Strategic Partnerships Manager - UK

Position Description

Location: UK - London, Edinburgh, and possibility for remote/flexible work **Position Status : Full -time, Open terms
Salary level: circa range 45K-55K
Closing date: Please apply with CV and cover letter before December 23rd **
Candidates must hold independant right to work in UK at time of application.

ABOUT MERCY CORPS

Mercy Corps is a leading global organisation powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In conflict, in disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

The breadth and impact of our programmes makes Mercy Corps a unique and truly rewarding place to work. Our teams are proud of what we achieve in the countries we work and we are always looking for talented individuals who share our passion and commitment. We know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Development team drives and supports Mercy Corps’ strategies for restricted funding, unrestricted funds and brand profile raising. As a part of this team, the Corporate and Foundations Team (CFT) cultivates and maintains strategic relationships with private sector partners, working closely with program colleagues around the world to develop partnerships that support social impact at scale in our priority areas including market-led solutions to disaster recovery, climate change adaptation, youth employment, technology-informed development, and addressing the root causes of conflict.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

The Strategic Partnerships Manager serves as the focal point for all activity relating to European Corporations. The Strategic Partnerships Manager will work proactively with teams and colleagues across Mercy Corps to generate revenue and impact for Mercy Corps by building partnerships with major corporations based in the UK and Europe and securing six and seven figure gifts to support our work.

At a time of rapid and exciting change in strategic philanthropy, this position will focus on building strategic 360* partnerships, encouraging the partner to bring their resources, expertise, brand platform and employees into the relationship, while also maintaining and growing a portfolio of existing partnerships. In order to successfully reach revenue and impact goals, They will be the primary salespersonbringing Mercy Corps' missionand corporate giving engagement opportunities to partners and leverage influence, expertise and connections across various Mercy Corps teams to create and deepen successful, durable relationships.

The position calls for a high level of social acumen alongside an ability to frame Mercy Corps’ work to increase Mercy Corps’ profile and credibility as a 21st century partner that can deliver breakthrough solutions at scale.

This is very much an external-facing position and Mercy Corps is looking for a candidate who they feel can confidently be the 'face' of the organisation in front of key partners. The successful candidate will not only have the right experience on paper but also live and breathe the organisation’s culture and values, with a visible passion for the work they do. They will have excellent interpersonal skills, excel at networking and building long-term relationships and will be proactive and creative in their work.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Partner Relations and Resource Mobilisation

• Lead on the growth of the corporate portfolio: identify, cultivate, solicit and deliver strategic new partnerships with major foundations within the UK and Europe.
• Lead on the development of the existing corporate portfolio, deepening relationships and stewarding corporate partners to significantly increase giving levels and alignment with Mercy Corps’ priorities.
• Lead on the development and implementation of individual strategies for key partnerships and initiatives around programmatic priorities, mobilising necessary internal and external resources to ensure all partnerships are effectively executed and partners’ needs are fully met. Includes significant proposal development work.
• Lead on the corporate strategy in Europe and make a significant contribution to the development and implementation of Mercy Corps’ evolving multi-year global fundraising strategy.
• Act as an internal expert on the philanthropic landscape, and channel the perspective of corporations in developing proposals and ideas with programmatic staff.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders, particularly those in the Program, Finance, Major Gifts and Brand Marketing and Communications teams, to ensure that corporate relationships are successful and meet the desired goals.
• Support cross-team initiatives that aim to enhance and deepen partner relationships and raise brand profile - including campaigns and key events.

Portfolio Management

• Manage the corporate partner portfolio to a bottom-line revenue goal, alongside responsibility for revenue projections for these partners.
• Identify any concerns with programme implementation and highlight those to senior management and ensure any common challenges across the portfolio are addressed promptly and effectively.
• Support country teams and regional teams in establishing and building relationships with corporate partners in our programme countries, ensuring coordination across multiple touch points and relationship holders to maintain the individual partner strategy.

Developing Corporate partner literacy across the agency

• Monitor and share updates with relevant internal stakeholders on corporate partner priorities, official communications, trends, etc.
• Provide onboarding and training sessions to global team members as needed to engage with corporate partners.

Representation & Influence

• Represent Mercy Corps and/or facilitate participation of other Mercy Corps team members in key private sector events and meetings.
• Participate in strategic meetings and events and represent Mercy Corps in Fundraising platforms, communities of practice, and other relevant fora in the UK and Europe.
• Coordinate the dissemination of research and briefs to corporate partners.
• Pitch, lead and prep Mercy Corps executive team members for high level partner meetings, events and communications.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Corporate & Foundation Partnerships Officer
• Employee Engagement Officer

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Fundraising in Europe with a dotted line to the Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships in the U.S.

Works Directly With: Global Corporate Team, Global Foundation Team, Fundraising Operations Team, Individual Giving Team in Europe

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills

• At least 7 years’ experience in global development, philanthropy, public policy advocacy, partnership/coalition development, or management consulting.
• Demonstrated track record of fundraising success with major corporations or building strategic partnerships in a way that maximises value for both the partner and recipient, and builds profile with external audiences. Ideal candidate will have significant experience and professional network.
• Deep knowledge of the international relief and development and philanthropic sectors.
• Experience mobilising executives and senior stakeholders for strategic partner engagement.
• Strong written & oral communication skills for effective collaboration internally and successful proposals to partners.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to create and follow timelines for complex relationship management, research, writing, and editing.
• Experience of using/managing relationship databases, ideally Raiser's Edge, would be advantageous
• Dutch, French or German language skills highly desirable

Success Factors

• Strategic, proactive, restless and forward thinking.
• Ability to develop and lead corporate fundraising strategy within a complex environment, and a clear, focused, and ambitious vision for each partner in the portfolio.
• Empathetic, humble leader with strong emotional intelligence.
• Diligent, highly organised and results-focused.
• Persuasive, articulate and confident.
• Familiarity with global development issues is highly desired.
• Strong understanding of how to navigate cross-cultural relationships.

The position is based in Edinburgh or London and may involve occasional national and international travel. MCE team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a short term assignment or trip to country offices. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect Local Laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all Mercy Corps locations. Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps' vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK at the time of appointment.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organisations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organisation with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.