Director Of External Relations

Director of External Relations

Job Description

Founded in 2012, The Acceleration Project (TAP) is a nonprofit that is laser-focused on supporting underserved small business owners and narrowing existing equity gaps based on race and gender. Our mission is to empower under-resourced small business owners and accelerate their success by providing impactful, customized strategic and tactical advice. We work one-on-one with individual businesses to provide tools and resources that create financial stability and accelerate growth. We also produce scalable programs that can be delivered through webinars, workshops, and microsites. Our lean staff unlocks the power of an exceptional team of pro-bono consultants who seek to use their professional skills to make a meaningful impact. As the demand for our services continues to grow, we are expanding nationally to meet the need. TAP leverages its network of financial institutions, CDFIs, economic development agencies, and corporate partners to scale and ensure our work's sustainability. We also rely on fundraising to underwrite the cost of providing services and keep them accessible to all.

Position Summary: The Director of External Relations will play a pivotal role in fostering External Relationships across three critical fronts:

• Development Support and Leadership Engagement (50%):
• Funding Pipeline Development (25%)
• Client Pipeline Expansion (25%)

The position will report to the VP of Development. The Director of External Relations will work collaboratively with the Leadership Team to evaluate TAP’s operational strategy and goals, adjusting stewardship initiatives as needed to support those goals. This role is full-time and flexible, with an expectation of 40 hours/week, but we will consider a 4-day/week role. While the schedule is flexible, this individual must respond to communications within 24 hours of receipt.

The position will be responsible for the stewardship of TAP's Leadership Boards ( President’s Council, California Advisory Board, and Board of Directors) and collaborate with the VP of Development to execute a strategic plan aimed at identifying, cultivating, engaging, and supporting these boards. Additionally, he/she will proactively generate leads and collaborate to cultivate relationships with corporate, philanthropic, and family foundations, with the objective of securing funding to sustain TAP's growth objectives in terms of capacity and programming.

Separately, the Director will create a strategy for the outreach and lead generation of small business pipeline partnerships within the underserved communities that we support and that are aligned with CPO, and the Service delivery team will focus on programs, functional areas, and industries.

Responsibilities:

Development Support and Leadership Engagement (50%):

• Strategic Planning with Leadership:
• Support the Vice President (VP) of Development in executing a strategic plan designed to identify, develop, engage, and support TAP's Leadership Boards and key donors. This role involves executing a detailed engagement calendar, achieving set objectives for each relationship, and expanding the network of leadership board members and major donors.
• Assist the VP of Development by directly crafting and executing personalized engagement strategies and writing tailored emails and proposals that resonate with individual donor interests, fully aligned with TAP's mission.
• Donor Engagement and Stewardship:
• Spearheaded initiatives to enhance donor engagement, incorporating innovative stewardship practices that foster long-term relationships.
• Crafting donor-specific impact reports and personalized communications, such as email correspondences and tailored proposals, to highlight the tangible benefits of donor support to TAP. Note: This role requires exceptional writing skills for effectively convey TAP’s mission and the significant impact of donor contributions.
• Additionally, you may support the Director of Campaigns in organizing events that bridge connections between donors and small business owners, emphasizing the direct influence of their support.
• Partnership Development:
• Play a crucial role in securing long-term, multi-year funding by drafting compelling proposals and managing partnerships through effective written communication. This includes ensuring alignment with TAP's strategic objectives and clearly articulating partnership benefits in written agreements and proposals.

Funding Pipeline Development (25%):

• Fundraising Campaigns and Donor Strategy:
• Assist in the planning and execution of fundraising campaigns, working with the development team to align donor strategies with TAP's organizational objectives, and creating written content for campaign materials, donor communications, and presentations. This involves using persuasive writing skills to articulate TAP's impact and funding needs clearly.
• Engage existing and potential donors through targeted communication efforts, event participation, and presentations, ensuring a clear articulation of TAP's impact and funding needs.
• Take charge of writing applications for awards and recognitions that highlight TAP’s achievements and contributions, enhancing our visibility and credibility.
• Grant Procurement Support:
• Provide critical support in the grant procurement process, coordinating with the CGO, CPO, and external grant writers to identify funding opportunities.
• Take an active role in the grant process by assisting with grant writing and coordinating submissions.
• Monitor grant opportunities, maintain a grants calendar, and ensure timely and accurate reporting on grant usage, impact, and compliance with funder requirements.

Client and Partner Pipeline Expansion (25%)

• Create and execute a comprehensive outreach strategy with creative tactics aimed at expanding TAP's impact within underserved communities and ensuring a warm and robust stream of small business pipelines. Include community organizations, business associations, community spaces, and others that are aligned with TAP’s mission.
• This strategy should include conducting research on potential partners that can bring a substantial pipeline of clients, assessing the alignment of interests and capabilities, and engaging in preliminary discussions.
• After creating pathways to initiate and build new partnerships, collaborate closely with the Chief Program Officer (CPO), Chief Growth Officer (CGO), and Vice President of Development to nurture these potential strategic partnerships and close them
• To support this lead generation and initial discussions, the Director will:
• Identify the need for clear, compelling content to meet the unique needs of these communities to support this outreach strategy
• develop and implement community-based marketing tactics
• engage in direct in-person connections, leveraging community events to raise awareness of TAP's services and cultivate a strong presence within target communities.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of service delivery capabilities and current projects to guarantee that TAP's approach is tailored to the community's requirements.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors, foundations, and corporate entities.
• Experience working with nonprofit leadership boards to meet the organization's fundraising goals.
• Entrepreneurial, creative, and innovative.
• A team player, willing to take on whatever tasks are needed to reach a goal.
• Embraces and models the collaborative, positive culture that is the hallmark of TAP.
• Able to thrive and learn in a fast-paced environment and adjust to changing organizational priorities.
• Demonstrated flexibility, self-motivation, attention to detail, and organization, as well as a proven record of successfully managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent from an accredited college/university; MBA, MA/MS in Nonprofit Management, or other advanced degree a plus but not required
• Minimum of 4-7 years of overall development work experience, which should include fundraising and/or business development, marketing, and communications
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Sales background a plus
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Canva and Google Drive
• Familiar with CRM software (e.g., Salesforce)
• Able and willing to participate in periodic events outside traditional work hours
• Understanding that, at times, the Director might be called upon to support other TAP activities given the small staff size and high-growth environment
• Demonstrated belief in TAP’s mission and values

Compensation:

• Salary: $65,000 - $75,000 commensurate with experience
• Health and dental insurance
• Generous PTO

Work Environment:

TAP operates in a remote-first, hybrid work environment. TAP promotes a culture that affords flexibility and calendar control. Our staff predominantly work from home, with mandatory co-working days approximately four times per month in Westchester County for those in the Tri-State area. While we encourage additional in-person connections, attendance is mandatory only for these co-working days. As our work model continues to evolve, there may be occasional requirements for attending in-person events and meetings in the Tri-State area. Additionally, we expect all staff to be present at our bi-annual retreats, held up to twice a year.

To Apply: Please submit your resume and two professional references, and answer the following questions-

• Why are you interested in the position? Why are you a good fit for this role?
• What are the most important attributes of a successful External Relations professional?
• How do you approach the challenges of fundraising and donor engagement in a fundraising setting?
• What do you think are the most compelling elements that would serve in your outreach for the small business pipeline for TAP?

Please send all materials to Molly Ardalan at with ‘Director of External Relations’ in the subject line.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Remote