Careers

Join Our Team Today! 

Join our professional team as a key champion of human need and potential. More than a fundraiser, United Way creates opportunities for people in our community to work together to improve the health, education and financial stability of every person. We envision that every child grows up with hope and the ability to reach their potential, income equity is growing, and poverty is rare, and all community members are thriving and healthy. We move quickly to meet changing needs in our community and need a strong leader to assist with mission advancement.

Community Relations Coordinator: 

To Apply: 

Please send a copy of your resume and cover letter to JJ Lewis, Chief Development Officer, at james@unitedwaylakeshore.org 


Overview: 

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Salary Range: $40,000 - $50,000

United Way of the Lakeshore is a social change organization working to improve the lives of people in Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo counties. Our mission is uniting to inspire change and build thriving communities. Our regional aspiration is that the people of the lakeshore region will have the educational and economic opportunities needed to succeed and thrive. We work collaboratively with private companies, employees and non-profit partners to create and promote supports to cause lasting change in conditions for our community. Our bold goal issue is reducing poverty – more specifically – 10,000 more working families will meet their basic needs by 2025. Our targeted focus is ALICE – families who are asset limited, income constrained, and employed, sometimes referred to as the “working poor.”

Working with the Philanthropic Giving Team, the Community Relations Coordinator is responsible for the creative development, implementation, and evaluation of corporate and community philanthropy strategies. This role is expected to provide quality account management and build relationships with companies and individuals to support financial and relationship-building goals for United Way. To be successful in this role, one must focus on annual campaign strategies to achieve individual goals and develop and execute annual campaign plans to achieve organizational goals. Additionally, one must take initiative, have strong attention to detail, work independently, demonstrate leadership, and embody United Way’s core values.
 

Workplace Campaign 

  • Assist the Chief Development Officer in strategically planning and implementing a year-round corporate philanthropy campaign as part of the comprehensive resource development plan.
  • Develop and implement an annual workplace giving plan, specific strategies, and related analysis.
  • Provide support and direction for all staff engaged in campaign activities, including training and supporting community level workplace campaign volunteers.
  • Promote a cooperative spirit within the organization and among internal and external United Way participants.
  • Ensure that strategies and tactics to attract new workplace and/or corporate campaigns are an integral part of departmental activities.
  • Coordinate workplace campaign activities by working with other United Way departments and divisions.
  • Oversee administrative aspects of workplace campaigns, including database management and timely reporting of results and other management data.
  • Provide progress reports on campaign status, including recruiting, adherence to campaign timetable, strategies, and campaign results.
  • Ensure proper follow-up on all campaign divisions with campaign staff to ensure timely closure of campaign (i.e., NCL results, corporate gift follow-up, troubleshooting, etc.). Make posting recommendations where necessary.
  • Manage and analyze all campaign results in order to identify and influence trends.
  • Monitor campaign activities within accounts in order to identify problems and opportunities and develop appropriate responses.
  • Maintain good public and community relations with all major constituencies.
  • Cultivate and maintain effective year-round customer relationships.
  • Evaluate all campaign functions and provide recommendations for future improvements.

Marketing & Communications

  • Assist the Chief Development Officer in planning and implementing a year-round public relations campaign as part of the comprehensive resource development plan.
  • Design and create organizational marketing materials for the organization, philanthropy, and programs.
  • Develop and produce content for electronic communications for use in the workplace campaign, donor communications, social media, website, annual report, etc.
  • Continual development and maintenance of website in partnership with the Community Engagement Director as well as social media channels.
  • Work cross-departmentally to actively design and pitch stories to the media on a consistent basis.
  • Oversee the planning and organization of special events from the Philanthropic Giving Department; support the planning and organization of special events from the Program Department.
  • Evaluate marketing and communications functions and provide recommendations for future improvements.

Volunteer Management

  • Assist the Chief Development Officer in planning and implementing a year-round volunteer management program as part of the comprehensive resource development plan.
  • Manage the Loaned Executive program. Design, implement, and manage orientation and training of loaned executives.
  • Manage the Ambassador program. Design, implement, and manage orientation and training of Ambassadors.
  • Manage the Employee Campaign Coordinator program. Design, implement, and manage orientation and training of Employee Campaign Coordinators.
  • Communicate with volunteers on a regular basis to monitor and support progress towards achieving goals.
  • Ensure appropriate recognition of volunteers and donors.
  • Provide exceptional customer service and problem resolution in a timely manner.

Other Possible Duties

  • Support ongoing learning opportunities to ensure that staff is up to date on nonprofit, social, economic, and political issues facing our community and how United Way’s community partnerships and investments are changing lives; and to ensure that staff understand the philanthropic needs and aspirations of employers, and United Way’s role in meeting those needs.
  • Serve as an external representative of United Way’s mission, vision, and values by participating in committees, serving as spokesperson, and creating and delivering presentations to present key messages at the local, regional, and national level.
  • Provide additional support as the Chief Development Officer deems necessary.

Education: Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university.  

Experience: Minimum of 3+ years of combined experience in successful fundraising roles, comparable private and/or non-profit sector experience, related business and/or sales operations, or lived experiences.

Skills: Proficiency in the use of computer programs for accounting, word processing, database, spreadsheets, email and internet. Excellent oral/written communication skills. Excellent organizational skills. Candidate should possess ability to gain a clear understanding and the ability to effectively communicate the role of United Way in the community, capacity to take leadership role within the organization, partnering with business, community, and government leaders in addressing human service needs in the community. Ability to work and drive extensively in the field within the Lakeshore region.