Community Relations Manager

The Community Relations Manager will oversee the community relations team and the organization’s corporate volunteer program.  It will ensure that the community relations team members are meeting outreach and fundraising goals and will manage the organization’s corporate, community, and event volunteer program.  This position will also collaborate with colleagues and leadership to identify and strengthen corporate relationships in support of Easterseals Midwest’s mission.

 Essential Functions:

• Collaborates with organizational staff to identify opportunities for grassroots community outreach, fundraising, and advocacy efforts. Manages the schedule for these events statewide, ensuring all necessary registrations are completed on time, sufficiently staffed, and evaluated post-event. Meets with corporate volunteers and may solicit gifts in a face-to-face format.
• Manages Community Relations staff, including recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, and performance reviews. Assists staff in bringing in new supporters to the organization through grassroots initiatives. Ensures program goals are met.
• Develops and manages volunteer program for corporate partners and Easterseals events. Develops and updates volunteer materials including manuals, handbooks, and orientation documents as needed. Manages the organization’s certification through the United Way Volunteer Center, ensuring the program meets all compliance and legal requirements.
• Collaborates with organizational staff to assess needs and capacity for corporate volunteers, identifies and develops opportunities, and matches opportunities with corporate and community volunteer groups.
• Represents Easterseals in the community to recruit corporate and community volunteers, providing education on the organization’s mission, programs, and volunteer opportunities. Works with the Marketing team to develop recruitment materials.
• Schedules, trains, and supervises volunteers during projects and events.
• Collaborates with fundraising team to ensure volunteer activities align with fundraising goals and support existing donor and volunteer relationships.
• Tracks initiatives and prepares metrics and reports, ensuring all reports are submitted on time.
• Works on departmental projects and special events as needed.

Position Competencies:

• Possesses excellent management skills with strong knowledge of best practices for volunteer management.
• Demonstrates excellent organizational skills, and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Demonstrates excellent communication and collaboration skills, and able to work effectively with a variety of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite as well as project management and fundraising software.
• Demonstrates effective leadership and management skills by clearly delegating responsibilities, providing regular performance feedback, building productive teams, developing employee skills, and encouraging employee growth and development.

 Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with 3-4 years of experience managing volunteers preferred.
• Without bachelor’s degree, must have at least 5-7 years of experience managing volunteers.
• Must have working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Must be able to utilize Excel at an intermediate level.
• Previous experience with Raiser’s edge or fundraising digital tools and volunteer management digital tools preferred.