Manager, External Relations, Spark Philadelphia

Posted by on December 09, 2013

Manager, External Relations, Spark Philadelphia

December 2013

Background: Spark (http://www.sparkprogram.org) is an award-winning, growing national nonprofit. Spark works to increase youth engagement and reduce the high-school dropout rate with a unique apprenticeship approach, focused on at-risk middle-school students. In partnership with public schools, Spark creates one-on-one apprenticeships in real workplaces, where youth explore careers and develop the skills and motivation to succeed academically. Funded by foundations, corporations and individuals, Spark is demonstrating a powerful new approach to addressing the high-school dropout crisis, one that draws in new resources by turning workplaces into learning places.

Spark was awarded the prestigious Draper Richards Kaplan Fellowship in 2008, given that year to five early-stage non-profits from around the world with the highest potential for “broad social impact.” In 2010, Spark won the Ashoka Fellowship, one of the top honors for social innovation worldwide. Spark has been highlighted on the NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, and other media outlets for its unique and effective programming. With this momentum, Spark is building a foundation for national scale. Spark’s programs have been operating in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2005 and in Philadelphia since January 2013. Other sites include Chicago, Oakland, and Los Angeles.

Spark’s 5 Core Values:

• Be a student and a mentor. We celebrate the learning process, and believe people can reach their potential when we are always learning and always teaching.
• Take positive risks and dream big. We approach our work with an entrepreneurial and optimistic spirit, taking challenges as opportunities as we set our sights on systemic change.
• Create meaningful change in the world. We believe all students have the right to realize their potential through an education rooted in relevance, relationships, and challenge.
• Make diversity a priority. We value different perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds; we proactively invite all members of our community to help us learn and to grow together.
• Love what you do. We are passionate, devoted, and joyful toward our work, applying the best of ourselves to create impact.

Position Overview: The Manager of External Relations (MER) reports to the Philadelphia Executive Director (ED) and works closely with Spark’s national development and communications team to help ensure Spark’s financial and operational sustainability within the region. Under the leadership of the ED, the MER is responsible for coordinating and creating strategies for development related work associated with the region including: fundraising events; grants management; corporate and individual prospects; board engagement; communications; and corporate partnerships. The MER also provides office operations support. Spark Philadelphia is on a path of significant growth, adding several new schools in the coming years, and this role will be part of a dynamic team leading that growth. The position requires an active, hands- on leader with outstanding project management, strategic communication and relationship-building skills. The MER should be well-organized, have terrific judgment, be able to “manage-up” and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

Relationship management
• Individual Giving: Support ED on major and special gift cultivation by researching, identifying, and cultivating relationships with existing and new individual prospects and donors. Develop and maintain a major gifts pipeline of 100+ major gifts prospects for the Philadelphia region. Help build a pipeline of Philadelphia board members.
• Corporate Partnership: Provide support to the ED on strengthening the pipeline and cultivation of corporate partners by conducting research, targeted outreach, social media campaigns, creating presentation materials, and organizing various events as necessary.
• Foundation Relations: Coordinate the management of foundation and other philanthropic relationships with the goal of cultivating and growing the foundation support for Spark Philadelphia Project management
• Events: Working closely with the ED, oversee execution of fundraising events that will range from house parties to Spark’s signature fundraising event – Sugar Rush.
• Board: Support ED in Board outreach and engagement efforts, ensuring that each current and prospective board member has an opportunity to visit program events on a regular basis. Manage logistical elements for board meetings.
• Development Data and Reporting: Maintain up to date fundraising data for the region in Salesforce. Ensure accuracy of Philadelphia development dashboards and reports.
• Stewardship: Coordinate stewardship of donors and funders, including gift processing and acknowledgement letters. Strategic Communications
• Marketing: Support existing and develop new vehicles for engaging potential and current stakeholders of Spark.
• Regional Communications: Working with the national development team, create content for collateral, fundraising efforts, campaigns, web site, electronic newsletter, regionally based materials, social media, events and annual holiday appeal. Develop content for fundraising and other collateral pieces to be distributed via email, the web or hard copy.
• Social Media: Manage an effective and regular use of Spark’s social media outlets including Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.
• PR and Media: Working with the national team, coordinate local PR and media efforts including building media relationships, pitching news stories, creating and distributing news releases and developing speaking opportunities.

Additional Responsibilities

Help ensure office efficiency and day-to-day effectiveness by:
• Serving as point person for national Finance and Operations Manager to help execute organization-wide operations projects within the local region.
• Manage day-to-day operations needs, including ordering and tracking supplies; regional bills and vendors; and office space.
• Other duties as assigned with a primary focus on supporting the advancement of the reputation and financial sustainability of the region. Qualifications: All candidates should have a passion for Spark’s mission, demonstrated effectiveness as a professional, and excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Additional qualifications include:
• Bachelor’s degree required;
• Independent, results-focused, highly organized self-starter;
• The ideal candidate will have superior writing and presentation skills and a clear understanding of how social media may be used to achieve marketing and PR objectives;
• Detail-oriented, demonstrated ability to handle multiple and sometimes competing priorities;
• Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people;
• Experience working in development or marketing preferred; for-profit experience is welcomed;
• Comfortable giving and receiving honest, constructive feedback;
• History of dedicated volunteer activity and/or commitment to non-profit organizations;
• Highly internet savvy, with experience in Word, Excel, and other key software tools (knowledge of Expression Engine or other web Content Management System, EventBrite, InDeisgn and Salesforce a plus). Compensation & Benefits:
• Salary: Commensurate with experience.
• Health Benefits: Full health coverage is provided, including medical, dental, and vision. Spark covers up to 100% of monthly premiums, and a portion of the monthly premiums for dependents. A life insurance policy providing $50,000 of coverage is also included.
• Learning Benefits: Spark staff and students are fellow learners, and the organization highly values the staff’s personal learning pursuits. To that end, there are several opportunities for staff to “walk the talk” and experience the excitement of being a Spark student:
o Paid Sabbatical: After an initial term of service, five paid working days off, in addition to other paid time off, for the pursuit of a personal learning opportunity. Learning stipend included.
o Professional Training: In collaboration with your manager, priority placed on opportunities to pursue your choice of professional training opportunities, including workshops, conferences, books, etc.
o Personal Apprenticeship: Opportunity to allocate a portion of paid working time toward a personal apprenticeship, in similar form to Spark’s youth apprenticeships.
• Retirement Benefits: For all contributions through Spark’s SIMPLE IRA plan, Spark will match retirement contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 1% of total salary in 2014 and up to 3% thereafter.
• Paid Time Off: Spark has a unique flexible time-off policy, which empowers staff to collaboratively determine and schedule time off as needed. Spark staff may take time off based on the status of their work- related goals and results within the organization. This policy is part of Spark’s focus on a balanced and healthy life for staff.
• Non-monetary compensation: The opportunity to be an integral member of an energetic, innovative, hard-working and rapidly growing team, within an organization that has the potential to significantly change American middle-school education.

Spark is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and evaluate all candidates based on merit. Timeline & Application Instructions Applications will be accepted through December 31, 2013 with a target start date of February 1, 2014. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To Apply: Please email your resume and thoughtful cover letter to Jenny Bogoni, Philadelphia Executive Director, at jbogoni@sparkprogram.org. Please indicate “MER – YOUR NAME” in the subject line.