JOB SPECIFICATION FOR DONOR LIAISON/FUNDRAISING/ EVENTS POSITION AS PART OF DIRECTOR’S MATERNITY COVER

The Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN)

WFN is a UK-registered charity ( no. 1081455) offering a range of Awards and grants for nature conservation projects worldwide. We seek pragmatic, sustainable and long lasting work rooted in science and community involvement. Wefund projects directly and remain in regular contact with our winners. WFN also raises awareness of the serious problems facing ecosystems through promoting the work of winners. We focus support on nationals (leaders who were either born to the country where they work or have gained nationality) and aim to build the capacity of successful local NGOs. We fund mainly in Africa, Asia and South America where funding is often hardest to raise and can have the biggest impact for people and biodiversity. Our funding is raised each year mainly from family foundations, but also individuals, corporates and international NGOs. WFN is governed by a small and committed trustee board.

Roles and Responsibilities at the Charity

The Director of the Charity is going on maternity leave from mid Aug 2011–May 2012. The Awards Manager will work as normal during this period (full time) and will carry out all his standard duties. His principal responsibilities include communicating with all WFN Award/grant winners, managing and assessing winner formal reports, managing the grants application and assessment process (three deadlines a year), managing the website, an annual newsletter and helping organise the Charity’s events. He will temporarily have overall responsibility for team general management in the absence of the Director and will make recommendations to the trustees on grant giving (significant grant giving in this period includes the Whitley Awards 2012 and Continuation Funding March 2012 deadline). The Friends Manager will also work as normal (3 days a week) on small donor management, palace liaison, administrative support, coordinating the Charity’s PR and helping to organise the Charity’s events. The Finance Manager works one day a week and will continue to manage the charity’s funds, bookkeeping, and payments (grants/suppliers).

The key responsibilities which need cover during the Director’s absence are maintaining relationships with existing major donors, including formal annual reports, donor fundraising through writing new proposals, event management and strong writing support for the Awards Manager (newsletters, ceremony booklet, scripts). The current Director will continue to attend trustee meetings and team appraisals.

Fund Raising/Donor Liaison

WFN is looking for a very organised, self-motivated and well-rounded individual with good communication skills to cover the Director’s event management, donor liaison and fundraising responsibilities during August – May. An efficient and competent writer, the individual will have experience of the charitable sector, experience of donor relationship management (report writing), and an interest in nature conservation /environmental issues. A track record in writing and securing grant proposals would be an advantage, as would event management experience.

The position requires a variety of skills including:

  • Good interpersonal and communication skills at all levels
  • Ability to write clearly and coherently to donors and put reports together, as well as offer strong support on writing and proof reading copy (newsletters, reports, ceremony booklet, proposals)
  • Ability to work on own initiative and keep to deadline
  • Flexible and able to work in a small office environment
  • Efficient and organised
  • Desirable: Proven track record in successful proposal writing and experience of foundation giving environment. Knowledge of conservation sector.

The key components of the position include:

Communication with donors – Fundraising and Reporting

  • Writing letters and reports to existing major donors as necessary.
  • Identifying and writing letters/email/sending information packs to potential new donors (large, small, public, private, individuals, corporates) with appropriate follow up. The Awards Manager will work with you to provide the winner achievement component of each report.
  • Writing fundraising proposals, some of which to be identified during your induction with the current Director.

Events

  • November dinner - the charity holds an annual small dinner for major donors and potential donors. We bring previous Award winners over to speak at this dinner and to help our donors understand better what we do and what our winners do. Also at this time, we take winners to other conservation organisations to speak and give presentations. Organisation of the dinner will be completed by the Friends Manager and the Awards Manager willbe responsible for the other events during the week. You will assist as required.
  • Whitley Awards Ceremony (mid May)- You will work as part of the team in the following areas and others: working with the Awards Manager on writing the Ceremony booklet, winner film scripts, speeches, and in winner organisation, attending and helping run effectively other events during the week (e.g. media training, donor reception, NGO reception).

Writing and Communications support

In November/ December we produce an annual newsletter for the Charity. The Awards Manager will take the lead on this and you will support him on design, copy checks, writing articles on winner achievements as needed.

Office management and administration

WFN is a small charity and we aim to keep overheads low. For this reason, all team members undertake some office administration, including answering the telephone, photocopying when needed, for example.

Additional Details Related to the Position

  • Place of work: Unit 6, 225 Walmer Road, London, W11 4EY (new office)
  • The hours of work will be 9.30am to 5.30pm. This is a full time position.
  • This is a temporary position for maternity cover only.
  • The charity does not operate a Pension Scheme. Competitive salary to be agreed depending on experience and qualifications.
  • Apply: as soon as possible and by Fri 1stJuly. CVs, including contact details for two referees, and a detailed covering letter explaining why you feel you would be right for this position and your motivations to: Induction to begin during the first week of August.

**Please note WFN is moving to new premises on 20th June (from Drayson Mews to Walmer Road). Email submission will not be affected. For our new phone number please refer to the website**

AWARDS AND GRANTS FOR INTERNATIONAL NATURE CONSERVATION

Patron HRH The Princess Royal Trustees Sir David Attenborough Tim Dye Lady Catherine Faulks Edward Whitley Director Georgina Domberger

Company limited by guarantee, number 3968699. registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Calder & Co., 1 Regent Street, LondonSW1Y 4NW

Registered Charity No. 1081455