WHAT IS START NETWORK?

Our purpose is to be a catalyst for system-level change that improves the efficiency, effectiveness and ethics of humanitarian action. We do this by working as a network to develop, test & spread new ways of collaborating and resourcing locally-led crisis response and anticipation.

Our current membership is made up of nearly 100 local, national and international NGOs based all around the world. We also support 10 national and regional hubs made up of civil society organisations and NGOs as our vehicle for devolving power, resources and accountability.

OUR SOLUTIONS

DECENTRAISLING & LOCALLY-LED ACTION: Shifting power and resources and decentralising decision-making to locally led networks and organisations.

EARLY & RAPID FINANCING: Building a global financing system that reduces risk, anticipates, and acts ahead of predictable crises.

COMMUNITY-LED INNOVATION: Incentivising innovative, locally led, and contextual solutions and learning from them together with people affected by crises.

For more information about Start Network and what we do, please visit our website. 

OUR VALUES

WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST: Communities come first in our decision-making and programming.

WE ARE BRAVE: We have great ambition and are willing to explore new things and take risks to achieve it

WE OPERATE COLLECTIVELY: We leverage the value of working as a network, sharing risk and resources, and learning together.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We see the value in diverse perspectives and work to remove the barriers that prevent voices from being heard.

WE ARE OPEN: We work transparently and with integrity, building mutual trust in all levels of our work, from governance to programming.

WE ARE ETHICAL: We behave and operate based on key principles of anti-racism, non-discrimination, and anti-colonialism. This is a work in progress.

JOB PURPOSE

Start Network is looking for an Institutional Funding Manager who is strategic, ambitious, and a great team player. You will work with the Head of Resource Mobilisation to set and deliver a strategy to maximise our institutional funding portfolio and grow our income substantially over the coming three years (from £38m annually to £50m). This role will be key to enabling Start Network to deliver on its strategy, and the postholder will have the opportunity to engage across all areas of Start Network’s programmes. The Institutional Fundraising manager will be responsible for securing and overseeing significant levels of income from institutional sources for Start Network’s work globally, including working with programmes teams on project development and the preparation of high-value proposals for institutional donors (narrative, budgets, monitoring frameworks and other technical documents). The postholder will be expected to work at both an operational and strategic level, managing their own portfolio of donors (such as FCDO who is our largest donor), securing new business from scratch, and providing Start Network with tactical direction on donor outreach and compliance.

Currently, we receive funding from multiple European governments and FCDO so experience with these funders plus USAID would be critical for this role.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategy development

• Support the Head of Resource Mobilisation in devising and implementing an institutional fundraising and diversification strategy, that delivers on agreed short and long-term income targets

• Track and report to the Head of Resource Mobilisation on progress towards strategy targets

• Support the team in establishing processes for prospecting, proposal development, and donor management, which are collaborative, efficient and effective

Operational planning and implementation

• Work alongside the Senior Institutional Fundraisers to secure significant levels of income (seven to eight figures) from large UK and global institutional funders,

• Work with colleagues in the programmes’ teams, contributing to the development of fundable programmes of work, and creating attractive value propositions for institutional donors

• Lead on the development of high-value proposals, supporting Finance and Programmes teams to produce complex budgets and log frames where required

• Lead on gathering and sharing donor intelligence at team level; and assist programmes and other colleagues to do the same

• Lead improvements to Start Network’s capacity to acquire funding from new sources, ensuring that relationships with existing and potential donors are developed and maximised.

• Coordinate and support other senior leaders to develop active relationships with targeted institutional donors, supporting them with briefings and pitches

 Relationship management

• Establish positive working relationships with institutional donors (current and prospect); providing a unique donor engagement experience and ensuring coordinated and targeted communication at all levels

• Build strong internal relations with staff at all levels, working closely with them to develop donor pitches, proposals

• Advise Finance and Programmes colleagues on grant management, ensuring donor reporting requirements are understood and adhered to

• Provide guidance on donor compliance, based on previous experiences with these donors

• Support donor reporting, making sure quality and compliance is adhered to

• Identify opportunities, support coordination, and participate as needed in key profile-raising events, in order to build the reputation of Start Network among global funders

Build knowledge and capacity within the organisation

• Advise on contract negotiations, communication with donors, and compliance with donor requirements, working closely with Start’s programmes and operations teams

Management responsibility

• Line manage  two Senior Institutional Fundraises,  supporting them in developing strategies to maximise the portfolio of donors they manage

• Make sure the institutional team is motivated, engaged and valued

• Make sure the institutional team have appropriate KPIs and professional development plans

START NETWORK CULTURE

• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children

• A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach

• The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture.

PERSON PROFILE

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Significant institutional fundraising experience in the humanitarian/development sector

• Understanding and experience of working with large global bilateral donors (French Government, German Federal Foreign Office, USAID, FCDO, SIDA, etc).

• Experience in managing £10m+ annual institutional budgets

• Experience in developing an institutional fundraising strategy

• Experience of prospecting and new business development

• Experience in putting together large eight figure business cases for FCDO

• Financial acumen with experience of complex budget development

• A strong understanding of the compliance requirements of institutional donors

• Project management skills

• Excellent writing skills

• Confident public speaker

• Experience in managing small teams effectively

Key Competencies

• Flex communication style to convey complex information concisely to different audiences, avoiding jargon and using simple language

• Influence stakeholders to address difficult or complex issues by listening to diverse perspectives, finding common ground and avoiding criticism or complaint

• Hold both a strategic perspective and enough detail to work with one part of the organisation whilst understanding the impact on other parts of the organisation and network through listening and engaging with other teams

• Actively promote collaboration by spotting and breaking down barriers to siloed working, connecting colleagues, teams and initiatives

• Able to reprioritise and shift focus in response to changing needs of the organisation or network by being aware of how your role sits in the system

• Deliver results in pursuit of our mission by holding yourself to account for your work, taking decisions relevant to your role and supporting colleagues whilst having fun

• Anticipate the ‘what ifs’ and actively plan to navigate them together with the team, seeking collaborative solutions and drawing on those with relevant expertise

• Seek to understand and act upon own areas for growth, reflecting and learning from things that have not gone so well by showing vulnerability and openness to change

• A true will to build positive and effective relations across teams, meaning that finding positive ways or working and having strong communication skills is key