Major Donor – Job Description

Brighter Communities Worldwide are inviting applications for two new fundraising roles arising from a new 3-year strategic fundraising plan recently approved.

Major Donor Fundraiser – to lead and implement a new strategy for major gifts.

Title:                               Major Donor Fundraiser
Reporting to:              CEO
Type of Contract:      Part Time, 12 Month contract initially, 15 hours per week.
Salary:                            Competitive
Location:                       Remote/Hybrid working will be considered

Candidates must be resident in Ireland. Brighter Communities Worldwide Office is based at Lower Ground Floor, 2 Westbourne Place, Cobh, Co. Cork.

Starting Date:            July 2023

Brighter Communities Worldwide (BCW) is an Irish-based charity established in 2002 working in partnership with our organisation in Kenya. We work in partnership with communities, to deliver programmes that enrich their lives and help create better futures for them and their families. We have ambitious plans for growth to meet the needs of communities across Kenya  and neighbouring countries.  We actively live our core values of Integrity, Passion and Togetherness. We strive to create sustainable development, help end poverty, fight inequality and reduce the impacts of climate change.

The Board of Brighter Communities Worldwide have recently approved a new 3-year Income Strategy. This significant and ambitious Strategy is underpinned by fundraising development that will build on our existing activities, while embracing innovation and donor care. A significant new project in Kenya has been identified for support. This role will appeal to a target driven, compassionate individual, motivated to grow our major gift income, while building on the excellent values within our team. Our major donor prospects are mostly private individuals and a small number of foundations based in the Republic of Ireland.

Main Duties and Responsibilities re Major Gift Fundraising Strategy

• Lead, and implement the new strategy for major gifts.
• Finalise a new compelling Case for Support with key stakeholders.
• Create a business plan outlining campaign schedule, gift tables, donor profiles and more.
• Lead on the development and implementation of the campaign, working closely with the CEO and/or Co-Founder, ensuring they are prepared to engage with potential donors.
• Set annual targets and KPI’s in collaboration with CEO, ensuring targets are ambitious and achievable. Agree a method of monitoring progress that measures the quality activity that will generate revenue and keep all activity within budget.
• Develop engaging stories to inspire donors and leverage across acquisition and retention.
• Responsible for networking, cultivating, securing and managing a pipeline of high value gifts, donors for both capital needs and other ongoing funding needs.
• Work collaboratively with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, the BCW Board and key stakeholders to identify potential supporters and deliver valuable cultivation and stewardship events.
• Develop new donor relationships, including prospecting and on boarding new donors to our Major Donor programme, and managing their relationship with the organisation.
• Gathering as necessary, project information from programme teams to compose and develop fundraising materials to send to prospects and current donors to be included in letters, emails, mailing appeal packs, project proposals, presentations, and videos.
• Ensure appropriate, professional and timely gift acknowledgements supporting an ethos of relationship building with all donors.
• Ensure transparency and adherence to best practice, ensuring BCW complies with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public, giving operational and strategic support to ensure that the best data protection principles are adhered to.
• Work alongside other fundraising team members to assist in delivering BCW’s other key fundraising goals.
• Provide support to other fundraising team members and the wider BCW Team where needed.

A second new role currently being recruited for is Individual Giving Fundraiser and it is envisaged both roles will work closely together.

Person Specification

Technical Requirements

• Experience working in major gift fundraising with a track record. Candidate will be expected to quantify the amount and level of gifts they, and the team, secured in previous role.
• Minimum five years’ experience in a fundraising role in the one organisation.
• Experience in direct marketing fundraising, with demonstrated expertise in direct mail, digital fundraising and acquisition campaigns.
• Proven experience of driving successful tax back programmes.
• Experience in legacy promotion or willingness to initiate a new legacy giving programme.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing effective multiple-audience, donor-centred supporter journeys.
• Experience in engaging with or managing suppliers and agencies.
• Experienced in all Microsoft packages and the use of Customer Relationship Management systems.
• Strong written communication skills, experience developing proposals, mailing appeals, email appeals.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Personal Requirements

• Results driven with ability to meet or exceed fundraising targets.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including presentation skills, with proven experience building relationships with diverse stakeholder groups, and confidence to effectively communicate with senior stakeholders and supporters
• Demonstrated flexibility, resiliency and emotional agility, with a high level of self-awareness.
• A passion for making donors feel valued, engaged and connected.
• Strong time management and administration skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team.
• Willingness to travel overseas if needed.
• Third level degree.
• A keen interest in overseas development.
• A genuine passion and care for BCW’s community of volunteers and supporters.

Benefits

• Statutory annual leave
• Competitive Salary
• Opportunity for Remote/Hybrid working
• Working with a team of passionate, hard-working individuals committed to creating better futures

Applications

Please email your CV and accompanying short cover email/letter outlining your suitability for the role to admin@brightercommunities.org  by 5pm on Friday, May 27^th 2023.

Please ensure to include the following title in the subject line of your email ‘Application for Major Giving Fundraiser’.

Enquiries welcomed to Martin Ballantyne, CEO at admin@brightercommunities.org

Click here to download job description

As our organisation evolves to meet our new strategy, and this is a new role and job description, flexibility will be required as the role develops.

• First round interviews will take place via video call on week of May 29^th.
• Second round interviews will be in person, in Cobh, on a date to be arranged with the applicant.