Senior donor relations manager jobs in Birmingham

Are you an experienced Trusts and Foundations fundraiser seeking an exciting role in the nature and rewilding sector? Are you looking for a friendly, flexible and values-driven organisation where you can make a tangible difference and advance your fundraising career?  This opportunity could tick all your boxes! 

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity dedicated to making rewilding happen, as a solution to the biodiversity and climate crises. We work across Scotland, from the mountains to the sea and from the remotest communities to our urban centres. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes  and people thrive. 

In the five years since we were founded, we’ve established ourselves as a leading force for rewilding in Scotland: a charity that achieves outsized impact through our powerful storytelling and innovative collaborations.  We’re a small, agile and friendly team that works hard to:

• Drive support for rewilding – through our films, creative storytelling, conferences, training courses and political advocacy.

• Commit land and water to rewilding – by supporting over 100 landowners to enhance nature on their land, from crofts and community-owned sites to farms and large estates.

OUR FUNDRAISING 

SBP is a growing organisation with an exciting portfolio of nature recovery projects across Scotland.  Our key income streams include grants from charitable trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, philanthropic donations, corporate partnerships, regular giving and appeals. We have a strong track record in fundraising from trusts and foundations, and we are currently in receipt of grants from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other significant environmental funders. 

Our Fundraising Team comprises a Rewilding Investment Lead (who develops corporate partnerships) and a Trusts and Foundations Lead, led by our Fundraising Manager.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Trusts and Foundations Lead, you would establish and maintain relationships with a wide portfolio of charitable trusts and foundations, and be responsible for securing both project-specific and core income.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Identifying and researching funding opportunities, including due diligence as appropriate.

• Networking, and building and stewarding relationships with prospective funders.

• Liaising with senior, project and finance staff to identify, prioritise and cost key fundraising needs.

• Managing a dynamic pipeline of applications matched to the agreed fundraising priorities.

• Preparing and submitting compelling expressions of interest and funding proposals, including accurate financial information as required. 

• Processing grant offers and ensuring income is recorded accurately. 

• Managing a schedule of reporting and stewardship deadlines to ensure timely feedback and thanks to funders. 

• Securing progress updates from colleagues delivering funded work, in order to produce high-quality reports that meet funders’ requirements.

• Seeking feedback in relation to unsuccessful bids, in order to guide and strengthen future proposals.

• Maintaining accurate and comprehensive records on our fundraising CRM database. 

• Contributing to the development of fundraising strategies, plans and campaigns. 

• Participating fully in Fundraising and SBP team meetings, events and cross-team activities as appropriate. 

Essential skills and experience:

• At least two years’ experience securing and reporting on grants from trusts and foundations, and/or reviewing and advising on grants within a grant-giving organisation.
• Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail. Experience writing compelling bids and reports that align with funders’ priorities.
• Ability to communicate confidently with funders and colleagues in a friendly and engaging manner.
• Experience using a variety of information management tools, including CRM databases and spreadsheets, to accurately record and manage information.
• Confident with numbers. Experience working with project and finance colleagues to develop project budgets.
• Able to organise day-to-day activities according to agreed priorities, manage a busy workload, and consistently meet deadlines.
• Demonstrable passion for nature and rewilding in Scotland.
• Able to maintain personal wellbeing, productivity and effective communication in a remote team.
• Share and demonstrate our core values (see below).

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience securing grants at £250,000 and over.
• Experience of using desktop design tools to create attractive materials that combine written content with imagery.
• Experience building and managing relationships with senior or strategically important stakeholders, e.g. Board members, CEOs.
• Proficient with DonorPerfect CRM.
• Experience developing complex, multi-year budgets for grant applications, including full cost recovery where applicable. 
• Experience using a range of tools and approaches to manage priorities, meet deadlines and hit targets.
• Experience with funders that support nature and climate causes.
• Degree or equivalent professional qualification within a relevant discipline.

OUR VALUES

Our values define us as a charity and guide our relationships with colleagues, partners, funders, supporters and wider interest groups. 

● We are passionate about Scotland and its huge potential for nature restoration.

● We are bold and willing to push boundaries to make rewilding happen. 

● We trade in hope and possibility, not fear and conflict. 

● We are inclusive and respectful, inviting everyone to join the conversation. 

● We are collaborative, building connections across interest groups to drive change.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary: £35,500 - £37,500 FTE, depending on experience. Salaries are paid on the last working day of each month by bank transfer and cover the period of the first  of the month to the last day of the month. 

Contract: Permanent position. 

Place of work: This role is home-based and will require a suitable home office working  environment. SBP will provide a laptop and additional equipment as needed. 

Travel: Attendance of team meetings held across Scotland will be required (typically two to three times per year), and the role may also involve occasional travel elsewhere within the UK. Travel expenses will be paid in accordance with SBP’s  expenses policy. Applicants must be based within a reasonable commuting distance and must have the right to work in the UK (we are unable to provide visa sponsorship). 

Hours: We are open to this role being full-time or part-time (minimum 0.6 FTE, equating to
22.5 hours per week).  Working hours are flexible. The nature of the post may require occasional evening and weekend work. Paid overtime is not routinely available, but time off in lieu will
be given. 

Flexibility: Subject to ensuring that the needs of the charity and the role are met, SBP endeavours to meet the flexible working needs of its staff. 

Holidays: 28 days FTE (pro rata for part-time), including public holidays, plus 5 additional office closure days between Christmas and New Year. 

Pensions: We offer a workplace pension scheme with a 5% employee contribution and 3% employer contribution. 

Probationary period: 3 months. 

Notice Period: 1 month during the probationary period, thereafter 2 months.

Training: SBP is fully committed to personal development and training and offers staff regular opportunities for both internal and external training. 

Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture is committed to equality of opportunity for all and we make recruitment decisions by matching our business needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage or civil partnership. We regularly review our recruitment practices to improve the accessibility of SBP, and we would welcome feedback from you. 

TO APPLY 

Please email your CV and a covering letter (maximum two pages). The covering letter should detail why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience equip you for
this role. 

Applications should be sent by 5pm on Monday 13 July.

Interviews will be conducted by video call on Monday 20 July. 

We endeavour to provide feedback on request to unsuccessful applicants. However, as a small charity – and depending on the number of applicants we receive – we may need to prioritise feedback to those candidates who are shortlisted for interview. 

Thank you very much for considering this role.