College Possible Looking for Community Partnerships and Engagement Manager at Austin, TX  Full Time

Community Partnerships and Engagement Manager

College Possible – Austin, TX – External Relations and Development

About College Possible

As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped put more than 59,000 students from disinvested communities on the path to economic mobility via completion of a college degree. Its proven near-peer coaching model, delivered by recent college graduates serving as AmeriCorps members, provides high-touch interventions proven to help students navigate and overcome the most common barriers to college access, retention and degree completion. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds.

College Possible is a growing nonprofit coaching students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to break the cycle of poverty and empower the next generation of leaders. Our model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top- of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student’s chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers. College Possible has a budget of $33 million, more than 128 full-time employees and more than 321 AmeriCorps and VISTA service members. During the 2021-22 school year, we will reach an estimated 21,245 students in all 50 states, with the support of 169 partner high schools and 107 partner colleges.

College Possible is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and seeks to build a diverse workforce to create impact in partnership with the communities we serve. We welcome a diverse pool of qualified applicants. For each of its positions, College Possible is mindful about what best serves our students, and seeks to hire staff with relevant experience, skills and aptitude, and a commitment to the power of education. To learn more read our ..

Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, TX; and has Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at .

Your Role as Community Partnerships and Engagement Manager

The position is responsible for the creation and management of a well-coordinated, strategic plan to cultivate and solicit support from corporations and individuals. This position works to establish long- term partnerships, strengthen existing relationships, and initiate new contacts within the corporate and individual donor sector. The position will function as a key team member in the Austin Office working closely with the Development Director, External Relations Team and Executive Director to achieve annual revenue goals. This person will play a crucial role in the implementation of the strategic fundraising plan including prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. These responsibilities include managing and tracking donor solicitations, organizing fundraising and donor stewardship events, and managing the donor stewardship program. The position will serve as back up to the Development Director and coordinate development operations for the Austin Office development program, including generation of reports, database management and conducting analysis of donor giving.

• Relationship Management & Stewardship: Create and manage a portfolio of annual donors with the goal of deepening engagement, renewing annual gifts, and increasing affinity and giving. Lead, direct, and support comprehensive corporate & community engagement program to enhance relationships with partners. Collaborate with other team members to develop ways to engage partners in a comprehensive way.
• Prospecting & Cultivation: Lead prospecting and donor research for individuals. Strategize and implement cultivation techniques to inspire prospective supporters to become donors. A strong focus on moving-up lower-level donors. Research opportunities and network within the community to find new opportunities for funding and engagement in the corporate & foundation community. Assist Development Director with the coordination of the Advisory Board to ensure their corporate and community connections are maximized. Identify prospects and conduct research to determine interest and giving potential.
• Solicitation: Develop, manage and implement cultivation and solicitation strategies for individual, foundation, and corporate giving & sponsorships. Coordinate with the Director of Development on the execution of corporate/foundation grant requests, including providing detailed proposal information, writing, editing, and submitting applications.
• Annual Campaigns: Lead on all direct mail, digital fundraising, and phone-a-thon fundraising campaigns. Assist in the development of the annual campaign strategy: renewal and prospect mailings, spring appeal, and end-of-year campaign. Support the gift appeal process including data inputting, managing lists, mailings and coordinating with mail house and volunteers.
• Events: Conduct presentations and present at external organizational awareness and engagement events, including presentations to community & corporate sponsors and volunteer groups. Solicit event sponsorships as needed. Generate, manage and support small scale fundraising events by working with the Development Director and Executive Director to leverage relationships with current individual donors including board members to significantly grow the number of individuals supporting the organization. Support the annual fundraiser event as assigned.
• Development Operations: Collaborate with the external relations team to manage the donor stewardship process including gift processing, data entry, generation of thank you letters, phone calls and database updates. Supervise gift appeal process, database administration, and requesting in-kind donations and gift acknowledgments.
• Community Outreach Operations: Collaborate with national’s marketing & communications team on the coordination of social media, emails, newsletters being issued on behalf of the Texas site as assigned. Manage the editorial calendar for the site.
• Reporting: Prepare regular reports on giving programs. Maintain accuracy of donor tracking systems and database for corporate constituents, while maintaining confidentiality of donor information. Steward assigned prospects and document activities in Raiser’s Edge database.
• And other duties as assigned.

What You Bring

Education/Certifications/Licenses:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Non-profit or Fund Development certification helpful.

Related Work Experience:

• Three to five years of experience in fundraising experience.
• Relationship management experience, demonstrating the ability to work one-on-one with new and existing donors through site visits, donor stewardship calls and in person meetings.
• Prefer previous experience developing and organizing fundraising events.
• Experience in creating processes and tools for effective donor prospecting, research and solicitation that leads to new donor acquisition and increased gifts, strong focus on moving donors up the pipeline.
• History of using data analysis and reporting to inform decisions as they relate to donor communications, improve annual fund and donor stewardship program.
• Previous experience implementing and managing a year-round high-touch donor stewardship program.

Computer/Software Skills:

• Strong computer skills, including demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, & PowerPoint.
• Knowledge & experience strongly preferred with Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or a donor database.

Other Skills, Abilities and Requirements:

• A strong track record as an implementer who thrives on managing multiple projects and deadlines concurrently.
• Knowledge of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques, particularly in the area of corporate fundraising techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of methods, practices and procedures for obtaining information about the giving programs of corporations.
• Ability to initiate and build relationships with prospective corporate donors and interact with institutional representatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.
• High energy, enthusiastic, strong commitment to public service and social justice.
• Relationship builder with the flexibility and sensitivity to balance the perspectives of others.
• Strategic thinker and problem-solver, able to work independently, and entrepreneurial; enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives.
• Self-starter with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Sincere commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, volunteers, donors, program participants and other supporters.
• Desire to work in a growing nonprofit organization, ability to adapt, creativity and commitment to excellence highly valued.
• Attention to detail, including proofreading and project follow-through.

Physical Requirements

• Office environment with some travel
• Ability to stand and/or sit for a minimum of 7 hours a day

What We Offer

In addition to joining a committed, diverse, values-based organization, we offer:

• An opportunity for you to have a tremendous impact both internally and in the broader country
• a competitive salary commensurate with experience
• excellent benefits including complete health, dental, life, short-term and long-term insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Encouraged sustainability through a generous paid time off program
• Personalized professional development and growth opportunities

To Join Our Growing College Possible Team

Please apply at: . Include a cover letter, resume, and a recent writing sample.