Strategic Partnership Advocate

Job Description

Help One Now empowers local leaders who are already working effectively in their respective communities through friendship and partnership. They are our greatest resource, and without them, sustainable change is not possible. 

These leaders are community development experts, pastors, team builders, and co-laborers for Christ on the journey to end poverty. They collaboratively mobilize the local church, government agencies, and other entities to engage the community's needs with crucial initiatives that produce community resilience, health, and progress.

OUR CORE VALUES:

At Help One Now, we are:

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1. Transparent - We view all of our relationships as friendships, and value open conversations and transparency in those relationships - from our team to donors, international partners, and everyone in between, we’re always open, honest, and up front. 
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2. Inclusive - We are a wide table:  we believe anyone who wants a seat at the table of doing good deserves to be here. That means we have a wide range of personalities and perspectives surrounding us, and we think that’s beautiful. We recognize tension, but prioritize connection and empathy.
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3. Collaborative - We believe our greatest gift is one another. Collaboration is how our best work gets done - collaborating with our friends, donors, international partners, and each other is what makes us great.
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4. Innovative - We are smart, fun, and entrepreneurial. Being part of our team means taking initiative and problem-solving some of the most unique issues, from small to large.
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5. Empowering - We exist to empower people around the world, and we take that value to heart. This includes empowering our team, donors, and friends. We believe everyone’s voice matters and seek to see all people live out their fullest potential. 
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6. Committed - Development work is hard; it’s not a quick fix and takes time. We are committed to the partners, families, and children we serve around the world. We’re in this for the long haul, and we believe true partnership only exists with true commitment. That commitment is a two-way street in all of our relationships. We strive to uphold that commitment in all ways - to our donors to utilize the resources they give for the greatest impact, to international partners to stand by them and work together for good, to the people we serve to develop in healthy, sustainable, dignified ways, and to each other to see this work through. 
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7. Friendship - We value the collaborative relationships we develop here at Help One Now. We think the best way to stay committed and connected is to remember that we are building friendships. We create a team atmosphere; we love to have fun together, work hard, and play hard. We take that value into every facet of our organization - our global partnerships, team building, donor journey, and board relationships.
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POSITION SUMMARY:

The Strategic Partnership Advocate is a frontline fundraising role at Help One Now, focused on growing the organization's base of support by identifying, cultivating, and securing commitments from new donors - individuals, churches, and businesses who are not yet partnering with us. This person is a natural relationship-builder who thrives on the front end of the donor journey: turning strangers into friends, and friends into committed partners in ending extreme poverty.

This position reports directly to the President and Chief of Staff, working in partnership with the Advancement and Marketing team to build a healthy new-donor pipeline, expand Help One Now's network, and cultivate relationships for long-term stewardship and growth.

The ideal candidate lives in or near the following locations: Austin, TX; Birmingham, AL; Nashville, TN; or Atlanta, GA, or is willing to relocate.

Expect a moderate amount of travel, including some evening and weekend commitments for donor meetings, fundraising events, and domestic and international trips.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

To perform this job, an individual must perform each of the following essential functions satisfactorily:

New Donor Identification & Cultivation (45%)

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• Increase awareness of the mission of Help One Now
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• Identify and build relationships with potential individual donors and partners
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• Leverage existing personal and professional networks to initiate new relationships
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• Conduct consistent, qualified meetings and connections with prospective donors
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• Secure commitments with a balance of one-time and recurring donations from individual donors and/or corporate partners (churches, businesses, brands, etc.)
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• Guide new donors through the Help One Now donor journey
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Strategic Partnership Development (20%)

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• Identify and recruit new strategic partners (church, business, brand) aligned with the mission of Help One Now
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• Secure commitments and represent Help One Now at new partner campuses/companies/events  
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• Develop plans to cultivate and advance partnerships into the future
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Proposal Development & Donor Communication (15%)

