Position Summary:

The Lead Manager, Chapter Advancement is responsible for overseeing a team that manages and deploys chapter mission in-kind programs, ensuring the effective execution of more than $15 million of in-kind resources. This position is also responsible for the enterprise-wide travel program that enables mission delivery, including the selection, management, and ongoing assessment of our travel management company. The manager works collaboratively across multiple teams including but not limited to Chapter Advancement, Mission Advancement, Corporate Alliances, Finance, as well as directly with our 57 chapters.

Knowledge and Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrating the ability to work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders in a professional manner.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize and plan multiple projects; project management skills.
• Ability to develop and refine processes to maximize efficiency.
• Excellent analytical thinking and ability to perform analyses to understand performance and impact
• Ability to manage and lead, within and across teams.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Sound knowledge of nonprofit best practices.
• Discretion with confidential information.

Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Manages a portfolio of and a team that supports $15M+ of in-kind programs for chapters, ensuring utilization of donated goods, services, and use of facilities by national corporations to reduce chapter cash expenses and/or staff labor.
• Identifies and develops new corporate in-kind programs in collaboration with Corporate Alliances leadership and staff, ensuring clear expectations, goals, and processes are identified for each program, supporting and engaging in fundraising conversations.
• Orchestrates and assesses needs for chapter trainings and resources to maximize in-kind utilization and develops and delivers these resources.
• Analyzes and reports on chapter grants and in-kind programs, including developing impact reports for Make-A-Wish leadership, and working with Finance, Donor Care, I/T to ensure accurate tracking and reporting organization-wide.
• Leads team of specialists in the management and facilitation of cash and in-kind programs, which includes supporting and advising chapter staff in their use of centralized resources, working with and stewarding in-kind sponsors.
• Selects, manages, and evaluates 3^rd party travel management company responsible for booking mileage award travel for wish trips
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Non-Profit Management, Business, or related field required.
• 5+ years of professional business experience required, preferably at a Make-A-Wish chapter or similar not-for-profit environment.
• Experience working within a team environment with multi-faceted reporting structures preferred.
• Experience working with Salesforce preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications required, including demonstrated expertise in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Working Conditions:

• Ability to thrive in a remote environment.
• Some travel may be required.
• May require work outside a traditional Monday – Friday work week, and outside normal business hours.

Position Summary:

The Director of Chapter Wish Relations is a highly visible, chapter‑facing role that supports the advancement of wish granting and wish enablement across the network. The role will manage a team of leaders that is deployed across the enterprise to support chapter wish granting efforts through program assessments, program management, and wish staff education and training. Additionally, the team will provide hands-on assistance to ensure wishes continue to be granted when chapters need interim support, including medical leaves of absence.

The Director will partner with Chapter & Mission Advancement leadership to strategically determine how best to support chapters in delivering high‑quality, efficient, child‑focused wish experiences while ensuring consistency with enterprise standards, strategy, and best practices. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, a change leader, a trusted advisor, and a collaborative leader who models best in class service and drives continuous improvement across the chapter network.

Knowledge & Abilities:

• Demonstrated expertise in wish fulfillment operations, program design, child and family centered practices, and mission compliance.
• Ability to assess complex systems and translate insights into actionable, strategic plans for improvement.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and coaching skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of chapter and national leadership.
• Strong consultation, collaboration, negotiation, and change leadership skills.
• Ability to identify operational challenges, facilitate solutions, and support implementation of best practices.
• Strong project management, prioritization, and follow through skills with sound judgment in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to engage and support chapter leadership and mission teams.
• Knowledge of nonprofit, federated network operations and the unique needs of local chapters.
• Skilled at creating clarity, aligning stakeholders, and driving toward measurable mission outcomes.

Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Manage and support the team in their partnership with chapters, ensuring key goals, support and strategies are aligned with clearly defined deliverables.
• Serve as a trusted mission program advisor to chapter CEOs and mission leaders to engage in strategy conversations and support leaders on high change periods.
• Implement a defined shared service model to support chapter wish granting and provide strategic consultation to mission leaders and program staff.
• Develop annual strategies to continue to leverage the power of the network and chapter talent through chapter-to-chapter collaboration and support.
• Evaluate and allocate strategic resource investments with measured ROI.
• Facilitate cross chapter workgroups and forums to share best practices, address common challenges, and disseminate scalable tools and resources.
• Serve as a key liaison between chapters and Chapter & Mission Advancement teams, elevating chapter needs, innovations, concerns, and emerging trends to inform enterprise decision making.
• In collaboration with VP and Sr. Director for Mission Advancement sources, develops, curates, and maintains templates, tools, and best practices for enterprise-wide use, ensuring clarity, consistency, and applicability across chapters.
• Support chapters in implementing wish related components of local and enterprise strategic plans.
• Support chapters in achieving KPIs related to wish journey and wish experience. Analyze mission data, dashboards, and operational trends to elevate insights, identify gaps, and recommend improvements.
• Builds and maintains strong, trust-based relationships with chapter leaders to ensure alignment with enterprise strategy and mission priorities.
• Partner in content creation for national conferences, Board and CEO trainings, meetings, and summits to strengthen the network and our mission.
• Partner with CRLs, Mission, Volunteer Engagement and Chapter Operations Support teams to activate resources for distressed chapters.
• Participate in the development and delivery of training for chapter mission staff, including onboarding, coaching, and professional development resources.
• Support chapters in adhering to wish standards, compliance requirements, safety guidelines, and documentation expectations.
• Promote a culture of excellence, learning, collaboration, and innovation across chapters and national partners.
• Responsible for hiring, performance management, training, supervising, and all aspects of coaching staff reporting to this position.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree required, nonprofit management, business or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of leadership experience in a federated non-profit organization required and Make-A-Wish experience preferred.
• Excellent knowledge of nonprofit resources and best practices in the areas of program delivery, volunteer recruitment, training of Boards and staff, community development, budgeting/financial management, operations, finance, and nonprofit regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, research, and data analysis, change management, program delivery, business planning and board/committee support.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office applications required, including demonstrated expertise in Word and Excel

Working Conditions:

• Ability to thrive in a remote environment.
• Travel required for internal and external meetings, 15-20%.
• May require work outside a traditional Monday – Friday work week, and outside normal business hours. This includes weekends and early evening weeknights.