External Affairs Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The External Affairs Manager is a key leadership position reporting to the Chief Strategy Office and will lead initiatives that foster strategic partnerships and expand and formalize relationships with policy makers, industry leaders, and other influencers and stakeholders. The position is critical to the fulfillment of La Familia's mission of providing underserved communities with the tools and support necessary to build resilience, wellness, and economic power. In collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer Chief Strategy Officer, this position will build relationships with the senior management team to stay apprised on program needs and impacts and incorporate these into the vision and strategic planning of La Familia.  The position will also cultivate productive external and internal relationships to mobilize key stakeholder groups, lead agency initiatives, and further build La Familia's agency brand.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

Strategic Partnership Development

• Build and maintain relationships with other non-profit organizations, foundations, and funders to design and implement initiatives that support mutual goals to support the community.
• Represent La Familia on with strategic community partners and community boards, such as chambers of commerce and other community-facing groups.
• Collaborate to determine and establish public/private partnerships that elevate the La Familia brand.
• Identify and cultivate opportunities to position La Familia as a sector leader with strategic partnerships, special events, speaking engagements, and media placements.

Government Affairs

• Develop and implement an integrated strategic government affairs plan to advance La Familia's brand identity, broaden awareness of its programs and priorities, and increase the visibility of its programs and partners across key stakeholder audience in the East Bay and other geographical areas identified for growth.
• Attend Board of Supervisor, State, County, City and other meetings at the direction of the CEO per agency strategy.
• Expand and maintain La Familia's government affairs outreach to policy makers and stakeholders at federal, state, and local agencies and legislative associations. 
• Track and provide updates on external trends, developing points of view, and evolving legislation and policy.
• Educate stakeholders on the needs of the agency and the communities it serves.  

Contract Development

• Work with partners, funders, and internal stakeholders to formalize partnerships of all types, including developing and/or reviewing contract language, negotiating contract details, and managing the contract execution process.
• Monitor contracts and memorandum of understanding dates and initiate renewal process.

Initiative Design and Launch Support

• Write and adapt guiding documents for proposed and recently-funded programming and initiatives, including outreach materials, job descriptions, program models/workflows, training documents
• Liaison with the funders and partners regarding contract implementation, including attending trainings and planning meetings.
• Lead the hiring and training process for on-boarding staff for program launch.

Communications

• Participate in the La Familia Communications committees.
• Support the creation of materials associated with agency communications goals, including social media, annual reports, and internal and external newsletters.  
• Partner with communications team on projects and website content.

Staff Supervision (As Assigned)

• Provide supervision to all assigned staff and acts as a liaison to assigned contract-funded contractors.
• Ensure staff meet assigned activities and pursue agency objectives through maintaining processes to track activities, communicating assigned activities and progress to staff, and providing coaching and accountability around staff performance deficits in a timely manner.
• Facilitate and/or coordinate quality training (at on-boarding and continuously) for all necessary skills and competencies for program staff to achieve productivity and quality standards.
• Lead and attend regular staff meetings, supervision meetings, and training.
• Ensure direct reports follow all agency policies and procedures through providing on-going education and reminders on agency policies and procedures and providing coaching and accountability around violations in a timely manner, with an emphasis on Quality Improvement, Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other compliance policies and procedures as set by La Familia and the funder.
• Coordinate and maintain adequate team staffing, including collaborating with La Familia Human Resources for recruitment, retention, performance appraisals, employee discipline, and termination.
• Set employee schedules and approve employee timesheets, time-off requests, and expense reimbursements.

Other:

• Collaborate and coordinate with other partner-facing team members at La Familia.
• Support grant development processes.
• Continuously improve the agency's capacity by attending trainings, monitoring trade publications, and attending relevant events and sharing and using new information.  
• Track and regularly report on key metrics within each function area.
• Leads and collaborates on special projects related to agency objectives.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, Communications, Public Administration or other related fields (Masters Preferred)
• Knowledge of and +5 years' experience in partnership cultivation with demonstrated outcomes
• Ability to clearly articulate the mission and work of a social service and mental health non-profit to engage and excite multiple audiences
• Ability to think systematically and manage processes with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community members and staff of all levels of professional development
• Non-Profit and Community Based Organization experience highly desirable.
• Demonstrates and models excellent "customer service" orientation, especially in the ability to interact with people at all levels within and outside the agency.
• Thinks independently and can make informed decisions when needed.
• Exercises extreme discretion with the ability to hold, balance and transmit public and confidential information needed by various parties.
• Proficient using MS Office products, particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Acquires or maintains proficiency in using Google Drive products, including Docs, Sheets, and Forms.
• Valid CA Driver's license
  • Auto insurance:  Personal vehicle may be used for business related purposes; it is recommended you inform your auto insurance carrier.  
• Current state-mandated guidelines requires employees in this position to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including booster shots. Accommodations may be available as required by law.  Applicants who are offered a position will be asked about their vaccination status and applications will be required to provide proof of vaccinations against COVID-19 including booster shots. The agency can provide accommodations as required by law in certain circumstances. 

BENEFITS:

• Excellent Health benefits package for you and your family including:
  • Medical/dental/vision benefits with 95% employee & 80% dependent employer premium contribution and employer paid life insurance.
• Vacation, 15 paid holidays, 12 paid sick days upon accrual
• Employee Assistance Plan to support yours and your family's wellbeing and finances
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Work-life wellbeing & excellent work hours
• Supportive/Collaborative work environment
• Opportunities for Growth and Professional Development
  • License and Certification renewals reimbursed