The Opportunity
Social Enterprise & Innovation (SE&I) Partnership Manager will be an integral member of a team working to advance the vision, strategic framework, and implementation of a philanthropic strategy centered on social entrepreneurship and innovation for Continuum Ventures.  This role will be focused on building partnerships, processes, and measures that will assist in addressing our communities’ biggest challenges and to help advance opportunities for all. 

Summary
The ideal candidate is a strong relationship builder and collaborator, an excellent communicator, a natural leader who inspires others, and an operator who can effectively manage people and lead the execution and measurement of philanthropic investments, programs, and partnerships.  The leader should be experienced in execution of projects and evaluation/measurement.  This role will collaborate across myriad of stakeholders in business, government, and community-oriented organizations/sectors and the leader should be skilled in influencing and leading in a matrix environment. 

Our Unique Benefits 
We are intentional about enriching our employment experiences through a unique blend of benefit offerings that include:

• Robust health insurance options with competitive employer contributions.
• 401k retirement plan with a generous employer match of up to 7.5%.
• Paid time off programs including vacation time, sick time, and paid holidays.
• Training reimbursement programs.
• Discounted memberships to MVP Sportsplex.

What You'll Do

• Collaborate with key stakeholders in the social enterprise space. This role will actively be on the ground, building relationships, hosting groups and working to create a shared vision and strategy around social entrepreneurship.
• In collaboration with the Director of SE&I, develop and outline key strategic initiatives, identifying resources and time necessary to achieve objectives. Gain consensus from key stakeholders and executives.
• Assess the need for human and financial capital resources to help ideas start or scale. 
• Coach and develop high-performing, mission driven, and goal-oriented partners/grantees.  Build on each individual’s comparative advantage and strengths and identify opportunities and plan for continual growth and development.
• Develop the Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation ecosystem in Grand Rapids.  Plan and lead regular “partnership” meet and greets and other key Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation ecosystem building initiatives.
• Connect new and existing networks to create external partnerships that along with the team will effectively operate as a Center/Hub of Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
• Develop core processes/systems for Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub “programming” for extended partnerships in the space.
• Develop meaningful and on-going collaboration across myriad of stakeholders and deep engagement in Kent County/GR broader Community – including neighborhoods, churches, non-profits, etc.
• Support partner social enterprises in building capacity, scaling, accessing capital, etc. that move the paradigm from charity to investments.
• Develop process/methods to capture deep customer insights – understand their needs, capturing innovative ideas and insights, and involving them in thinking and solutions (i.e. residents, those with lived experiences, neighborhood and church leaders).
• Build continual feedback loops with partners and a robust and rigorous rubric and process for measuring impact-transformational measures vs programmatic measures.
• Create and bring an investment mindset and approach to the work to drive impactful initiatives, programs, and efforts that demonstrate bottom-up solutions and social entrepreneurship and innovation.

What You'll Bring

• Share a commitment to the foundational vision, mission, and principles of the organization and key stakeholders.
• Must be comfortable representing the Christian beliefs and principles in which the work is rooted.
• Relevant leadership experience in business, philanthropy, or a non-for-profit operating as a leader/influencer.
• Strong leadership, collaboration and interpersonal skills required for managing in a nuanced environment.
• Experience in financial systems and analysis required as well as programmatic evaluation and analysis.
• Demonstrated success in managing operations, with the ability to plan, organize, and lead while creating an environment for others to significantly contribute and lead in their areas of expertise. 
• Demonstrates the ability to build consensus to facilitate relationships toward a common goal. 
• Experience in project management of large and complex projects, with the ability to evaluate, prioritize, and work independently yet effectively within a framework of stated boundaries.
• Experience in the public arena with the ability to quickly earn the respect and trust of external stakeholders including diverse ethnic, religious, and social audiences. 
• Experience in a leadership role in a for-profit business strongly preferred and/or experience as an entrepreneur.
• Superior execution of oral and written communication skills and the ability to successfully connect with diverse audiences.
• Appreciation for disruptive and innovative approaches – and challenging status quo productively and effectively. 
• Proven ability to drive change/transformation and to bring others along in the journey.
• Ability to take high-level, aspirational vision to an executable strategy with tactical implementation.
• Strong people skills – ability to work across a diverse spectrum of individuals in an authentic and relationship building manner.
• Displays curiosity and openness to learning new things and to seeing new and different approaches.
• Highly motivated and energetic with a heart for making a difference in people’s lives and in the community. 

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to travel by automobile or aircraft.
• Must be able to operate an automobile and be in possession of a valid driver’s license.