Director of Relationship Management
Department: Programs
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Chicago, IL
Compensation: $90,000 - $180,000 / year
Description
The Greenwood Project was founded in 2016 based on two core principles: “Students can’t be what they can’t see” and “There is no lack of talent, only a lack of opportunity.” GP’s mission is to create opportunities for qualified Black and Latino college students to attain high-trajectory careers in financial services through rigorous training and internships. We are the catalyst for change, building a more inclusive and diverse financial industry. Becoming part of the Greenwood Project team means joining a group of driven, passionate and intellectually curious individuals who contribute to the organization’s success.
Director of Relationship Management : Ready to deepen the partnerships that make our Scholars’ futures possible? We’re seeking a Director of Relationship Management to own the retention and growth of Greenwood Project’s partner portfolio. This role reports to the CEO and is designed for experienced relationship managers with a track record in relationship/account management or client retention, from financial services or corporate sectors. You’ll turn the partnerships secured by the business development team into deep, multi-year collaborations built on trust, engagement, and shared investment in our mission.
This role involves designing relationship strategies tailored to each partner’s goals, creating consistent touchpoints to keep them engaged, and inviting deeper investment in our mission.
Every touchpoint you create supports the programs that help our Scholars break into financial services careers. This role blends account management with mission-driven work to ensure partners feel valued beyond a spreadsheet.
Key Responsibilities
- Portfolio Management: Serve as the primary relationship manager for an assigned portfolio of partners, building trust from day one.
- Retention & Growth: Develop and execute account plans that deepen engagement and drive retention and expansion targets.
- Engagement Cadence: Maintain a disciplined cadence of touchpoints each month, including calls, meetings, and visits, logged in the CRM within 48 hours.
- Partner Health & Risk Management: Conduct quarterly partner health assessments and implement proactive retention strategies before renewal conversations.
- Handoff & Team Coordination: Work with the Business Development team on smooth handoffs and align engagement with organizational priorities.
- Reporting & Forecasting: Maintain CRM hygiene and provide real-time updates and cash-based forecasting against portfolio targets.
Qualifications
A note to potential candidates: We encourage diverse applicants and welcome candidates who may not meet every listed qualification to apply.
Required: We’re looking for candidates who can discuss concrete metrics such as retention rate, portfolio size, and revenue or cash growth during the interview.
- 3+ years managing a portfolio of corporate clients, financial services accounts, or institutional relationships with measurable retention and growth results.
- Excellent relationship and account management skills, comfortable with C-suite executives and institutional partners over multi-year relationships.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to act as a trusted advisor and advocate for Greenwood’s mission.
- Self-starter with entrepreneurial mindset; able to manage a full portfolio with varied needs and renewal cycles.
- Proficiency in CRM platforms (HubSpot preferred) with disciplined logging of interactions.
- Deep commitment to Greenwood’s mission of education, access, and workforce development.
Preferred
- Track record of growing existing client or donor commitments with clear, quantifiable results.
- Knowledge of corporate sponsorship or partnership renewal processes.
- Experience managing accounts within financial services with ability to grow and retain complex relationships.
Benefits
- Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: Greenwood Project is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, or any other legally protected status.
- Compensation and Benefits: This position is based in Chicago with a hybrid work environment; some travel required. Base Salary: $90,000-$110,000. OTE: approximately $130,000 at 100% of goal, up to $180,000 based on performance. Benefits include health care, dental and vision, a 401(k), and generous PTO.
- Application note: If you thrive in a dynamic environment and are eager to support Greenwood Project’s mission, apply for this role.