Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 8 million people in 60 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Working at Water Mission is as much a calling as it is a career, and we are searching for people with the courage, passion, and drive to help us change the world. Read more about our Statement of Faith and Our Christian Mission.
What is the position?
The Partnerships Manager is responsible for building long-term partnerships with current and prospective mid-level partners. The focus of this role is sharing what God is doing through the ministry and intentionally stewarding relationships that invite people into deep and meaningful partnerships to facilitate the funding of Water Mission’s vision.
This Partnership Manager is responsible for researching, identifying, discovering, engaging, and advancing a portfolio of donors through communication strategies that include phone calls, emails, handwritten notes, ministry updates, local partner visits, tours, etc. This includes researching and identifying prospective unassigned donors in our database, qualifying potential major donors through prospect research, and coordinating closely with Partnerships Directors in transitioning relationships. This full-time position reports to the Senior Director of Investor Partnerships and may be located remotely.
A successful Partnerships Manager will:
General Duties

• Maintain a strong Christian witness and model servant leadership to colleagues, partners, the communities we serve, and the public.
• Engage and participate in prayer before and after team meetings.
• Lead and participate in biblically based staff devotions.
• Maintain high-level knowledge of Water Mission’s organizational objectives, programmatic strategies, projects, and activities. Stay informed of local, regional, national, and global news and issues to support the organization effectively.
• Document and maintain information related to all communications and partner development in a timely manner using Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge software.
• Faithfully serve in keeping with the Water Mission biblical philosophy of stewardship to our existing and prospective partners.
• Effectively communicate the mission and scope of Water Mission to various audiences.
• Report engagement activity and outcomes monthly to the Senior Director of Investor Partnerships.
• Respond to general inquiries through phone or email communication as requested.
• Represent Water Mission at events as requested.
• Build reports for Senior Director of Investor Partnerships or other senior leadership as requested.
• Meet or exceed annual goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Intentionally Build Relationships and Present Opportunities

• Maintain working knowledge of Water Mission projects, activities, and operations, as well as investment, financial, global, and news-worthy issues in order to effectively communicate opportunities to partners.
• Build lasting, highly engaged relationships for Water Mission on behalf of those we serve.
• Find and connect with potential partners, including but not limited to individuals, families, small businesses, foundations, and churches, who reach out to Water Mission for general information, by researching prospective donors in the database, and by asking for referrals.
• Win relationships with current and prospective partners. Actively identify the greatest areas of alignment and invite givers into deep and meaningful financial partnerships. Seek opportunities to utilize a partner’s influence, time, and talent.
• Discover, advance, grow, and maintain a portfolio of approximately 850 partners giving between $1,000 - $10,000 annually from unassigned to major giving.
• Execute a strategic communication plan for each partner to advance the relationship. This includes phone calls, updates and reporting, emails, letters, and other meaningful interactions.

Serve and Care for key partners

• Keep key partners connected, updated, and feeling valued by providing timely and personal acknowledgment. Ensure follow-ups as promised or requested. Adjust according to their preferred mode and frequency of reporting.
• Lift key partners' awareness of the impact, ministry, and vision for ongoing partnership as a means of solving the global water crisis, saving lives now and for eternity through customized impact reporting. Encourage them on a spiritual level, if appropriate.
• Continued focus on donor retention rate.
• Qualify potential major partners through prospect research and coordinate closely with Partnerships Directors in transitioning relationships.

What is required?

• Personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Alignment with Water Mission’s Statement of Faith and core values of Love, Excellence, and Integrity.
• Consistently present a professional image and effectively communicate the mission and purpose of Water Mission. Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing & Communications, Public Relations or related field.
• CFRE is beneficial, but not required.
• Alignment with Water Mission’s core values and principles of Biblical Stewardship.
• Minimum of three years of experience in successfully developing relationships with individuals and/or businesses.
• Track record of meeting or exceeding goals. Experience with Raiser’s Edge a plus, but not required.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly articulate ideas constructively and succinctly.
• Ability to work in a highly fluid environment, respond to changing requests, and handle competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with diverse groups of people.
• Home internet bandwidth strong enough to support video conferencing and other job-related responsibilities is required.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Flexibility to work periodic nights and weekends as required for ministry operations.
• Domestic and international travel may be expected up to 10%.
• Commitment to the values and mission of the organization and ending the global water crisis.