Head of Partnerships & Events - Contract to Hire

Head of Partnerships & Events Rate: DOE Part-time with phased growth: starting at 10 hours/week, increasing to 20 hours/week within the first 30 days. Hours may scale up to 30/week during high-volume periods such as events or new partnership campaigns. I'm seeking a Head of Partnerships & Events to join my company's team ASAP. CME Circle is a referral-only, multi-city resource and development center serving working talent in television and film. The right person will be happy to manage and evolve our referral partner ecosystem, lead partnership strategy across cities, and use events and sponsorships as relationship-building and trust-deepening tools. This position requires strong judgement, discretion and the ability to operate independently. Key Responsibilities: Partnership Strategy & Ownership- -Manage CME Circle's referral partner strategy -Identify and prioritize high-alignment partners -Communicate with top partnerships and sensitive communications -Assess partner performance, alignment and long-term value. Partnership Outreach -lead curated, personalized partnership outreach -establish relationships rooted in credibility and long-term collaboration -shape partnership narratives and positioning in industry conversations Events & Sponsorships -Lead event strategy and execution oversight for partner-facing and sponsorship-driven events -Translate event goals into clear task deployment, timelines and checkpoints -Assign, track and manage event-related tasks across teams and city leads. -Ensure all events stay aligned with partnership objectives, brand standards and timelines -Monitor progress against milestones and intervene early when risks or delays appear. -Oversee partner and sponsor experience before, during and after events -Lead post-event debriefs and ensure follow-through with partners Leadership & Enablement -Train and align city leads on partnership standards, outreach approach and relationship stewardship -Provide guidance, feedback and course-correction as the ecosystem evolves. Systems & Reporting -Maintain clear partnership tracking and documentation -Report insights, risks and opportunities to leadership -Recommend strategic adjustments Required Experience & Skills -Proven experience leading strategic partnerships or referral ecosystems -Demonstrated ability to own high-stakes relationships independently -Experience training or coaching others on partnership processes -Strong written and verbal communication (clear, professional. industry-appropriate) -Event strategy or sponsorship experience -Prior experience working directly with US based organizations -Experience working with high-profile and community partners. -Prior experience in the entertainment industry is preferred; otherwise, candidates should demonstrate the ability to quickly and thoroughly learn a new industry. Apply tot his job