Pipeline Partnership Manager

Pipeline Partnerships Manager 479 (Volunteer)
About Helpful Engineering
Helpful Engineering is a global engineering innovation hub dedicated to developing technologies and solutions that address pressing societal challenges. Through our Innovation Labs, volunteers, researchers, engineers, and industry professionals collaborate to develop technologies that create measurable social impact. Partnerships are a critical component of our innovation model, enabling projects to access expertise, technologies, facilities, mentorship, and prototype development resources.
Role Overview
The Pipeline Partnerships Manager supports the Chief Risk Officer by developing, managing,and expanding the ecosystem of technical partnerships that enable innovation projects to succeed.
This role focuses on identifying and cultivating relationships with universities, research institutions, makerspaces, laboratories, manufacturers, engineering firms, technology companies, accelerators, and subject matter experts that can support prototype development and project advancement.
The successful candidate will serve as a connector between project teams and the broader innovation ecosystem, ensuring that projects have access to the resources and capabilities required to move from concept to prototype and beyond.
Key Responsibilities
Partnership Development
● Identify prospective technical and innovation partners.
● Build and maintain relationships with organizations aligned with Helpful Engineering's mission.
● Support outreach and engagement activities with external stakeholders.
● Help establish partnership frameworks and collaboration models.
Prototype Development Enablement
Match project teams with technical partners capable of supporting development activities.
Help identify sources of prototyping expertise, facilities, testing environments, and manufacturing support.
Coordinate introductions and facilitate collaboration opportunities.
Ecosystem Building
Develop and maintain a map of Helpful Engineering's innovation ecosystem.
Build relationships with universities, incubators, accelerators, engineering organizations, and innovation hubs.
Expand access to technical mentors and advisory resources.
Strategic Collaboration
Support identification of grant, sponsorship, and collaborative research opportunities.
Help establish pathways for project pilots and field testing.
Assist project teams in engaging external experts and contributors.
Partnership Operations
Maintain partnership records and engagement tracking.
Support development of partnership materials and value propositions.
Provide regular updates on partnership activity and opportunities.
Deliverables
Technical partnership pipeline and engagement strategy
Partnership ecosystem database and relationship map
Quarterly partnership development reports
Prototype support opportunity inventory
Partner engagement materials and outreach campaigns
Recommendations for strategic ecosystem expansion
Preferred Skills
Relationship building and stakeholder engagement
Business development or partnership management experience
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to connect people, organizations, and opportunities
Strategic thinking and networking capabilities
Interest in technology innovation and social impact
Preferred Background
Candidates from the following backgrounds are encouraged to apply:
Business Development
Partnerships and Alliances
Innovation Ecosystems
Product Management
Engineering Management
Entrepreneurship
Technology Strategy
University Relations
Nonprofit Leadership
Graduate students and experienced professionals are both encouraged to apply.
Benefits
Help shape a global innovation ecosystem
Work directly with Helpful Engineering leadership
Build relationships across academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors
Support technologies addressing critical societal challenges
Develop experience in innovation partnerships and ecosystem strategy
Flexible and fully remote engagement
Ready to Apply?
If you are excited to leverage your human resources expertise to create meaningful global impact, we want to hear from you! Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you
to apply—your perspective and passion may be exactly what we need.
This is an unpaid volunteer position at a nonprofit organization.
Join us in engineering the future of sustainability.
Apply now or learn more about us at:
helpfulengineering.org

Work arrangement
No