Senior Officer, Global New Business

Background

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking a dedicated fundraiser, who will develop and deepen partnerships with companies across the world in support of our mission to help refugees survive, recover and gain control of their future.

Over the past 90 years, the IRC has developed peerless expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and assistance in fragile contexts and to refugees forced to flee from conflict or natural disaster, including climate change.

The IRC is on the ground in more than 59 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of a crisis. Through 22 offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the U.S.

The Purpose of the Role

The Senior Officer will identify, establish and develop relationships with companies and corporate foundations across the globe, with a focus on particular sectors: finance, healthcare, technology, consumer goods and gaming. Working with colleagues across account management, partner engagement, communications, and programs teams, this role will secure significant, sustainable income and raise the profile of the IRC around the world. They will proactively target relevant international companies and key peer-to-peer contacts ensuring a considered and strategic approach to corporate cultivation.

This role sits within the Global Corporate Partnerships Team, as part of the International Philanthropy and Partnerships (IPP) unit, which leads on IRC’s engagement with corporations, foundations, and new global funding streams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Identifying and securing new corporate partnerships (70%)

• Develop and implement new business strategies and solicitation plans for key corporate audiences in close collaboration with the broader team.
• Proactively identify and secure 6-and-7-figure high-level, high impact, new business partnerships, ensuring that the ambitious corporate partnership targets are achieved.
• Balance the demands of new business acquisition with early stages of account management in order to quickly build new partnerships into long-term, multi-year strategic relationships;
• Align the strategies, objectives, interests, and communication priorities of corporate supporters with the needs and expectations of the IRC to facilitate long-term funding partnerships. This may include building partnerships to secure cash, gifts in kind, employee fundraising, thought leadership and cause related marketing.
• Collaborate with Global Partnerships and Philanthropic Services (GPPS) team for research, writing and general support needs, and adhere to and uphold the due diligence policy at all times, for both global and market specific partnerships;
• Ensure the smooth and successful handover of corporate accounts between new business and account management by keeping close records of partnership priorities and action steps.
• Acquire and maintain an excellent knowledge and understanding of IRC values and programmes and ensure the delivery of outstanding proposals, in line with IRC processes.

Collaboration (15%)

• Build positive relationships across the organization including colleagues in the fundraising and partnership support teams, technical unit advisors, programme staff and directors in countries.
• Uphold the ‘best teams approach,” by collaborating across the organisation to ensure we put our best foot forwards in any outreach to companies.
• Build the profile of IRC’s corporate partnerships team externally by attending and presenting at sector events and contributing to resources.

Strategy and reporting (15%)

• Support on the development and implementation of the new business strategy in key sectors identified for this role.
• Dedication to and ownership of all reporting processes.
• Maintain and increase effective use of Salesforce for data capture and donor analysis, ensuring that income is processed in a timely manner and adheres to fundraising standards and regulations.

Key selection criteria

Experience:

• 5-7 years of experience identifying, securing and developing strategic partnerships worth six and seven figures from a range of different companies.
• Experience securing and chairing new business meetings from limited and cold leads that develop into partnerships.
• Experience in prospect research, identification, cultivation, conversion and stewardship of companies.
• Experience working with Trustees, Senior Management Team and key colleagues within an organisation to embed, promote and champion corporate partnerships.
• A demonstrable track record of growing revenue from existing corporate partnerships through excellent account management techniques.
• Experience working in a medium/large international organisation would be an advantage.
• Solid understanding of the financial sector would also be advantageous.

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or 8 years’ experience.
• Knowledge and/or strong interest in trends in private sector engagement and philanthropy
• Proven ability to manage, meet and monitor fundraising budgets and Key Performance Indicators**.**
• Excellent organisational skills, especially the ability to manage a complex, varied and substantial workload.
• Driven, motivated and proactive with a solutions-based attitude and resilient in the face of setbacks.
• Proficient networker with ability to represent the organisation at a senior level globally and respond to the requirements of high level stakeholders.
• Excellent relationship building skills and a polished public speaker with the confidence to convey complex ideas in a compelling manner to win support internally within IRC and externally.
• Understanding of the complexity of working within a large, global organisation and sensitivity to different cultures, time zones and ways of working, whilst ensuring fundraising targets are met.
• Demonstrated dedication and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in professional settings.
• Additional languages would be a plus, namely French, Arabic, Spanish.