Preacher Relations Manager

Position Summary:

The Preacher Relations Manager reports to and collaborates with the Preacher Relations Director, to build respectful relationships with the team of Catholic priests who represent Unbound at Weekend Assignments at Catholic parishes throughout the United States. This person will be part of recruiting, screening, onboarding, evaluating, supporting, and providing ongoing training of Unbound’s team of Catholic priests. The person in this role will work with the Preacher Relations Director to drive Unbound’s sponsorship growth through high-quality preaching and invitations to sponsor at Weekend Assignments.

The candidate must be familiar with the Roman Catholic Church structure and culture and knowledgeable of the social teachings of the Catholic Church. They must be comfortable working with Roman Catholic clergy.

Who We Are

Unbound is an international nonprofit based in Kansas City, Kansas, and founded by lay Catholics grounded in the Gospel call to put the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable first. 

Our mission is to support families and communities worldwide on their self-directed paths out of poverty.

Our vision is to build a world free from poverty where all people have access to resources, community support and the ability to make decisions that improve their lives and uphold human dignity.

Unbound offers a practical way for sponsors, donors and volunteers to make a personal and direct impact as partners in our global community.  Through walking with a child and family, youth, elder or community on their path out of poverty, our supporters have an opportunity to expand their worldviews and be part of creative solutions to poverty.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Maintains regular, ongoing contact with preachers and presenters, providing them with support and encouragement in their efforts. 
• Provides support services to the preachers and other presenters and assists them with questions or concerns as they arise using phone, email, and regularly scheduled communications.
• Effectively communicates Unbound policies, goals, initiatives and information to the preachers and presenters. 
• Builds and nurtures respectful relationships with preachers and other presenters, as well as pastors and staff of church communities around the country.
• Travels domestically to review preacher/presenter presentations and provide feedback to them on the accuracy, quality and effectiveness of the Unbound message and their ability to communicate in a way that inspires and invites people to sponsor.
• Travel internationally and domestically to build relationships with preachers, Unbound sponsors and to represent Unbound at conferences and other engagement events.
• Helps to maintain and update the Unbound Preacher’s Manual in conjunction with other members of the Preacher Relations Team.
• Works with Preacher Relations Director in coordinating and planning the annual preachers’ conference, including the development of content and presentations, identification of speakers and overall event planning.
• Assists in the recruitment, selection, orientation, and follow up training of new priests and other presenters.
• All travel both domestically and internationally is estimated to be 15-20% of workdays or approximately 35-45 days over the course of the year. Assists members of the Preacher Relations Team in other responsibilities of managing preacher documentation.

Personal Characteristics & Competencies – To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies and skills. (Examples)

• Demonstrate diversity by recognizing the dignity of each person reflected in the structure and activities of Unbound which include relationships of mutual respect, teamwork, and a commitment to Unbound’s core values.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to synthesize information into clear, concise messages in a compelling manner to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to build trusting, collaborative relationships with other members of the Outreach Team, Growth and Revenue Development department, and cross-functional partners.
• Ability to use data-driven decision making to recommend and execute business/management strategy.
• Professional appearance and attitude, self-motivated and goal driven.
• Ability to demonstrate poise, tact, and diplomacy. Strong teamwork aptitude is required.
• Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships and the ability to model our core values.
• Ability to manage difficult or emotional customer situations; Respond promptly to both external and internal needs of customers: keep commitments and demonstrate initiative.
• Growth mindset that balances reflection and action.
• Willingness to contribute to and help create an atmosphere of learning.
• Willingness to take prudent risks.

Qualifications and Experience: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (Examples)

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in marketing, communications, management, public relations, theology, ministry, or related fields and/or experience. Graduate degree or professional certification in one of the listed fields is preferred. Global experience is a plus.
• Moderate to advanced computer skills in customer relationship management (CRM) tools, virtual communication and teleconferencing platforms, Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams
• Well-developed project management skills with demonstrated ability to multitask and effectively manage and prioritize tasks.
• Must possess a positive attitude and be open to new ideas with the ability to listen carefully, try new things, suggest alternatives, and solve challenges.
• Influential and collaborative communication style. Forward thinker and business savvy.
• Able to quickly establish credibility and build rapport to be recognized as a leader and expert.
• Willingness to undertake business travel when necessary.
• Strong accuracy and organizational skills.
• Energetic, self-starter who demonstrates a strong work ethic.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Bilingual in Spanish/English is strongly preferred.
• Fluency in other relevant languages is a plus.

Physical Abilities

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• Frequently required to sit, stand, and walk.
• Required to talk and hear consistently.
• Specific vision abilities required by the role include the ability to distinguish the nature of objects by using the eye.
• Able to travel domestically at least 15% of the time, and internationally to Unbound countries on an occasional basis. Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to fifty (50) pounds if necessary.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job; reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• Noise levels in the work environment are usually moderate.