Imagination Library Manager

Position Summary:  The Imagination Library Manager contributes to the efforts of United Way of Metropolitan Nashville by providing leadership and direction to the Imagination Library Program.  This position is responsible for fundraising and event management for the Imagination Library/Books from Birth Program to achieve program goals and increase awareness and giving within the Middle Tennessee community.  Plans and executes a year-round strategic relationship plan to assist corporate partners in Davidson, Williamson and Sumner counties to maintain and further United way’s mission of Imagination Library/Books from Birth.

Essential Functions:  The following are indicative of the essential functions required to perform this job successfully.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  This profile is not intended to be all inclusive of tasks and responsibilities required; it provides a description of the critical responsibilities associated with this position.

Fundraising Management

• Corporate and Individual Gift Solicitation

• Actively seek out high potential donor and new business prospects (individuals and companies within Davidson, Williams and Sumner counties).  Develop and manage prospects in order to grow revenue.
• Increase revenue in assigned account portfolio through relationship management and by providing professional staff support and leadership to assigned workplace campaigns including volunteer recruitment, development and recognition, goals development and tracking, campaign consultant management and support, relationship building.
• Develops annual and ongoing strategic development plans to increase fundraising results and participants in the program.

• Foundation and Grant Solicitation
  • Reaches and identifies opportunities for the program to apply funding from grant and foundation funders
  • Collaborates with other United Way of Metropolitan Nashville Leadership through foundation and grant solicitation efforts
  • Identifies and solicits corporate donors in order to increase awareness of the work of UWMN with the intention of ultimately acquire additional resources for the Nashville community
  • Identifies and solicits corporate donors in order to increase awareness of the work of UWMN with the intention of ultimately acquire additional resources for the Nashville community
  • Builds relationships with key company personnel and investors to increase awareness of Imagination Library
  • Delivers presentations to explain what Imagination Library, what Imagination Library does, and how Imagination Library leverages donations to create an impact in the community to achieve increased awareness of Imagination Library and drive more workplaces to becoming partners of Imagination Library

• Fundraising
  • Oversees and leads execution and development of the program’s annual fundraising event for the program
  • Planning, developing and executing successful campaigns with the purpose of increasing campaign revenue that contributes to obtaining a set yearly average portfolio goal
  • Researches and communicates with investors to learn about their interests and who they are so that account managers can efficiently and knowledgeably advocate for Imagination Library and solicit gifts
  • Engages multiple levels of investors, advocates, donors and volunteers to drive and grow campaigns

Program Management

• Provides comprehensive project and event management from concept through implementation for special projects while maintaining regular account development and nurture of existing relationships.
• Develops and maintains relationship with program partners; Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation and the Dollywood Foundation
• Creates, develops and manages all aspects of project planning for assigned special projects and events from inception through completion.  
• Identifies opportunities to engage community to increase program awareness and enrollment; cultivate relationships with key stakeholders utilizing consultative selling model. Deliver United Way and Books from Birth message during individual and group presentations.
• Review assigned accounts to establish annual growth goals and support plans/strategies.
• Maintain detailed account and individual donor documentation within internal database.
• Oversees and manages the Program Volunteer Advisory Committee

Qualifications:

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or related field or the equivalent of 7 years working experience 
• Experience:
  • Program management: 3 years
  • Fundraising within a caused based or program specific environment: 3 years
  • Volunteer committee management: 2 years
• Skills:
  • Oral communication: public speaking
  • Written communication
  • Development of fundraising plans and strategies
  • Gift solicitation
  • Basic computing and database management skills
• Miscellaneous:
  • TN Driver’s License and proof of auto insurance

Competencies:

• Mission Driven: Focuses on needs and aspirations of the community by telling the “United Way story” to help others understand the importance of volunteer, advocate, and give.
• Relationship Management:  Builds relationships with all external funders, corporate partners, individual donors, community members, and organizational stakeholders in efforts to grow and sustain funding; demonstrates credibility in all interactions; and demonstrates the ability to effectively build a network of contacts.
• Outcome Motivated: Creates and maintains high performance standards that capitalize on opportunities to build support for Finance, Health and Education by developing relationships that drive results.
• Effective Communication: Ability to effectively communicate through oral, written and technological means; actively listening and expressing oneself clearly, to ensure those that need specific information acquire it; plan and deliver communication that makes an impact and persuades the audience.
• Brand Advocate: Conducts themselves in a manner that promotes integrity, trust and strong ethics, in order to protect the reputation and results of UWMN.
• Donor Stewardship: maintain ongoing donor relationships; keep donors informed and educated about their investments; ability to connect donor’s values and passions with the giving to the programs of United Way of Metropolitan Nashville
• Initiative and Creative Thinking: Identifies key opportunity for program growth and development
• Ability to Multi-task: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously; requires knowledge of time management, setting priorities, and managing project plans
• Problem Solving/Critical Thinking: Differentiates between when supervisory input is needed and when it is not; identifies opportunities and develops plans to execute; Identifies problems, gathers facts and appropriate resources to resolve issues

Environmental Conditions and Physical Demands:

• Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. The employee is required to stand, walk, climb and balance.
• Employee spends a considerable about of time seated; working at a desk in front of a computer monitor.  Manual dexterity sufficient to reach/handle items and work with the fingers.
• Well-lighted, heated, and/or air-conditioned indoor office setting with adequate ventilation.
• For events, standing and walking are required about 25% of the time; may lift and carry objects up to 25 lbs.; may climb stairs; may bend, twist, kneel, stoop and reach overhead.
• May be required to work externally to meet with stakeholders, volunteers, and potential investors.