Relationships Manager

The Women’s Foundation of the South (WFS) is the first public foundation of its kind, guided by and working for womxn and girls of color in the Southern United States (including trans womxn and gender non-conforming people). WFS is led by experienced grantmakers of color and raises funds and leverages resources for nonprofit organizations and small businesses that are operated by and serve womxn and girls of color in the American South. The Foundation is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.

WFS addresses racial and gender equity at its root by shifting philanthropic resources to the womxn of color who daily demonstrate powerful leadership and problem-solving despite centuries of abuse, injustice, and exploitation. By intentionally shifting the focus in philanthropy to support womxn and girls of color, WFS is building a South in which families experience optimal health outcomes, accumulate wealth, and dictate the conditions for their success across three generations.

The Position

At WFS, we believe that “relationships are queen.” As we continue to grow, we are looking to hire a Relationships Manager to act as a steward of relationships both within WFS and with our external partners, including grantees, donors and institutional funders. The ideal candidate will be warm and hospitable, excited to communicate WFS’ unique spirit in their interactions with stakeholders, while comfortably navigating between multiple projects and systems. This person will act as the “glue” connecting two key functions of the Foundation, Programming and Advancement.

Reporting Structure

This person will report to the Executive Assistant to the CEO, who will provide day-to-day supervision and guidance. The Relationships Manager will collaborate daily with the VPs of Advancement and the VP of Programs in order to achieve shared programmatic and development goals.

Responsibilities

1. Relationships with Donors
   • Communication: Respond to donor inquiries and proactively engage in friendly, personable outreach; Manage the gift acceptance process in Sharepoint; Coordinate 1:1 meetings with existing and prospective donors
   • Event Planning: Support with planning & execution of cultivation activities and annual fundraiser, coordinating with outside event planner.
   • Processes and Systems: Manage Bloomerang (Donor Database) & Mailchimp, assist in standardizing and automating donor outreach procedures to grow engagement
2. Relationships with Foundations
   • Communication: Coordinate communications with institutional funders to ensure responsive and timely correspondence, Coordinate 1:1 meetings with institutional funders
   • Events Planning: Support with planning & execution of funder convenings.
   • Processes and Systems: Steward WFS’ grant proposal development process by ensuring applications are on track for submission, and support grant management and grant reporting as needed.
3. Relationships with Grantees
   • Communication: Respond to grantee inquiries and proactively develop relationships by keeping “in the know” on their work and elevating their stories to leadership; Coordinate 1:1 meetings with existing and prospective grantees.
   • Events Planning: Assist with programmatic events, including managing RSVPs, working with venue staff, coordinating travel, and coordinating with outside event planner;
   • Processes and Systems: Support the grants process via the Grants Management System, Manage logistical tasks related to programmatic activities (including physical administrative tasks, like printing, ordering supplies, etc.)
4. Internal Relationships
5. • Communication: Act as a bridge between donor relations work and programmatic activities; elevate issues related to coordination of Advancement and Programming objectives to Executive Assistant.
   • Events Planning: Ensure that SOPs for events and communications are followed across all Foundation activities.
   • Processes and Systems Work: Manage institutional subscriptions and ensure the WFS Sharepoint is maintained, including core files, photo library, and foundational documents.

The ideal candidate should have…

• Adept people skills:
• Diplomatic and savvy in working with staff across several subject areas
• Warm and approachable; would enjoy meeting partners at events, establishing deeper relationships with them, and elevating their stories
• Project management skills - strong ability to keep track of the details of multiple projects at once
• Strong follow-through on delegated tasks and assignments, leading by example in following established policies and procedures and helping others to do the same
• High standards of quality and accuracy, and a strong commitment to task-oriented work getting completed on time.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills - ability to proof documents
• Strong tech fluency - will work extensively with Asana, Mailchimp, Bloomerang, Quickbooks, Microsoft products, and other software
• Willingness to take on physical administrative tasks at times - whether that involves fulfilling the day-to-day supplies needs of the office or rolling up your sleeves and picking up a glue gun for a special event
• An understanding and appreciation for WFS’ unique work in honoring and uplifting the divine feminine
• Experience: 3+ years experience working in a fast-paced environment
• Education: Undergraduate Degree (4 year)
• Location: Based in New Orleans

To Apply:

To be considered for the position, interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume in PDF format to info@womensfoundationsouth.org with the subject line "Relationships Manager Application" by 11:59PM CT on Sunday, February 5, 2023.

WFS offers:

• The salary range for this position is between $50,000 - $55,000. WFS also offers a generous set of benefits, including health insurance, retirement, financial planning, and flexible spending account.

EEOC Clause:

We welcome applications from all candidates, including womxn and gender non-conforming individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and people with other marginalized identities. We firmly reject discrimination against candidates and employees because of their disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other protected status under the law.

Additionally, not all applicants will have skills that match a job description exactly. Women’s Foundation of the South values diverse experiences, and while having “desired” qualifications make for a strong candidate, we encourage applicants with alternative backgrounds to also apply.