Jobs for the Animal sector in south west

Major Donor Fundraising Manager

These are ambitious times for the Charity after recently launching a new strategy that sees growing impact across the world exponentially. 

We have now have an exciting opportunity for a proactive and professional individual with outstanding relationship building and influencing skills to join the dedicated Fundraising Department. 

Position: 1934 Major Gifts Manager 

Location: This role is nominally based at our site based in Sidmouth, Devon – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – and we offer hybrid working. We are keen to make the role work for you, and will consider fully remote/home working and flexible working patterns, where required.

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week, 08.30-16.30, Monday-Friday

Salary: £40,000 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: Monday 26 May 2025. However, we reserve the right to close this role early if a suitable candidate is found. Interviews will be held in Sidmouth, during the week commencing 16 June 2025. 

About the Role

As Major Gifts Manager, you will provide expertise in Major Gifts, successfully developing the programme in line with agreed annual targets and our Fundraising Strategy. You will work closely with the Head of Major Gifts to evolve and continuously improve the major gift activity, bringing an integrated approach across the charity to deliver the most donor-centric activity, whilst continuously evaluating performance.

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include:

• Inputting into and delivering the Major Gifts Strategy and improving the Major Gift portfolio and performance.

• Delivering and reporting on agreed projects, fundraising targets and KPIs.

• Proactively identifying and delivering new fundraising donors and income growth opportunities within Major Gifts.

• Leading on selected donor cultivation and stewardship projects to support sustainable income growth in Major Gifts, including events and other opportunities;

• Personally securing, managing and stewarding a portfolio of active Mid-Value, Major Donors and Charitable Trusts, forging and maintaining strong and enduring relationships.

• Supporting and growing the Major Gifts cultivation programme and pipeline to grow funders’ understanding of the diversity of the charity’s work.

• Being agile to changing market conditions and trends and working with the Head of Major Gifts to relay this into cultivation and stewardship.

About You

With experience of managing, cultivating, and delivering major gifts, and of planning future major gifts pipeline, you will have a proven track record of meeting and exceeding personal fundraising targets.

You will also have:

• A demonstrable record of building excellent stewardship and successful relationships with supporters at all levels including high net worth supporters, charitable trusts and other major donors.

• Well-developed knowledge of monitoring, evaluation, and interpretation of programme performance.

• Demonstrable experience of project budget management/reporting.

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.

• The ability to multi-task and work with several conflicting demands and timescales.

Benefits include

• Competitive pension.

• Life assurance – 2 x annual salary.

• Healthshield.

• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.

• Wellbeing team.

• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.

• Long service awards.

• Healthshield plan 

• Free parking.

• Subsidised restaurant and shop.

About the Organisation

The Donkey Sanctuary is one of the UK’s largest international animal welfare charities, currently supporting projects in over 35 countries worldwide, working for a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.

The Charity is a Disability Confident Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults) and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

You may also have experience in areas such as Major Donor, Major Gifts, Major Donor Fundraising, Major Gifts Fundraising, Major Donor Fundraising Manager, Major Gifts Fundraising Manager, Major Donor Fundraising Officer, Major Gifts Fundraising Officer, Major Donor Fundraiser, Major Gifts Fundraiser.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation

Are you a talented fundraiser who is motivated by bringing communities together to help change lives? This could be the role for you!

Canine Partners' mission is to change the lives of disabled people using expertly trained dogs to improve physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. 

To help us create amazing partnerships, we need amazing people. Canine Partners has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Community Fundraiser to join our dedicated Community Fundraising team. 

This is an incredible role at a prominent assistance dog charity where you role will be a part of our essential work that transforms lives every day. 

What you will do:

This is a vital role in our Fundraising team, where you will be working with individuals, organisations, schools and small businesses in the local areas across Scotland to raise income and awareness for Canine Partners. You will recruit, manage and inspire fundraising volunteers to support us to raise much-needed funds. You will be passionate about stewarding existing relationships and cultivating news ones, ensuring an outstanding donor experience. Taking a proactive approach will be key to showcasing our work and charitable goals. 

It is an exciting time to join us, as the charity marks its 35th anniversary this year year and we will be doing lots to celebrate! Including lots of ambitious projects such as setting up the community fundraising hub in Scotland, which you will play a pivotal part in. 

What we are looking for: 

• Demonstrable experience in community fundraising and events management. 
• A successful track record of securing and maintaining income and support from community-based organisations. 
• Proven experience of effectively manging relationships volunteers, supporters, and or external stakeholders/audiences. 
• Ability to manage a varied workload and take initiative to prioritise. 
• Excellent organisational and time management skills. 
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and public speaking skills. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications. 
• Experience of creating, forecasting, and monitoring budgets to deliver against income and expenditure targets. 
• The ability to travel in line with the requirements of the role. 

Most importantly, you will be passionate about the transformative impact that our assistance dogs provide to our beneficiaries. 

We can offer you:

• 33 days annual leave allowance (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Salary exchange pension scheme (matched up to 5%) 
• Charity (occupational) sick pay 
• Life assurance 
• Employee assistance programme
• Wellbeing portal
• Flexible working hours 
• Mileage expenses (45p per mile) 

This role benefits from homebased working with regular travel across Scotland. This is essential to meet with our donor, beneficiaries, colleagues and other stakeholders. You must have the ability to travel in line with the requirements of the role (claimable expenses for business travel will be agreed as required). We will provide a laptop and mobile phone for us in the role.  

If this sounds like the perfect role for your, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please apply online with a comprehensive CV and supporting statement explaining how you believe you match the requirements of the role. 

Please note we may choose to close this advertisement early should we find a suitable candidate or if we receive a high volume of applications. Please be assured that we contact all candidates regarding the outcome of their application, this may take longer if we receive high volumes of applications. 

All interviews will take place online (via MS Teams). 

First interviews are scheduled to take place on 7th May 2025. 

Second interviews are scheduled to take place on 12th May 2025. 
*subject to changes 

We recognise the benefit of diverse experience and welcome and encourage applications from all sections of the community. We are a disability confident committed employer. 

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