Business Engagement Manager for Talent & Leadership

If you enjoy meeting people, opening doors, and turning conversations into opportunities, this role sits at the intersection of Greenville’s business community and its future workforce.

The Business Engagement Manager for Talent & Leadership builds employer relationships that create meaningful talent opportunities through LaunchGVL, TalentRiseSC, and other Talent & Leadership initiatives. The primary focus of this position is recruiting, engaging, and retaining employers to hire LaunchGVL interns and meeting established employer participation and internship opportunity goals.

Working closely with the Executive Director/Vice President and the Directors of LaunchGVL and TalentRiseSC, the Manager develops employer relationships, identifies workforce needs and opportunities, and connects businesses to the right programs and people. The role also supports employer engagement for TalentRiseSC and helps cultivate sponsorship and other resources that strengthen Talent & Leadership programs.

This is a relationship-development role, not a Chamber membership sales position. Success means building trusted employer partnerships, creating opportunities for students and adults, meeting established business-engagement goals, and ensuring employers experience the Chamber and Foundation as one coordinated team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

- Recruit, engage, and retain employers to hire LaunchGVL interns, with accountability for established employer participation and internship opportunity goals.

- Develop and manage a strong pipeline of prospective LaunchGVL employers through targeted outreach, referrals, networking, presentations, follow-up, and relationship cultivation; coordinate employer needs and opportunities with the LaunchGVL Director.

- Engage employers for TalentRiseSC to identify hiring needs, career pathways, upskilling opportunities, and other workforce connections; coordinate opportunities and feedback with the TalentRiseSC Director.

- Identify, cultivate, and secure financial and in-kind sponsorships for Talent & Leadership programs, coordinating packages and recognition with the Talent and Leadership team.

- Steward employer and sponsor relationships, gather feedback, deepen engagement, and support long-term retention.

- Coordinate closely with the Vice President and program Directors to align outreach, avoid duplication, share relationship intelligence, and ensure clear internal handoffs.

- Maintain accurate employer, sponsorship, and engagement data in the Chamber and Foundation CRM; track results and communicate outcomes, ROI, and emerging business needs.

- Serve as a trusted ambassador of the Greenville Chamber, the Greenville Chamber Foundation and its Talent & Leadership portfolio.

Success Measures / Key Performance Indicators

- LaunchGVL employer recruitment and retention goals met, including the number of employers committed to hiring interns and the number of quality internship opportunities secured.

- Quality LaunchGVL internship and work-based learning opportunities developed with employer partners.

- Employer opportunities generated for TalentRiseSC, including hiring, career pathway, upskilling, and workforce-needs connections.

- Sponsorship revenue and in-kind support generated; employer and sponsor satisfaction and retention.

- Accurate CRM tracking and effective handoff of employer opportunities to program Directors and staff.

- Achievement of annual business engagement, workforce, and talent development goals.

Candidate Profile: What We Need on this Team

- Relationship builder — naturally connects with business and community leaders, educates and builds trust, and develops relationships that lead to meaningful engagement.

- Proactive connector — identifies opportunities, initiates conversations, and connects employer needs with LaunchGVL, TalentRiseSC, and other Talent & Leadership priorities.

- Strong communicator — communicates professionally and confidently with employers, sponsors, partners, and colleagues and follows through consistently.

- Collaborative teammate — works closely with the Vice President and program Directors, shares information, respects program roles, and ensures strong internal handoffs.

- Strategic and organized — manages multiple relationships and opportunities while maintaining accurate records, priorities, and next steps.

- Mission-centered — understands that employer engagement is about building long-term partnerships that strengthen talent pipelines and create opportunities, not simply making a sale.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

- 2+ years of experience in business development, employer engagement, fundraising, corporate partnerships, workforce development, or a related field; nonprofit or Chamber engagement or experience is a plus.

- Proven ability to learn programs and communicate benefits, build relationships, and move prospective partners from initial conversation to active engagement.

- Strong communication, education, presentation, negotiation, organization, and follow-through skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and coordinate effectively across teams.

- Experience with CRM systems, data tracking/reporting, and Microsoft Office preferred; ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

- Knowledge of the Greenville business community and commitment to the mission and values of the Greenville Chamber preferred.

- Ability to work independently on assigned responsibilities while remaining highly collaborative and comfortable seeking direction when needed.

Physical Requirements

General office requirements, including keyboarding, communicating, and extended periods at a workstation. Some lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds and 100 feet. Vision sufficient for preparing and analyzing data and figures. Ability to drive and work extended hours.

Disclaimer

This description describes the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities.

The Greenville Chamber is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local law.