Promises & Expectations
The commitments each group makes to one another — the foundation of a successful, respectful partnership.
Between Nonprofits & Technical Experts
Nonprofits
Our mission is very important to us. To create change and make an impact, we need real-time information to see how successful our initiatives are. We understand that we are fully responsible and accountable for our org, and that the junior Salesforce professional will help us do the work (with the guidance of the technical experts). When things go wrong, we will collectively create an action plan and learn from the experience.
We promise to:
- ✓ Have strong leadership representation who will listen to technical advice
- ✓ Make time for thoughtful discussions, respond to queries and review documents where necessary
- ✓ Respect the time our technical experts provide, and consider options carefully
- ✓ Make decisions based on discussions and recommendations
- ✓ Show appreciation through written testimonials, recommendations and referrals
Technical Experts
We care deeply about implementing Salesforce correctly, and we understand that charities sometimes lack the technical capability internally to leverage the platform. We aim to share our collective experience to guide charities in shaping their long-term Salesforce strategy and building internal capability.
We promise to:
- ✓ Understand the charity's mission and landscape, and run discovery to clarify long-term goals
- ✓ Use the Salesforce Well-Architected framework to build long-term value
- ✓ Provide strategic advice on technical implementation of Salesforce and related clouds / apps
- ✓ Advise on technical and project governance to ensure projects are successful
- ✓ Guide the charity on building internal capability and recruitment
- ✓ Be clear about our committed hours, and honest if circumstances change
Between Nonprofits & Junior Professionals
Nonprofits
It's important for us to use our funding carefully, which means we may not have the budget to hire a junior Salesforce professional right now. If we recruit a volunteer for this role, we need someone who cares about us and understands why our mission matters.
We promise to:
- ✓ Create a supportive environment with flexibility in how they engage with us
- ✓ Make time to answer their questions and queries
- ✓ Provide access to the relevant org (for example a sandbox environment)
- ✓ Be thoughtful in our requests, framing them as user stories: “As a ___, I want to ___ so that I can ___”
- ✓ Be reasonable with requests and deadlines, and respect their working hours
- ✓ Test requirements in a timely manner and report any issues found
- ✓ Show appreciation through testimonials, recommendations and referrals
- ✓ Manage legal requirements such as NDAs, background checks and required training
Junior Professionals
I am a certified Salesforce professional, possibly pivoting into the industry from another career. I have done the relevant Trailhead modules and earned my certification. I have limited experience and am looking to get a foot in the door by working with a charity on a volunteer basis, with support from senior experts.
I promise to:
- ✓ Adhere to the charity's policies and procedures
- ✓ Be clear about the hours and dates I can commit, and give notice if circumstances change
- ✓ Be responsible and accountable for my tasks, owning up to any mistakes
- ✓ Focus on best practices, future-proofed solutions and ownership
- ✓ Be reliable, curious, and proactive in problem-solving and research
- ✓ Document requirements, decisions, test cases and processes thoroughly
- ✓ Have a growth mindset and be fully open to feedback
Between Technical Experts & Junior Professionals
Technical Experts
We want to help new talent break into the Salesforce ecosystem, and we understand how difficult it can be to get a first job without experience. This initiative lets us coach junior professionals to perform tasks within charities, growing their skills in a controlled manner that safeguards the charity's org and delivers quality solutions.
We promise to:
- ✓ Be clear about our expectations for a particular engagement
- ✓ Be transparent with the ‘why’ behind an instruction, so the rationale is understood
- ✓ Provide constructive, sensitive feedback so the junior professional can grow
- ✓ Support the junior professional when they have questions or doubts
Junior Professionals
I understand that the technical expert is also a volunteer who might be busy with their day job and life, and I am deeply appreciative of their guidance and advice to help me upskill and learn.
I promise to:
- ✓ Be responsible, accountable and reliable
- ✓ Be a proactive problem solver, using all the resources at my disposal
- ✓ Ask for advice when I'm stuck and my research hasn't yielded answers
- ✓ Learn the ropes quickly to reduce reliance on the technical experts
- ✓ Respect their time by keeping notes so I don't re-ask the same questions
- ✓ Be thorough, detail-focused, and test everything