Strategic Partnerships Manager

Title: Strategic Partnerships Manager

Location: Brainerd, Minnesota, 56401, United States

Department: Strategic Partnerships

Job Description:

Be the backbone of hope and healing.
At Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, every role matters in helping people overcome addiction and find a new path forward. Whether you’re working directly with clients or supporting behind the scenes, your contributions make recovery possible. In return, we offer a values-driven workplace, supportive managers, and opportunities to grow. That commitment has earned us recognition from Newsweek as a Best Addiction Treatment Center and eight straight Star Tribune Top Workplace awards.

Job Summary

The Donor Relations Manager is a highly relational, passionate, and knowledgeable fundraiser for Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge (MnTC). This individual serves two goals in the Brainerd and Alexandria area.  They are a spokesperson and evangelist for the organization to individuals, families, businesses, and the greater community and will work on events in both communities, primarily the Mn Adult and Teen Challenge Fishing Tournament.  The primary role will support the success of MnTC donor events in Brainerd, cultivate new donors in the Brainerd and Alexandria region, while retaining existing donors in the community. This position is based out of our Brainerd Development Team Office but serves both communities and their events.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. The essential functions include the following:

Donor Relations

• Focus on cultivating and building relationships with mid- donors, defined as individuals, businesses, and organizations giving, with the goal of acquiring new donors, retaining existing donors, and increasing philanthropic support for MnTC.


• Personally engage with assigned donors and prospects on a regular basis through meetings, phone calls, email, tours, events, and other high-touch stewardship activities to deepen their connection to MnTC and the MnTC fishing Challenge and events through various sponsorships and support. They will do this by communicating organizational impact and expressing appreciation for their support.


• Invite and facilitate donor visits, tours, and participation in events and other engagement opportunities that provide meaningful exposure to the ministry and its programs.


• Secure charitable gifts in support of annual fundraising goals, strategic initiatives, and events.


• Maintain accurate donor records and partner with Donor Services to support prospect research, donor tracking, reporting, and portfolio management through donor database and CRM systems.


• Support additional donor outreach efforts and development projects as needed to achieve fundraising objectives.

Community Engagement and Events

• Play a key role and support specific fundraising initiatives within the assigned territory, including various responsibilities for MnTC’s signature events such as fishing challenges, galas, golf tournaments that advance MnTC's mission.


• Work with the team to execute strategies for increasing and retaining current Fishing Tournament peer to peer fundraisers.


• Execute specific event planning and onsite responsibilities to ensure the Mn Fishing Challenge in Brainerd is a success.


• Stay informed on fundraising trends, events, donor engagement strategies, and industry best practices.

Internal Collaboration

• Work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues across departments and divisions to support organizational fundraising and engagement goals.


• Maintain consistent communication and goal alignment with the Director, Strategic Partnerships in Brainerd, and other organizational stakeholders.


• Ensure donor and contact information is accurately maintained within Raiser's Edge and other donor management systems.


• Collaborate with team members to support donor events, campaigns, stewardship activities, and strategic fundraising initiatives.


• Partner with Strategic Partnerships team and leadership to support statewide fundraising campaigns, strategic initiatives, and major gift opportunities.


• Maintain a working knowledge of MnTC programs, services, facilities, and ministry impact through ongoing engagement with staff, participants, and organizational activities to strengthen donor relationships, fundraising effectiveness, and donor conversations.


• Other assigned responsibilities specific to the Director role and assigned territory.

Required Skills & Experience (Minimum Qualifications):

• Two or more years of development, fundraising, sales, marketing, business development, or related professional experience.


• Demonstrated success building and maintaining strong professional relationships.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.


• Strong organizational, planning, and follow-through skills.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.


• Comfort and compassion in working within an environment of individuals facing life-controlling challenges, such as mental health issues and addiction.


• Demonstrates MnTC’s mission, Culture of Honor, core values, and Putting Honor in Action principles through daily interactions, fostering a welcoming, respectful, and relationship-centered environment.


• Valid MN driver's license and driving record that meet organizational insurance requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree


• Experience working with high-net-worth individuals and relationship-based fundraising or business development.


• Experience working events of some kind.


• Experience working with Raiser's Edge, donor databases, or comparable CRM systems preferred.


• Fundraising experience is preferred.


• Experience in nonprofit, ministry, faith-based, or human services fundraising environments.

Physical Requirements:

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.

• Prolonged periods of sitting, computer work, and participation in virtual and in-person meetings.


• Participates in fundraising events, donor meetings, and community engagement activities, which may require occasional evenings, weekends, and statewide travel.


• Occasionally moves materials and supplies weighing up to 25 pounds.


• Primary work location and on-site work expectations will vary based on regional needs and may include a combination of office-based, remote, and community-based work. Regular travel throughout the assigned region is required to support donor meetings, community engagement activities, and fundraising events.

Target Compensation Range (Negotiable based on Qualifications):

$62,000-$65,000/year

Our robust benefits package includes medical, HSA, dental, vision, PTO, dependent care FSA, disability, life insurance and 403b retirement plan.

We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool in order to successfully meet our mission of helping every Minnesotan find help and healing from addiction. 

Mn Adult & Teen Challenge is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any category protected by federal, state or applicable laws.

Reasonable accommodation is provided upon request.