Reporting to the Director of Fundraising, the Major Donor Manager is responsible for the delivery of an energetic high net worth individuals fundraising strategy to support the organisation’s five year strategy and beyond.

This role is responsible for identifying and approaching new major donors as well as cultivating existing or prospective major donors within our supporter base. The successful candidate will be an experienced, talented and highly motivated relational fundraiser with a passion for using their marketing skills and experience to help build better lives for orphans and vulnerable children.

With a keen understanding of relational, face to face marketing, you will use your outstanding written and verbal communication skills and emotional intelligence to build meaningful relationships with donors being able to both inspire and reassure donors to support SOS Children’s Villages UK.

The successful candidate will have a sound knowledge of key account management and the relational communication skills to engage with major donors from a variety of backgrounds. The candidate will intuitive abilities to discover the interest, passions and needs of the donors/prospects and would swiftly be able to identify ‘what makes them tick’ and work with that insight to identify appropriate funding opportunities and the distinct way the individual major donor needs to be managed.

The role of Major Donor Manager will therefore suit someone who embraces a proactive and transformational role to management.

You must demonstrate a passion for the work of SOS Children’s Villages UK.

Responsibilities:
Support the Director of Fundraising in developing and delivering the major donor fundraising strategy for the organisation.Manage the performance and professional development of direct reports in Major Donor team.
Develop tailored strategies to manage donor relationships and deliver excellent customer service to maximise income and secure longevity of relationships.
Create and augment a fundraising product portfolio that aligns funding needs with major donor objectives.
Identify opportunities to raise unrestricted income.
Promote and facilitate the SOS brand experience among our high net worth audience.
Develop the major donor pipeline to generate new income generating relationships
Create relevant, professional and inspiring approaches or proposals for major donor.
Organise and travel overseas with donors to visit work they are funding or considering funding.
Build networks within donor communities to raise our profile
Forecast and manage major donor income and expenditure budgets, ensuring records are maintained and updated (accurately and consistently) to enable income reporting and analysis of activity.
Ensure donor data on our CRM system is accurate and that the system is both configured appropriately and has the functionality to enable a relational major donor programme.

Person Specification:

Essential:
Educated to degree level or relevant professional qualification with experience.
Demonstrable evidence of success in gaining significant funding from major donors or philanthropists.
Track record of acquiring new prospects or cultivating existing donors to generate individual financials gifts worth £50k+
Evidence of ability to conduct research producing market insights that informs creative and persuasive proposals and/or relational strategies.
Outstanding interpersonal skills with an ability to engage effectively with people at all levels and of varied backgrounds.
Outstanding communications skills, both written and verbal.
Excellent emotional intelligence abilities and social awareness
Proficient in use of Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
A positive ‘can do’ and solution orientated attitude
Excellent organisational skills; the ability to manage a large number of tasks concurrently.
Willing and able to travel within the UK and abroad.
UK driving licence
Able to undertake working at weekends and the evenings to fit in with donor meetings and/or need to communicate in their personal time.

Desirable:
Experience of CRM system
Project management skills
Knowledge of international developmental sector and/or charity fundraising

To apply:
Please click on APPLY NOW for full details (scrolling down to the relevant vacancy), then submit your CV plus covering letter to fundraising@soschildren.org.

Closing date: Mon 13th April