Community Relations Specialist

Founded by a small group of educators, Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union (MSGCU) has been providing quality financial services to the community for 70 years and welcomes everyone in Michigan to bank with us. We are financial champions committed to helping our members achieve financial success by rallying behind them and their goals. As the sixth largest Credit Union in Michigan, MSGCU has 22 branch offices in southeast Michigan, over 450 team members, 140,000 members, $3.5 billion in assets, and a 95% member satisfaction rating for two decades. We are a caring organization that strives to ensure an equitable and inclusive culture where everyone is valued and respected. Our dedication to team member engagement has contributed to the honor of being named a Top Workplace by The Detroit Free Press eleven years in a row.

If you have a passion for helping people and providing exceptional and dependable service, we want you on our team!

Overview of Responsibilities: Represents MSGCU at community and member events and business development activities. Coordinates and implements programs and initiatives designed to increase membership, member services, and loan activity to help MSGCU achieve our strategic targets.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Works collaboratively with Marketing, Branch teams, and other internal departments to facilitate business development activities with the field of membership and membership groups.

• Conducts informational presentations to groups of prospective members. Provides on-going resources and materials to members and membership groups (government entities, education professionals, realtors, and other identified groups) to educate and grow membership.

• Communicates with membership groups on current promotions and shares the benefits of MSGCU products and services. Tactfully addresses competition and changes in market dynamics when interacting with members and prospective members.

• Serves as primary contact and liaison for membership groups in order to build effective, professional relationships.

• Establishes MSGCU presence in new communities. This includes building relationships with key influencers, assisting with marketing initiatives to promote MSGCU, delivering presentations to high school and adult audiences to promote financial literacy, and generating goodwill through community involvement on behalf of MSGCU.

• Analyzes and audits new and existing community relations programs and opportunities for impact and value and provides insights and recommendations for participation/improvement to Business Development/Community Relations Manager.

• Assists in scoping, implementing, and managing various Community Relations initiatives including, Give Back Program, High School Marketing Program, Welcome Back to School Events, Member and Community Appreciation Events and Scholarship Reception.

• Creates and executes according to detailed work plans that identify and sequence all activities needed to complete each initiative successfully, determines resources (time, money, equipment, etc.) required, collaborates with stakeholders to develop schedules that effectively allocate the available/budgeted resources, and defines objectives and measures that the initiative will be evaluated on. Adjusts work plans as necessary; keeps stakeholders updated on progress; reviews the quality of vendor work; and ensures deliverables are on time, within budget, and meet or exceed expectations.

• Provides support for the business development program including maintaining databases, producing, and distributing communications and tracking business metrics.

• Monitors and reviews all budgeted initiative expenditures according to established accounting policies and procedures and provides recommendation for approval. Ensures that all financial records are up to date.

• Completes closeout report for each initiative and reviews with Business Development/Community Relations Manager. Captures learnings to apply to future initiatives.

• Maintains proficiency in financial literacy by taking essential professional development to enhance knowledge.

• Schedules and facilitates workplace education and school presentations. Prepares the necessary instructional handouts for distribution at adult and high school presentations.

• Participates in department meetings, supports department goals, and adheres to department service standards.

Essential Preparation and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience; and
• 2 years of sales, field marketing, or community relations experience, preferably within the financial industry or a closely related field.
• 1 year of project management experience preferred.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Member Focus: Uses effective listening skills to gain insight and understanding into the needs of others in order to build relationships and deliver impactful, member-focused community programs.

• Balances Stakeholders: Understands stakeholder requirements, expectations, and needs; builds partnerships and works cooperatively with others to achieve shared objectives.

• Action Oriented: Uses strong project management and organizational skills to take on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency and enthusiasm. Possesses excellent critical thinking, time, and territory management skills.

• Resourcefulness: Applies knowledge of MSGCUs processes and culture to efficiently secure and deploy resources to meet organizational goals. Orchestrates multiple activities simultaneously, breaking down objectives into tasks, and staging activities with milestones and schedules. Ability to serve as subject matter expert on financial education topics.

• Interpersonal Savvy: Relates comfortably, builds, and maintains relationships with people across levels, functions, and culture. Builds strong relationship networks inside and outside MSGCU.

• Communicates Effectively: Comfortable speaking to large groups. Develops and delivers communications tailored to the needs of different audiences and situations, adapting approach to match shifting demands. Effectively articulates ideas and opportunities that will create sustainable value for MSGCU. Ability to speak effectively in public and lead financial literacy sessions on various financial topics.

• Instills Trust: Gains the confidence of others by modeling honesty, integrity, authenticity, and behaviors that align with organizational values. Exemplifies courage by stepping up to address difficult issues.

• Self-Development: Actively seeks new ways to grow and learn using formal and informal development channels and experimentation when tackling new problems. Extracts and applies lessons learned from hardships and mistakes.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

• Must possess a valid drivers license and be able to travel within MSGCUs service area.

Compensation and Benefits:

Competitive salaries are just the starting point for MSGCU team members. Generous health benefits, vacation time, retirement plan contributions and discounts on loans and phone service also come with the job.

• Base salary begins at $55,000 / year

• Medical, dental and vision on your first day! You can choose the most generous Health Savings Account (HSA)-eligible medical plan with no monthly premium for you (and your family)

• If you are at least 21 years old, you will receive a 3% contribution from MSGCU, and a 100% match for the next 7% you contribute to your 401(k)

• You will enjoy 12 paid holidays and up to 120 hours of PTO your first year of service (pro-rated based on start date)

Working Conditions:

• Office and branch location environment with little discomfort from noise, extreme temperature, dust, or other factors.

• Required to travel throughout MSGCUs service area most of the time. Team member to provide own transportation with eligibility for on-the-job mileage reimbursement.

• Exposed to potentially hazardous conditions, such as robbery. Receives detailed instructions and security procedures on an annual basis to minimize risk.

• This work involves sitting most of the time with brief periods of walking or standing and frequently requires lifting and/or moving up to 30 pounds.

• Normal working hours will be MSGCUs standard branch and administrative office hours of operation, however, periodic weekends and frequent before/after normal office hours will be required.