Partnerships Director

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters — one of the largest, most impactful political advocacy organizations in the state — is seeking a dynamic, full-time Partnerships Director to lead a team that grows our network of partners among community activists, business leaders, academic experts, health professionals, and local elected officials. These partnerships play a pivotal role in our work to clean up and protect our drinking water, address climate change, and expand access to and participation in our democratic process. 

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker and self-starter who is able to connect the dots between current priorities and long-term vision. They will be approachable, knowledgeable, and motivated to be the best resource possible for political stakeholders and influential community members who want to be more active in our political and legislative work. They will be a natural ‘social butterfly’ who can bring people together and train others on how to use networking to connect people into our organization. This position offers the opportunity to innovate around how to recruit partners, donors, and potential board members who can help elevate and amplify our campaigns on drinking water contamination, climate change, public land preservation, and expanding investment in upgrading our state’s infrastructure. This position, alongside a team of tenacious colleagues, will be a key connector as well for supporting and amplifying the voices of activists in communities of color and other key constituencies who are disproportionately impacted by environmental issues. 

About the Michigan League of Conservation Voters

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters is a statewide political organization whose mission is to elect pro-conservation candidates to office and to hold all decision makers accountable for protecting Michigan’s drinking water, attacking climate change and expanding access to the ballot. We work closely with elected officials, business leaders, partner organizations and advocates from across the state, and we have built a reputation as the leading, non-partisan political voice for Michigan’s land, air and water.

Michigan LCV is an equal opportunity employer. We assure equal treatment in hiring selection, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, training, discipline and other personnel practices and terms or conditions of employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, height, weight, marital status, genetic testing status, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender status, or any other protected class established by all applicable federal, state and local laws and ordinances.

Job Responsibilities 

The Partnerships Director reports to Director of Strategic Partnerships, is based in Southeast Michigan, and is responsible for the following: 

• Designing and driving a cohesive Partnerships strategy and weekly work plans that is metric-driven and results-centered
• Stewarding existing partnerships and cultivating new relationships that are critical to addressing water and climate justice as well as threats to democracy, with a particular focus on fields in the medical and public health arenas, small business, and science
• Collaborating with internal teams to identify strategic opportunities for partner engagement in fundraising, programming, and Michigan LCV board recruitment
• Tracking our organization’s existing relationships and creating trainings and tools so that all staff can participate in our Partnerships work
• Recruit, manage, and help develop Partnerships staff by holding them accountable for goals, providing regular coaching and feedback, and supporting their professional development
• Being adept at turning metrics and measurables into polished, simple-to-read reports for staff, board, partners, and funders 
• Participating in all Michigan LCV political election work — doing the hard work of campaigning, which means volunteering to do door-to-door field canvassing, text and phone banking, and campaign events

Qualifications

• Natural relationship-building instincts and the ability to speak specifically to work experience in developing and maintaining strong working relationships among a wide range of stakeholders
• Excellent strategic-thinking, problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills, with a proven ability to create work plans and set priorities to achieve long-term goals
• A minimum of 2 years experience managing high-performing teams of staff and partners who represent a rich mix of people across race, gender, sexual orientation, and other group identities
• Experience managing multiple projects in a goal-driven, hard-deadline, focused environment
• Understanding of Michigan’s political and environmental arenas, and, ideally but not essential, some relationships to draw upon in the medical or public health field
• Positive, solutions-oriented attitude and a commitment to maintaining a supportive, empowering culture
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Proficiency working with a variety of software systems, including Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, and, ideally but not essential, Every Action and/or Voter Activation Network
• A valid driver’s license, car insurance, reliable access to a car, the internet, and a phone to use for work purposes as well as the ability to canvass, walking at least a mile and navigating physical obstacles such as stairs
• Cultural Competencies:
  • Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about difference and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms
  • Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture
  • Understanding of how environmental issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and has a passion for working to dismantle these systems

Compensation & Benefits

The starting salary for this position ranges from $75,000 - $91,000 depending on experience. Michigan LCV offers a benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision coverage, long-term and short-term disability coverage, life insurance coverage, a retirement savings program, reimbursements for business-related travel, a generous paid time off policy, and a team of smart, funny and kind colleagues working together to deliver on a mission that matters. 

How to Apply

Click here to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning January 24, 2022.