Senior Community Fundraiser

Reporting to: Community & Challenge Events Manager

Direct reports: N/A

Hours: Full time, Monday to Friday (37.5 hours per week).

Location: Hybrid working – Minimum 40% of working time to be spent in the office based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Includes occasional local, regional and national travel.

Job purpose: 

• Lead and grow community fundraising activity and campaigns to support Willow’s strategic income goals
• Build and steward strong relationships with donors, fundraisers, volunteers, and community partners to increase support and awareness.
• Develop innovative fundraising initiatives with the Community and Challenge Events Manager, informed by sector insights and trends.
• Contribute to the successful delivery of Community, Challenge, and wider Fundraising Team targets and events

Key Responsibilities:

• To help lead and develop our Community Fundraising strategy and plans within agreed budgets to achieve financial non-financial targets.
• To raise awareness of our work and to inspire support through:
  • Providing outstanding stewardship to our network of supporters to maintain engagement and build loyalty. To provide a highly personalised approach to supporting Willow’s fundraisers ensuring our supporters receive a positive experience throughout their fundraising activity
  • To proactively develop relationships with various organisations within the community setting, including, schools, societies, community groups and companies.
  • To create a pipeline of activity, that helps us to reach new audiences through proactive outreach
  • To coordinate and deliver presentations to a variety of community audiences, with support from wider team and volunteers.
  • To organise and deliver a calendar of fundraising activity that creates opportunities for supporters to help Willow. Ensure participation and income targets are achieved.
  • To develop the charity’s social media fundraising activity in collaboration with the wider team.
  • Collaborate closely with the Communications Team, to help plan and develop multi-channel campaigns including on and offline activity that inspire and engage people.
  • To work with the Communications Team to produce campaign materials, share interesting stories and fundraising updates. Prepare content for newsletters, website, and social media.
  • To develop a team of volunteers to support fundraising activity. This could include delivering talks, attending events, and promoting Willow at community events.
  • To foster relationships with Willow’s network of charity shops and explore collaborative opportunities to mutually support each other’s initiatives.
• To ensure accurate recording of supporter information and reporting on activity through:
  • Updating the charity’s database, Raisers Edge (RE) recording all donor contact and fundraising activity.
  • Using RE as a tool to aid fundraising using data insight and reporting
  • To prepare end of campaign reports to improve results for future campaigns and capture learnings.
  • To prepare regular income reports and updates as required.
• To keep up- to- date and comply with the rules as set by the Fundraising Regulator, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and other relevant legislation and codes of practice and good practice.
• To keep up to date with changes and trends in the UK fundraising environment
• To undertake any other tasks required.

Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in Community Fundraising of at least 1-3 years
• Experience in managing staff and/or volunteers
• Proven record of accomplishment in delivering and meeting targets
• Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative
• Well organised with attention to detail
• Ability to inspire and influence others to support Willow
• Ability to develop, motivate and manage individuals and groups of individuals
• Ability to manage several projects and tasks simultaneously and skilled at prioritising
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills
• Effective negotiating and influencing skills
• Strong numeracy skills and ability to forecast and analyse fundraising results
• Decisive and quick problem solver with the ability to adapt easily to change
• Innovative outlook and a willingness to suggest new ideas.

Desirable

• Experience of producing fundraising reports for activity and outcomes
• Proven experience in delivering timely fundraising campaigns and initiatives
• Fundraising database experience – preferably Raiser’s Edge

​Other

• Regular travel across the county will be required. Willing to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends as required.
• Full driving license and access to a car