About Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries
Founded in 1969, the mission of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) is to challenge systemic injustices faced by those who are oppressed, forgotten, and hurting by providing responsive solutions, advocacy, and hope. LMM’s founding began as an ecumenical response, started by the Lutheran Church, to the urban uprising that took place on the East Side of Cleveland in the mid-1960s. Over the last five decades, LMM has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to addressing chronic needs, enabling community members facing adversity to become self-sufficient, and advocating for systems change. LMM's programming focuses on innovative and effective services in the areas of Guardianship, Housing & Shelter, Workforce Development, and Youth Resiliency.
Business Development Fellow Opportunity
LMM is seeking a Business Development Fellow to support the growth and expansion of its Building, Maintenance and Repair training program. This temporary position will focus on developing employer partnerships, identifying business needs and workforce opportunities to secure job placement opportunities for program graduates. The Fellow will play a critical role in laying the foundation for long-term employer engagement and revenue-generating contracts.
This dynamic, short-term role will focus on evaluating existing skilled trades workforce business needs, identifying areas of growth, and developing actionable plans to address skills gaps with employers and expand job placement opportunities.
Key Responsibilities
▫ Conduct structured interviews with property management companies, cleaning service providers, facility maintenance providers, construction and commercial real estate entities, and public-sector employers to understand hiring needs, skills gaps, and preferred certifications.
▫ Tour employer facilities to assess work environments, job requirements, and potential service contract opportunities.
▫ Develop partnerships by presenting the BMR training program’s value to hiring managers and industry leaders.
▫ Facilitate discussions with multiple employers to identify common challenges and workforce demands in the maintenance sector.
▫ Promote the Building, Maintenance and Repair training program to business owners, hire managers, and industry leaders to develop hiring pipelines, apprenticeships, and work-based learning opportunities.
▫ Represent LMM at networking events, and industry or trade association gatherings.
▫ Set up structure to track and report employer partnership outcomes. Provide bi-weekly progress reports for leadership review.
▫ Deliver concise recommendations to leadership highlighting actionable insights.
Term: 500 hours
Stipend: $10,000
Location: 4515 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103
Next Steps: To request application materials, please contact Amy Ammar (aammar@bvuvolunteers.org) or Elizabeth Voudouris (evoudouris@bvuvolunteers.org).
The BVU Fellows program connects late-career professionals to projects that help nonprofit organizations build capacity, grow strategically, and make a more effective and sustainable impact on the community.