About Windmill Microlending

Windmill Microlending enables immigrants and refugees to build careers in Canada while reducing poverty and labour shortages. We do this by offering affordable loans along with career assessment coaching, financial literacy training, and mentorship for newcomers who lack access to mainstream credit. Since 2005, Windmill has provided over 10,000 loans to clients in healthcare, IT, financial services, law, engineering, and many other fields to triple their incomes as a result of our affordable loans and support. Windmill is a registered Canadian charity supported by donations and community bonds from the private sector and grants from the public sector.

Position Overview

Windmill's national Partnerships Team is tasked with growing a network of external partners that help to grow our loan applications from skilled newcomers across the country. Partners are essential to Windmill’s client acquisition strategy, and we are proud to have developed successful referral partnerships with educational institutions, settlement agencies, professional associations and corporations that refer hundreds of Windmill clients each year. Windmill’s partnership network is essential for building awareness and support for Windmill among key referral communities.

The Partnership Specialist, reporting directly to the Associate Director of Partnerships, will be a key member of the partnership team. This role will be responsible for growing current relationships and establishing new ones to ensure Windmill can meet its objective of supporting many more skilled immigrants each year.

This work will include executing Windmill’s ongoing strategic partnership plan – establishing a referral network of immigrant-serving organizations, learning institutions, regulatory bodies, professional associations, and ethno- and occupation-specific groups. While there is a geographic focus on Eastern Canada (ON, NS, NB, NFL), the position will also represent Windmill nationally and will work collaboratively with the Partnership Team to build referral networks across the country.

The Partnership Specialist will have the following responsibilities:

Partnership Generation and Development (80%)

• Actively connect with referring organizations for prospective loan applicants:
  • Seek out, schedule, and deliver information sessions and/or career planning workshops (in person or virtually) to groups of prospective loan applicants.
  • Seek out and participate in education fairs and industry and community events likely to attract prospective applicants and/or improve Windmill’s community standing with our referral network.
• Keep abreast of the immigrant sector, licensing and training needs and labour market trends to ensure effective targeting of prospective loan applicants.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Windmill’s communications team to compose digital media, marketing materials, and media events and build community among Windmill’s online network.
• Maintain and strengthen existing relationships with referral partners and cultivate new partnerships aligned with Windmill’s mission and vision.
• Foster knowledgeability and comfort with Windmill’s loan program amongst organizations in a position to refer eligible immigrants.
• Solicit information about partners’ programs and resources to strengthen the knowledge and responsiveness of Windmill staff in their work with clients.

Administration (20%)

• Maintain and refine promotional materials; collaborate closely with communications and development teams to ensure coordination on messaging.
• Maintain the integrity of the partnerships database/CRM; keep accurate and up-to-date digital files on all existing and new partnership contacts and activities.
• Produce basic statistical analysis and reports for the management and leadership team as requested.

Competencies and Characteristics

• Skillful and engaging presenter in English, comfortable speaking to audiences of all sizes at varying stages of the immigration process.
• Familiar with and motivated to help immigrants succeed; experience addressing the labour market integration challenges faced by internationally trained immigrants.
• Proven ability to achieve results and meet deadlines; has strong organizational and problem-solving skills; has a high-energy, self-motivated approach and entrepreneurial attitude
• Excellent people skills; experienced in collaborating in a multi-disciplinary, diverse and dynamic team nationwide.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and proposing new ways of creating efficiencies.
• Professionalism in all aspects of work, including writing and in-person communications, with superior attention to detail.

Qualifications and Knowledge:

• Has three to five years’ outreach, sales, or public relations experience; post-secondary education in this area is considered an asset.
• Project management software and CRM experience
• Comfortable using common digital media platforms for marketing and outreach.
• The ability to communicate in French is an asset.

Working Environment:

• Hybrid work in Toronto; minimum two days in office/week
• Shared office space
• Full-time (40 hours/week)
• Flexibility to occasionally work outside regular business hours due to events and presentations.
• Has access to transportation to attend meetings and events.

Salary:

• Starting range $60,000-$70,000 annually, based on skills and experience required for the role

If you meet the criteria above and are interested in applying for the position, please send your resume to hr@teamwindmill.org (reference: Partnership Specialist). We are actively recruiting for this position, so toensure you are given due consideration for this opportunity, interested candidates should send their resume,including a cover letter and salary expectation, as soon as possible. The successful candidate will berequired to provide a Police Clearance Certificate. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, onlythose considered for an interview will be contacted directly.

Windmill Microlending is an equal employment opportunity employer. Adhering to Canada’s Human Rights Code, Windmill grants equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons regardless of race, creed, colour, gender identity or expression, disability, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, citizenship, ancestry, ethnic origin, age or place of origin. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.