/ Job Description / July 2017
Role: Major Gifts Manager / Business Customer & Cause
Reports to: Head of Fundraising / Pay Band/Starting Salary: Band G[1], starting £40,645
Location: Edinburgh / Type of Contract: Permanent/ Full-time

CONTEXT

The National Trust for Scotland is an independent charity set up in 1931 for the preservation and conservation of natural and human heritage significant to Scotland and the world.

The Trust has gone on to become Scotland's largest membership organisation and a leader in conserving and promoting the nation's treasured places and collections so they can be enjoyed by present and future generations.

The Customer and Cause team exists to inspire visits to our places across Scotland, grow membership and drive donations to support our work.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The wider purpose of the role is to help drive the National Trust for Scotland’s ability to conserve Scotland’s built and natural heritage under its care.

The specific purpose of the role is to create, develop and implement a major gifts strategy to maximise fundraising income from individuals and their charitable trusts.

You’ll lead the activity to identify, cultivate and solicit major gifts from existing supporters and, critically, develop new networks of major donors to drive our charitable work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Manage the major gifts pipeline and take full responsibility for a portfolio of existing and potential major donors in the UK and internationally. You’ll nurture strong relationships, develop and implement bespoke strategies for cultivation and solicitation, to negotiate, secure and close major gifts.
  2. Create and develop stewardship plans for donors to ensure they are recognised and thanked appropriately.
  3. Lead colleagues and our own Trustees in identifying significant funding opportunities and agree a pipeline of planned approaches based on project priorities set by senior management
  4. Support the CEO and wider executive team to develop relationships with key prospects and donors, providing insight and research to empower and inform discussions
  5. Plan approaches to the highest level of donors and prospects, and assist in the recruitment of key senior volunteers (including fundraising campaign boards).
  6. Work withthe Patron Club Manager to develop and grow overall membership and maximise fundraising income from such activities and engagement
  7. Lead the planning of prospect tracking meetings to deliver the implementation of customised solicitation plans, and ensure all relationships are recorded in our CRM system.
  8. Brief the content team to create and develop campaign literature, materials, and aids.
  9. Plan and deliver high-level fundraising and cultivation events within the context of the broader fundraising strategy.
  10. You’ll maintain and enhance personal knowledge, skills and networks by playing an active role in the appropriate professional bodies.
  11. You’ll be flexible, with a willingness to work non-traditional hours and be available to travel nationally and, on occasion, internationally.

SCOPE OF THE ROLE

People Management

  • No line reports[2]
  • Works closely with other team members to ensure a co-ordinated and consistent approach to capital campaigns and fundraising activity. In particular, there will be opportunities to draw-through Patron’s Club and cruise participants to be major donors, so an open and collaborative relationship with theSenior Fundraising Manager, and Patron’s Club Manager, will be key.
  • Is key point of contact for major donors and major donor prospects.

Financial Management

  • Budget holder, responsible for budget preparation, forecasting, phasing, monitoring and control
  • Post holder will be financially literate to monitor and report on spend associated with activity, and ensure the correct allocation of philanthropic funds
  • Responsibility of monitoring income against budget and flagging any performance issues

Other

  • Must maintain and enhance personal knowledge, skills and networks by playing an active role in the appropriate professional bodies
  • Is flexible, with a willingness to work non-traditional hours and be available to travel in the UK

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

The above outlines the key skills the job holder will need to possess and exercise. In addition, either knowledge of or experience in the following is required:

Essential

  1. Demonstrable experience securing major contributions (including five and six figure sums) and sustaining a portfolio of fruitful relationships with major donors
  2. A high level of comfort with face to face asking
  3. Excellent presentation and negotiation skills including an engaging personal presence and an ability to exert influence
  4. A creative and strategic approach to donor cultivation and long term planning
  5. Ability to engage colleagues in donor cultivation and proposal development in order to solicit a gift or report on a project, including the Chair, CEO and senior volunteers
  6. Ability to manage time efficiently, work to deadlines and balance immediate and long term priorities
  7. An eye for detail and a rigorous approach to process
  8. Strong analytical skills, with the ability to summarise complex information with clarity, brevity and speed
  9. Sound financial acumen and good knowledge of UK charitable giving, data protection and taxation law as applies to fundraising, and the Fundraising Codes of Practice
  10. Experience of working in a results driven environment, delivering success against key targets
  11. A self-starter with an efficient and hard-working approach
  12. Competent user of Microsoft Office products and CRM system
  13. A lively interest in and understanding of the National Trust for Scotland, and a passionate belief in its mission
  14. A relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent experience
  15. A current valid driving licence for driving in the UK

Desirable

1.Institute of Fundraising membership

2.Experience of international fundraising

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

As a Band G role, this role would be expected to exhibit the following competencies at Level 3 (see separate document for details of each level):

The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience & Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

[1]Indicative only. The Trust and its recognised union Prospect have agreed to review job evaluation methodology and pay grading structure in the future. This role will be subject to re-evaluation in due course.

[2] It is anticipated that this role will have one line report at a future date.