priorities.

• Manage financial performance against revenue and product targets, providing regular reporting to senior leadership.

• Support long-term strategic planning processes.

• Initiative-taker who drives work from concept to execution.

• Collaborative leader who influences all levels.

• Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

• Values transparency, accountability, and meaningful impact.

• Strategic thinker who can move seamlessly between vision and execution.

• Deeply people-centric, internally and externally.

• 10+ years of experience in business development, corporate partnerships, or sales.

• Strong experience within retail, footwear, and/or apparel industries preferred.

• Proven success leading and developing high-performing teams.

• Demonstrated success building and managing enterprise-level partnerships with global brands.

• Experience managing budgets and aligning financial performance with strategic goals.

• Established network within the retail and brand ecosystem is a plus.

• Experience with product-driven partnerships, including inventory, supply chain, or sustainability initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to close complex deals in entrepreneurial or fast-paced environments.

• Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

• Passion for product philanthropy, sustainability, and purpose-driven work.

• Valid driver’s license

Compensation: Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including skills, depth of work experience and relevant licenses/credentials. Benefits include medical insurance with 72.5% employer coverage, HRA account, 100% dental insurance & vision coverage, long-term disability, life, 401K with up to 6% employer match, professional development benefits, open FTO and paid parental leave.

S4S is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourages applications from candidates of color and other diverse backgrounds.