Advancement Officer - Innovation Learning Partnerships

The Henry Ford is a nonprofit organization, an internationally recognized cultural destination, and a one-of-a-kind workplace. Our team is inspired daily by one another as well as the authentic stories of innovation that we share across our four venues. We want you to be part of this legacy and take it forward.

The Institutional Advancement Team cultivates, solicits, and stewards individuals, foundations, government and corporate partners who invest in The Henry Ford to grow our impact and realize our mission to inspire people to learn from America’s traditions of innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness to help shape a better future.

As a member of this team, the Advancement Officer – Innovation Learning Partnerships is responsible for growing the institution’s contributed revenue from corporations, foundations and individuals to sustain and expand our innovation learning impact. This key role is responsible for cultivation, stewardship and growth of national and global level funding relationships to support The Henry Ford’s Invention Convention Worldwide, inHub, and other educational programs, resources, and initiatives.

This revenue-generating position works with a cross-functional team and reports to the Head of Corporate Partnerships. Candidates should be experienced sales or fundraising professionals, excellent communicators, self-motivated, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Generate and sustain a minimum of $1.3 million in annual contributed revenue from corporations, foundations and individuals to support The Henry Ford’s innovation education programs, experiences, and resources, including Invention Convention Worldwide, inHub digital platform and community, and more.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with a diverse portfolio of existing funding partners through stewardship, including regular outreach and meetings, identifying opportunities for growth, developing proposals and agreements, securing renewals, invoicing, fulfillment, and timely reporting.

• Identify and develop new relationships with potential funders who are focused on STEM, invention, innovation, engineering, design, and entrepreneurship at local, regional, national and global levels. This is achieved through research, outreach, cultivation, development of strategic proposals and agreements, and securing contracts while maintaining a balanced portfolio.

• Work with and represent partners and internal teams during planning and execution of activities and programming to ensure mutually desired outcomes and goals are considered and progressed as part of our work.

• Manage communication as well as coordination and execution of partner recognition, engagement and activations with partners and internal teams to ensure a positive experience for partners, participants, visitors, and The Henry Ford’s teams.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues throughout The Henry Ford as a representative of the Advancement Department with the understanding that partner, foundation, and donor needs and activities require support from other internal departments.

• Creates and maintains current and accurate records of activities with all partners (sponsors, foundations, and individuals), including communications, opportunities and reporting within The Henry Ford’s client relationship management and accounting systems, and within Microsoft Teams files.

• Promotes positive and productive interactions and collaboration with internal and external partners.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Your Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or 5+ years of related work experience in a professional environment (non-profit and/or education focus a plus)

• 3 or more years related sales, fundraising, or sponsorship experience, including stewardship, activation and fulfillment, and customer service

• Proven track record of cultivating and managing relationships, and securing gifts of $25,000+

• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams

• Familiarity with CRM software, creative project management software, and social media platforms

• Experience working both in-person and remote/virtually

• Ability to travel locally and nationwide on occasion

Special Skills:

• Commitment to and enthusiasm for The Henry Ford’s mission, vision and values, and the ideals of philanthropy and the practice of ethical fundraising

• Experience selling to or collaborating with partners and/or with corporate partners

• Awareness of STEM, innovation, invention and/or entrepreneurship programs is preferred

• Detail oriented

• Goal-oriented self-starter

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Experience with executive level communication and engagement

• Organized

• Results-driven

• Adept at collaboration with internal and external parties

• Energetic team player

• Creativity

• Problem-solver

• Flexibility

• Integrity

• Public speaking and presentation skills

• Professionalism

• Time management and prioritization

• Ability to work with minimal supervision

Environment:

Mon-Fri, 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week + occasional nights and weekends

Remote work: 75% / Onsite/in-person: 25%

Dress code: business casual + occasional business attire

Some travel may be required

This job description is subject to change at any time.

It is the policy of The Henry Ford to prohibit discrimination in any employment, donor or volunteering opportunity (including but not limited to recruitment, hire, employment, program participation, promotion, salary, benefits, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment or service as a volunteer) based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, genetic information, pregnancy, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, physical/mental disability. Marital/domestic partner status, military and veteran status, height, weight or any other such characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. This Policy applies to all of our employees, donors and volunteers to ensure that they are treated without discrimination.

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Last updated on Sep 23, 2024