Position:              Manager of Business Relations, Business Relations & Logistics Team

Category:            Full-Time

Location:             New York, NY

Posting Date:    August 2011

Organization Overview
DonorsChoose.org engages the public in public schools by giving people a simple, accountable, and personal way to do something about educational inequity. Public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on our site. Then, “citizen philanthropists” can support the projects that most inspire them. To date, more than 185,000 teachers and 5 million students from low-income families have received $86 million of books, art supplies, field trips, and other resources. Fast Company recently named DonorsChoose.org the first nonprofit to make the list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, and GOOD magazine highlighted DonorsChoose.org as one of 30 Places We Want to Work. Learn more at DonorsChoose.org/about.

Team Overview
The Operations Team delivers on the DonorsChoose.org mission.  We work directly with teachers, donors, and suppliers to enable an effective, streamlined user experience.  To ensure the end-to-end integrity of every project request, the Operations Team manages communications and systems that guide projects from submission through fulfillment.  We also coordinate the donor thank-you process, the rewarding final touch to the work performed by DonorsChoose.org.  With a focus on productivity gains, continuous improvement, and scalable technology to better serve teachers and donors, the Operations Team collaborates daily with other teams to keep our program running smoothly.  And we have a lot of fun.

As part of the Operations Team, the Business Relations & Logistics Team performs two interdependent roles:

· Developing relationships with our business partners to drive first-rate supplier performance, pricing, and partnerships

· Building scalable procurement systems to ensure funded projects are fulfilled and materials are delivered without delay

Position Responsibilities

The Manager of Business Relations will focus on the following to support the goals of the Business Relations & Logistics Team:

· Manage relationships with leaders at current and potential suppliers, and our electronic procurement providers

o  Communicate with vendors via email and phone, serving as the team’s primary liaison to our business partners

o Schedule and lead in-person meetings with key vendor contacts

· Collect and analyze data to maintain and strengthen a robust directory of select companies with whom we transact

o Manage enablement of new vendors

· Monitor and measure vendor performance to identify business issues and improvement opportunities

o  Collaborate with vendors to drive innovation and compliance with our unique business rules

o Troubleshoot procurement issues, and develop procedures and policies to support business rules

o Analyze trends in vendor performance and negotiate better service and pricing

· Collaborate with the Finance Team to handle invoice exceptions and resolve their root causes

Position Qualifications

The right candidate is motivated by our mission and entrepreneurial, goals-driven culture.  We seek a team player who is/has:

· Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to coordinate and prioritize multiple projects/responsibilities simultaneously

· Exceptional ability to build relationships with external parties and outstanding speaking, writing, interpersonal, and presentation skills

· Proven ability to manage accounts and develop strategic partnerships with businesses and suppliers

· Keen sense of business, operations, and supply chain issues; excellent quantitative and analysis skills

· Innovative and process oriented – excited and able to generate creative ideas to boost productivity

· Tech savvy and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, particularly Excel, required; experience in technology environment and SQL knowledge a plus

· Desire to work in a fast-paced, startup environment; a problem-solving philosophy; flexible to meet team needs; excitement to take on challenges with a sense of humor

· Bachelor’s degree required; 2+ years of relevant work experience preferred

Compensation and Benefits

DonorsChoose.org is proud to offer a total compensation package including: a competitive salary with merit-based bonus potential, a comprehensive benefits program including employer paid premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage, as well as transit benefits, non-contributing 401K plan, professional development budget, casual workplace and 5 weeks paid vacation plus national holidays.

To Apply

Send an email with ONE attachment containing both a resume and cover letter with salary requirements and indicating how you learned about the position to Jenni Davies at BRrecruiting(at)donorschoose(dot)org. Include only “Manager of Business Relations” in the subject line. The application deadline is Monday, September 5, 2011 at 5pm ET. Please note that we will only be responding to those who we believe are most qualified for the position. No calls, please.

DonorsChoose.org is an equal opportunity employer committed to developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.