Trusts and Foundations Executive

We are hiring a Trusts and Foundations Executive

Do you have excellent written communication skills, an interest in developing relationships with charitable funders and the ability to manage competing priorities? Are you motivated by the opportunity to generate vital income that helps tackle the housing emergency?

Then join Shelter as a Trusts and Foundations Executive and help us build strong, lasting relationships with trusts and foundations to secure funding for our services and campaigns.

About the role

As Trusts and Foundations Executive, you will manage a varied portfolio of warm, lapsed and prospective trust and foundation supporters, securing gifts of up to £30,000. You will also manage our regular mailing programme to smaller trusts, coordinating the information and processes needed to deliver high-quality and timely applications.

You will research existing and potential funders and maintain and develop relationships, submitting tailored proposals and reports. By utilising a relationship-led approach, you will communicate with trusts throughout the application and stewardship process, whilst also working with colleagues across Shelter to gather compelling information about our services and campaigns. 

This is a one-year fixed-term role, offering flexible working with regular travel to London and other Shelter locations for meetings when required.

Role specifics

We’re looking for a proactive and organised individual, who can build positive relationships with funders while also managing a busy portfolio of applications, reports and stewardship activity.

You will:

• Manage relationships with an allocated portfolio of warm, lapsed and new trust funders, helping to develop sustainable, long-term partnerships.
• Lead the delivery of Shelter’s Small Trust Mailing, summarising our national and regional work and tailoring communications where appropriate.
• Write persuasive funding proposals, grant reports and updates tailored to the requirements and interests of different funders.
• Acknowledge donations promptly and steward funders between applications to maintain strong relationships with Shelter.
• Monitor and the Trust and Foundations Team email inbox, responding to queries, administering donations and flagging emails with the rest of the team as appropriate.
• Keep accurate records of donor activity and communications using Microsoft Dynamics and other agreed information systems.
• Monitor income and activity against agreed financial and productivity targets.
• Research potential funders and maintain an active pipeline of opportunities, prioritising approaches based on their potential value, likelihood of success and stage of engagement.
• Work with colleagues across services, campaigns, finance and senior management to gather accurate information, budgets, permissions and evidence of impact.
• Arrange and attend meetings and project visits, ensuring colleagues are properly briefed and funders receive an engaging and professional experience.
• Support wider High Value Partnerships projects and Shelter’s Special Events programme when required.

About you

You will be a confident written communicator who can turn detailed information into clear, compelling and tailored funding applications. You will also be comfortable researching new opportunities, managing multiple deadlines and building relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

You will also be:

• Highly organised, with the ability to plan and prioritise a varied workload.
• Confident maintaining accurate records and using databases or customer relationship management systems.
• Comfortable taking ownership of tasks and progressing work independently.
• Collaborative and able to work effectively with colleagues across different teams and areas of expertise.
• Able to gather, interpret and present complex information clearly.
• Motivated by meeting financial and activity targets.
• Proactive, reflective and open to learning from both successes and challenges.
• Committed to working inclusively and contributing to Shelter’s journey towards becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

Previous experience of fundraising, relationship management, proposal writing or working with trusts and foundations would be valuable. We also welcome applications from people who can demonstrate relevant transferable skills and the ability to learn quickly.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• 30 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Flexible working hours and practices.
• A competitive pension scheme.
• Salary sacrifice schemes.
• Enhanced family-friendly policies.
• Interest-free travel loans.
• A tenancy deposit loan.
• Payroll giving and a cycle-to-work scheme.
• Access to an employee assistance programme.

We are happy to talk about flexible working and personal growth, and we are committed to creating a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based on your merit.

About the team

The Trusts and Foundations team forms part of High Value Partnerships within Shelter’s Income Generation Directorate.

The team currently consists of eight fundraisers and one Grants Manager, working together to secure funding and develop lasting relationships with trusts and foundations.

Income Generation raises around £40 million each year to support Shelter’s work. You will work closely with colleagues across Trusts and Foundations, Corporate Partnerships, Major Donors, Special Events and Legacies, as well as colleagues in Shelter’s services, campaigns and finance teams.

You will join a supportive and collaborative team that shares knowledge, celebrates the contributions of others and works together to maximise income opportunities for Shelter.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit your work history and a supporting statement. Please provide specific examples of how you meet the criteria in the 'About you' section of this advert, following the STAR format, and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviours below throughout your responses:

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset
• We learn from our experiences and are open to risk
• We create change and align behind our strategy

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet every day, millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement.

In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter, and we welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

We recognise that people from marginalised groups may face additional barriers throughout their careers. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every part of the job description, please do not let that stop you from applying. We encourage you to tell us how your skills, knowledge, behaviours and experience would support your success in the role.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.

All staff are expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies or accept the fees associated with them.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them