Fundraising Officer – Donors and Legacies

Salary: £30,000 to £35,000

depending on the experience, skills and qualifications

Hours: 35 hours

Location: London office

Contract period:Permanent

Accountable to:Chief Executive

The Work

BDA is currently providing local support to Deaf people through empowerment and advocacy in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England. The aim is community advocacy, community empowerment, and the development of local campaigns to ensure that local public service providers carry out BSL Charter pledges. Part of the community development involves BSL related projects for Deaf people particularly those who teach BSL.

We are seeking a highly experienced donor and legacy officer to start this important project from scratch. This post holder will play a central role within the head office team and be responsible for maximising support via both high value and small individual donations, and legacy gifts. This will be achieved through a range of activities to identify potential supporters, research their motivations, offer relevant and tailored information and ask for money in an appropriate, timely and effective way.

This needs to be an individual who is passionate about promoting human rights and accepts Deaf people as equal participating citizens.The post is based in Londonand very occasional travel throughout the UK is expected, usually due to supporting the Board of Trustees.

The Role

The role is to lead on the development and delivery of BDA’s new donor and legacy programme. Work closely with Chief Executive and key managers to develop strategies to maximise income from these areas.

Time will be split between proactively cultivating and stewarding relationships with BDA’s current and potential donors (including setting up new contacts on the database and researching potential donors using a variety of tools), and developing and managing our legacy marketing programme.

Key contacts

a) Internal

Head Office team

Chief Executive

Business Development Managers

Head Office Manager

b) External (NEW)

Individual donors and prospective donors (senior level: heads of business, finance and media professionals)

Current donors

Corporate funders and sponsors

Potential and actual BDA legacy supporters

Solicitors administrating estates

Funeral directors

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  1. To lead on the development and implementation of donor and legacy plans to develop BDA’s donor, legacy and in-memoriam programmes.
  2. To set up, manage and develop relationships with our most valued donors and prospects, including face to face work as well as acting as representative of BDA at the highest levels.
  3. To set up and manage BDA’s legacy marketing programme, including resource materials, commissioning direct mail, telephone, face to face, online media and messaging in other BDA publications.
  4. To analyse and report on the performance of campaigns and activities, including monthly budget analysis and regular forecasts of legacy income (received and outstanding) and gifts (received and pledged).
  5. To work with the Development Team to review the part of new strategy for supporters giving higher than average donations but not currently falling within the major donor program; agree and implement a plan for this group, using new direct marketing activities where appropriate; develop a formalised process for moving supporters between programs.
  6. To ensure that wills are recorded accurately. To liaise with solicitors to ensure funds are processed as soon as possible.
  7. To set up and manage all aspects of BDA in memoriam fundraising activity.
  8. To identify, develop and deliver a 12-month rolling programme of engagement opportunities for current and potential donors to ensure that their financial support is maximised. This will include helping to organise events and occasional project visits.
  9. To research, develop and write funding proposals, marketing material and reports as required.
  10. To identify and follow up opportunities for accessing the ‘contacts’ and networks of current major donors in order to access potential major donors and legacy prospects. This will require the generation of networking opportunities.
  11. To develop and maintain individual cultivation and stewardship strategies in consultation with Chief Executive.
  12. To work with BDA’s CEO, development team and other key staff to encourage their active involvement in events (being sure to use their time appropriately and effectively), where their presence will encourage and motivate supporters to continue and/or increase support.
  13. To keep accurate and up to date records in compliance with data protection legislation. To ensure correspondence with executors and solicitors is delivered efficiently and on time.
  14. To maintain an awareness of philanthropy trends, news, events and legislation in the UK.

18. To supervise and manage the work of temporary staff, volunteers and interns as required.

19. To abide by and promote BDA’s Vision, Mission and Values

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This list of tasks is not exhaustive and will be reviewed from time to time in discussion with the post holder.

Person Specification

The candidate will have donors and legacy fundraising experience; have experience of working in a medium sized company, preferably a national charity.

Essential skills and experience

  1. Degree or equivalent qualification or experience
  2. Ability to build profitable customer/donor relationships via an account management role
  3. Experience of application, letter and report writing for a high value donor audience or similar
  4. Excellent communication skills
  5. Ability to use own initiative and take a proactive approach
  6. Confidence and ability to represent BDA at the highest levels
  7. Good numeracy skills, ability to use spreadsheets and analyse budgets
  8. Excellent attention to detail
  9. Strong administrative skills and computer literacy
  10. Ability to work flexibly, manage varying competing priorities under own initiative and meet strict deadlines
  11. Ability to build good working relationships with BDA

Desirable

  1. Experience of fundraising from high value donors via account management and/or face to face fundraising
  2. Experience of legacy marketing
  3. Experience of carrying out in-depth donor research using a variety of resources
  4. Good analytical skills and the ability to identify segment and prioritise potential donors
  5. Extensive and varied event planning and event management experience
  6. Experience of creatively ‘packaging’ projects to appeal to a range of major donors and legators
  7. Interest in the Deaf issues
  8. Willingness to undertake British Sign Language training

Other requirements

The successful candidate will be required to:

  • Gain British Sign Language level 2 within two years
  • Work occasional flexible hours including evenings and weekends
  • Travel away from home occasionally for organisational meetings.

British Deaf Association Company limited by Guarantee No 2881497 Registered Charity No 1031687 Scottish Charity Number SC042409