Fundraising Officer (Resource Mobilisation)

Start Network

Location London (Central) with flexible working options available
Salary £32,000 - £34,000 per year plus competitive benefits package (negotiable upon relevant experience)
Team Resource Mobilisation
  • Closing: 11:59pm, 18th Jan 2022 GMT

Job Description

We are looking for an exceptional Fundraising Officer. The Fundraising Officer will support donor engagement activities across Start Network’s programmes, working with colleagues across the organisation to identify donor prospects, produce compelling presentations, draft concept notes and funding proposals aligned to donor priorities, support engagement of existing donors, coordinate events, and improve and implement grant administration processes.

Start Network is working with a growing number of committed institutional donors and large trusts and foundations. The role will provide a unique donor engagement experience for these existing donors, as well as scaling-up our efforts to secure funding from new sources. By providing support across the Resource Mobilisation team, as well as support for our external communications and events, this role will gain insight into the full breadth of Start Network’s programme and funding portfolio.  

As part of the above, it will be key for the post holder to build strong relationships internally and externally. With excellent communications skills and an ability to convey complex ideas simply, you will also be great at project management (as you will be coordinating multiple priorities) and enthusing others. 

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

The post holder will need:

  • Experience of working in a humanitarian/development organisation, with some understanding of the international funding landscape

  • Experience of working with trusts, foundations, or institutional donors

  • An aptitude for writing compelling narrative to ensure presentations and proposals stand out

  • A high level of numeracy with the ability to understand and analyse complex budgets

  • Strong organisational skills, ideally with experience of coordinating events and administrative processes

  • Excellent communications skills, with the ability to tailor communication to different audiences and convey complex ideas simply and concisely

  • Ability to lead independent projects and coordinate the wider team to deliver key outputs

  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and to prioritise tasks in response to multiple requests

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Prospecting and new donor engagement 

  • Support the Resource Mobilisation team to secure significant levels of income from new trusts, foundations, and institutional donors by:

  • Researching the application process and timescales for key donors, identifying opportunities in a timely manner and reporting back to the Head of Resource Mobilisation to ensure all potential opportunities are being explored.

  • Supporting Programmes colleagues to follow up with donor leads, briefing them on alignment with Start Network’s priorities, preparing meeting briefs, and developing compelling presentations.

  • Supporting the development of high-value concept notes and proposals, feeding into drafting processes and reviewing documents for clarity and alignment with donor priorities.

  • Supporting Finance and Programmes teams to produce accurate budgets and log-frames where required.

  • Building strong internal relations with staff at all levels, working closely with them to develop donor pitches, proposals and reports.

Donor account management and engagement

Provides a unique donor engagement experience for our existing funders by:

  • Supporting preparation and coordination of Start Network donor events, including our bi-annual Donor Council. This would include compiling lists of attendees, developing exciting and diverse agendas, supporting speakers to prepare presentations, working with Communications colleagues on video and design materials, and acting as an internal focal point for event coordination and delivery.

  • Preparing bespoke briefings and materials for donors on Start Network’s strategy and impact.

  • Leading coordination with Communications colleagues to ensure donor visibility expectations are met, including coordinating monthly catch ups, and inputting into press releases, website, and social media content.

  • Coordinating with Communications and Advocacy colleagues around sector-wide events, ensuring the Resource Mobilisation team has a clear understanding of event aims, as well as plans for donor engagement and involvement.

  • Support the preparation of other external donor events such as the Start Fund Bangladesh Donor Council and fundraising focused round tables to gain support for our programme portfolio

Grant administration and tracking

Act as the team lead for cross-organisational grant administration and tracking processes by:

  • Working closely with the International Finance and Grants Officer to support grant management processes for Start Network, including monitoring of a reporting calendar and tracking procedures.

  • Support the Resource Mobilisation team in ensuring fundraising activity is carefully managed on key tools including Salesforce.

  • Acting as point of contact for donor travel and event management support.

