Recruitment Pack: Development Officer (Major Gifts and Trusts)

Liberty is one of the UK's oldest human rights and civil liberties organisations. Since 1934, Liberty has been working to protect civil liberties and promote human rights, campaigning on a broad range of issues. From protecting privacy to the prohibition on torture to free speech and protest, Liberty works to defend the rights and freedoms of everyone in society.

Liberty works in a number of ways: campaigning through the media, raising awareness of human rights and civil liberties issues in the wider community,campaigning in Parliament, challenging laws by taking test cases, and providing free legal advice to members of the public.

Position Description
Position title: / Development Officer (Major gifts/Trusts)
Position reports to: / Development Director
Position works closely with: / Development Team
Salary band: / £30,424 - £34,523 (Band E)
Employment status: / Permanent
Hours: / 35 hours per week plus occasional out of hours work
Location: / Liberty House, Westminster, London
Contact: / Cait Winter
Closing date for applications: / 17:00 Wednesday 8th June 2016
Interview dates: / First Round: Monday 13th or Tuesday 14th of June 2016
Second Round: Thursday 16th of June 2016
Role purpose
The Development Officer will play a vital role raising major gifts (£10,000+) from trusts, foundations, individuals and companies.
This is a new role that expands our small team at an exciting time for the organisation. We have recently appointed a new Director andwe have ambitious targets to expand our campaigns. This role will help to develop our trusts, mid-level and major gifts programs to achieve this growth.
The successful candidate will work closely with the Development Director and an existing Development Officer working on trusts and major donors. The split of work across income streams is somewhat flexible, and will depend on the experience and skills of the successful candidate.
The candidate will have a high level of responsibility and the space to innovate and shape the role.
Key responsibilities
Trust fundraising
  • Manage an annual programme of applications to trusts and foundations on behalf of Liberty and the Civil Liberties Trust[1].
  • Plan, write and submit clear, persuasive and timely applications for funding to a range of trusts and foundations.
  • Build and manage relationships with existing and new funders and maximise opportunities to network with them.
  • Represent the organisation to funders and arrange visits by funders where appropriate.
  • Work effectively with other staff to ensure timely adherence to funder reporting requirements, terms and conditions, and project delivery.
  • Maintain up-to-date information about Liberty’s activities and work with other staff to plan funding applications for ongoing and new activities.
  • Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of trusts and foundations, funding trends and funding criteria.
Major donor fundraising
  • Help develop the planning and direction of Liberty’s major donor (£10k+) programme.
  • Manage a portfolio of relationships with HNW individuals.
  • Work with the rest of the Liberty team to help identify potential major donors from Liberty’s existing membership, supporters and contacts.
  • Get out of the office to meet potential and existing donors on a regular basis.
  • Use appropriate research tools to identify new prospects.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of relationships on the Liberty database and in compliance with data protection principles.
  • Assist in the organisation and running of Liberty events, including occasional duties outside of office hours.
  • Work with the wider team to help develop our mid-level Guardians of Liberty programme.
Finance and General Responsibilities
  • Keep abreast of developments relating to human rights and civil liberties in the UK.
  • Assist the Director of Development to plan the yearly and longer-term activities of the Development Team, including income and expenditure budgeting.
  • Work with Liberty’s finance staff to monitor grants received and funding periods.
  • Work with other members of the Development Team to research, identify and develop other sources of funding.

Selection criteria / Essential / Desirable
Technical expertise & qualifications: / Degree or equivalent professional qualification / 
Proficiency in use of a fundraising database (preferably Raisers Edge) / 
Excellent internet research skills / 
Relevant training and accreditation in fundraising practice / 
Proficiency in use of Microsoft Office / 
Experience: / Minimum of two years’ experience in a trust fundraising or major donorrole / 
Track record of securing significant grant or major gift funding / 
Experience of corporate fundraising / 
Experience of organising events / 
Experience of working with a development board or trustee board to generate funds / 
Experience of meeting with donors face-to-face / 
Experience of working in a membership organisation / 
Experience of working in a campaigning organisation / 
Knowledge, skills & personal attributes / Commitment to, and understanding of, Liberty’s core value campaigning objectives / 
Excellent communication skills (written and face-to-face) / 
Ability to translate complex and sometimes controversial subject matter into clear and compelling funding proposals / 
Excellent networking and relationship building skills / 
Ability to develop and maintain internal and external working relationships, including at a senior level / 
Ability to prioritise workload, manage time and meet deadlines / 
Ability to monitor and analyse results against targets and produce reports for senior colleagues / 
Ability to analyse financial information and prepare budgets / 
Knowledge of fundraising regulations and standards / 
Ability to work independently under own initiative and as part of a team / 
Excellent attention to detail / 
Important information
  1. CV’s and Covering Letters should be returned by email to no later than17:00 on Wednesday 8th June. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
  1. You will receive an automatically generated response confirming receipt. If you DO NOT receive this response within one to two hours of sending, please call 020 7403 3888 to check whether your application has been received - be sure to do so before the closing date.
  1. Both rounds of interviews are scheduled for the week commencing the 13th of June 2016. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by phone to arrange interview times. Details of the interview (location, members of panel etc) will be confirmed by email.
  1. Applicants who have not been short listed will be notified by email. Due to our limitedresources we are unable to provide feedback on applications.
  1. Interview panels will be made up of two to four people who will each ask the candidates questions. The questions are intended to allow you to expand on your application and to demonstrate to the panel how far you meet the essential and desirable requirements of the post. All candidates are asked a uniform set of questions (usually 5 or 6) and may also be asked follow up questions to clarify or expand on individual answers. At the end of the interview candidates will also have an opportunity to ask questions about the job, conditions of service, etc.
  1. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete pre-interview tasks.
  1. Once all interviews have taken place, shortlisted applicants will be contacted and informed of the outcome either by email or phone and offered the opportunity to receive feedback.
  1. Liberty’s offices are wheelchair accessible. If you have a special requirement for completing a task or attending an interview due to a disability, please contact us on 020 7403 3888

[1] The Civil Liberties Trust (CLT) is Liberty’s charitable sister organisation – some funding of our work is routed through the CLT to comply with trust and foundation guidelines.