Major Gifts and Philanthropy Executive - Every Second Counts Lead – Mat Cover PMGP-ESC

Starting Salary: £42,195 - £45,455 p.a. (Inc London Weighting) – SPEC B

Contract: 10-month contract (with the possibility of an extension). From January 2024 with handover and full time from February 2024

Hours of work: Full time/35 hours per week

Location: London Office/ Hybrid

CAFOD launched a four-year private phase of its Every Second Counts (ESC) initiative in 2020 to raise £5m to support CAFOD’s protracted international emergency work that does not usually reach mainstream news platforms. Due to its success, we plan to launch phase 2 in April 2024 for a further 4 years to raise £7.5m. The feasibility work is underway and you will shape it with a small, highly experienced and forward looking internal working group.

This highly influential role will lead the day-to-day management of ESC strategy and operational plans alongside managing and supporting the newly to be formed ESC Fundraising Group of well networked donors.

This role requires a passionate and persuasive individual who can cultivate strong relationships with key influential stakeholders including major gifts donors, prospects, our CAFOD Executive Team and Trustees to help achieve CAFOD’s ambitious fundraising targets.

Key Responsibilities

Strategically guide and project manage Every Second Counts Phase 2 initiative (ESC)

• As part of the Major Gifts and Philanthropy (MGP) team, lead the overall initiative and act as the 'go to' and expert reference point for ESC and its relationship to CAFOD's wider humanitarian response.
• Using your specialist knowledge in fundraising, deliver and influence the new ESC phase 2 strategy targeting major gifts donors and supporters. Maintain a good overview and ensure other relationship managers are developing their high value donor portfolios to give to ESC.
• Develop the existing ESC and donor plans, budgets, and operational plans, which will include updating the case for support, creating appeals, writing tailored proposals and reports, other engagement material alongside the internal stakeholders and the MGP team. You will work closely and be supported by the Head of MGP, and major gifts team leads in ensuring the strategy fits into the wider MGP plans
• Identify and manage work packages to deliver the initiative. Provide timely reports on progress to stakeholders. Ensure they are on track with their contributions and objectives.
• Work across the MGP team as well as other CAFOD teams at all levels to maximise cross collaboration income opportunities.
• Establish the ESC Fundraising Group with well networked donors, to lead on the ESC fundraising activities to assist in achieving the income and KPI targets. Ensure they are well supported and maintain their engagement and motivation.

Donor portfolio relations

• Ensure the best possible cultivation and stewardship plans are implemented and understood by others who will play a key role in these activities and ensure funds are raised.
• Take the lead, coordinate the approaches and the donation ask to prospective donors and where appropriate with leadership to secure significant gifts for CAFOD’s specialist protracted emergency and humanitarian programmes.
• Work across the MGP team to sound out potential donors and influencers for ESC and advise on the strategic approach.
• Work closely with the CAFOD Executive Team, Trustees and the ESC Fundraising Group to manage their peer to peer support by offering your expert advice.
• Manage the approaches by other team members, ensuring that prospect research, briefing notes, and other relevant information are done in a timely fashion and are shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Manage a prospective portfolio of warm and cold supporters ensuring all relevant information is updated in accordance with GDPR and delivered to targets.

Working with ESC influential donors

• Lead on sub-donor segment groups with clearly outlined responsibilities which will include the management of senior staff and volunteer leadership.
• Provide clear management support and direction so staff are clear on their responsibilities and direction.
• Establish relationships with CAFOD Trustees and new volunteer leadership to develop supporter networks and to engage donors with our work.
• Working alongside the Philanthropy Manager and team leads to support ongoing donor relationships.
• Identify, engage and lead on developing potential new ESC influencers and supporters for CAFOD.

Information management, donor prospecting and cultivation events

• Maintain up to date records of all communications with supporters to ensure that all information is recorded accurately.
• Monitor major giving funding trends.
• Plan and implement ESC cultivation and stewardship events and high level in person meetings.
• Develop and continuously review all ESC material including the Case for Support, sound bite messages from our internal programme staff and partners as well as online and offline material. Ensure that these communications work for and inspire donors, testing key tools such as proposition material with selected donors and the ESC Fundraising Group.
• Develop digital content and other communication material to engage with donors, working with CAFOD’s Communications team as needed.
• Communicate persuasively CAFOD’s work through compelling written proposals and face to face meetings with prospective donors.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate will be charismatic with an excellent track record of managing substantial major giving relationships and managing exciting stakeholder relationships. A strong team player and an ambitious self-starter you will be able to lead and direct the ESC initiative, and cultivate relationships with high-value supporters, donors, and influential stakeholders in order to maximise donations and develop long-term donor partnerships to achieve the ESC soft and hard targets.

You will have previous successful experience in generating significant gifts for not-for-profit organisations, project management and knowledge of developing peer-to-peer approaches with influential stakeholders.

In addition, the essential criteria for the role will include:

• Proven experience in managing major gifts relationships and experience of articulating the proposition to donors.
• Achieved successful income growth strategies with experience or potential to attract donations of £50k and ideally above 6 figures.
• Strong organisational and project management abilities
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Creative and confident in bringing new strategic ideas to the table.
• Knowledge and awareness of the field of international development and humanitarian aid environment.
• CAFOD will consider transferable skills for the right candidates.

Why Choose CAFOD?

At CAFOD we value our employees and are committed to offering a healthy work–life balance and promoting the well-being of our employees.

Hybrid working with a minimum of 40% of your time in the London Office.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits, some of which are below.

• 34 days holiday (20 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays and 6 closure days)
• Additional 10 days annual leave purchase scheme
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan.
• Enhanced Maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Enhanced Sick pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme

We offer all our employees learning and development opportunities, we provide training, coaching and mentoring to support your development in various aspects of our work.

CAFOD is committed to being an anti-racist organisation and we are keen to increase the diversity of our teams. We are particularly keen to seek out applications from people of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

There's room for everyone: Catholics and non-Catholics; people of all faiths and none. We employ people in all corners of the world, of all ages and ethnicities. The result? A friendly and open-minded organisation.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves by the provisions of these documents. This post does not involve contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults or has responsibility for people who overall will do.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Applications for the post can be made directly via the CAFOD website - https://isw.changeworknow.co.uk/cafod/vms/e/careers/positions/cvuONlAk5i4kPztnbeaqut