For Small Businesses
SVP, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
- Posted on August 3, 2023
About the Position
Reporting to the President & CEO, the SVP, Strategic Partnerships provides leadership to an 11+ person department. This individual will cultivate and build strategic relationships with a diverse set of key partnerships and stakeholders across the country to maximize impact and reach a greater number of small businesses and communities that have been systemically underserved. The SVP is responsible for both sourcing opportunities and responding to stakeholder requests for engagement and working with CRF’s SVP, Platform and Technology Services and SVP, Small Business Chief Lending Officer to evaluate, co-create, and execute collaborative engagements with sector partners.
The SVP specifically leads three teams: Partnership Development, Program Design and Execution, and Marketing & Communications. Partnership Development centers around building trust and rapport with community stakeholders and other partners to find ways to collectively reach more small businesses. Program Design and Execution designs and leads execution of cross-functional complex financing programs that serve a diverse set of partners and stakeholders leveraging our technology and lending platforms. The Marketing & Communications team includes communications, brand management, program and product marketing, including fundraising, telling the CRF story, and leading grant-writing efforts.
The SVP, Strategic Partnerships is a member of CRF’s Leadership team. She/he is responsible for the design and implementation of strategic goals, organizational positioning, and advancing the impact of our work in alignment with the mission and values of the organization.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
- Create and cultivate partnerships, both large and small, with stakeholders across the country that are aligned with CRF’s mission, including CDFIs, small business support organizations, foundations, large national/regional financial institutions, corporations, and anchor institutions.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for key stakeholder relationships.
- Raise grant capital and other financial support to enable our business growth.
- Identify and create tailored solutions to maximize impact for our targeted communities.
- Create strategies and solutions to achieve programmatic goals.
- Oversee the project management and execution of cross-functional work that leverages both our technology platforms and our lending. Ensure deliverables are met within a reasonable timeline and results align with the anticipated goals.
- Provide guidance as needed on marketing strategy, internal and external communications, insights, analytics, and execution.
- Work with team on content strategy, creation, development, and editing to ensure messaging aligns with the Mission, Value, and Vision of CRF.
About You
Professional Experience
- Ten years of leadership experience in community development finance, diverse community reinvestment strategies, and small business development programs.
- Experience managing and coaching a business development team with a proven track record of achieving impact and revenue goals in community development with experience collaborating with philanthropy, in private-public partnerships, and/or other stakeholder development.
- Candidates should also have experience providing leadership in the area of marketing and communications strategies that align with the Mission, Vision, and Values of an organization.
- Passion for building an inclusive and equitable culture that inspires team collaboration.
- Experience leading a culture of innovation with a customer/partner centric approach.
- Serves as an Integral voice in the development and implementation CRF’s Strategic Plan.
- Skilled understanding and pulse of partnership/customer needs, taking into account changing market conditions, competitive landscape and other factors.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and staff. Utilize Communication standards, channels, platforms and schedules.
- Deep experience developing budgets and operating plans to ensure the organization’s financial priorities are met and align with the Strategic Plan.
- Implemented processes and procedures to monitor the effectiveness of changes and their relation to organizational growth.
- Understanding and adherence to Compliance requirements associated with Federal and grants programs co-created by Strategic Partnerships.
Educational Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree; Masters or advanced degree in a relevant field preferred.
Key Competencies
The SVP, Strategic Partnerships, will require a strong combination of community development, marketing, business development, product development and execution skills to assist with our impact growth strategy for the organization. Other critical leadership competencies include:
- Strategic mindset: Can anticipate and prepare for various outcomes that may or may not occur and eventualities that might unfold as a strategic initiative is executed. Inclined to think strategically often anticipate obstacles before they arise;
- Customer Focus: Dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of external customers; gets customer information firsthand and uses it for improvements in products and services. Acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect;
- Innovation & Creativity: Demonstrates critical thinking skills in developing innovative solutions; is a creative problem solver.
- Decision Quality: Makes good decisions, quickly, when necessary, based upon a mixture of analysis, data, input, research, wisdom, experience, and judgment. Is sought out by others for advice and solutions. Is willing and able to make tough decisions; most of their solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time.
