Partner Relationship Manager

Heartland Whole Health Institute is a non-profit that addresses physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being by working with health systems, employers, and communities to redesign health care delivery.

Job Description:

Job Title: Partner Relationship Manager

Reports to: Vice President, Value-Based Initiatives

FLSA Classification: Exempt
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Date Reviewed: 10/29/2025

Who We Are

Heartland Whole Health Institute (HWHI) is dedicated to transforming health care – beginning in our home of Northwest Arkansas and scaling to disrupt the national health crisis. We advocate, educate, and guide the implementation of an innovative system, rooted in whole health and the realignment of financial incentives. Our team members are collaborative, analytical, mission-driven, and working together to change the status quo.

The Institute’s 85,000-square-foot facility is located on the campus of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art near Alice L. Walton School of Medicine.

About The Position

The Partner Relationship Manager leads the development, coordination, and management of external partnerships that support a 5-year longitudinal study of a comprehensive whole health program designed to improve cardiometabolic disease management. This position plays a key role in identifying, procuring, and managing vendors and community partners to ensure effective and compliant delivery of program components.

Prior to project go live, this role oversees vendor procurement, operationalizes program components requiring partnerships with community-based organizations and employers, and supports vendor and partner onboarding and training to ensure full ecosystem integration. After project go live, the Partner Relationship Manager ensures vendor and partner performance is tracked, compliant, and continuously improving through structured accountability and collaboration.

The Partner Relationship Manager works cross-functionally within HWHI, across workstreams, and collaborates closely with the AWE Procurement and Legal teams to ensure alignment with enterprise policies, contracting standards, and risk management practices. This role fosters strong, collaborative relationships that advance program goals, ensures effective partner engagement, and supports the success of HWHI’s initiatives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Procurement, Contracting, and Integration

• Lead the development and administration of the RFI process, ensuring alignment with program goals and compliance standards.
• Oversee communication and RFI submission tracking for vendor procurement.
• Lead the evaluation, scoring, and selection process in collaboration with the review committee and HWHI senior leadership.
• Oversee due diligence, contracting, and readiness assessments for selected vendors, and maintain ongoing relationships to ensure performance, alignment, and responsiveness as the project progresses.
• Partner with the AWE Procurement team to align procurement activities with best practices, supplier evaluation criteria, and contract negotiation standards.
• Collaborate with the AWE Procurement team on RFP execution, supplier research, pricing analysis, and documentation to ensure consistency with AWE’s procurement systems and workflows (e.g., Workday, Strategic Sourcing, and Melon).
• Work with the AWE Legal team to review and finalize contract terms, ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and mitigate organizational risk.
• Monitor vendor contract renewals, amendments, and extensions to ensure continuity of service, budget alignment, and timely renewals in coordination with AWE Procurement and Legal.
• Contribute to budget planning and forecasting for vendor and partner expenditures, ensuring cost alignment with project financial goals.
• Develop structured onboarding, orientation, and training processes for new vendors and partners.
• Ensure data, reporting, and operational integration with program systems.
• Collaborate across workstreams to align vendor deliverables with broader program objectives.
• Oversee the multi-modal and cross-partner outreach and recruitment of participants for the program.

Partner Performance and Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for vendors and partners, cultivating long-term, trust-based relationships that promote shared learning and alignment with HWHI’s whole health mission.
• Facilitate regular partner forums or check-ins to share best practices, address operational challenges, and foster collaboration across the ecosystem.
• Operationalize vendor KPIs and performance tracking to monitor engagement, quality, and outcomes.
• Conduct quarterly performance reviews with vendors and program leads to ensure continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement corrective action plans with vendors and partners when performance metrics or deliverables are not met.
• Collaborate with Data & Evaluation teams to translate partner performance outcomes into actionable insights and process improvements.
• Support the development of partner scorecards and dashboards to communicate outcomes to leadership and governance committees.
• Anticipate partner needs, identify emerging issues, and proactively coordinate solutions in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Cross-Sector Collaboration

• Support collaboration among employers, health systems, community-based organizations, and contracted vendors to ensure cohesive program delivery.
• Support employers with on-site programming (e.g., Whole Health Days).
• Promote alignment on cultural responsiveness, language accessibility, and standards across partners.

Compliance and Documentation

• Oversee maintenance of comprehensive records on vendor performance, contracts, and compliance documentation.
• Partner with the AWE Procurement and AWE Legal team to maintain accurate procurement records, ensure adherence to enterprise standards, and support audits, reporting, and risk management reviews.
• Ensure all partner activities and deliverables comply with institutional data privacy, confidentiality, and ethical standards, particularly those related to health information and participant engagement.
• Support preparation of partner reports and dashboards for program leadership, HWHI executives and board of directors, and relevant governance committees.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support organizational goals and evolving program needs.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public health, healthcare management, or related field; master’s degree preferred.
• 6–8 years of experience in vendor management, partnership development, or operational program management.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale partner ecosystems in healthcare, wellness, non-profit, public health, or related settings.
• Strong understanding of procurement, contracting, and performance-based partnership models.
• Skilled in relationship management, cross-functional communication, and conflict resolution.
• Strong communication (written, verbal, and presentation) and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency with project management and performance tracking tools (e.g., Asana, SharePoint) and the ability to leverage systems for organizational effectiveness.
• Experience with CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce or equivalent).
• Demonstrated competence in tracking, coordinating, and following up on priorities and projects.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to synthesize and present partner performance data.
• High degree of professionalism, adaptability, and collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, innovative environment where change is constant.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: In the work environment described, position requires sitting at a desk and utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination, bending and stretching, and physical stamina to lift and transport a minimum of 10 pounds. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work Environment: Work is performed full-time (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) in a professional, climate-controlled office environment with standard office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones. This role requires working in an open setting near colleagues. The noise level is typically low to moderate. The role also requires interaction with both the public and internal team members in a professional and courteous manner. Some local travel will be required, and a flexible schedule may be necessary to accommodate business needs, including occasional evening and weekend work hours.

Heartland Whole Health Institute is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and a background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.