FUNDRAISING MANAGER

Permanent – Full time

We are Chester Zoo, and for over 90 years we’ve been a leading conservation and education charity, and an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction.

We’re also a team of passionate, talented, enthusiastic and expert people, doing everything we can to prevent extinction, from caring for animals to discovering new conservation ideas, and giving our visitors an inspirational day out.

We work hard because we love animals, we care about nature, we love Chester Zoo and, despite all the recent challenges thrown at us, we still want to be the best zoo in the world! If you think you can help us to achieve that, then we’d love to hear from you.

We currently have an exciting vacancy for a Fundraising Manager to lead our Fundraising team, taking accountability for the planning and delivery of individual and corporate fundraising objectives, and creating and sustaining a network of contacts to support development activity.

The role:

• Develop and deliver the fundraising strategy to contribute and support the Conservation Masterplan and Strategic Development Plan.
• Develop relationships across industries and build the reputation of the zoo as a charity delivering significant conservation outcomes. Act as an ambassador for Chester Zoo, representing the zoo at charitable functions, events and meetings with potential and existing supporters.
• In addition to protecting and growing current corporate partnerships, deliver and manage the new partner pipeline in order to meet growth targets. Supported by the wider marketing team, deliver all aspects of partnership support including comms and events.  Manage and negotiate all contracts, applications and SLAs.
• Develop and deliver plans to protect and grow the current supporter base. Work across high value donor and mass fundraising audiences to grow individual giving in line with income targets, utilising all areas of engagement across the zoo portfolio and beyond. 
• Develop and deliver plans to protect and grow grant, trust and foundation opportunities for the organisation. Work across the organisation to train support and coordinate applications to support the organisation’s objectives.
• Maintain up to date knowledge and membership of all appropriate fundraising institutes, acting as the charity expert on areas of best practice and legislation and adapting processes where required. Manage and develop the data held across fundraising, producing regular reporting on activity and ROI, adapting plans as required.
• Coach and develop the Fundraising team to adapt and grow with the scope of fundraising activity and work closely with the wider marketing and commercial teams.

The successful candidate will have:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Member of Institute of Fundraising, and have ideally gained the Institute of Fundraising Diploma or Advanced Diploma.
• Able to balance a sophisticated communications style with an energetic, strategic and innovative approach to fundraising, drawing on previous fundraising knowledge and experience.
• Experience of securing and managing relationships with high level corporate partners, donors and senior volunteers including trustees.
• Digital fundraising experience, evidenced by case studies demonstrating ROI.
• Experienced in using fundraising databases, with the ability to segment and interpret data.
• Experience of developing high level strategies with performance indicators which have been delivered.
• Specialist knowledge of charity law and awareness of tax, gift aid, VAT and other legislation relating to fundraising.
• A motivator and influencer, with experience of managing a team of fundraising professionals.
• Highly numerate and able to report against KPIs and financial targets.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Experience of developing and managing an Appeals Board, working at Trustee level.
• Proven major gifts fundraising experience, also a strong natural drive towards getting out into the field.

The hours of work are 40 hours per week, worked Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5pm with a 30 minute unpaid lunch break.  Flexibility to work outside of regular hours for the fulfilment of your role will be required.

The role will involve regular travel to London and other parts of the UK, and potentially some overseas travel.

The salary for this role is £45,647.95 per annum and in addition we offer a range of amazing benefits which can be found at www.chesterzoo.org/work-with-us/staff-benefits/ 

To apply for this position, please click ‘Apply Now’ to upload your CV and a covering letter which clearly demonstrates how you meet the criteria we are looking for.

Closing date for applications is Sunday 24 October 2021