Relationship Officer

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

Mobile Loaves & Fishes is seeking a professional leader for the role of Relationship Officer (RO), responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of major donors. Reporting to the Senior Relationship Officer, the RO serves as an active participant in the development operations for MLF. The successful candidate will help deepen existing relationships and forge new relationships to build MLF's visibility, impact, and financial resources.

With guidance from the Senior Relationship Officer, the RO will steward donors who are committed to the ongoing support of MLF and cultivate new donors. MLF invites our donors into a deep and meaningful long-term relationship with MLF and the neighbors who call Community First! Village home. MLF is committed to expanding the Village to meet the needs of those who have experienced long-term homelessness in Austin.

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Senior Relationship Officer. Due to the nature and requirements of the position, hours typically include Monday to Friday with frequent nights and weekends required. The RO will office at Community First! Village located at 9301 Hog Eye Road, Austin, TX 78724.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of a portfolio of 75-100 major gift donors:
  • Develop and execute planned and measurable actions designed to acknowledge the donors' generosity.
  • Keep donors aware of the mission, accomplishments, and greatest needs of MLF.
  • Gather insight into donors' motivations to give and into donors' resource capacity.
  • Deepen relationships with donors through strategic meetings and event involvement.
• Collaborate with Relationships team on strategy for major donors.
• Grow operational funding for MLF through individual donations.
• Create and implement personalized activities to utilize Founder & CEO and other staff with current and prospective donors.
• Cultivate and build relationships with prospective donors by participating in all aspects of the gift cycle:
  • Initiate contacts with potential major gift donors
  • Develop appropriate cultivation strategies.
  • Make solicitations, when appropriate
• Host tours and other cultivation/stewardship activities including breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
• Participate in public speaking opportunities and other relationship building opportunities such as public events.
• Maintain electronic records of engagement activities, strategies and proactive steps in Salesforce.
• Adhere to the highest ethical standards and assure a high level of accuracy when providing information about MLF.
• Meet and exceed performance objectives and goals as determined in annual goal setting and evaluation.
• 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.
• Knowledgeable about the nonprofit/social sector including development operations, donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Dedication to promoting fundraising priorities through developing excellent relationships with others internally and externally.
• Successful experience in developing in-depth cultivation and solicitation strategies with the ability to understand the needs and interests of major gift donors.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of all internal donor and client information.
• Superior communication skills, written and verbal and outstanding customer service.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to creatively solve problems and strategically prioritize projects and responsibilities.
• Must be proficient in the use of technology, including Microsoft Office and Dropbox.
• 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.