North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation, Senior Director of National Partnerships

The Position and Responsibilities

The North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation (Foundation) seeks a Senior Director of National Partnerships to take the national campaign and national partnership development efforts to the next level. The Senior Director of National Partnerships will report to the Executive Director and work closely with Foundation and System colleagues and consultants to develop national, private (not public) sector partnerships that advance the System’s statewide priorities.

This important position requires a strategic visionary in higher education partnership development, who is a talented advancement officer, superb project manager, and an excellent writer and communicator. Strategic Visionary in Higher Education Partnership Development

• Serve as the Foundation’s in-house community college reform expert who works in close alignment with the System.
• Maintain deep knowledge and understanding of the national community college reform movement, including the principles and practices that improve student graduation rates and accelerate labor market outcomes, and the factors that distinguish most exceptional community colleges and state systems nationally.
• Provide ongoing tracking and analysis of the needs and opportunities of the local community colleges in NC, the System’s statewide strategic priorities, national funder interests, and national workforce development trends, and use insights from the local, state, and national level to inform and guide continuous improvement to the Foundation’s national partnership strategy and engagement plans.
• Determine the annual operations plan with measurable objectives and tactics, and related budget requests.
• Identify and participate in statewide and national convenings that drive awareness and funds for NC Community Colleges. Leverage these convenings to inform the Foundation’s national partnership strategy and engage key stakeholders to build trust, increase awareness, foster collaboration, and develop resources for NC Community Colleges.

Talented Advancement Officer

• Serve as the Foundation’s lead for identifying, vetting, and assessing national funding opportunities that are aligned with the System’s statewide priorities; lead the collaborative process with the System experts and key stakeholders to develop the partnership concept and facilitate prospects through the donor journey.
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience in the art and science of fundraising, development, and advancement; comfort with the fundraising process, including solicitation (making the “ask”), and a passion for stewardship.
• Leverage financial models to determine, set, and achieve annual national partnership goals and national campaign revenue projections, and coordinate with the Executive Director to ensure accountability to the Board.

Superb Project Manager

• Serve as managing director of the national campaign, providing central command and control services for the campaign executive team (CET) and the workstream working groups, including setting agendas, conducting research, and preparing presentations and meeting materials for efficient and effective decision-making.
• Ensure clarity of roles and responsibilities among the Foundation, State Board, System Office, colleges, and other partners in the workstreams and partnership programs.
• Direct transparent, trust-building communications for strong alignment with the 58 colleges and ensure compliance with the Guiding Principles and Practices.
• Facilitate and support System Office and other subject matter experts in engagements with prospective funders, including coordinating schedules and preparing excellent briefing papers and talking points.
• Maintain and continuously update the campaign pipeline and leverage technology to monitor and track prospects through the donor journey, from early discovery and active cultivation to solicitation, gift commitment, and ongoing stewardship.
• Provide guidance to colleagues on the implementation of national partnership programs, the tracking of partnership outputs and outcomes, and the translation of partnership deliverables to impact for publications and reports to funders as appropriate.
• Prepare and deliver national campaign performance reports and presentations weekly to the Executive Director, monthly to the CET, and quarterly to the Foundation Board.

Excellent writer and communicator

• Serve as the lead writer for the Foundation’s national partnerships, translating complex higher education reform policies and programs, and the NC Community Colleges competitive advantage, into clear and persuasive briefs, concept papers, presentations, talking points, proposals, and grant applications.
• Coordinate closely with diverse subject matter experts and other relevant stakeholders in this process.
• Be an authentic, visible, well-informed, and persuasive advocate for the System, drawing on a thorough knowledge of the history, programs, milestones, and people who have contributed to the success as well as the System’s goals and aspirations.
• Proactively engage System leaders, including the 58 colleges and their respective foundations, with open, transparent communication that earns trust and support.
• Provide input and guidance on the Foundation’s strategic marketing and communications materials.

Required Experience

• Minimum Education: Degree from a two-year community college or four-year college or university or equivalent; Advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum Experience: Personal commitment to the mission and vision of NC Community Colleges and a passion for the national community college reform movement, national partnership development, project management, marketing and communications, and fundraising.
• Knowledge of the national higher education philanthropic landscape and familiarity with the people and organizations at the local, state, and national level leading and influencing successful community college reforms.
• At least five years of higher education-related experience, ideally with community colleges at the local, state, and national level.
• A proven record of success in partnership development, ideally at the national level and leading the process and writing the proposals that culminated in seven and eight figure gifts and grants.
• At least five years of project management experience, ideally demonstrating a mastery of methodology and the application of the hard and soft skills necessary to successfully manage multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Ability to effectively and persuasively engage with a wide variety of individuals, including higher education practitioners and thought-leaders, business executives, government and elected officials, and philanthropists.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, active and thoughtful listener, clear communicator, and engaging storyteller.
• Knowledge of and experience in fundraising, development, and advancement, and taking prospective funders through the donor journey, ideally validated with professional certifications such as CFRE, CGW.
• Comfort with and commitment to use technology, including Google Workspace, Bloomerang donor database and CRM, and other other tools to identify prospects, track performance, and report on progress, and use results to inform strategy, actions, and continuous improvement.