Director of Strategic Partnerships

Organization Profile: 

Founded in 1999, BUILD’s mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the power of youth in under-resourced communities to build Career success, Entrepreneurial mindsets, and Opportunity. We help students become the CEO of their own lives.

BUILD’s unique program offers students a four-year entrepreneurship experience designed to develop 21st Century Skills and motivate student engagement in school. Starting in 9th grade, BUILD students work with their peers and community mentors to develop business ideas, pitch to funders and launch real businesses. As students journey through high school and continue to grow their businesses, BUILD helps them explore college and career options, and assists students with the college application process. Entrepreneurship is the spark – college, career, and life success are the goals.

BUILD currently serves approximately 2,000 high school students annually at programs located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington DC, New York City and Boston. Our new digital offerings are reaching up to 15,000 students in 50 cities. For more information, please visit www.build.org.

Our Culture:

BUILD is made up of a diverse, results driven and passionate team who believe in the potential of every student and the power of entrepreneurship to transform the education landscape. We work in a collaborative environment where perseverance, flexibility, and an entrepreneurial spirit are encouraged and celebrated. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, including cross-cultural understanding. Kindness, empathy and respect are at the forefront of the way we treat each other, our students, our teachers and our supporters. We believe in the potential of every student and are dedicated to breaking down the educational, economic and social barriers that stand in the way of their long-term success.  The remarkable young men and women whom we serve are at the center of everything we do. We are intentional about our culture so that we can best support them.

Position Overview:

Reporting to the California Director of Philanthropy, the California Director of Strategic Partnerships (DSP) is an external spokesperson for BUILD California, responsible for leading regional corporate partnership quality, fundraising, and expansion. The DSP will lead stewardship of existing corporate partnerships in California and will facilitate the development of BUILD by cultivating new partnerships, and building brand awareness throughout California. In order to achieve outcomes, the DSP will forge strategic relationships with corporations, foundations, individuals and media outlets and deepen partnerships with community leaders.

Additionally, the DSP will develop a strategy to sustainably deepen BUILD’s presence in California and join a learning community of DSPs from other BUILD regions, who meet regularly to share effective practices, participate in collaborative problem-solving, and develop shared priorities.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Relationship Management (40% time allocation)

• Develop and implement strategy to recruit and steward corporate partnerships that lead to fundraising and volunteers to support the programming in California.

• Collaborate with the regional development team to define priorities, initiatives and cultivation strategies that will advance the organization and engage a diversity of donors (existing as well as new prospects).
• Analyze data related to partner and individual donor cultivation activities in the Raiser's Edge database and deliver reports that engage and inform regional leadership on progress and results related to corporate partners and school revenues

Fundraising Leadership (40% time allocation)

• Raise at least 30% of BUILD’s annual operating budget in California by enhancing and executing a regional development plan–in alignment with CA regional strategy, focused on increasing corporate revenue streams
• Recruit, manage, and support California Local Advisory Board and Associate Board members charged with supporting fundraising and building connections to advance programmatic goals
• Serve as an external spokesperson for BUILD in California with key corporate, nonprofit, philanthropic, and media partners  increasing local visibility and brand awareness

Program Support (20% time allocation)

• Manage and professionally develop regional Community Engagement Managers (CEM), which will consist of one team member in the Bay Area and one in Los Angeles, to ensure effective volunteer program implementation, recruitment, stewardship, and consistency between sites.
  • Develop the annual volunteer recruitment and stewardship plan in line with larger strategic plans/programmatic priorities.

• Working in collaboration with the CEMs, ensure the effective implementation of BUILD volunteer programming in California, including co-planning, co-facilitation, and evaluation of volunteer engagements.
• Oversee the recruitment and training for volunteers from each corporate partner and participate actively in programmatic events including volunteers.

