Sr. Partnerships Associate

Summary:

The Sr Partnerships Associate provides expertise in the design, implementation, management, assessment, and continuous improvement of MHM’s approach to strategic partnerships that serve the broader organization. Beyond supporting individual programs and services, this position is responsible for taking the initiative to build and sustain executive-level collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders and internal and external partners. Working closely with MHM’s Strategy and Impact team’s leaders, this position supports broader organizational impact and the growth and development of mutually beneficial partnerships and stakeholder outcomes that advance MHM’s mission, vision, goals, and strategic plan.

As part of MHM’s commitment to serve as an anchor institution, this position is also responsible for the coordination of MHM’s Anchor Committee work. MHM defines anchor institutions as deeply rooted and trusted entities that, in partnership with communities, utilize their substantial assets to impact the places they serve. They are well- positioned through their mission to help lead, facilitate, and support multi-sector initiatives designed to eliminate health disparities using strategies that leverage their economic potential and people resources.

Through MHM’s strategic partnerships work and coordination of the Anchor Committee, this position will support MHM’s anchor strategies work. MHM defines anchor strategies as a set of plans or policies executed by institutions with substantial assets in the places they serve. They are designed to create shared value and drive social impacts. These strategies go beyond philanthropy and include, but are not limited to, purchasing/procurement, workforce development, community infrastructure, environmental sustainability, governance, and provision of products and services.

The Sr Partnerships Associate serves an important role that combines the knowledge, resources, and capabilities from different individuals and entities to drive collaborative innovation and create value that would not be possible for individuals or organizations to achieve on their own.

This position acts independently in performing its core work functions and applies specialized knowledge, critical thinking and related skills, and professional judgement to achieve outcomes. Because the stakeholders for strategic partnership efforts often includes external individuals and entities, as well as executive-level leaders, this position has a high level of autonomy and is accountable for the delivery of work assignments on time and according to expectations in terms of quality, deliverables, and outcomes.

This position requires a strategic, assets-based thinker with an opportunities-oriented mindset who will be tasked with connecting insights to strategy, developing recommendations, and proactively strengthening MHM’s strategic partnerships network. The position supports efforts to amplify the priorities of the organization’s strategic plan in accordance with MHM’s mission, vision, guiding principles, and values.

Salary:

Annual salary rate begins at $83,423. Mid range at $106,365. Actual starting rate will be commensurate with experience and education.

Qualifications:

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.

Essential Duties:

Strategic Partnerships

• Proactively seeks, recommends, and manages long-term quality and high impact executive-level partnerships with organizations and individuals based on alignment with MHM’s mission, values, and strategy.
• Serves as the lead for tracking strategic, organizational partnerships , including reviewing and analyzing key performance metrics and indicators, as well as industry standards and benchmarks to identify opportunities for improved efficiency and effectiveness.
• Serves as the project manager and liaison for strategic partnerships, as requested.
• Consults with MHM’s Strategy and Impact team and, as requested, MHM’s executive leadership to offer strategic recommendations on partnership opportunities and solutions.
• Develops and designs strategies intended to increase desired partnerships and improve performance indicators.
• Drives growth and innovation by identifying potential partners, negotiating partnership agreements, and developing strategies to maximize mutual value and alignment.
• Maps the relationships and partnership networks within MHM’s ecosystem to identify key opportunities for connection and coordination across the organization, strategic initiatives, projects, and partners.
• Gathers and presents information on current and potential partnerships, including developing written, executive-level briefs and backgrounders , within quick turnaround times.
• Applies an equity lens to the work, seeks and honors diverse inputs, challenges biases and stereotypes, analyzes how power and intersectionality impacts different audience/community segments and what that means for creating culturally relevant, humane, community-centered, and respectful strategic partnership recommendations.
• Identifies and tracks each partner’s goals and capabilities, and using this knowledge, devises plans or initiatives that leverage joint resources for mutual missional benefit.
• Identifies and executes ad-hoc analyses of partnerships based on feedback from VP of Strategy & Partnerships.
• Assesses processes and the design of the system for managing partnerships to ensure optimal alignment with partnerships strategies and approaches.
• Oversees the redesign of the Partnerships Portal within the first year of employment.
• Manages partnership information and reporting through the Partnership Portal.
• Prepares strategic updates on partnerships for presentations to leadership or other audiences. Oversees MHM’s Partnership MOUs, along with developing and updating organizational action plans quarterly, while connecting it to our impact and strategic plan.
• Based on partnership goals and objectives, identifies and tracks potential partnership risks and challenges and proactively crafts solutions.
• Supports partnerships through proposal design, work plans, and road maps to track projects and initiatives.
• Maintains a forward-looking perspective by providing market forecasts of the local and national partnerships landscape to help identify long-term benefits that align with MHM’s strategies (strategic outlook) and reporting on projected outcomes.
• Conducts asset scans and performs feasibility studies and modeling for potential partnerships using an equity lens.
• Creates and refines the systems, processes, and tools for building and managing a partnerships pipeline, establishing clear goals, metrics, and performance measurements.
• Identifies new relationships and approaches for advancing the strategic plan.
• Partners closely with program and project teams to identify opportunities and support stakeholder engagement.
• Assesses partner outreach and engagement to determine if any adjustments or adaptations are necessary.
• Coordinates and manage/or support meetings, special events, public speaking engagements, visibility opportunities, etc. related to partnerships.
• Identifies conferences, webinars, and committees that serve as opportunities for MHM to participate in or present their work, and as appropriate, participate in developing and providing content support for these opportunities.
• Serves as professional representative of the Strategy & Impact department and supports organizational initiatives, goals, and priorities.

