Come work with the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors.

Job Title:                         ​Strategic Partnerships Specialist 
Reports To:                      Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships​​

Organization Summary

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), the Washington, DC-based trade association representing the 35,000 company, $8.2 trillion revenue distribution industry, is seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Strategic Partnerships Specialist to support its growing Strategic Partnerships team.

Job Summary

The Strategic Partnerships Specialist supports the full lifecycle of NAW’s corporate partnerships, from prospecting and contract administration through sponsorship fulfillment and Affiliate Member engagement. Working across internal teams and external partners, this position keeps sales activity organized, maintains accurate records, and ensures commitments are completed accurately, efficiently, and on schedule. This is a hands-on, early-career role for someone who takes pride in execution and wants to contribute directly to business growth while developing expertise in sales operations, partnership management, and customer engagement. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

Business Development Support: 

• Drive business development and partnership outreach, including prospect identification, introductory communications, meeting coordination, and prioritize prospects and determine appropriate follow-up strategies. 
• Prepare account research, prospect intelligence, and briefing materials for customer meetings, executive travel, and strategic growth initiatives. 
• Manage accurate prospect, pipeline, and CRM information and analyze information to provide related reporting that supports sales execution and visibility into sales pipeline activities. 

Sales Operations:

• Prepare and administer sponsorship agreements, Affiliate Membership contracts, proposals, invoices, and related sales documentation. 
• Coordinate contract execution, renewals, and recordkeeping to ensure timely and accurate completion of all requirements and determine appropriate follow-up.
• Manage customer and revenue records and provide reporting and analysis on renewals, partnership activity, and financial performance, including monitoring outstanding payments and other revenue-related follow-up. 

Sponsorship & Partnership Fulfillment :

• Manage partner onboarding and collect the assets, materials, and information required to activate sponsorships and Affiliate Memberships. 
• Oversee the timely fulfillment of partnership benefits across events, research, digital programs, and other sponsored initiatives by coordinating with internal teams and tracking deliverables against contractual obligations. 
• Manage ongoing partner engagement, resources, performance reporting, and post-program deliverables to ensure a high-quality experience.

Administrative & Team Support :

• Provide organizational, and operational support to two Strategic Partnerships sales leaders, helping manage priorities and maintain efficient team operations.
• Contribute to departmental projects, operational improvements, and other responsibilities as assigned. 

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and detailed deliverables accurately. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a professional and service-oriented approach.  
• Demonstrated attention to detail and accountability in maintaining records, preparing documentation, coordinating follow-up, and supporting contract and fulfillment processes. 
• Proactive problem-solving skills and the ability to identify opportunities to improve workflows, organization, and team effectiveness. 
• Ability to create new processes and demonstrate sound judgment, discretion, and reliability when handling customer information, agreements, financial documentation, and other sensitive materials. 
• Ability to operate efficiently in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment while managing multiple priorities and collaborating effectively across teams. 
• Demonstrated initiative, urgency, and a strong work ethic, with the ability to take ownership, move priorities forward, and consistently follow through. 
• Commercially minded, service-oriented, and adaptable, with genuine enthusiasm for supporting a sales team, helping the organization grow, and learning new systems, technologies, and business processes. 
• Proficiency using modern data management and communication tools including Microsoft, particularly Outlook, Excel, Word, WordPress, and PowerPoint. Experience working with CRM systems; Salesforce experience is preferred. 

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience, required.
• 2+ years of experience in sales support, account or project coordination, customer success, marketing operations, business administration, or a related field, required.
• Experience supporting a revenue-generating team, sponsorship or partnership programs, a membership organization, or a trade association, preferrable.

Other Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the distribution industry, desirable.
• Association experience including in member experiences, member engagement and/or programs.
• Interest in a sales/relationship management career path, desirable.

Work Environment: The position is based at NAW’s headquarters office in Washington, DC, near Metro Center. NAW is currently offering a hybrid work model. Employees are required to be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and upon request for mandatory meetings or events. Employees are provided the opportunity to work remotely on Monday and Friday. The hybrid work model is subject to change.

Travel: up to 5%

Experience level and other factors will determine the final salary level, with a starting base salary range of $67,000–$75,000/year.

The position also offers competitive benefits, including health and wellness coverage, a 401(k) plan, and other benefits for eligible employees.

NAW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To apply, please complete the following form.