Mission Statement:

AVANCE creates pathways to economic mobility for predominately Latino families through high quality, culturally responsive, two-generation programming that ensures school-readiness for young children and opportunities for parents to build social and economic capital. Our targeted program services reflect the cultural, racial/ethnic, and linguistic background of our families and provide specific strategies based on the unique needs of these families and children, ensuring that racial equity is embedded in our systemic approach.

Job Overview

The Director of Strategic Partnerships is responsible for supporting AVANCE’s growth through developing and managing strategies to increase partnerships that lead to program expansion and/or funding opportunities. The Director will build AVANCE’s national market position by locating, developing, defining, negotiating, and closing business relationships on a large scale. The Director of Strategic Partnerships will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Programs Officer and the National Board of Directors. The Director is responsible for creating a welcoming atmosphere at all times for AVANCE internal employees and AVANCE external program participants.

Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for expansion of AVANCE Inc.’s brand by attracting potential partners and developing and managing existing partners.
• Work closely with executive leadership to develop and implement long-term growth strategies for the company or organization.
• Determine and implement stewardship and cultivation best practices to increase partner engagement and long-term sustainability.
• Cultivate new partners and work with the CEO to bring on new partners.
• Negotiate with potential partners to reach mutually beneficial agreements.
• Managing partner relationships by providing strategic advice to clients regarding their goals and needs.
• Developing strategic plans to help partners reach their business goals through collaboration with the organization’s offerings.
• Creating and implementing strategic plans for each partner relationship to ensure long-term success.
• Identifying potential partners and initiating contact with them to begin building relationships.
• Working with the communications team to develop and implement strategies for increasing brand awareness and increasing market share within target markets.
• Responsible for attending and/or presenting at national conferences and regional events that are considered strategically important and will help to further establish AVANCE as the primary early childhood, parenting, and family child care organization of choice among all partners.
• Work with the executive leadership team to establish yearly partnership and fundraising goals.
• Monitor progress to established goals and develop strategies to course correct when a project/partnership is off track.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

AVANCE Core Competencies

• Accountability
• The AVANCE Way
• Demonstrates Ability to Learn
• Fosters Innovation
• Takes Initiative
• Recovers from Setbacks

Education

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or similar field required.

Preferred:

• MBA

Work Experience

Required:

• Five to seven years of progressive successful "development experience" in a high growth, partner-driven business.
• Proven fundraising experience and success

Preferred:

• Eight to ten years of progressive successful "development experience" in a high growth, partner-driven business.

Additional Skills

• Experience building successful partner systems and building the business development, marketing and relationship management people, processes and systems to drive and support growth.
• Proven expertise in communication, negotiation, and sales.
• Excellence in presentation skills.
• Experience as a key contributor to executive business strategy.
• Ability to develop concepts, synthesize information, and present information in both written and verbal formats.
• Extensive knowledge of current opportunities in the early childhood education space.
• Experience leading significant and successful high performing teams.

Travel

Must be willing to travel 40% or more within US to meet the requirements of the position.

Equipment

Add any equipment employee will use or encountersuch as computer, computer software programs and peripherals, resource materials and equipment, copier, fax, and other equipment applicable to the position.

Working Conditions

Mental and Physical Demands

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds.Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Factors