Head of Major Gifts

About Habitat for Humanity Great Britain

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain (Habitat GB) is part of the global Habitat for Humanity network fighting global poverty and homelessness. We believe that a decent home helps to permanently break the cycle of poverty and allows families to achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance.

Habitat GB has recently completed a strategic review, resulting in a new National Strategy and an organisational restructure, to ensure the organisation is able to deliver the Strategy impactfully, efficiently and effectively.

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Location of this role: Home-based with regular travel to internal and external meetings and team events.

Job Purpose

Head of Major Gifts, Foundations and Trusts will be a key member of the Team.

With strong foundations already in place, Habitat for Humanity Great Britain are ready to take philanthropy to the next level—growing income from high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and foundations. This role offers the opportunity to grow and lead a talented team, cultivate transformational gifts, and build a sustainable, high-performing philanthropy programme. The role offers flexibility in how you manage your time and team, giving you the freedom to creatively approach donor stewardship, team development, and pipeline growth.

The foundations are already in place, over the past 3 years our team have established relationships with established and emerging Trusts and Foundations and created a robust set of stewardship journeys for new and existing donors.  We are in the process of launching an inspiring calendar of events from online webinars for mid-level donor conversion and early engagement to tailored thought leadership events and international project engagement. This is an exciting time to lend your philanthropy experience to a high growth area within Habitat for Humanity.

The role leverages the connections, networks, support, proposals/programmes and partnerships from across Habitat for Humanity GB and the Habitat for Humanity International network by working in collaboration, support and shared vision with others. As a member of the Fundraising and Partnerships Team the role will support and enable the development of the whole organisation. Externally, the role develops the profile of HFHGB, bringing in new relationships as well as managing existing, requiring strong oversight of fundraising and delivery.

We’re looking for a proven leader with hands-on experience in securing six and seven-figure gifts, developing high-value pipelines, and inspiring teams. The role is based remotely with frequent travel within the UK, and occasional global travel. 

Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic and operational planning and research.
• Partnership working and development.
• Management and reporting of Major Donor fundraising.
• Being an active leader, collaborating effectively with teams, and contributing fully to initiatives and opportunities.
• Co-creating ways of working to enable an adaptive, collaborative and high performing team
• Leading and managing a team.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

Strategic and operational planning and research

• Research and develop plans for fundraising from trusts, foundations, & philanthropists.  Collaborate with CEO, Board, and Development Councils to explore and equip opportunities to extend networks and relationships.
• Partnership working and development: Cultivate, secure and steward funding and relationships for HFHGB from major donors, high net worth individuals, trusts and foundations. Design and implement a programme of relationship development/stewardship and cultivation events.

Management and Reporting

• Develop oversight and reporting on development and delivery of Major Donor fundraising monitoring progress against key performance indicators.
• Maintaining the database of critical information (pipeline proposals, meetings, grants and donations. 

Leadership, networking and representation

• To develop a culture of support within the organisation. To lift others up and to give voice, agency and equity to all. Contribute to the Development Team, taking the lead on cross-organisational activities.
• Collaborate with the CEO to support/enable them to develop engagement with HFHGB.  Represent HFHGB externally at a senior level, building the organisational profile.

Skills and competencies:

• Extensive knowledge of trusts, foundations and high net worth individual fundraising best practice.
• Proven experience of raising 6 and 7 figure gifts from Trusts, Foundations and High Net Worth Individuals.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing strategic plans for high value donors/ trusts and foundations.
• A strong track record of overseeing prospect research, pipeline development and delivering growth.
• Extensive experience of producing high quality and compelling donor facing proposals, reports and other materials.
• Experience of fundraising management databases.
• Strong interpersonal and professional network development skills
• Engaging communications style for all stakeholders.
• Empowering and engaging line management style and approach.
• Excellent numeracy skills including experience of financial planning, budgeting, target setting and presenting detailed financial information.
• A self-starter with creative, entrepreneurial energy and confidence to take calculated risks with tenacity to manage setbacks. 
• Strong integrity, showing respect for others, trustworthiness and responsibility.
• Commitment to our vision, mission and values.
• Right to work in the UK at time of application.
• Ability to travel in the UK and occasionally globally

The role and responsibilities will be carried out in a way which reflects:

•  Habitat GB’s commitment to safeguarding children in accordance with the Safeguarding Policy.
• A commitment to Habitat GB’s vision, mission, values and approach.
•  A commitment to effective management of risk, by operating within the Charity’s code of conduct, policies, procedures and controls and by carrying out the risk management and assurance responsibilities of the role as set out in relevant Policy and Procedures.