- High Emotional Quotient: Demonstrates self-awareness, strong emotional intelligence and communicates effectively across interactions; Reinforces and reward positive performance; provide constructive feedback for improvement.
- Works in Collaboration: Gets work done through collaboration, positive influence, and effective communication. Is a role model for peer relationships.
- Organizational and Time Management: ability to provide leadership, supervision, mentorship, and training to a team of 11+, demonstrated ability in organization and delegation skills.
- Strong Ethics and Values: Speaks truthfully; admits mistakes and does not misrepresent facts or events; protects confidential information. Actions and decisions reflect positive individual values, including commitment to combating systemic racism.
- Belief in CRF’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Philosophy: Modeling behavior that inspires dialogue, learning and cross-cultural exchange. Participation in and encouragement of the DEI learning plan, and promotion of intercultural competence.
- Positive Presence: Thrives in fast-paced working environment with a sense of urgency. Positive and energetic. Articulate. Respectful.
- Effective Communicator: Proficient written and oral communication skills, including the ability to speak in a wide variety of settings, to a wide variety of audiences. Focused on internal and external customer service.
- Results-driven Mindset: Can be counted on to set goals and objectives and clearly communicate these to the organization. Holds oneself and others accountable for results; provides recognition for achievements. Is self-confident but not egotistical; maintains an open mindset.
Organizational Policies
Community Reinvestment Fund USA, Inc is an affirmative action equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Candidates must reside in and be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
CRF’s Theory of Change
CRF’s Theory of Change is the strategic framework used to guide its work. While CRF’s mission remains constant, the Theory of Change outlines how it contributes to the changes it seeks.
The challenge CRF works to address
The current economic system, perpetuated by institutional racism, individual biases and disparities, is unjust. It fosters the inequities that are causing widening disparities in incomes, wealth, and opportunity gaps.
A just economy that works for all
CRF’s Theory of Change is underpinned by the conviction that small businesses are the backbone of our economy, employing nearly half of the U.S. workforce and generating two-thirds of new jobs. CRF believes that providing small businesses equitable access to capital and support services is essential to creating a just economy that works for all.
CRF activates its mission by:
- Co-creating and deploying innovative financial products and services that address the barriers and inequities small businesses operated by historically excluded people face.
- Designing and managing financial programs that attract incremental impact capital to communities with a history of underinvestment.
- Orchestrating a network of trusted small business support organizations enabled by technology.
- Growing the capacity of community development finance organizations.
- Helping small businesses navigate the complexities of the small business support ecosystem.
CRF STANDS IN SOLIDARITY
Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) stands in solidarity with all fighting for social justice, equity, and transformational change. They know that the social changes taking place today will yield a lasting positive impact on the lives of millions.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION:
CRF is dedicated to building and sustaining a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture. These are not just words on a page – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are top priorities for the organization, and tie deeply to each of their core values and overall vision for the future. CRF is an equal opportunity employer that evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristics protected by law.
CORE VALUES
Create Equitable Economic Opportunities, Lead Through Collaboration, Transform Through Innovation, Excel In All They Do, Act with Integrity.
How We Help
Together with its partners – including community leaders, nonprofit lenders, financial institutions, foundations and more – CRF is creating new strategies and technologies that build stronger local economies, create jobs and support economic mobility.
CRF is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For a more detailed description of the incredible work we do, how we do it, and who we are, please visit www.crfusa.com.
What We Offer
- Health and dental insurance
- 403B and Roth IRA
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Wellness Program
- Educational Assistance
- Long-Term and Short-Term Disability
- Life Insurance
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options
- 10 Federal Holidays plus 2 Floating Holidays
How to Apply
Founded in 1988, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) is a national non-profit organization with a mission to improve lives and strengthen communities through innovative financial solutions. A leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), CRF supports mission-driven organizations, increases economic mobility, and builds strong local economies through the development of solutions aimed at creating an equitable financial system. CRF has injected more than $3.6 billion to stimulate job creation and economic development and support community facilities.