Partnerships Specialist

Overview: Habitat for Humanity Chicago (Habitat Chicago) is a nonprofit organization that works to champion healthy neighborhoods by investing in resident priorities, supporting homeownership, and building quality homes. We believe in a world where everyone has a decent place to live, and we invite people of all backgrounds, races and religions to work towards this vision together in our three focus neighborhoods of West Pullman, Greater Grand Crossing, and Austin.

Position Summary: The Partnerships Specialist works across teams to help deliver a high-quality experience to volunteers and donors. The Partnerships Specialist manages groups in the moves management process, cultivates and stewards’ mid-level corporate donors, and prepares compelling proposals.

Key Responsibility: Team Build Sponsorships (50%)

Working across the corporate partnerships and volunteer programs teams helps drive greater commitments and retention from team build groups by ensuring prospects are converted and appropriately supported from point of contact through stewardship.

• Drive conversion of assigned prospects through responsive and compelling cultivation and pitches; identify and act on upgrade opportunities.
• Manage prospect relationships through contract stage and pick up again in stewardship stage with the aim of increased overall retention and upgraded giving.
• Ensure information regarding special considerations reaches the appropriate team.
• Work across teams to continuously improve inquiry process and team build experience.

Key Responsibility: Corporate Portfolio Management (25%)

Build a portfolio of corporate partners that have the capacity to become mid-level donors ($15,000-$50,000). Identify prospects that are a good fit by mining lists of current partners, assessing potential of incoming inquiries, and researching new prospects.

• Develop relationships with multiple contacts in each organization.
• Create a strategy for deepening relationships, resulting in larger, more value driven partnerships.
• Lead discovery meetings to gain an understanding of prospect needs.
• Create compelling proposals based on a strong understanding of prospect wants/needs.
• Steward partners for continued and increased future giving; fulfill partnership benefits as needed.
• Participate in prospect strategy sessions.

Key Responsibility: Event Sponsorships (10%)

In collaboration with the Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager, support activities required to cultivate and partner with new corporate event sponsors. This includes identifying, researching, and soliciting prospects.

• Persuasively communicate the affiliate’s mission and programs to potential funders
• Assist with ongoing strategy for corporate event sponsors.
• Work with Events Manager to identify new event sponsorship opportunities.

Key Responsibility: Other Projects (10%)

Support various administrative, project management and customer success efforts as needed.

• Benefit fulfillment and execution for events
• Stewardship and post-closing partner success for large opportunities

Key Responsibility: Teamwork (5%)

As a key Development Team member, contribute to our organizational health through enthusiastic collaboration, leadership and personal integrity.

• Maintain a “team first” outlook, supporting the success of the team and the mission in attitude, ideas, and actions; lead by example and with active, creative input for growing and improving the organization
• Contribute enthusiastically to all organization events, helping as necessary with set up/take down, management, networking, various tasks, etc.
• Engage with all members of team, program participants, and core volunteers.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• High level of computer literacy, including familiarity with Microsoft Office and CRM systems (Salesforce preferred)  
• Excellent writing, analytical, and research skills 
• Self-motivated, detail oriented, highly organized  
• Personable, customer-oriented; ease with working with others and with delegating  
• Must work well under pressure and with changing priorities. 
• Discretion with confidential materials  
• Enthusiasm for nonprofit development work and willingness to proactively seek best practices and new ideas. 
• Commitment to problem solving, continuous improvement, curiosity and personal development.  
• Understanding and enthusiasm for Habitat for Humanity philosophy and willingness to advocate its mission. 

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.   
• 3+ years of fundraising or sales experience, preferably relating to corporate/foundation relations or business development. 
• Experience managing funders/sponsors, team members, volunteers, and outside vendors and relationships. 
• Understanding of corporate philanthropy planning and moves management processes. 
• Experience with successful project management and effectively leading projects start to finish. 

Successful Habitat team members share the following characteristics

• Trust: You invest in your fellow team members and you do what you say you will do. You thrive on constructive feedback and have a high level of integrity.
• Commitment: You have a “go above and beyond” attitude; nobody here works just for a paycheck.
• Engagement: You embrace bringing people to the Habitat mission.
• Innovation: You are a creative problem solver that works across teams.
• Curiosity: You express curiosity and reserve judgment.
• Achievement: You love results and hate excuses. You will help Habitat Chicago grow to be a leading organization.

Position Details

Reports To: Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager

Hours: Full-time; 8am-4pm plus evenings and weekends meetings as required.

Environment: The Habitat Chicago office is located at Cermak Rd. and Carpenter St. in Chicago. It is accessible by car or by public transit. This position will have a desk, computer, and phone line in an open office environment.

Conditions: Must be able to lift 25 pounds and work at a computer for long periods of time.

Compensation: Salaried; ranging from $51,000 to $53,000, depending on experience, 30+ vacation/sick/personal days per year. 90% employer paid health insurance; access to dental, life, and 401k plans.

FLSA Status: This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). It does not earn overtime or compensatory time for additional time worked.

Training: The position will begin with an onboarding period to become familiar with the organization’s work and policies; they will be trained on the specifics of the role through a combination of in-person, online and written trainings and will be expected to take the initiative to review materials as needed and seek understanding of new developments in order to perform their responsibilities. 

To Apply: Please submit compelling cover letter and resume to careers@habitatchicago.org with “Partnership Specialist - Your Name” in the subject line by 6/5/2023. Successful applicants will be contacted for interviews. 

Habitat for Humanity Chicago values a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.  

Habitat for Humanity Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This organization does not and will not discriminate in employment and personnel practices on the basis of race, sex, age, handicap, religion, national origin or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.