Business Development Specialist

Do you want to make a real difference in people's lives? Work for an inspiring non-profit leader in disability services!

At Rise, Inc., we believe that everyone deserves opportunities to live a life filled with purpose and pride. In our employment, housing, and life-enrichment services, we support people to set and achieve their personal goals. That shared commitment is the foundation of a workplace that embraces a culture of learning and growth by offering extensive training, competitive salaries, and a fun work environment. Visit our website at www.rise.org to learn more about our work.

Position Summary:

The Business Development Specialist is responsible for identifying, developing, and maintaining relationships with businesses and community organizations to create meaningful opportunities for individuals supported by Rise. This role focuses primarily on generating contracted employment opportunities and secondarily on identifying community-based life enrichment/day service sites that foster inclusion, personal growth, and active engagement. The ideal candidate is a connector and someone who can build bridges between the community and Rise's mission.

Essential Duties:

Business Relationship Development

• Identify and cultivate relationships with businesses and community organizations to establish employment opportunities
• Actively promote Rise's mission and capabilities through one-on-one meetings, presentations, and community engagement
• Consult with internal program staff to assess viability and alignment of new opportunities with participant support needs, interests and goals
• Source and secure contracted work opportunities for supported employment teams, with a focus on sustainable, long-term business relationships
• Use methods including prospecting, cold calling, attending events, online research, business directories, and leveraging networks to generate viable opportunities
• Stay informed on labor market trends, workforce development funding, and community resources
• Provide feedback to leadership on emerging opportunities or barriers

Community-Based Day Services & Life Enrichment

• Develop partnerships with community centers, libraries, volunteer organizations, recreational facilities, and arts and cultural institutions to expand inclusive programming
• Consult with program leadership to assess viability and alignment of new opportunities with participant support needs, interests and goals

Outreach & Representation

• Represent Rise at community events, business forums, workforce development groups, and professional associations
• Serve as an ambassador of Rise's mission, ensuring consistent messaging and professionalism
• Design and execute employer outreach and consultation service for businesses who wish to strengthen their disability and mental health employment practices
• Collaborate with Advancement team to identify business partners that may be appropriate for volunteerism, corporate sponsorships, and major gifts

Tracking, Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of leads, contacts, prospects, contracts, and outcomes
• Regularly report progress toward goals, outcomes, and trends to leadership

Contract Management

• Support the bidding, review, and annual renewal of employment contracts in collaboration with program management
• Ensure contract terms are clearly documented and reflect the scope and value of services provided

Position Requirements:

Key Expectations

• Standards of Excellence Commitment: All Rise employees are expected to commit to, sign and follow-through on Rise's Standards of Excellence. Refer to "Standards of Excellence Commitment" document. In the Employee Handbook.
• Person-Centered Practices: Learn and consistently perform person-centered practices: Identify those things that are important to people who receive support; implement strategies to assure they are present in day-to-day life. Identify areas where change can happen without permission. Act on those areas.
• Communication: All Rise employees are expected to communicate effectively with other staff, external stakeholders and people we serve in a respectful and timely manner. This includes but is not limited to reading and responding to email in a timely manner, answering and responding to phone calls and voicemails, foster open communication; listening to others; preparing professional written communications as needed.
• Safety: Participate in the development of a safe and healthy workplace. Comply with safety policies and procedures and adhere to safe work practices. Comply with state motor vehicle laws and regulations. Take reasonable care to ensure your own, co-workers and persons served safety and health. Report any hazards, injuries or illnesses immediately to your supervisor. Will not place others at risk by any act or omission or interfere with safety equipment. Act as a role model by demonstrating safe work behaviors.

Key Competencies

• Service-focus - focus on customer needs
• Interpersonal skills - positive behaviors; build relationships; value diversity; manage disagreements; act with integrity; demonstrate adaptability; show work commitment
• Self-management - use time effectively and efficiently; concentrates efforts on the most important priorities; adeptly handles several tasks at once
• Compassion - genuinely cares about people; is available and ready to help; demonstrates real empathy with the joys and pains of others
• Perseverance - pursues tasks with energy, drive, and a need to finish; does not give up before finishing, even in the face of resistance or setbacks; steadfastly pushes self and others for results

Required Education, Experience, and other Qualifications

• Minimum three years marketing, sales and/or placement experience
• Strong verbal and written communications
• Must have a reliable vehicle, driver's license and good driving record
• Knowledge of the labor market trends and business practices
• Technology skills: Proficient with Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Preferred Education, Experience, and other Qualifications

• Degree in marketing/business preferred
• Previous experience practicing person-centered practices with people with disabilities or other barriers to employment
• A passion for advocacy in helping find opportunities for employment

Working Conditions and Environment:

Hours of Work

• Hours of work are typically daytime, Monday through Friday. Some evening or weekend hours may be required for various events

Travel

• Must be able to travel to various locations throughout the day, in the Twin Cities area and Western Wisconsin

Work Environment

• This job operates primarily in a variety of environments including Rise office locations as well as community partner facilities and remote

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

• The team member frequently is required to twist, stoop, bend, reach, pull, push, stand, sit and walk for up to eight hours per day

Other Duties

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the team member for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits

• Wage: $58,953.52 - $69,296.25 per year, depending on qualifications
• Medical insurance - single employee coverage less than $90/month
• Dental insurance less than $17/month
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) with a 100% vested employer match
• Rise sponsored Basic Life & AD &D insurance
• Voluntary Life, Short Term, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Tuition reimbursement and Rise sponsored trainings (i.e., CPR, First Aide, and more) to help you be successful in your role
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off (PTO) starts at 16 days during your first year, plus 2 floating holidays and 48 hours of ESST time per year
• Employee resource groups (i.e., DEI, LGBTQ+, recognition and more).
• A fun team environment that supports your professional development and opportunities for career advancement.
• Rise is a PSLF-eligible employer. Your qualified student loan balance may be forgiven after 120 covered payments.

Are you looking to work with a diverse team of professionals? Do you want to work in a fun environment while supporting others to live a life of possibilities? Then join Rise, Inc. Rise values being a person-centered organization. This impacts how we carry out services for the people we support and our organizational culture. We encourage people's unique individual differences and celebrate the ways our team members contribute to our community. We believe in a workplace informed by differing viewpoints and perspectives created from a diverse team and welcome people of all races, genders, ages, nationalities, religions, sexual orientations, and backgrounds to apply. Our goal is that those we serve, and our team members always feel valued and respected.