JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS MANAGER DEPARTMENT

Job title:

Trusts and Foundations Manager

Department:

Development and Alumni Relations

Salary

Grade 7

Responsible to:

Deputy Director and Head of Major Gifts

Responsible for:

n/a

Location:

East Building, Claverton Campus, Bath

Purpose of the job:

The Trusts and Foundations Manager will be responsible for working with trusts, foundations and statutory bodies to generate substantial income for the University. There is a wide range of regional, national and international funding bodies who could support the University’s work. The role of the Trust and Foundations Manager is to identify and research these opportunities and to work with the Head of Major Gifts and other members of the Major Gifts team to maximise this income stream.

Key responsibilities will include trust and foundation research, identifying suitable University projects for funding, writing funding bids, maintaining relationships with trusts and foundations by providing regular updates and project reports and ensuring all contact with trusts and foundations is recorded on Raiser’s Edge.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Fundraising

1. To raise funds in the form of significant grants (£10k+) from charitable trusts, foundations (including corporate foundations), and statutory bodies

2. To develop a comprehensive rolling programme of targeted and specific trust applications

3. To synthesise information from a variety of sources in order to write compelling funding bids

4. To work closely with academic colleagues to identify potential fundraising priorities then in consultation with the Head of Major Gifts develop them into viable projects to be approved as University priorities for fundraising.

2. Research

1. To identify prospective funding bodies whose strategic objectives match the work of the University

2. To research trust objectives in order to craft well informed funding bids

3. To identify and research trusts and foundations to produce comprehensive trust profiles which are recorded and shared with relevant members of the Development Team.

3. Relationship Management

1. To support relationship management systems to ensure that the giving potential of each individual funding body is maximised

2. To develop relationships with a portfolio of prospective funding bodies, using a wide range of appropriate mechanisms to retain and develop their involvement with the University of Bath, including meetings with Trustees, stewardship events and recognition opportunities

3. To ensure that funding partners receive timely and appropriate information about the progress and outcomes of projects

4. To ensure that robust systems are established to support the effective and timely engagement and thanking of Trusts and Foundations, including processes to learn from unsuccessful applications

5. To brief the Deputy Director on developments and progress of key relationships

4. Strategy, planning and management

1. To help monitor trust budgets to maximise income and deliver excellent cost to income ratios

2. To provide timely and accurate reports to the Deputy Director on trust fundraising activity

3. To work with the rest of the Major Gifts Team on the development of robust cases for support that will effectively engage with trusts and foundations

4. Adhere to the highest standards of fundraising best practice

5. Throughout all fundraising ensure that all activities comply fully with the relevant Data Protection and any other legislation

6. To support the donor-centric culture of the Department to engage with donors and partners personally and effectively

The Trusts & Foundations Manager may also be expected to carry out other duties, which may be reasonably requested. As such, the job may involve occasional evening and weekend work, for which time off in lieu can be claimed.

Internal and external relationships:

• Close working relationships with the Deputy Director and other Development and Alumni Relations staff.

• Direct, frequent contact with academic and non-academic members of staff including Deans and Heads of Departments in order to:

  • develop fundraising strategies;

  • identify University priorities;

  • take forward relationships with key trusts and foundations; and

  • Clarify roles with the Research Development Support Office

• Regular contact with senior academics and support staff who are working on projects for which philanthropic support is sought, in order to stay familiar with projects at the centre of the University’s gift portfolio.

• Frequent, proactive and reactive, highly personalised contact with prospective and current supporters, to build strong relationships so as to ask for large (£10,000 - £1,000,000+) gifts in applications.

Criteria

Essential

Desirable

Assessed by

A/F

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T

Qualifications

Educated to at least first degree level or equivalent.

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Training/Courses taken

Evidence of continuing professional development through participation in suitable CASE and/or Institute of Fundraising type events

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Experience/Knowledge

Proven experience of working in a results-oriented environment e.g. fundraising, sales, marketing, recruitment.

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Proven success in raising substantial levels of philanthropic funding in the form of major gifts from trusts and foundations

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Experience of stewarding and cultivating relationships with funding bodies.

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Experience of working with colleagues at senior level, i.e. Chief Executive, Director or Trustee level, and of representing an organisation at a high level.

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Experience of producing tailored proposals and materials to appeal to specific audiences

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Experience of working within the higher education and/or not-for profit sector.

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Experience of working with a diverse range of colleagues within a large and complex organisation.

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Skills

Proven ability to develop strong relationships with, and to solicit major gifts from, trusts and foundations.

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Excellent negotiating skills.

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Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with a wide range of people

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Excellent written and oral communication skills

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The ability to produce reports, proposals or publicity materials to a high standard of presentation requiring excellent skills in written communication and accuracy.

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An articulate and confident manner, demonstrating sensitivity and diplomacy in order to develop good relationships and solicit major gifts.

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The ability to understand and convey technical or scientific information, sometimes communicating complex academic visions to non-academic supporters.

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Excellent IT skills, including components of Microsoft Office software, with good working knowledge of using relationship databases, ideally the Raiser’s Edge database.

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Attributes/Personal Characteristics

Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise a varied and diverse workload and to work independently with minimum supervision, calmly under pressure and to meet deadlines.

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Highly motivated and goals orientated.

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Proactive and positive approach, a willingness to take the lead in asking for financial support.

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Ability to deal with confidential matters and act with discretion.

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Flexible approach to work and over working hours when required.

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Ability and willingness to travel and occasionally to work at evenings or weekends.

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A strong belief in the importance of universities to society, coupled with an understanding of the need to diversify the funding base of these institutions, particularly with philanthropic support.

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