The British Pilgrimage Trust is looking for a talented, motivated and experienced major gifts professional to join the team on a part time basis.
The successful candidate will support significant voluntary income growth by helping an existing pipeline of supporters to find, be inspired by, and give towards projects at BPT that align with their personal interests.
You can apply for this opportunity by filling in our application form and submitting it on our website by 9am on September 18th 2022.
Commitment: 8 days a month
Remuneration: £200 per day
Initial 6 month term to prove feasibility
Location: Remote-based working, with occasional in-person meetings.
Employment Status: PAYE or freelance, depending on personal preference.
ABOUT US
The British Pilgrimage Trust exists to advance British pilgrimage as a form of cultural heritage that promotes holistic wellbeing, for the public benefit.
We are a small charity with big ambitions, from developing new pilgrimage routes and a sanctuary network to growing the number (and diversity) of pilgrims.
CONTEXT
Pilgrimage has generated significant interest in the press and the population in general over the last few years, due, at least in part, to the activities of the BPT.
The BPT’s Director enjoys strong relationships with a range of potential supporters, both at an individual and institutional level. To date, much of the support has been in promoting the activities of the charity. The BPT now wishes to convert this support into a programme of philanthropic giving.
The Major Gifts Manager is responsible for managing the portfolio of prospect, donor and key influencer relationships. They are responsible for developing and advancing these relationships towards clear philanthropic support. The role reports into the Director.
This role will engage extensively with the Director and various of the Trustees.
KEY OBJECTIVES
To assist with the planning and implementation of strategies to increase major gifts from wealthy individuals at the level of £5,000 and above. To implement these strategies by building good relationships with these individuals and making powerful asks that will inspire four and occasionally five figure gifts.
To identify and cultivate high net worth individuals moving them through the pipeline to engage them with BPT and ask them to support philanthropically. This will include building a portfolio of 20 individuals and managing the solicitation of these individuals.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
- Communication and networking
• To take advantage of the Director’s connections in order to enhance your prospect portfolio.
• To further build the portfolio of influencers and prospects by seeking connections during any and all conversations with existing and new contacts.
• To utilise excellent communication skills during conversations with potential and existing donors in order to determine areas of philanthropic interests.
• To develop, commission and edit fundraising literature and proposals that will inspire individuals to stretch their philanthropy to new giving levels.
- Decision making, planning and problem solving
• To be responsible for developing and implementing fundraising strategies for particular projects in agreement with the Director.
• To plan and prioritise approaches to donors/prospects and to develop an annual calendar of approaches. To input into longer term planning such as donor development plans over an 18-24 month period, ensuring movement from unqualified prospect status, through cultivation stages, to solicitation and pledge.
• To have at hand a full range of project need, in outline, across BPT in order to respond to any given area of interest of a prospect. To seek in all projects the inspirational messages, urgency, and concrete examples that will motivate significant philanthropy.
• To be responsible for developing and implementing fundraising strategies for all prospects in your portfolio, in agreement with the Director.
3. Service delivery
• To generate annual income according to agreed targets, guided by the achievement of a small but clearly defined set of monthly key performance indicators.
• To meet with all prospects in your portfolio at least once per year.
• To engage prospects and donors through appropriate cultivation and stewardship events, in line with the BPT’s Events strategy. To add to this strategy, inspiring prospects and influencers to become involved in the department’s Events programme, as appropriate.
• To initiate responses to donor requests.
4. Analysis and research
• To work with the Director to identify potential prospects and their areas of interest, and devise individual development plans for them.
• To review your prospect pipeline on a quarterly basis and ensure appropriate prospect movement.
• To research, collate, organise and edit appropriate material for inclusion in funding proposals and other documents, translating it into accessible language where necessary.
• To accurately record on the database prospect information gathered in the cultivation and stewardship process, facilitating future fundraising and stewardship activity in addition to the production of management reports and your own research of prospects.
• To monitor and review individual progress to target.
| Person Specification | Essential | Desirable |
| Proven experience of engaging, developing and cultivating high level relationships with potential funders and benefactors | ✓ | |
| Proven track record in the delivery of 5+ figure donations | ✓ | |
| Knowledge and experience of making ‘an ask’, compiling and articulating inspiring and emotive bids at major gift level, or developing compelling fundraising proposals | ✓ | |
| Excellent interpersonal skills, a confident, articulate and persuasive communicator | ✓ | |
| Exemplary organisational skills, able to prioritise and meet deadlines, acting on own initiative whilst knowing when to consult | ✓ | |
| Appreciation and understanding of modern pilgrimage in Britain | ✓ | |
| Understanding of relevant regulations and procedures, such as GDPR and Institute of Fundraising guidelines | ✓ | |
| Experience of working independently and remotely with cloud-based platforms such as Google Workspace or similar | ✓ | |
| Willingness and ability to work evenings or weekends if required e.g., donor events, guided pilgrimages etc | ✓ | |
| Full clean driving licence | ✓ |