Senior Philanthropy Executive

Refugee Council – Senior Philanthropy Executive 

Location: Home working / Stratford, London (hybrid of home working and 1-2 days per week in Stratford Office)

Salary: £38,166-£41,286 (depending on experience)

Contract: Permanent, full-time hours

Refugee Council is seeking a Senior Philanthropy Executive to secure and steward new donors, and to grow the charity’s established Major Donor/Philanthropy programme, taking it to a new level of giving. 

Refugee Council is a leading charity supporting refugees and people seeking asylum to rebuild their lives in safety here in the UK.  Providing practical, hands on support, their award winning services include welcoming refugees into local communities across the country, providing specialist children’s services – with a particular focus on refugee children who arrive here alone, helping people to navigate the asylum system, and supporting people to access housing and employment.  Evidence from services is then used to also inform the charity’s leading policy and influencing work, including campaigning for a fairer and kinder refugee protection system.  The charity works with more than 14,000 men, women and children every year.

As a result of growing need and increasing interest in Refugee Council’s work, the charity has ambitious plans to make a leap in impact, with investment in their Philanthropy Team to raise increased funds from key high value audiences.

Working with key stakeholders from across the organisation, the post-holder will play a critical role in the delivery of an ambitious Major Donor/Philanthropy strategy and will be responsible for offering inspiring stewardship to the existing cohort of major donors, and for driving forward work to identify new prospects. Refugee Council has ambitious plans to significantly grow income from major donors, capitalising on the high profile which immigration and asylum currently have in public and political discourse.

The ideal candidate will have a track record in cultivating relationships from new and existing supporters and in securing in five figure gifts or above, as well as in meeting challenging income targets. They will have excellent knowledge of the methodology of major gift fundraising strategies and a proven ability to create bespoke, compelling cases for support and reports at a variety of levels and for different audiences.  Excellent verbal and communication skills will be combined with superb relationships building and networking abilities. Finally they will be self-motivating, with the ability to think creatively and translate that into creative concepts and compelling copy.

Refugee Council will provide the most moving and diverse case for support. Cases that encompass innovative external affairs campaigns aimed at engaging policy makers and the public.

Refugee Council knows that step change takes time and planning, and they have put together a plan for growth that is ambitious but is also realistic and allows time for development and engagement. This plan also includes recruiting prospecting, stewardship, and communications expertise, so that growth is supported, planned and achievable.  

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and ambitious team recently shortlisted for Fundraising Team of the Year at the 2023 Third Sector Awards, and working with the Third Sector 2023’s Frontline Service Team of the Year, as well as contributing to the transformation of the experiences of refugees seeking protection in the UK.

CLOSING DATE: Monday 1st April 2024, 9am GMT.