Qualifications:

• Proven track record of success and leadership in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment achieving outcomes in the following areas:

• Fundraising across diverse revenue streams with a focus on corporate partnerships in the Los Angeles Area, Bay Area or similar landscape
• Building and managing a Board or Associate Board
• Engaging and fostering mutually beneficial strategic relationships
• Developing and executing an organizational strategy to expand partnerships while maintaining equitably excellent quality

• Strong staff management background including recruiting and developing a high-performing team during a time of growth, and with a strong emphasis on alignment with the strategic plan and outcomes, ideally in a multi-site or regional organization
• Exceptional written and verbal communication and relationship building skills, with a natural ability to interact comfortably with and understand the interests of a variety of constituents and inspire enthusiasm for the organizational mission
• Working knowledge of current educational policies and practices; experience working in an educational, youth-based organization preferred
• Comfort with occasional regional travel to the Bay Area and some national travel to New York, Boston, Metro DC, or elsewhere as conditions allow
• Bachelor’s degree highly valued; advanced degree or equivalent professional experiences and/or certifications preferred
• BUILD requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Reasonable accommodations based on a qualifying medical exemption or sincerely held religious belief are being considered in accordance with applicable law.

BUILD’s Core Values:

• Keep Students at the Center - As BUILDers, we hold an unwavering passionate commitment and belief in the power and potential of youth.  Our organization exists to serve students. We seize each opportunity to contribute to the foundation of knowledge, skills, and networks from which students can build extraordinary lives. Our operating principles and decisions focus on what is in the best interest of our students.
• Bring the Spark - As BUILDers, we excel in the entrepreneurial Spark Skills that we teach our students - Communication, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Innovation, Grit and Self-Management. We communicate through transparent and honest dialogue. We cherish teamwork, tenacity, and thinking outside the box. We demonstrate a relentless pursuit of excellence and approach work with a positive can do attitude. When we bring the spark we achieve great things together, and we model the way for our students. 
• Bridge Communities - As BUILDers, we develop and foster relationships in service of creating access and opportunities for our students, staff, and stakeholders. We value all who come to the table as partners to maximize our collective impact. By connecting the communities in which we work, we build empathy, equity, and social capital.
• Promote Diversity and Social Action - As BUILDers, we understand that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion matters, but what matters even more is Action. We strive to create equity of voice, access, influence and power across lines of difference – both in and beyond BUILD, specifically for groups that have been historically denied social and economic justice. If we are not part of the solution, then we are part of the problem. We welcome, celebrate, and embrace the unique expressions and contributions of us all – our backgrounds, race, ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, and social class.

Successful candidates will demonstrate the following competencies through a combination of previous education/work experiences:

Role Specific Competencies:

• Communication— Utilize excellent written and verbal skills to effectively tailor and communicate a message to a particular audience to meet relevant goals, using clear, concise, appropriate, and grammatically correct language.
• Customer Service Orientation – Anticipate and respond promptly and professionally to requests and needs from all key stakeholders and set clear expectations while taking other perspectives into account.
• Initiative - Proactively create and/or follow through on new ideas and strategies
• Forward Thinking - Anticipate the implications and consequences of situations and take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.
• Thoroughness - Ensure that one's own and others' work and information are complete and accurate; carefully and responsibly prepare for meetings and presentations; autonomously follow up with others to research required information from relevant stakeholders and ensure that commitments have been fulfilled.

Compensation:
The salary for the Director of Partnerships ranges from $105 - $115k in accordance with BUILD’s equity focused salary bands. BUILD offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees.  This includes employer paid medical, dental & vision coverage, flexible spending accounts, employer paid life insurance, and a 403(b) plan with match.  In addition, eligible BUILD employees qualify for generous vacation, sick time, paid Federal holidays,  and a flexible work environment.

COVID-19 Commitment to Safety:

BUILD requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Reasonable accommodations based on a qualifying medical exemption or sincerely held religious beliefs are being considered in accordance with applicable law.

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume.  Please be advised that you will receive an automated acknowledgement of your application. We will contact all applicants that meet the requirements of the role. BUILD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.