Role outline and purpose

To champion the Trussell Trust’s presence in the public sphere, using the breadth of our external touchpoints to build a growing, sustainable and long-term income generation programme that drives progress towards our vision of a UK without the need for food banks. As a custodian of our relationships with public audiences, to specifically ensure we develop the breadth, depth and range of relationships with supporters and collaborators, and safeguard our organisation and network’s vision and values in this context. As the Director of Public Engagement this role is key in fostering a strong culture of excellence and accountability within the directorate.

Role responsibilities

• Lead the continual development and implementation of a high class income generation strategy, spanning individuals, community, corporate partners, trusts and philanthropists. Ensure that our supporter-facing teams are able to hit income targets, grow levels of support, and develop sustainable income streams.

• Oversee the work of the organisation’s communications, brand and marketing functions, ensuring that our public narrative is consistent and compelling, that we excel in connecting with audiences, and that our brand identity is core to all outputs. 

• As a member of the organisation’s Senior Leadership Group, contribute fully to the overall leadership of the Trussell Trust, including as an active member of our Organisational Stewardship SLG, our Finance, Audit and Risk Board Subcommittee and as a Director of Trussell Trading Ltd.

•   Provide visible leadership and active direction to ensure that the systems and processes that underpin all public engagement activity are robust, that decision-making is based on rigorous analysis and best practice, that integration and joint working ensures maximum benefit for supporters and other key stakeholders, and that timely, accurate and relevant information on income generation and other wider public engagement activity is in place.

• Maximise opportunities to attract new supporters by leading the development, testing and scaling a compelling set of fundraising propositions, deepen relationships with existing supporters by embedding a comprehensive approach to stewardship, and build a movement within our support base by strengthening understanding and engagement with our mission.

• Act as a visible and convincing ambassador for the work of the Trussell Trust amongst key external stakeholders, including senior representatives of supporting organisations and businesses. Proactively building an understanding of food banks in the Trussell Trust network, and ensure that this network-lens guides and underpins all of our activity in the public space

• Work closely with the wider SLG and colleagues in other departments to ensure all public engagement activity aligns to and furthers the overall mission of the organisation – including as an enabler of programmatic delivery and as a service-provider of marketing and communications support to other parts of the Trussell Trust.

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

• Demonstrable experience and successful track record in developing and delivering successful income generation strategies and implementation plans

• Experience of leading multi specialist teams to deliver outstanding results in income generation and engagement, particularly in the area of Individual Giving

• Strong understanding of core marketing and communications disciplines

·       Clear and current understanding of the breadth of digital opportunities, ideally with demonstrable experience of leading digital strategy

• Experience of leading a multi-disciplinary team of experts, and ability to build cross-departmental approaches and culture

• ·Proven experience and track record of developing income and expenditure budgets, achieving income targets and tracking performance, working at scale.

• Experience of working with a CRM, ideally with experience of strategically developing systems to improve results

• Clear, demonstrable understanding of fundraising best practice, including current data protection regulations and ethical codes.

Behaviours and competencies:

• Demonstrate a commitment to the values of the Trussell Trust 

• Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially- excluded backgrounds 

• Ability to galvanise, challenge and inspire a team

• Ability to influence cross-organisationally and externally

• Ability to collaborate with colleagues and adopt a posture of service towards others

• Mission-driven, with a focus on negotiating the correct balance between financial and missional outcomes

• Comfortable working with the pace and creativity of a rapidly changing, innovative organisation

• Ability to maintain a long-term development strategy whilst responding to immediate challenges and priorities.