Manager, Partner Engagement

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.

The External Relations (ER) department was created in early 2020 and is comprised of 3 main but complementary functional areas: Private fundraising, Communications, and Advocacy. Supporting this endeavor in ER, is the Global Partnerships and Philanthropic Services (GPPS) Unit. GPPS consists of functional specialists across a variety of high-value fundraising support functions providing all elements of cultivation, support, and stewardship to high-value donors, partners, and supporters.

The candidate has an outstanding opportunity to join GPPS’s Partner Engagement and Corporate Affairs (PECA) team and advance our aspirational high value (HV) goals and vision. PECA engages our high value audiences across the four HV income streams (Corporate, Foundations and Trusts, High Net Worth Individuals, and New Funding and Innovation) through a number of support services including operational partnerships; gift in-kind policy and practice; global workplace giving; donor engagement and cause marketing.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Partner Engagement Manager will serve as focal point for GPPS and several meaningful areas of work. With a return to in-person events and the continuation of virtual engagement opportunities, there is an on-going need for increased coordination between HV teams, our Events department, and the President’s Office. The Manager will facilitate the appropriate cultivation of our largest donors at both public and private events and conferences, as well as around our President’s travel to destinations where fundraising meetings are considered.

The Manager will also manage select avenues of communication like the IRC’s Partnerships@rescue.org inbox, where the IRC receives many unsolicited partnership and donor requests from high-value (HV) prospects. This is a valuable touchpoint for new and lapsed partners and prospects who are inquiring how to connect with the IRC for meaningful partnership opportunities, often with significant funding attached.

Finally, the Manager will assist in the creation and upkeep of select tools that our HV fundraisers can use to connect more meaningfully with our international and institutional donors.   

Major Responsibilities:

·       Manage the IRC’s “Partnerships” inbox to respond to inquiries and connect them to the appropriate IRC contact. Ensure timely follow-up and document all outreach in Salesforce

·       Build, update, and socialize protocol for new HV partners that contact the IRC via public channels, such as the “Partnerships” inbox

·       Support on projects including developing collateral and assets for cultivation and recruitment of HV donors in the international space, including the Fifty One Global and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in the UK.

·       Support on the creation of donation pages for HV audiences during emergencies and other surge moments

·       Coordinate event RSVPs and communications for international and institutional donors, together with HV fundraisers and the Events department

·       Liaise with President’s Office around President’s HV cultivation-related travel and IRC key moments (i.e. World Economic Forum, Ramadan, World Refugee Day, UN General Assembly, End of Year, during emergency fundraising appeals, etc.)

·       During humanitarian emergencies, coordinate President & CEO’s engagement with specific donors for stewardship and cultivation to fundraise for the IRC’s response as well as keep certain donors informed

·       Support GPPS and/or HV fundraisers on ad hoc requests as needed

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Associate Director, Partner Engagement and Corporate Affairs

Position directly supervises: n/a

Works closely with: GPPS colleagues, HV Fundraising teams, President’s Office, other internal departments

Requirements

·       2-3 years of experience in coordinator or project management; donor engagement and stewardship; fundraising; and/or a related field

·       Demonstrated ability to maintain positive, collaborative, productive relationships with staff at all levels

·       Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills

·       Good judgment in maintaining confidentiality of donor information and discretion in engaging with C-suite

·       Strong digital literacy, including strong proficiency in Microsoft office and knowledge of Salesforce

·       Passion for the IRC’s mission

·       Attention to detail, well organized, focused and goal-oriented

·       Ability to balance multiple, contending priorities

·       Knowledge of humanitarian action and international development useful but not required

·       Excellent oral and written English communications skills required. Additional languages and knowledges of global cultures are an added benefit.

Working Environment: This full-time role requires working remotely full or part time (i.e., telecommuting some or all working days). Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace they can complete their work from during regularly scheduled hours.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other encouraging benefits and allowance.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.