Senior Manager, Business Development & Partnerships

Location: St. Louis, MO | Hybrid (4 days/week in office) | Relocation considered | Travel: ~20-25% | Full-time, salaried exempt

The Genome Partnership is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing genomics through scientific collaboration, community building and exceptional meetings. We host the AGBT Meeting Series, which brings together leading researchers, innovators, industry scientists and emerging leaders from around the world to exchange ideas, share discoveries and advance the field. We are a small, mission-driven organization with an entrepreneurial culture. Our team works closely across functions, moves quickly and values people who are curious, collaborative, resourceful and willing to contribute beyond the boundaries of a traditional job description.

The Opportunity

The Senior Manager, Business Development & Partnerships reports to the President and serves as the primary lead for sponsorship sales, partnership development, and revenue growth initiatives across The Genome Partnership and the AGBT Meeting Series. We are looking for a relationship-driven growth leader who knows how to build a pipeline, turn opportunity into revenue, and help generate the resources we can reinvest in our mission. AGBT has a strong base of established sponsors and partners. This role will build on that foundation by developing a more proactive, year-round approach to business development, deepening existing relationships while expanding our reach into new companies, sectors and communities. A major opportunity will be growing sponsorship and exhibitor participation across AGBT Precision Health and AGBT Agriculture by identifying organizations for which genomics and related technologies are increasingly relevant. This role currently has no direct reports but collaborates extensively across the organization.

We are looking for someone who enjoys identifying prospects, opening doors, developing relationships and moving opportunities from initial conversation through commitment. The right person will bring commercial drive, curiosity and disciplined follow-through and will be comfortable being accountable for measurable revenue growth.

Responsibilities

Sponsorship Sales & Business Development

• Develop, own and grow sponsorship, exhibitor and partnership revenue across the AGBT Meeting Series and other Genome Partnership initiatives by consistently identify new organizations, market segments and categories that could benefit from engaging with the AGBT community to expand and strengthen the exhibitor program.
• Proactively identify, research and pursue prospective sponsors across biotechnology, life sciences, healthcare, precision medicine, agriculture, agtech, technology and other sectors of the communities AGBT serve.
• Lead the full sales cycle, including prospecting, outreach, discovery, proposals, presentations, follow-up, negotiation and closing.

Sponsor Growth & Relationship Management

• Develop strong, year-round relationships with current sponsors and partners that extend beyond individual transactions or meetings.
• Create account strategies for major partners, identifying opportunities to deepen and expand their engagement across the AGBT portfolio.
• Lead sponsorship renewals and identify opportunities for appropriate upgrades, cross-meeting participation and expanded partnerships.
• Maintain regular engagement with sponsors and prospects throughout the year rather than relying primarily on meeting-specific sales cycles.
• Serve as a senior commercial relationship owner through commitment, partnering with the Meetings & Experiences team on fulfillment and onsite execution.
• Gather partner feedback and market insights that can inform future sponsorship offerings and organizational strategy.

Sponsorship & Partnership Strategy

• Work with the President and internal teams to evolve sponsorship offerings while protecting the scientific integrity and distinctive character of AGBT meetings.
• Help develop compelling sponsorship, exhibitor and partnership opportunities aligned with organizational priorities and audience needs.
• Support AGBT's established sponsorship bidding process while developing complementary year-round sales strategies and opportunities.
• Use proactive outreach and relationship development to build early commitments and momentum for sponsorship programs where appropriate.
• Evaluate sponsorship inventory, pricing and packaging and recommend opportunities to increase value for both partners and The Genome Partnership.
• Identify new revenue opportunities, partnership models and offerings that align with the organization's mission and community.

Market Development & External Engagement

• Expand The Genome Partnership's commercial relationships across sectors where genomics and related technologies are increasingly relevant.
• Develop a strong understanding of the biotechnology, healthcare, precision medicine, agriculture and agtech ecosystems and the companies investing in these markets.
• Regularly represent The Genome Partnership and AGBT at scientific conferences, industry meetings, trade shows and other business-development opportunities.
• Build relationships with prospective sponsors and partners through in-person industry engagement, networking and targeted follow-up.
• Work with Scientific Programs & Engagement to understand emerging areas of science and technology that may create new partnership opportunities.
• Work with Marketing & Communications on campaigns and outreach that support lead generation, prospect development, sponsor engagement and market expansion.

