Position Description

Position:              Director, Corporate Engagement
Reports to:          Vice President, Institutional Advancement
Supervision:        One – Stewardship and Engagement Manager
Travel:                 Washington, DC (hybrid)
Hiring Range:     $81,806 - $102,257



Organization Overview

The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. CDF’s Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

We serve and advocate for the largest, most diverse generation in America: the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25, with particular attention to those living in poverty and communities of color. CDF partners with policymakers, aligned organizations and funders in this service. The Children’s Defense Fund is the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice by wielding the moral authority of programmatic proximity and community organizing to inform public policy. For more information visit www.childrensdefense.org.

Position Summary

Working collaboratively with the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and executive leadership, as well as Advancement, state office and other staff, the Director of Corporate Engagement (DCE) will help develop and operationalize strategic plans for building relationships with corporate partners toward support for CDF’s programs locally and nationally. The DCE will seek and develop corporate foundation and business opportunities for programs including in-kind support, sponsorship, and other engagement initiatives. Taking an entrepreneurial approach, the DCE monitors corporate philanthropy trends and the funding landscape to identify opportunities that align CDF’s goals with potential partners. The DCE will also supervise the Stewardship and Engagement manager to ensure appropriate cultivation, stewardship and other engagement initiatives are strategically developed and executed.

The ideal candidate is driven, organized, flexible, has experience closing six and seven-figure partnership opportunities with corporations, and takes an entrepreneurial approach to business development.

Responsibilities

1. Identify, cultivate, and solicit gifts from corporate foundations, businesses, and organizations nationally.
2. Serve as a highly visible external representative of CDF. Establish and maintain strong social and professional relationships with key community, corporate and organizational leaders and influencers to maximize funding opportunities.
3. With the support from the Stewardship and Engagement Manager, provide ongoing stewardship for strategic donors and strategic donor prospects, keeping them abreast of programs of interest, CDF trends and engagement opportunities.
4. Create opportunities for strategic partner and CDF engagement meetings, including the CEO, VP, other CDF staff and/or CDF board members as appropriate.
5. Identify and represent CDF at relevant conferences and other events to raise awareness of CDF and engage new business.
6. Collaborate closely with the VP and other advancement team members to identify marketing and promotion opportunities as partner benefits, effectively leveraging CDF’s website, digital advertising program, and other existing constituent outreach efforts.
7. Utilize CDF marketing resources including donor and alumni stories, photos, and videos suitable for cultivating existing partners and recruiting new business.
8. In coordination with the VP, engage with CDF state offices when specific major relationships could or should directly connect with CDF’s specific work in those geographic areas.
9. Write concept papers, proposals and create presentations, as necessary to close strategic partnerships and oversee fulfilment of partnership agreements.
10. Ensure follow-up pertaining to all assigned strategic partner activities and sponsorship solicitations.
11. Monitor all metrics relevant to measuring the impact and growth of the strategic partnership program.
12. Engage as appropriate with existing CDF staff, alumni, donors, and other constituents to help recruit new partners in coordination with the VP.
13. Supervise the Manger, Stewardship and Engagement to implement a stewardship and cultivation strategy for corporate, foundation and individual supporters.
14. Manage and complete additional assignments from the VP, and other CDF Leadership when appropriate, particularly those that have natural synergies with developing and growing a national strategic partners program.

Education And/or Experience

• A minimum of seven years of relevant experience working within the nonprofit sector
• Proven track record of success securing and stewarding six and seven-figure gifts and sponsorships from corporations, and organizations.
• Knowledge of the corporate giving landscape and trends.
• Experience making public presentations with the ability to convey passion and enthusiasm to various audiences.
• Ability to analyze, interpret and convey CDF program and policy data and trends to key stakeholders
• Experience using social media platforms and relational databases (Raiser's Edge)
• Excellent writing and attention to detail including ability to produce high-quality documents using Microsoft Office
• Bachelor’s degree required

Competencies

• Creative and Innovative Thinking - Experiments with new ideas, methodologies, and procedures; generates unique but workable and useful solutions to difficult problems.
• Customer Focused - Seeks ways to improve service delivery. Assesses the organization and its services from the customer’s point of view. Emphasizes a team approach to providing great customer service.
• Relationship Building - Builds constructive working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, cooperation, mutual respect.
• Attention to Detail - Diligently attends to details and pursues quality in accomplishing tasks.
• Communication - Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner

Personal Characteristics

• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong business acumen
• Polished and effective public representative capable of initiating and building relationships with prospective corporate / foundation executives and program officers, major donors, board members and senior staff.
• Self-starter capable of working independently and under tight and sometimes competing deadlines
• Commitment to continual learning and professional development; keep pace with ever-changing corporate philanthropy landscape and best practices
• High degree of professionalism and diplomacy
• Collaborative and comfortable interfacing with senior leaders
• Demonstrated passion for CDF’s mission 

Work Environment

• Indoor, office setting (3 days/week); Indoor, from home (2 days/week)
• Regular in-person (and/or virtual) meetings with prospects (3-4/week)
• Travel within the US required 1 or more times per month  
• Some evenings and weekends required

Salary commensurate with experience. Attractive benefits package.

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and resume online at www.childrensdefense.org/jobs.

Additional comments

Children's Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, economic status, or status as an individual with a disability. Consideration will be given to qualified candidates on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Salary commensurate with experience. Attractive benefits package.