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Founded on Skid Row in 1980, Para Los Niños (PLN) partners with more than 10,000 children, youth, and families each year through integrated education, wellness supports and advocacy, addressing individual and systemic barriers to create pathways to success. In addition to operating early education centers, charter elementary and middle schools, youth workforce development sites and family services, PLN is the only children’s mental health provider in the Skid Row neighborhood. PLN's community transformation work brings together community members, community-based organizations, city and county agencies, elected officials, and businesses to tackle issues that impact PLN families. Ninety-three percent of families served by PLN live in areas with the highest levels of food insecurity and homelessness in L.A. County.

The Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships and Volunteer Programs leads the development, cultivation, and management of strategic partnerships and volunteer engagement efforts that advance Para Los Niños’ mission and organizational goals. This role serves as a key liaison between PLN and external stakeholders, building collaborative relationships that enhance services, resources, visibility, and support for children, youth, and families.

The Associate Director works cross-functionally to identify opportunities for partnership and community engagement, strengthen existing relationships, and implement strategies that increase organizational impact. The role is also responsible for providing leadership and oversight of volunteer engagement initiatives, ensuring meaningful opportunities for community involvement and support. As a member of the External Affairs team, the Associate Director contributes to departmental strategy, fundraising efforts, community engagement, and organizational growth while fostering strong internal and external partnerships.

• Provides leadership and oversight for PLN's volunteer engagement function, including supervision and development of volunteer program staff; coordination of employee volunteer initiatives; collaboration with internal departments to align volunteer resources with organizational needs; management of partnership documentation and agreements in coordination with Operations and other internal stakeholders; and cultivation of relationships with external partners to support volunteer engagement and organizational impact.


• Leads the development and execution of strategies that strengthen community partnerships, volunteer engagement, and external relations in support of organizational priorities, growth, and mission impact.


• Provides strategic leadership for the identification, cultivation, stewardship, and evaluation of relationships with community organizations, corporations, foundations, government agencies, and other stakeholders to expand organizational capacity, resources, and services.


• Partners with organizational leaders to assess emerging needs, identify opportunities for collaboration, and align partnership and engagement strategies with PLN's strategic objectives.


• Oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of partnership initiatives, agreements, and collaborative efforts to ensure alignment, accountability, and measurable outcomes.


• Serves as a representative of PLN with external stakeholders, cultivating relationships that advance organizational visibility, influence, and community impact.


• Provides leadership and oversight for PLN's volunteer engagement strategy, including supervision of staff, development of program goals, and implementation of initiatives that support organizational priorities and community engagement.


• Collaborates with External Affairs leadership to advance fundraising, sponsorship, donor engagement, and community investment strategies that support organizational sustainability and growth.


• Establishes and oversees systems, processes, and performance metrics to evaluate partnerships, volunteer engagement, and external relations activities, utilizing data and insights to drive strategic decision-making and continuous improvement.


• Develops and presents reports, analyses, recommendations, and strategic updates for executive leadership, the Board of Directors, funders, and other key stakeholders.


• Contributes to the development and execution of departmental and organizational strategic plans, goals, and initiatives, ensuring alignment across functions and stakeholder groups.


• Fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, and continuous learning while providing leadership, coaching, and support to staff and cross-functional teams.


• Leads or participates in special projects, organizational initiatives, and other responsibilities as assigned in support of the evolving needs of the department and organization

• Minimum 5 years work experience in related field such as nonprofit management, partnership building, volunteerism, or equivalent experience.


• Demonstrated ability to build, cultivate, and sustain strategic relationships with diverse stakeholders, including community organizations, corporate partners, funders, volunteers, and public agencies.


• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify opportunities, assess organizational needs, and develop collaborative solutions that advance mission-driven outcomes.


• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to effectively engage, influence, and collaborate with individuals at all levels of an organization and within the community.


• Proven ability to lead multiple initiatives simultaneously, manage competing priorities, and drive projects from concept through implementation while maintaining attention to detail and achieving desired outcomes.


• Experience utilizing data, metrics, and evaluation methods to measure program effectiveness, inform decision-making, and communicate impact to internal and external stakeholders. Prior experience in The Raiser’s Edge NXT, Rosterfy, or other CRM tracking software is preferred.


• Strong written and oral communication skills in English are required, and we celebrate linguistic diversity, valuing the unique perspectives and strengths that multilingual team members bring to our organization.


• Utilizes Microsoft Office Suite and other business systems to perform daily administrative functions, including data entry, document management, and professional correspondence.


• Travel Requirements: Up to 50% travel may be required to support organizational, programmatic, and community engagement activities. Occasional travel within the State of California may be required based on organizational needs; however, such travel is infrequent and not a regular expectation of the role.