Strategic Relationships Director

Position Summary

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate appropriate potential partners and funders that are in alignment with VIA’s strategic plan.
• Travel as needed for relationship building and partnership development.
• Develop narrative content and organize quantitative/qualitative data to support grant proposals and reports.

• Manage planning and implementation of alumni events and activities, including annual reunions, anniversary events, donor appreciation gatherings, and alumni study tours, in coordination with other staff.
• Manage planning and implementation of VIA network events, including annual conferences, partner conferences and retreats, and joint initiatives, in coordination with other staff.
• Develop new initiatives to strategically strengthen alumni and donor engagement and partner relationships.
• Collaborate with program staff to identify and/or create opportunities for alumni, partner, and funder engagement in programs and events.

• Maintain periodic communication with program alumni and partners and through social media, email, newsletters, and annual reports.
• Lead the publication process of VIA’s annual report and newsletter, including content development, design, and mailing.
• Assist in maintaining VIA’s database by updating participant and donor information.

Secondary Duties & Responsibilities

• Plan and lead storytelling projects to document VIA’s legacy and future vision.
• Dedicate time to assisting Program Directors in a supporting capacity.
• Assist with office-related tasks in person (e.g., printing, collecting mail, depositing checks, etc.).
• Contribute time, expertise, and perspective as a member of working committees focusing on specific projects.

Required Qualifications

• Commitment to VIA’s mission to nurture the next generation of social impact leaders through innovative experiential learning programs.
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• At least three to five years of progressive responsibility and related experience in nonprofit development/fundraising, business development, communications, impact storytelling, alumni relations, member cultivation and engagement, or other similar activities.
• A strong team orientation, with ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Excellent detail-oriented, multi-tasking, and logistical skills.
• A creative and resourceful problem solver and strategic thinker.
• Effective communicator with excellent verbal communications skills and writing skills for professional correspondence.
• Experience planning, coordinating, and leading events (in-person, online, and hybrid) for a range of audience sizes (from 10 to 100+).
• Ability to work evenings and weekends during events/programs and other travel periods.
• Legal right to work in the United States.
• California resident.
• Ability, willingness, and enthusiasm to travel domestically and internationally; maintain valid passport.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively with business and technology applications, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, etc), Salesforce, Slack, Canva, and Zoom.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior grant writing experience.
• Experience with corporate sponsorship development.
• Experience with donor cultivation and online fundraising, especially targeting young donors.
• Experience with effective use of social media for audience cultivation and community engagement.
• Data analysis, visualization, and data-driven storytelling skills.
• Experience working abroad for 6+ months in a capacity that engaged directly with local communities, ideally in East or Southeast Asia.
• Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Burmese, or Thai language skills.

Physical Requirements

• Regular and consistent attendance and the ability to sit and work with hands and arms for at least 8 hours per day and 5 days per week.
• Physical ability to stand, reach, lift, bend, kneel, stoop, climb, walk, crawl, push and pull items weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Work overtime occasionally.
• Have consistent and reliable attendance.
• Proficient interpersonal relations and communicative skills in English.
• Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in English written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Write routine reports and correspondence.
• Meet daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly and other deadlines consistently.
• Work under pressure with changing, ambiguous priorities.
• Communicate effectively and promptly to clients or employees of the organization.
• High level of manual dexterity to adeptly type and use computer equipment.
• Auditory and visual skills – Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Location

Expected Hours of Work

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $60,000-$63,000 (starting salary commensurate with experience)
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• $1200 contribution from VIA to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) if you enroll in our health package
• Long-term disability insurance
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid vacation days (accrued monthly up to 21 days)
• Sick and kin care leave
• Discretionary time off
• Annual professional development funds
• Cell phone allowance
• Option to enroll in 403(b) savings and investment plan (not matched)