JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title / Donor Development Manager / Team / Fundraising and External Affairs
Job Band / Band 5 (£35,336 - £44,815) / Reporting to / Appeal Director / Head of Donor Development
Hours / 35 / Line Manages / N/A

Approved By (ELT MEMBER): John Trampleasure Date:

Ambitious about Autism:

Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people with autism. We provide services, raise awareness and understanding, and influence policy. We exist to enable children and young people with autism to learn, thrive and achieve. Through TreeHouse School, The Rise Schooland Ambitious College, we provide specialist education, practical advice and emotional support for families and professionals, and campaign for change. Our ambition is to make the ordinary possible for more children and young people with autism.

This is an exciting time to join the organisation with our £4.4m Ambitious Futures Appeal for our work to support young people with autism to prepare for adulthood.

Role Purpose:

  • To contribute to the development and implementation of an innovative major donor strategy to maximise income for Ambitious about Autism
  • To raise significant funds for the Ambitious Futures appeal and other projects.
  • To identify new prospects and cultivate them into supporters of Ambitious about Autism
  • To deliver a calendar of cultivation and stewardship opportunities for key supporters.
  • To grow and manage our portfolio of Ambitious Friends.

Maximising income and relationships:

  • Prepare and implement the Ambitious about Autism major donor strategy through creating and delivering an annual programme of approaches and activities to a portfolio of donors and prospects
  • Devise and develop individual donor plans for portfolio of prospects and high net worth individuals
  • Develop strong relationships with a core network of donors
  • Research and source intelligence on individuals, major donors and family foundations to maximise fundraising opportunities
  • Use existing individual relationships and recruit new donors, maximising the most cost effective activities
  • Prepare high quality fundraising materials, including letters, proposals, presentations, reports and newsletters
  • Deliver high standards of donor care and development
  • Deliver high standards of reporting to funders
  • Provide briefings on major donors for senior staff including Executive Directors
  • Make accurate and accessible records of all activity and relationships and use Raiser’s Edge database effectively
  • Support the Head of Donor Development in approaching and developing significant major donors in their portfolio
  • Work flexibly across the Donor Development team to maximise resources and expertise

Finance and reporting:

  • Provide monthly financial and progress reports, with analysis against budgets
  • To work with the Finance team to ensure the expenditure of restricted funds and reporting this back to donors.
  • Provide regular reports on Major Giving activities for the Head of Donor Development, Director of Fundraising and Board of Trustees
  • Feed into the development of three year and annual plans and budgets

Project management:

  • Lead on specific projects for the Fundraising team and represent the Fundraising team on cross departmental projects where appropriate

Other duties:

  • Build excellent working relationships across the organisations, in particular teams who help to deliver Major Giving activity, including Communications & Finance
  • Operate within Charity Law and Data Protection legislation and adhere to the Institute of Fundraising Codes of Practice
  • Provide support to other fundraising colleagues as required
  • Work at events which may include some evening and weekend hours
  • Ensureaccurateandaccessiblerecordkeepingofallactivityandrelationshipsandeffectiveuseofdatabase (Raiser’sEdge)
  • Represent Ambitious about Autism to external audiences
  • Undertake any other appropriate responsibilities that may arise

Key working relationships:

  • Head of Donor Development and Appeal Director
  • Donor Development Officer
  • Fundraising Colleagues
  • Communication, Policy and External Affairs team
  • Freelance researcher and major gift consultant
  • ExecutiveLeadershipteam
  • Trustees and Honorary roles where appropriate
  • Ambitious about AutismPatrons and Ambassadors

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Role and Band Competencies / Essential / Desirable
Education Levels & Qualifications
  1. Degree level education (or equivalent)
/ X
Specific Knowledge, Experience & Technical Skills
  1. Substantial experience of Major giving fundraising – 3 years minimum.
/ X
  1. A deliverer: strong personal track record of personally delivering todefined and challenging goals
/ X
  1. Experience of building partnerships and providing account management to individual and major donor supporters
/ X
  1. Experience of developing strong copy and presentations
/ X
  1. Ability to work within a fast moving environment, identifying and responding appropriately to changing priorities and meeting tight deadlines
/ X
  1. Enthusiasm and commitment to Ambitious about Autism’s mission and values, and for fundraising as a discipline
/ X
  1. Financial management of income and expenditure budgets and setting, forecastingandachievingtargets
/ X
  1. Workingwithstaffinotherteamstoachieveobjectives
/ X
  1. Knowledge of:Major Giving fundraising market within the charity sector
/ X
  1. Legislation, regulations and financial issues relating to fundraising
/ X
  1. Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge
/ X
Personal Attributes
  1. Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
/ X
  1. Good appreciation of health and safety in the workplace, data protection principles and equal opportunities.
/ X
  1. Excellent verbal and written communication skills to build rapport and represent the charity in a range of settings and with a range of internal and external audiences
/ X
  1. Ability to engage, inspire and build strong relationships at all levels, including at a senior level
/ X
  1. Ability to network
/ X
  1. A creative and innovative thinker, flexible, energetic and enthusiastic
/ X
  1. Excellent planning and organisational skills
/ X
  1. Persuasive with strong negotiation and influencing skills
/ X
  1. Results focused and pro-active
/ X
  1. Strong team player and working to deliver shared goals
/ X
  1. Proactive, self-starter, able to work without close supervision, solving problems quickly and effectively
/ X
  1. Ability to prioritise under pressure, adapt and be flexible
/ X
  1. Project management skills working across teams
/ X
  1. Able to work creatively in response to funding opportunities / new ideas
/ X
  1. Good understanding of the charity Major Giving fundraising market and ability to talk about relevant issues
/ X