Pipeline Management & Commercial Performance

• Use HubSpot to maintain disciplined CRM practices across prospects, opportunities, relationships, sales activity and next actions.
• Maintain a current, actionable sales pipeline with clear stages, priorities and next steps.
• Develop accurate revenue forecasts and provide regular pipeline reporting and scalable sales processes, materials and practices that support continued growth.
• Track prospecting activity, conversion, renewal, expansion and other key sales metrics.
• Use pipeline data to identify gaps, prioritize opportunities and focus business-development activity.

What We're Looking For

Business Development & Sales Expertise

• Significant experience in business development, sponsorship sales, partnership development, strategic accounts or another revenue-generating role.
• Demonstrated success personally originating opportunities, developing pipeline and closing meaningful new business.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding individual revenue, sales or business-development goals.
• Strong outbound prospecting skills and evidence of successfully developing relationships that did not begin as inbound leads or established accounts.
• Experience owning a full sales cycle from initial prospect identification through negotiation and close.

Strategic Partnerships & Relationship Management

• Strong account-development skills, including renewals, expansion and long-term relationship stewardship.
• Experience building relationships with senior executives, commercial leaders and other external decision makers.
• Ability to understand a prospective partner's business objectives and develop solutions rather than selling from a fixed menu of opportunities & demonstrated ability to identify emerging new markets, partnership opportunities, and revenue generating initiatives.

Industry Knowledge

• Experience in biotechnology, life sciences, healthcare, precision medicine, agriculture, agtech or related industries is preferred with an established network within one or more relevant industry sectors.
• Experience selling sponsorships, exhibits, partnerships or other solutions within scientific meetings, industry associations, professional organizations, conference businesses, media or similar environments is also highly desirable.
• Experience working with marketing teams on lead generation, prospect communications and partner campaigns is a plus.

CRM, Analytics & Operational Excellence

• Experience using CRM systems to actively manage pipeline, forecasting and follow-through; HubSpot experience is preferred.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation and negotiation skills.
• Ability to understand technical or scientific subject matter sufficiently to engage credibly with companies operating in complex markets.

Communication & Professional Competencies

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a substantial portfolio of prospects, relationships and opportunities simultaneously.
• Comfort working an exhibit booth, attending networking events and proactively introducing The Genome Partnership and AGBT to prospective partners.
• Genuine interest in working for a small, mission-driven not-for-profit organization where team members are collaborative, adaptable, hands-on and accountable for results.

What Success Looks Like

• Significant expansion of the qualified prospect and opportunity pipeline.
• Growth in sponsorship and exhibitor participation and revenue across AGBT Precision Health and AGBT Agriculture.
• Strong sponsor retention, renewal and expansion.
• Increased year-round engagement with current and prospective partners.
• New companies, sectors and strategic partners engaging with AGBT and new revenue opportunities that support The Genome Partnership's mission and long-term growth.
• Strong HubSpot and CRM discipline, pipeline visibility and forecast accuracy.

Working at The Genome Partnership

This role works closely with the President and colleagues across Marketing & Communications, Scientific Programs & Engagement, and Meetings & Experiences. The role owns the commercial relationship and business-development process through commitment. The Meetings & Experiences team leads operational fulfillment and onsite execution of contracted benefits, with close collaboration between the functions to ensure opportunities are both compelling and executable.

Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) is a leading non-profit 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to advancing the understanding and application of genomics and biotechnology. Through world-class meetings, AGBT brings together the brightest minds in science, medicine, and innovation to accelerate breakthroughs in precision health, life sciences, and genomics.
Our mission is to create dynamic forums for researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in health and science. With a small but passionate core team and a big vision for impact, we are looking for a high-energy intern who’s eager to learn, grow, and contribute.