South West Coast Path Association (Reg. Charity No.266754)
Role + Profile
Business Development Manager
ACCOUNTABLE TO: SWCPA Trustees (Appointed Rep.)
LOCATION: Bowker House, Lee Mill Bridge, Ivybridge, Devon. PL21 9EF
SALARY: £Circa. £30,000
Job Background Summary:
The role is intended to enable the SWCP Association (a charity with 5000+ members) to continue its evolution to grow from being an enthusiastic coast path walking and lobbying group, to also be a major fundraiser helping to improve the SW Coast Path.
It will build on the momentum generated by the Commercial Partnerships work undertaken over the past 3 years by the SWCP Team (who are the government funded body responsible for managing the path), in close partnership with the Association. As a charity the SWCPA is much better placed to receive donations from the public and businesses than the SWCP Team or the other public sector organisations who look after the path. This partnership has proved that businesses and individuals are willing to make substantial contributions towards projects that will benefit users of the Coast Path. Through the Commercial Partnership work, £191,000 has been raised from businesses, along with £88,000 from the SWCPA membership. This has been a key component in enabling the SWCP Team to attract match funding and has resulted in £1million of path improvement projects being delivered (see examples at www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/40th-anniversary/projects.php).
We are confident that this level of fundraising can be sustained, as only a small proportion of tourism businesses along the route have been contacted so far and many existing donors have shown a willingness to donate again in the future.
In order to deliver this, the management and operational systems of the SWCPA need to be restructured to enable us to handle an increased workload and turnover. A Business Plan is being developed to facilitate this. As part of this restructuring, this new post (the SWCP Team's RDPE supported project that included the commercial partnership post has come to an end) is being created to continue the fundraising work and to help deliver some of the required management changes.
Alongside this post, provision has been made to commission, in April 2014, a fund raising consultant to work with the SWCP Team, the National Trust and other delivery partners to develop a c. £2million funding bid for path improvements with the money raised by the SWCPA being used as match funding.
The post will initially run up to December 2016, although it is anticipated to continue after this time, providing funding (ideally through increased SWCPA trading activity) is available.
The nature of this role offers opportunities for flexible working and the SWCPA is willing to consider proposals for Service Contract arrangement but expects that the role would not be deliverable under 27hrs/week.
KEY TASKS:
The post holder shall:
· Stimulate, identify and record, contributions from businesses to improve facilities and services that benefit SWCP users.
· Increase numbers and income generated from businesses and individual membership of the SWCPA
· Increase the amount of surplus the Association generates annually through the webshop and other Trading Activity.
· Increase the amount of contributions from the public, primarily by taking the lead in organising an annual fundraising event such as a series of sponsored Coast Path walks.
· Help ensure the SWCPA is operating in an efficient manner.
· Work closely with the SWCP Team, National Trust and Highway Authority staff to help identify and deliver SWCP improvement projects.
· Take responsibility for ensuring that the SWCPA (and its donors) are able to contribute £100,000 per annum towards Coast path improvement projects, by delivering a range of funding techniques (See current Fundraising Techniques doc.)
· Produce regular reports demonstrating how this investment target will be met and set out a business case should any additional resources will be required to achieve this.
· Support any external funding bids that may be developed as match funding to business investment, ensuring that best value is achieved for those partners involved.
· In line with the SWCPA Business Plan, help implement the operational changes required to enable the SWCPA to evolve as a charity to become a major force in generating funding for an on-going programme of improvements to the Coast Path.
· Work in partnership with selected businesses to identify opportunities to improve their profitability and levels of customer satisfaction. To achieve this by improving facilities, services and information they provide to existing and potential SW Coast Path walkers.
· Be accountable for your professional development through a Performance and Development Review (appraisal) process seeking out opportunities to learn new skills.
· Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.
In addition, you are expected to work within the terms of the contract of employment/Service Contract and adhere to the SWCPA Business Plan and line management procedures established by the SWCPA.
DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE:
The primary role is to generate funds for projects that will make walking the Coast Path more enjoyable. A secondary element is to work with the other employees, Trustees, volunteers and members of the Association, to help build the capacity of the SWCPA management systems and processes, so that they are able to manage a larger workload and turnover.
Fundraising:
During the past 3 years, the success of the Commercial Partnership work has been based on the principle that whilst businesses value the SW Coast Path, their donations are not purely altruistic. In order to secure a donation, we have had to provide in return something that will directly benefit their customers or their businesses. The range of techniques used to raise funds to date is outlined in the ‘Fundraising Techniques’ supporting document. It is anticipated that these are taken forward and developed by the postholder.
Less effort has been put into securing donations direct from individual members of the Association or the public, as the Association wants to avoid being seen as an organisation that is constantly badgering its members for contributions. As such the main public fundraising has been through the Great South West Walk which offered a way of ‘celebrating’ the path and the Association’s 40th Anniversary.
Building the capacity of the SWCPA
Currently the SWCPA office is run by two part-time administrators, line managed by volunteer Trustees. The finance and book-keeping is undertaken by our Treasurer on a voluntary basis. The increased workload and turnover created by rapid growth in the scale of operations generated by the Great South West Walk and other fundraising has stretched our systems and processes to the limit, and required an unsustainable level of commitment from our existing core volunteers.
This has been recognised and a key role for the postholder, particularly in the first few months will be to help facilitate the required changes to the structure and management processes within the organisation, and so improve the way the organisation operates in line with the emerging Business Plan.
This Business Plan will provide the Trustees, Executive, and the SWCPA team with a clear picture and understanding of the broad direction of travel for the development the Association over the next 5 years, a detailed picture of the work programmes and budget for 2014 and organisational chart showing reporting lines and relationships to other bodies.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Knowledge:
· A good understanding of commercial operations in the tourism and outdoor leisure industry is essential.
· To be able to identify opportunities in which businesses can maximise the economic benefits provided by users of SWCP, in a sustainable manner, is essential.
· Experience of working with a charitable organisation is desirable.
· A good understanding of marketing is also an essential requirement of the post.
Skills:
· It is essential that the post holder will have gravitas and credibility in the eyes of business owners, persuasive skills and a proven ability to ‘close a sale’ encourage businesses’ owners / managers to change their business practices and invest in improved facilities or services, or contribute to SWCP projects.
· Confidence in presenting information to audiences at all levels via a range of media: excellent oral & written communication skills.
· A key requirement will be the ability to network and build and strong relationships with individual business owners and business groups (such as chambers of commerce) in the South West.
· Because of the extent of the SWCP and its regional and national context, the post holder is required to undertake extensive travel, some of which involves driving long distances (e.g. Land’s End peninsula, Poole Harbour), and so a full driving licence is essential. A mileage allowance is paid for use of the post holder’s own vehicle on business use.
Experience:
· This is a senior, professional role and so essential that the post holder shows depth and breadth of experience in a range of relevant fields e.g. sales / fund raising, business management, marketing tourism and project management.
· Because of the wide range of organisations and partnership working involved, it is be desirable that the post holder has experience in multi-agency/partnership (public, private and voluntary) working.
· The post also requires some diplomacy and care when dealing with the organisation’s membership.
· Some experience of managing change is desirable, in order to deliver the changes being suggested within the SWCPA Business Plan.
Compiled by: Ken Carter
Date compiled/last reviewed: November 2013
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