Senior Director of Partnerships and Engagement

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.Senior Director of Partnerships and EngagementLocation - KC Area, USAStart Date - January 2026Work Environment - Hybrid (Mix of on-site and remote work)Position SummaryInspired by Catholic social teaching, Unbound has a long history of partnership with the Catholic Church, with much of its growth driven through parish-based weekend appeals and relationships with Catholic communities. As Unbound continues to expand its reach and impact, we are seeking to build new bridges of faith and compassion beyond our traditional base.The Senior Director of Partnerships and Engagement will be responsible for building, launching, and growing Unbound’s partnerships and engagement channel with churches and faith groups/denominations outside of the Catholic church to diversify our growth channels, awareness, base of supporters and ultimately drive long-term impact. This is a pioneering role focused on introducing Unbound’s mission to new church and faith audiences, cultivating long-term relationships with pastors and faith leaders, and developing innovative models for church engagement that lead to sustainable partnerships and growth.In addition, the Senior Director will lead and mentor a team of Engagement professionals responsible for Faith-based, school and youth partnerships, and volunteer relationships—creating a unified, high-performing team that drives deeper community involvement and support for Unbound’s mission.Who We AreUnbound 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.Build and Grow the Church Engagement ChannelDesign and execute a comprehensive national strategy to establish Unbound’s presence within church and other faith-based communities, outside of the Roman Catholic Church, from vision casting to tactical execution.Identify, cultivate, and secure new church partnerships across denominations and networks.Develop and implement scalable engagement models, including sponsorship Sundays, connections with women, men or youth groups, mission partnerships, and volunteer opportunities that align with Unbound’s mission.Create tailored outreach strategies for different church or faith segments that honor theological and cultural distinctives.Represent Unbound at church/faith conferences, denominational gatherings, and ministry events.Serve as the primary relationship manager for key church leaders and influential networks.Oversee the identification, cultivation, and management of a portfolio of strategic church partnerships and networks.Guide processes for prospecting new church partners, onboarding, stewardship, and renewal.Lead the moves management framework for how to engage, nurture, solicit, and steward church relationships.Lead and Develop the Partnerships and Engagement TeamProvide vision, leadership, and coaching to a team of relationship managers who work with churches, schools and volunteers to grow strong partnerships in advancing Unbound’s mission.Create a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation and success across the team.Build systems and tools for tracking engagement activity, performance metrics, and outcomes.Support professional development through training, mentoring, and performance management.Develop and Execute Growth & Revenue StrategiesSet and drive ambitious yet achievable growth targets for emerging channels, including sponsorships, donations, and other revenue-generating initiatives that originate from new church / faith-based partnerships outside of Unbound’s Catholic Weekend Appeals channel.Design, implement, and scale short- and long-term strategies to grow Unbound’s reach and impact across churches, schools, with youth and volunteer networks.Develop and refine engagement approaches through experimentation, testing, and iteration — using data and feedback to continuously improve outcomes.Create and oversee campaigns, tools, and materials that communicate Unbound’s mission in ways that inspire engagement and generosity across diverse communities.Monitor performance, analyze results, and adapt strategies to close gaps, optimize resources, and accelerate growth across all emerging channels.Travel & RepresentationTravel 50% of the time to visit partner churches, attend denominational and ministry gatherings, conduct meetings, and cultivate new partnership opportunities.Speak and present at churches and faith-based events, effectively communicating Unbound’s mission and inviting engagement and partnership.Serve as a public ambassador for Unbound, representing the organization with credibility, warmth, and clarity in church settings, conferences, and other external venues.Engage diverse audiences, from pastors and church leadership teams to congregations and mission committees, as well as women, men and youth groups, to inspire support and build lasting relationships.Supervisory ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; developing staff, planning, assigning work, appraising performance; rewarding and dealing with staff relation/corrective action; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Unbound's policies and applicable laws.Personal Characteristics & Competencies – To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies and skills.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 commitment to Unbound’s core values.Excellent written and oral communication skills include the ability to synthesize information into clear, concise messages in a compelling manner to internal stakeholders.Ability to build trusting, collaborative relationships with cross-functional partners.Ability to manage large-scale, organization-wide talent management projects and programs.Using data-driven decision-making to execute on business/management strategy.Professional appearance and attitude, self-motivated and goal-driven.Ability to demonstrate poise, tact, and diplomacy. Strong teamwork aptitude required.Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships and the ability to model our core values.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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Psychology, non-profit leadership, communications, business or related discipline. Graduate degree is strongly preferred.Minimum of 8 years of direct hands-on experience in fundraising, partnerships, institutional relations, including significant experience working with church or Christian institutional contexts.Demonstrated track record of building, scaling, and managing church or denominational partnerships (or comparable institutional partners).Strong relational and networking skills, with credibility and comfort engaging senior pastors, denominational executives, and Christian thought leaders.Excellent communication skills (written, spoken, preaching/teaching). Able to present in a compelling manner in church or other faith-based settings.Strategic mindset with ability to translate vision into execution and measurable results.Leadership experience managing teams, developing talent, and fostering collaboration.Ability to travel frequently and manage multiple priorities across geographies.Strong understanding of the Christian landscape (denominations, church trends, theological sensitivities).Physical AbilitiesThe 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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.Frequently required to sit, stand, and walk.Use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms.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.Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to fifty (50) pounds if necessary.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 level in the work environment is usually moderate. #J-18808-Ljbffr