  • Providing administrative support with donor due diligence and compliance processes, coordinating with Start Network’s Operations team.

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

Communicator

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

Strategic Thinker 

Deliver results with awareness of impact on others internally and externally by considering the positions and perspectives of relevant stakeholders

Collaborative

Build networks internally and externally by showing curiosity and learning from others

Leader

Willing to share own expertise with others in the organisation and network, both formally and informally

Able to adapt and learn 

Recognise when others have good ideas and unafraid to implement ideas that have come from elsewhere by crediting colleagues and seeking advice

Action Oriented

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

ABOUT START NETWORK

Start Network is made up of more than 50 aid agencies across five continents. Together, our aim is to transform humanitarian action through innovation, fast funding, early action, and locally driven humanitarian action.  We're tackling what we believe are the biggest systemic problems that the sector faces. Problems including slow and reactive funding, centralised decision-making, and an aversion to change mean that people affected by crises around the world do not receive the best help fast enough, and needless suffering results.  

The Start Network is at a critical point in its journey. We are looking for people to join us who are committed to our vision of system change. People with open mind-sets and approaches that are innovative, collaborative, and receptive to change. Start Network is a dynamic, exciting, and forward-thinking organisation and we need diverse opinions and views to effect system change. We are therefore looking for people who are open to thinking differently, are prepared to challenge, and be challenged and can experiment. People who put the individuals and communities we serve at the heart of all their work and want to work towards creating a different humanitarian aid sector.

We have grown and diversified our membership over the past 10 years and are evolving into a decentralised “network of networks” in line with our vision. We are currently working with five national and regional hubs made up of predominantly civil society organisations in Pakistan, DRC, Guatemala, India and the Pacific. They are developing locally owned ways of anticipating and responding to humanitarian crises. We aim to support the emergence and development of further hubs in the coming years. Our ultimate ambition is to devolve leadership, membership, programming, and decision making to the hubs, while the central team transitions to become a service provider.  

For more information about our values and strategic priorities, please visit our website

OUR OFFER TO YOU

  • Centrally located WeWork office with onsite drinks and snacks available free of charge

  • Access to cultural talks, events, pop-up sales, and a place to meet and socialise after work  

  • Discounts at local cafes and restaurants in association with WeWork

  • Flexible working with options to work from home and remotely some of the time

  • Contributory pension

  • Life assurance equivalent of three times your salary

  • Family friendly policies, particularly maternity pay (21 weeks full pay)

  • Training and development opportunities for individuals and cross-organisationally

  • 25 days’ holiday, bank holidays plus 2 paid company days over the Christmas period

CANDIDATE INFORMATION 

All our roles are open to discussion about flexible working. While our team is office based, home working is part of our culture. For part-time working and job-shares, please get in touch with us for a conversation about possibilities. 

We are committed to protecting people, particularly children, at-risk adults and affected populations from any harm that may be caused due to their encountering the Start Network as well as responding effectively should any harm occur.   

We are also committed to safeguarding staff from any forms of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of power as outlined in our Dignity at Work policy.   

We embrace diversity, promote equality of opportunity, and eliminates unlawful discrimination.  We are an equal opportunities employer and treat every application on merit alone.  Start Network particularly welcome applications from disabled, black, indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC), and LGBT+ and non-binary candidates and offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our essential selection criteria.   

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, so please apply early where possible. We reserve the right to close applications early if we reach a satisfactory number of applications. Early applications are highly encouraged.

Please note that any offer of employment is subject to relevant checks. Please refer to our privacy statement and candidate privacy notice regarding treatment of your data. 

Removing bias from the hiring process

Applications closed Tue 18th Jan 2022

x

Removing bias from the hiring process

  • Your application will be anonymously reviewed by our hiring team to ensure fairness
  • You’ll need a CV/résumé, but it’ll only be considered if you score well on the anonymous review

Applications closed Tue 18th Jan 2022