🔹 Job Title: Director of Strategic Partnerships - Hospitality
🔹 Company: Instawork
🔹 Location: Remote, United States
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Hospitality & Leisure
🔹 Date Posted: April 17, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading and growing Instawork’s Higher Education vertical and managing corporate partnerships.
- Building and maintaining strong industry relationships with universities and hospitality businesses.
- Managing a curated portfolio of university-focused MSA relationships.
- Collaborating cross-functionally to enhance the customer experience and unlock new growth channels.
- Traveling up to 50% of the time for campus visits, conferences, and corporate partner meetings.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Leadership & Strategy
- Lead Higher Ed strategy and serve as the primary point of contact across all university departments.
- Lead Higher Ed system-level sales and coordinate business development efforts across major university systems.
- Represent Instawork at key Higher Ed conferences to build relationships and thought leadership.
- Oversee the Higher Ed RFP calendar and respond to all applicable opportunities.
- Visit key markets and business units to build relationships with regional executives, engage directly with key decision-makers, and strengthen Instawork’s visibility and strategic presence.
✅ Partnership Management
- Partner with the Instawork Sales team on strategic opportunities to accelerate deal velocity and expansion.
- Act as a hospitality industry expert, advising partners on how Instawork aligns with their staffing needs.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance the customer experience and unlock new growth channels.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
Experience:
- 7+ years of experience in a Higher Ed or Hospitality-focused role, preferably in a partnerships, sales, or enterprise account role.
Required Skills:
- Proven track record of exceeding sales and revenue targets.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills with a consultative, solution-oriented approach.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ownership mentality.
- Proficiency in Salesforce and managing complex pipelines.
- Skilled in stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.
- Passion for Instawork’s mission and a drive to make a measurable impact.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with creativity and agility to adapt in a fast-paced environment.
- Willingness to travel to partner sites, conferences, and events as needed.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with navigating campus departments (dining, facilities, procurement, etc.).
- Experience working with corporate partners such as Aramark, Compass, and Sodexo.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range:
- $130,000 to $200,000 per year (based on experience and location)
Benefits:
- A variety of medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage beginning on the date of hire.
- Flexible paid time off.
- At least 8 paid company holidays annually.
- Home office stipend.
- Phone stipend.
- Commuter stipend.
- Supplemental pay on qualified leaves.
- Employee health savings accounts (HSA) contribution.
- Flexible spending plans.
- 401K plan.
- Discount program through Lumity.
Working Hours:
- Full-time position with a hybrid work arrangement, working remotely up to 50% of the time.
📊 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
- Industry: Technology, Information and Internet
- Company Size: 501-1,000 employees
- Founded: 2016
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California
- Specialties: Recruiting, technology, restaurants, hospitality, hiring, gigs, manufacturing, light industrial, warehousing, staffing, high volume, gig economy, app, ecommerce, supply chain, food & beverage, food service, staffing, events, fulfillment operations, logistics, hotels, venues, catering, and warehouse logistics.
- Company Description: Instawork is the leading flexible work app for local, hourly professionals. Its digital marketplace connects thousands of businesses and more than five million workers, filling a critical role in local economies. Instawork has been featured on CBS News, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Associated Press, and more. In 2022, Instawork was ranked among the country’s top 10% of fastest-growing companies by Inc. 5000 and was included in the Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startup list. Instawork helps businesses in the food & beverage, hospitality, and warehouse/logistics industries fill temporary and permanent job opportunities in more than 25 markets across the U.S. and Canada.
📊 Role Analysis
- Career Level: Mid-Senior level role with significant strategic responsibilities and the potential for growth into a senior leadership position.
- Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Head of Strategic Partnerships or a similar executive-level position.
- Work Arrangement: Hybrid work arrangement with up to 50% travel expected for campus visits, conferences, and corporate partner meetings.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
- Office Type: Remote-first company with a hybrid work arrangement, allowing employees to work from home up to 50% of the time.
- Office Location(s): San Francisco, California (Headquarters) and other major cities across the U.S. and Canada.
