Senior Vice President, External Relations

Senior Vice President, External Relations

Invest Detroit

Detroit, MI

About Invest Detroit

Invest Detroit is a mission-driven lender, investor, and partner working to ignite inclusive economic growth in underserved Detroit communities and across the region. A leading Detroit-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), we bring 25+ years of experience acting as a catalyst for economic development and investment, providing critical gap financing through real estate development, commercial lending, and venture capital. We have deployed over $491M to date.

Our goal is a thriving city that works for all Detroiters with an improved quality of life, which includes inclusive housing, resourced and walkable neighborhoods, and equal opportunities for jobs and business growth. We work with foundations, corporations, state and local governments, and individual donors who want to partner for the equitable and sustainable recovery of Detroit and the region.

Our growing team is a hard-working, supportive group that is passionate about our mission and believes strongly in equitable opportunity, diversity, and respect. We believe that through partnership, tenacity, creativity, and drive, we can help to improve access to opportunity and an overall better quality of life for all Detroiters.

For more information on Invest Detroit, please visit the https://investdetroit.com/.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Vice President, External Relations, (SVP) to help us build and communicate new opportunities for stakeholder and funder engagement, positioning us to grow our impact. The SVP will develop and implement a comprehensive external relations strategy, ensuring increased awareness of and visibility for our work among our partners, program beneficiaries, funders, policy supporters, and the general public. The SVP will report to our President & CEO and manage a team of two development professionals. This role offers the opportunity for an experienced and mission-driven communications and marketing professional to lead a multifaceted external relations strategy, working both strategically within a highly collaborative team and as a hands-on implementer.

The SVP will lead and strengthen our communications, brand identity, and marketing activities, working collaboratively across the organization to ensure that the intention and impact of our efforts are clearly and strategically communicated to our external and internal audiences. They will leverage strong storytelling and relationship-building skills to guide our team in delivering a consistent and compelling narrative around our work. As the leader for our small, talented development team, the SVP will work collaboratively to develop our overall fundraising plan and provide management support for our high-performing staff. The SVP will play a key role in identifying and managing strategic relationships, partnerships, and community engagement activities to build awareness and further our development and programmatic goals.

Key Responsibilities

Communications, Branding, and Marketing

• Develop and execute a strategic, integrated communications, branding, and marketing plan focused on supporting the work of Invest Detroit, building awareness among targeted audiences and strengthening our reputation with clients, funders, and other stakeholders

• Manage a branding strategy that increases brand and program recognition and positive community relations; lead the brand creation for new programs

• Act as a strategic thought partner to our leadership to build clear, compelling messaging that effectively highlights organizational and programmatic impact

• Create and manage all communications and marketing materials, including press releases, social media, newsletters, the Invest Detroit website, annual report, and other ancillary materials for external and internal audiences

• Manage consulting relationships for design, media, and program-specific needs

• Develop and monitor an annual communications, branding, and marketing budget

• In partnership with the President & CEO, engage in presentations and speaking opportunities to cultivate support from civic organizations and corporate, foundation, and business representatives

Development

• Lead the creation and implementation of an annual fundraising plan that addresses organizational and programmatic needs by leveraging existing relationships and identifying opportunities to cultivate new prospects

• Manage a highly skilled team that currently drives departmental strategy, donor prospecting, and stewardship

• Partner with our leadership to identify fundraising needs and guide the creation of compelling messaging in response to funding opportunities

• Work with the development team to manage prospect identification, research, and strategy to ensure a pipeline of new funding opportunities

• Coordinate with colleagues across the organization to guide strategic funder solicitation and stewardship

• Identify opportunities to strengthen the impact and efficiencies of the development team

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will demonstrate many, though perhaps not all, of the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

• You bring substantial experience in communications and marketing roles, ideally bringing 10+ years of relevant professional experience that includes leadership roles.

• You are mission-driven and aligned with our commitment to working with underserved communities. Prior experience working in nonprofit or CDFI communications, marketing, or development is considered a plus.

• You have a track record of success in developing and implementing comprehensive communications, marketing, and/or development strategies. You are comfortable and effective working in small team structures and you are creative in deploying limited resources.

• You bring experience as a staff manager and are able to leverage the talents of a highly effective team.

• You are a skilled storyteller with a keen sense of how to create a cohesive and compelling narrative; you bring excellent oral and written communications skills.

• You are committed to collaboration and have experience partnering with a wide variety of internal colleagues, providing support and guidance related to their communications and development needs.

• You draw on excellent interpersonal and relationship-skills to establish and deepen connections with external partners and audiences. Familiarity with the Detroit community is considered a benefit, though not required experience.

• You hold a bachelor’s degree or demonstrate equivalent experience.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary for this position is $130,000 - $150,000.

We offer a suite of excellent benefits, including 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision plans; 401K plan with an employer match of up to 6%; and generous paid time off as well as other offerings. For more information on our benefits structure, please visit https://investdetroit.com/resources/careers/.

This position is a hybrid role, with the expectation of 2-3 days/week based in our Detroit office balanced with remote work.

Invest Detroit is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace.

Contact

Cassie Scarano and Kirstin Griffiths of Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, have been exclusively retained for this engagement. To express interest in this role please submit your materials via https://apptrkr.com/3982456. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email https://tinyurl.com/2xf3f73n. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

For more information about Koya Partners, visit https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/koya-partners/.