Major Donor Fundraiser (England)

Post Details

Post Title: Major Donor Fundraiser

Type of appointment: Permanent

Reporting to: Director of Fundraising

Location: Flexible but with regular travel to London and elsewhere.

Hours of work: Full time, 37.5 hours per week over 5 days. Annual leave allowance is 22 days plus public holidays.

Salary: £35,000-£40,000, more may be possible for an exceptional candidate.

Job purpose

We are seeking an experienced major donor fundraiser to actively engage with more donors and prospects to help build our income and pipeline. The role will have its own portfolio of donors and prospects, as well as assisting the Director of Fundraising and CEO with approaches to and stewardship of the top tier of donors. Strong experience of proposal writing is highly desirable not least as for our purposes medium and large trusts fall within the scope of this role. The role will have its own income target as well as other KPIs based on engagement (meetings held etc).

Partnerships

In addition to the external dimension, this role will work mainly with GWCT staff, there may be the occasional requirement to work with specific universities on specific trust applications

Our vision

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) is a UK-based wildlife research and conservation charity. Its headquarters is based in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, and there are several administrative and research outstations across England, Wales, and Scotland. Its aim is for a thriving countryside rich in game and other wildlife, with the goal of enhancing the British countryside for public benefit. The GWCT has been researching and developing game and wildlife management techniques for over 80 years. The results of its applied research are used to provide science-led training and advice to farmers, gamekeepers, land managers, policy makers, politicians and other stakeholders on how best to ensure sustainable land management alongside a countryside rich in wildlife.

Who will you be working with?

The Director of Fundraising and CEO on the wider major donor work.

The Prospect Researcher in getting information about donors and prospects and ensuring we keep accurate and comprehensive records on Salesforce, the CRM system.

The London Events team, given how many new prospects come via this route.

The Scottish fundraising function.

Regional Organisers when they flag new individuals of interest.

Key staff (Directors and others) mainly in the Research, Advisory and Allerton teams for producing high quality compelling funding proposals.

The Finance team based in HQ.

Key committees internal and external, the Development Committee, City event committee, larger event committees.

Charitable Trusts and Foundations.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

1. Delivery of agreed income targets based on a defined portfolio.
2. In conjunction with the Prospect Researcher, responsibility for the development of a more structured stewardship programme across all major donors.
3. Also with the Prospect Researcher, creation of streamlined systems to ensure all useful data is captured on Salesforce.
4. Agreed targets on number of meetings held with donors and prospects whether face to face (preferred), or online.
5. Working with the Director and others, increase income from trusts and foundations both larger and smaller.

Person Specification

1. A strong background in major donor fundraising, able to evidence success. Essential
2. A deep understanding of stewardship and the process required to move someone from suspect to prospect to donor. Essential
3. Strong interpersonal skills with gravitas but also the ability to put people at all levels at ease. Essential
4. Excellent communications skills both written and verbal. Essential
5. A demonstrable understanding of exploiting a proper CRM system. Essential
6. Strong financial skills including budgeting, monitoring and forecasting. Essential
7. The ability to get an early, strong understanding of GWCT's work and offering in order to convey this in a compelling way. Essential
8. A good understanding of moves management, the 7 step cycle and similar concepts. Preferable