Director of Corporate Relations

Job DetailsJob Location: Chicago - Chicago, IL 60618Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: 4 Year DegreeSalary Range: $92,000.00 - $98,000.00 SalaryAbout Cradles to Crayons:

Cradles to Crayons (C2C) was founded in 2002, with the mission of providing children living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive - at home, at school and at play. C2C is at the cutting edge of volunteer management, and through its “Giving Factory” warehouse provides unique, hands-on opportunities for people to help others.  Headquartered in Boston, MA, C2C opened in Philadelphia in 2007 and in Chicago in 2016.

How Our Model Works: Cradles to Crayons collects new and nearly new children's items through grassroots community drives and corporate donations. Donations are then quality checked, processed and packaged by volunteers and are distributed to children through a collaborative network of social service agencies and school partners. C2C always supplies these items free of charge.

Cradles to Crayons meets a critical need as many children live in low-income and/or homeless situations. These living conditions can have negative effects on self-esteem as poverty can lead to increased social and emotional behavioral challenges; it impacts early education since half of children living in poverty start 1st grade up to 2 years developmentally behind their peers; and safety may be compromised as children living in poverty have increased risk of injury.

While meeting the immediate needs of low-income children and families, Cradles to Crayons also sets a foundation for lasting change by providing meaningful, tangible volunteer opportunities to thousands of individuals and families and hundreds of corporations each year by organizing clothing collections, hosting fundraisers, or working in the "Giving Factory" warehouse.

Cradles to Crayons has earned the highest possible rating from Charity Navigator for many years. Only 2% of charities rated have received this distinction, differentiating C2C from its peers, exemplifying the high standard of service at C2C, and indicating that C2C outperforms most other charities in America.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Director of Corporate Relations (DCR) reports to the Senior Director of Development (SDD) and manages the Development Senior Associate and has oversight of the Development Coordinator in the Chicago market. The DCR ensures that Cradles to Crayons meets our goals for strategic engagement by building and maintaining mutually beneficial partnerships with corporations that advance the goals of both Cradles to Crayons and the partnering organizations. This individual is responsible for the execution of Cradles to Crayons’ expanding corporate fundraising and engagement activities including program and event sponsorships and revenue-generating service events. Also, the DCR oversees Cradles to Crayons’ day-to-day corporate engagement programs and leads a cross-functional team to maximize corporate relationships for volunteer shifts, collection drives and other strategic relationship-building opportunities. The DCR works well in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and team-based environment to support the management of existing partnerships as well as the cultivation of new ones. The DCR also sits on the Market Leadership Team, along with the Executive Director, Senior Director of Development, and the heads of operations, community engagement, and volunteer engagement.   

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Model and lead a positive “One Cradles” culture, underpinned by Cradles’ Cultural Values and related behaviors.
Responsible for building corporate relationships. Accountable for achieving established revenue goals related to both, with an annual corporate fundraising goal of $2.2M. 
Serve as a member of the Development Team and a key collaborator with the Community Engagement Team. Play a strategic role between these two departments and their overall fundraising and product collection strategies.
Manage the Chicago Senior Development Associate and oversee the Development Coordinator to ensure a clear, strategic plan related to this individual’s job functions, including the scheduling of corporate volunteer groups and collection drives.
Actively collaborate with the Senior Director of Operations regarding the product/inventory procurement process and strategy related to corporate engagement, building a strategic framework and provide content for outreach materials to meet Cradles to Crayons’ aggressive corporate goals in the areas of income, product acquisition, volunteering and new relationships.
Actively engage, steward and manage the existing portfolio of corporate relationships to maximize potential.
Lead and manage the Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) to engage and activate members to proactively work to achieve annual corporate fund-raising goals. 
Lead and create a holistic approach to corporate relationships and increase our ability to maximize fu