Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Manager, Partner Relations

at Benetech

🏢 About Benetech

Benetech is a nonprofit that believes equitable access to education is a human right, using technology to break down systemic barriers for learners with disabilities. Their flagship program, Bookshare, has delivered over 20 million accessible books to more than 1.5 million students and adults, making a tangible social impact. Working here means joining a mission-driven team where your work directly expands educational opportunities for underserved communities.

About This Role

As Senior Manager, Partner Relations, you'll own a higher education market and drive both adoption and renewal of Bookshare services, including the paid Bookshare Plus tier. This role blends strategic account planning with hands-on partner management—from onboarding and training to escalations and renewals. You'll be the bridge between access and impact, ensuring institutions and their students fully utilize the resources available.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might include a strategy call with a university's disability services director to discuss increasing student engagement, followed by leading a training webinar for faculty on using Bookshare Plus. Later, you might negotiate a renewal contract, troubleshoot a partner's technical issue with the support team, and analyze usage data to refine your account plan. Expect a mix of virtual meetings, independent work, and collaborative problem-solving.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Benetech Is Looking For

  • Experience in partner or account management within higher education, edtech, or accessibility-focused organizations, with a track record of driving adoption and renewals.
  • Comfortable wearing multiple hats: able to build a strategic account plan, lead a training session, negotiate a renewal, and resolve a support escalation all in the same week.
  • Strong relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders, including university administrators, faculty, disability services staff, and students.
  • Passion for accessibility and inclusive education, with a understanding of print disabilities and the challenges faced by learners who need accessible materials.

📝 Tips for Applying to Benetech

1

Highlight any experience working with higher education institutions, especially in disability services, accessibility, or assistive technology.

2

Quantify your impact in previous roles: e.g., increased adoption rates, renewal rates, or partner satisfaction scores.

3

Familiarize yourself with Bookshare and Bookshare Plus, and be prepared to discuss how you would drive usage and renewals in a higher ed context.

4

Emphasize your ability to manage both strategy and execution—show examples of when you've built a plan and also personally executed tasks.

5

Demonstrate a commitment to Benetech's mission by connecting your personal or professional experiences to equitable access in education.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter should emphasize: 1) Your experience in higher education partnership management and driving product adoption. 2) Your ability to manage the full partner lifecycle, from onboarding to renewal, including upsell of paid services. 3) Your passion for accessibility and how you've contributed to inclusive education. 4) Specific examples of how you've balanced strategic planning with hands-on execution.

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Benetech's website, especially the Bookshare program, to understand its features, target audience, and impact metrics.
  • → Research the higher education market for accessible materials: key players, legislation (e.g., ADA, Section 508), and common challenges for students with print disabilities.
  • → Look into Benetech's recent news, blog posts, or annual reports to understand their strategic priorities and culture.
  • → Find and connect with current or former Benetech employees on LinkedIn to gain insights into the team and role expectations.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach increasing adoption of Bookshare among eligible students at a university that already has an account?
2 Describe a time you turned around a struggling partner relationship or prevented a renewal from churning.
3 What strategies would you use to identify and engage key stakeholders within a higher education institution to promote Bookshare Plus?
4 How do you handle a situation where a partner is frustrated with technical issues or support delays?
5 What metrics would you use to measure the success of your partner relationships and adoption efforts?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on sales or account management without addressing the mission-driven, accessibility aspect of the role.
  • Failing to demonstrate an understanding of the higher education landscape and the unique needs of students with disabilities.
  • Being vague about how you would drive both adoption and renewals—show concrete tactics and metrics you've used.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Benetech!

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