Faith Partner Ambassador

About Mobile Loaves & Fishes

Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a social outreach ministry that has been empowering communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless since 1998. Founded in Austin, Texas, the organization serves its homeless neighbors through three core programs: Truck Ministry, Community First! Village, and Community Works. Often referred to as the most talked about neighborhood in Austin, Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned development that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. We are now embarking on a new phase of community expansion, adding more than 1400 new neighbors over the next 5-10 years.

About the Role

The Faith Partner Ambassador is a newly created, vital position focused on deepening engagement across faith partners in their journey with Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF). This includes, but is not limited to, cultivation of new faith-based relationships, collaboration on stewardship of existing relationships and strategic planning. MLF's faith partners include faith-based nonprofits, churches, parishes, synagogues, private schools, faith networks and affiliations, and those that lead them.

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Director of Relationships & Giving (DRG). Due to the position's nature and requirements, hours are flexible but typically include 8am-5pm Sunday-Thursday. Frequent nights and weekends are required. The Faith Partner Ambassador will office at Community First! Village located at 9301 Hog Eye Road, Austin, TX 78724.

Duties & Responsibilities

Faith Partner Cultivation and Stewardship

• Develop deep relationships within faith communities with a specific focus on inviting new faith partners into engagement with MLF and deepening current partnerships.
• Serve as the MLF liaison, with Faith Partnership Steward, with faith leaders, congregations and various denominational groups.
• Collaborate with the Community Empowerment and Neighbor Care teams to empower communities of a variety of denominations and racial backgrounds to regularly serve with neighbors, staff and missional neighbors.
• Collaborate with the DRG and Founder & CEO in the identification, cultivation, and stewardship of major faith partners. Coordinate with the Relationship Team (Founder & CEO, DRG, Goodness Ambassador and Relationship Officers) and board members as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the Relationships & Giving, Community Empowerment, Neighbor Care and Communication teams on stewardship events and cultivation activities.
• Collaborate across departments to develop faith community programming for Neighborhoods of Knowingness.

Relationship Building and Management

• Responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of a portfolio of faith-based organizations to deepen their relationship and maximize their service and generosity.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure faith partners are seamlessly engaged, appreciated, supported and loved.
• Collaborate with Faith Partnership Steward and Neighbor Care team on engaging faith partners deeper.
• Invite current and prospective faith partners to be a part of the MLF mission and vision by hosting tours and cultivation events/activities.
• Attend local events, church services, public speaking engagements and other external relationship-building opportunities to represent MLF.
• Attend frequent relational activities with faith partners and prospects, including breakfast, lunch, dinners and tours.
• Support the development and implementation of strategies for capital and major fundraising with a primary focus on operational sustainability.
• Maintain electronic documentation, including engagement activities, strategies and proactive steps in Salesforce.
• Other Duties & Responsibilities as needed

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Principles

• MLF is a faith-based organization whose ideals and philosophy come directly from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an organization, we strive to reflect this precept in our communications, both internally and externally.
• Commitment to serving those who have experienced homelessness and personal alignment with MLF's vision, mission, core values, and goals.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• At least 7 years experience in relationship building and leadership in faith-based organizations or related experience required.
• Standing and influence in the faith community.
• Clear understanding of how faith-based organizations are structured and how to influence missions and community engagement decisions and actions.
• Expertise in how faith-based organizations make giving decisions, how to match resources and cultivate giving.
• Alignment with MLF fundraising philosophy and spirituality of philanthropy.
• Exceptional communication skills and emotional intelligence (curiosity, active listening, servant leadership).
• Superior communication skills with public speaking experience. Persuasive, articulate and artful in giving conversations.
• Excellent representational skills to interact with partner donors, volunteer leadership and stakeholders.
• Strong organization and project management skills.
• Effective collaboration across a variety of teams and external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to effectively work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office.
• Salesforce experience is a plus.
• Must have a valid driver's license

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Ability to stand, walk, and drive extensively while executing events
• Ability to move across all phases of Community First! Village
• Ability to lift up-to 30 lbs.
• Reliable transportation and clean driving record.
• Ability to travel in the local Austin region.

Benefits

• Day one 100% Employer paid, Health, Dental, Vision, Life, STD & LTD Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off & Holiday Pay
• Matching 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Corporate Discount Program
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Partnership Benefits

MLF PURPOSE / VISION

We empower communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless.

MLF MISSION

We provide food and clothing, cultivate community, and promote dignity to our homeless brothers and sisters in need.

GOALS

• Transform the way people view the stereotype of those who find themselves homeless
• Reconnect the homeless to self, family and community
• Help the chronically homeless rediscover and utilize their God-given talents to do purposeful work
• Connect human to human, heart to heart through the fellowship of food and hospitality
• Inspire people into a lifestyle of abundance by giving their best first

BELIEF STATEMENTS

The vision is supported by belief statements centered on our belief that homelessness is the result of a profound, catastrophic loss of family:

• God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life
• By virtue of being created by God in His image, we are all called to live in community and relationship with Him through each other
• The family is the original cell of social life
• You shall love your neighbor as yourself
• All members of the human family are equal in dignity
• The Lord God took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it. Gen 2:15

CORE VALUES

MLF is committed to fostering a culture that prioritizes relational connection. We believe there is opportunity in every aspect of our work to be relational in a highly transactional world. In this culture, transactions are means to relational ends, not the other way around.​

​​This begins with the countercultural love poured out by Jesus Christ and grows as imperfect individuals strive to show this love to each other human-to-human, heart-to-heart.​

​​Each individual's openness to the journey of their own personal growth is essential in building our relational culture, and we believe this culture flourishes as we each continuously strive to more fully embody these four core values:

• Faith: We define Faith as the foundational belief that our world and all our work belong to God. This allows us to engage our work with joy and lightheartedness, knowing that we are not ultimately in control.
• Humility: We define Humility as rightly viewing oneself as a single piece of a grander story. This humility leads to a view of oneself that is neither too high nor too low.
• Generous Spirit: We define a Generous Spirit as a readiness to give more grace, mercy, and hospitality than is necessary or expected. This posture allows us to see others for who they are, not what they do.
• Integrity: We define Integrity as a wholehearted commitment to doing right by God, ourselves, and others. This wholeheartedness shows itself in consistently choosing honesty, responsibility and ownership in all actions and decisions.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

MLF is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen based on ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetics, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation in accordance with federal and state law.