- Geographic Context: Instawork operates in multiple markets across the U.S. and Canada, with a strong presence in major metropolitan areas. The company's remote-first policy allows employees to work from various locations within these regions.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
- Typical Process: The interview process typically involves several rounds of conversations, including phone or video screens, in-depth interviews with hiring managers and team members, and a final interview with an executive-level stakeholder. The process may also include a case study or presentation component to assess the candidate's problem-solving and communication skills.
- Key Assessment Areas: Problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, communication and negotiation skills, cultural fit, and industry-specific knowledge.
- Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Research Instawork's mission, values, and company culture to demonstrate your alignment with the organization's goals.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions by reflecting on your past experiences and how they've prepared you for this role.
- Practice your presentation or case study skills, as these may be assessed during the interview process.
🛠 Cultural Fit Considerations
- Company Values: Instawork's core values include Bias for Action, Act Like an Owner, Always Be Learning, and Empathy, Trust, Candor. Candidates should demonstrate a strong alignment with these values throughout the interview process.
- Work Style: Instawork values a dynamic, entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on execution, creativity, and adaptability. Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and be open to taking on new challenges as the company grows.
🛠 Potential Challenges
- Role-Specific Challenges: This role requires a significant amount of travel, which may be challenging for candidates with family or personal commitments that limit their availability.
- Company-Specific Challenges: As a growing startup, Instawork may face challenges related to resource allocation, prioritization, and organizational structure as it scales. Candidates should be comfortable navigating a dynamic, evolving work environment.
- Industry-Specific Challenges: The hospitality and gig economy industries are subject to fluctuations in demand and competition from established players and new entrants. Candidates should be prepared to adapt to changes in the market and competitive landscape.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Career Path: This role is a natural progression for professionals with experience in higher education partnerships, sales, or enterprise account management looking to take on more strategic responsibilities and grow into a senior leadership position.
- Industry Context: Instawork's focus on the hospitality and gig economy industries sets this role apart from similar positions in other industries. Candidates should have a strong understanding of these sectors and be prepared to leverage their industry-specific knowledge to drive success in this role.
📝 Sample Projects
- Project 1: Developing and executing a strategic plan to expand Instawork's presence in a new university system, including identifying key decision-makers, building relationships, and negotiating partnership agreements.
- Project 2: Collaborating with the Instawork Sales team to accelerate deal velocity and expansion with a major corporate partner in the hospitality industry, resulting in a significant increase in revenue and market share.
- Project 3: Leading a cross-functional team to enhance the customer experience for university partners, including conducting user research, identifying pain points, and implementing targeted solutions to improve satisfaction and retention.
💡 Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Role-Specific Questions:
- How does this role fit into Instawork's long-term strategy for the Higher Education vertical?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does Instawork support the professional development and growth of its strategic partnership team members?
- Company-Specific Questions:
- How does Instawork measure the success of its strategic partnerships, and how can I contribute to driving these metrics?
- What are the most significant challenges facing Instawork in the next 1-2 years, and how can this role help address them?
- Industry-Specific Questions:
- How does Instawork differentiate itself from competitors in the hospitality and gig economy industries?
- What are the most pressing needs of Instawork's university and corporate partners, and how can this role help address them?
📝 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this [link](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/instawork/jobs/4560426006).
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Prepare for the interview process by researching Instawork's mission, values, and company culture, and practicing your presentation or case study skills.
- Follow up with the hiring manager or HR representative after your interview to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
📝 About Instawork
🔹 Founded: 2015
🔹 Industry: Technology, Information and Internet
🔹 Company Size: 501-1,000 employees
🔹 Headquarters: San Francisco, California
🔹 Specialties: Recruiting, technology, restaurants, hospitality, hiring, gigs, manufacturing, light industrial, warehousing, staffing, high volume, gig economy, app, ecommerce, supply chain, food & beverage, food service, staffing, events, fulfillment operations, logistics, hotels, venues, catering, and warehouse logistics.
🔹 Website: [www.instawork.com](http://www.instawork.com)
🔹 Mission: To create economic opportunity for local businesses and skilled hourly professionals in communities around the world by connecting them through a digital marketplace.
🔹 Values: Bias for Action, Act Like an Owner, Always Be Learning, Empathy, Trust, Candor