Anchor Strategies

• Serves as the organizational coordinator for all anchor projects and tasks, which includes the identification and management of partnerships.
• Works closely with MHM’s anchor committee members and representatives for anchor networks/memberships (e.g., Healthcare Anchor Network).
• Tracks all organizational anchor efforts, including annual priorities, ongoing efforts, and historical accomplishments.
• Navigates a high degree of complexity in scheduling, organizing and managing meetings, including logistical support, such as note-taking and dissemination.
• Facilitates the development of anchor meeting agendas and follows-up and tracks action items for anchor strategy work.
• Coordinates anchor projects, initiatives, and priorities, and supports the planning and implementation, as needed.
• Supports major anchor projects with unclear owners and/or significant cross-functional dependencies.
• Coordinates and develops presentations on MHM anchor work for key internal and external meetings (e.g., board meetings, team strategy sessions, pitch decks, etc.)
• Performs data collection, analysis, and synthesis with the MHM anchor committee leads for decision-making purposes.
• Manages anchor administrative documents, contracts, and reporting activities.
• Explores ways to continuously improve the collecting, organizing, synthesizing, and sharing of information within the MHM anchor committee and across the organization and various networks and memberships.
• Develops documents for internal and external use, including summaries, issue briefs, PowerPoint presentations, reports, and articles.
• Drafts letters, correspondence, memos, charts, documents, tables, graphs, and plans, as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s degree preferred. Five (5) years of strategic partnerships experience in a public health, health and human services, nonprofit, or philanthropic setting required. Three (3) years of experience with stakeholder and project management required. Two (2) years of experience supporting executive-level partnerships required. Conceptual, analytical, critical thinking, and organizational skills preferred.

Required Skills:

The ideal candidate has experience in strategy consulting, relationship building, or a similar domain. Experience with strategic partnerships, writing and reviewing, developing policies and procedures, working with consultants, and developing assessments is highly preferred. Strong organizational skills with ability to complete projects and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Be able to think outside the box and be challenged to adapt or evolve.

Experience working with underserved or under-resourced populations is preferred. This position requires the ability and experience to interact comfortably and professionally with senior level staff of different organizations as well as patients and grassroots organizations.

Reasoning Ability:

A creative, strategic, and forward thinker with the drive to work independently and in group settings. A negotiator with interpersonal and relational skills, including a demonstrated ability to work in a complex and matrix team environment, with a strong focus on collaboration and innovation. Skilled in stakeholder and project management, setting and meeting deadlines, and time management.

Need to understand processes and work creatively with diverse types of stakeholders across a range of leadership and individual contributor roles. Sound judgment and maturity, exemplified by consistent professionalism, with an ability to identify and address organizational needs, develop and justify recommendations, and be responsive and clear in interacting with individuals at all levels, both internally and externally.

Must be able to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Can manage diverse stakeholder input and the strategic perspective in real-time. Ability to translate from strategic imperatives to logistical realities.

Language Ability:

Strong verbal, organizational, and written communication skills. Must be able to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or government regulations. Write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to prepare presentations and documents that conform to prescribed style and format. Must be able to speak effectively and respond to questions before groups of customers, community members, leaders, or employees of an organization (diverse audiences). Must be fluent in English.

Certificates and Licenses:

None.

Computer Skills:

Must be able to demonstrate working knowledge of the Internet, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and develop reports. Able to navigate virtual meetings through Zoom and/or Microsoft Teams.

Other:

• Committed to health equity
• Takes initiative, with limited guidance and coaching
• Passion to create change that leads to better lives and healthier communities
• Capacity to think strategically and analytically about social, economic, cultural, and political issues affecting a community
• Ability to understand various contexts of the department’s work, interactions, and communications
• Ability to facilitate complex decision-making and discussions
• Ability to be flexible in availability to meet the needs of partners and other stakeholders, which includes supporting and attending events, activities, and meetings outside of normal business hours and outside of San Antonio and Bexar County.
• Capacity to adapt rapidly to changing priorities, objectives, and situations
• Ability to work in a changing environment and as part of a team, taking on tasks at all levels
• Solid relationship management skills enhancing internal organizational relations and external interactions
• Ability to assess and navigate power dynamics, ensuring equity in relationships with community partners
• Understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community
• Creative and innovative
• Ability to design and implement effective workflow processes and procedures
• Strong focus on personal growth and development, and a willingness to regularly receive and act on performance feedback in pursuit of continuous professional growth
Must be able to drive and have access to a vehicle; maintain valid driver’s license and auto liability insurance

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Must be able to drive and have access to a vehicle; maintain valid driver’s license and auto liability insurance. Must be able to drive and have access to a vehicle; maintain valid driver’s license and auto liability insurance. This position may require travel outside of San Antonio up to 25%. May require some evening/weekend work.

Position necessitates bending, stooping, twisting, turning, walking, climbing step stools, sitting and standing for periods of time. Must be able to lift and maneuver at least 25 pounds.