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• Create and prepare proposal documents for individual donors, churches, brands, and businesses in partnership with the marketing team
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• Creatively communicate Help One Now stories and impact to prospective donors
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• Contribute to fundraising strategies and campaign ideas in collaboration with the advancement and marketing teams
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• Promote and share upcoming Help One Now trips and events with prospective and current donors 
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Systems, Reporting & Collaboration (10%)

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• Update the donor database (Salesforce) with communication history and ensure accuracy of donations and contact information
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• Communicate pipeline progress, updates, and projections to the President and Advancement team
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• Collaborate with the marketing team on seasonal and giving-based campaigns
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Any other tasks or responsibilities given by the supervisor (10%)

Other Qualifications/Abilities:

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• 2+ years of sales, fundraising, or development experience in the nonprofit sector strongly preferred
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• Knowledge of principles and processes for fundraising, sales, customer relations, and building a valuable pipeline
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• Knowledge of methods for promoting and communicating a mission-driven case for support
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• Excellent ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking and writing
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• Ability to listen and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences
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• Familiarity with CRM software (Salesforce preferred), email communication tools, and presentation software (PowerPoint, Keynote, or similar)
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• Comfortable initiating conversations with new prospects in business, church, and individual scenarios
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• Ability to collaborate with multiple colleagues and departments to solve logistical issues and develop fundraising plans
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• Existing network of high-capacity potential donors, a church network, and/or a wide variety of relationships who would be interested in the work of Help One Now
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KEY METRICS:

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• Secure and execute 25 qualified new-donor meetings monthly
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• Acquire commitments from 40-50 new donors annually (a balance of one-time and recurring gifts and meeting target donor profile)
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• Develop 4 new strategic partnerships annually
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• Work toward a 2:1 fundraising ROI in year one, 4:1 in year two, progressing toward 8:1 as the portfolio matures
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• Maintain 90%+ accuracy in Salesforce donor and prospect records
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• Support the execution of quarterly fundraising events or gatherings
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FUNDRAISING AT HELP ONE NOW:

At Help One Now, we believe in friendship and building meaningful relationships. Our donors are partners in the work we do...and we believe partnership is not just about a donation of resources; it is an invitation into incredible work that impacts real lives in the communities we serve. As we lead lives of generosity, we are changed, and the world is changed for the better.

A summary of our philosophy of fundraising is as follows:

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1. Awareness and Identification: Effectively making our work and impact known.
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2. Qualification: Understanding the donor's interests and willingness to donate.
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3. Cultivation: We know that building relationships takes time, energy, and effort. We're willing to build quality relationships over time.
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4. Acquisition: When the time is right, making the clear ask and closing the deal.
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5. Retention: Relationships don't end with a donation from a donor. Stewarding the donor's giving; providing clear and transparent communications about their impact are the best ways we continue to deepen the relationship.
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6. Advancement: When the time is right, inviting the donor into advocacy and overall deeper involvement and impact.
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7. Transformative Giving: Inviting a donor to be in a form of leadership (i.e., committee) and/or increasing to a major gift and/or endowment giving.
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YOU'RE THE RIGHT FIT IF YOU ARE:

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• Passionate about the work of Help One Now
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• A person of integrity and a good listener
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• Willing to embrace accountability
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• Able to inspire and motivate others toward a shared vision
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• A hard worker and not constrained to “normal” working hours, as fundraising conversations and events can be held on evenings or weekends
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• Understand that you are not only serving our program beneficiaries, but the donors who make it all possible
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• A self-starter and a high-energy team player
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• Able to take constructive criticism well
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• Able to persevere when results are not what you hoped. Ex: Be ok with being told no
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• A person with a strong presence and an effective communicator
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This is a full-time W-2 salaried position with benefits, opportunities for increased compensation, and annual bonus potential based on performance milestones.

HOW WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM:

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• Generous paid time off: 10 days of paid time off to begin (builds with years of service) and paid company holidays
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• 100% employer-paid medical, vision, and dental insurance plan for employee-only coverage
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• Employer-paid life insurance coverage
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• 401k plan with a company-paid non-elective contribution, as well as a company-paid match based on voluntary contributions
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