Animal network officer jobs in langport, somerset

Contract:  12-month fixed term contract, full-time, 35 hours over 5 days (part time and flexible working can be considered)  

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000 per annum 

Location:  UK, Remote  

Closing date:  Tuesday 29 April 2025 

Interview date:  w/c 5 May 2025  

Are you a passionate and driven fundraiser with a talent for building meaningful relationships? We’re looking for an experienced Philanthropy Manager who thrives on engaging donors and inspiring support on a 12-month fixed term contract. 

More about the role 

Our Philanthropy team is responsible for engaging mid-value and major donors, as well as trusts and foundations. 

As Philanthropy Manager, you will be a vital part of the relationship management team, stewarding a mixed portfolio of donors, including individuals and trusts/foundations. You will cultivate and manage relationships with supporters typically giving five-figure gifts, with opportunities to secure six-figure donations. Through engaging conversations, impactful written proposals, and in-person meetings, you will inspire donors to invest in our mission and make a lasting difference for pets in need. 

This role is available on a full-time, 12-month fixed term basis. We are also happy to consider candidates who may be looking for part time/4 days instead of 5 and flexible working.

If you have a passion for philanthropy, excellent relationship-building skills, and a track record of securing major gifts, we’d love to hear from you! 

Key responsibilities: 

• Manage a mixed portfolio of donors and prospects

• Design and deliver innovative and engaging stewardship plans for prospects 

• Manage donor-led cultivation opportunities/events (e.g. private tours and dinners) 

• Work with existing advocates to identify opportunities within their networks to introduce new prospects to the work of Blue Cross 

• Build and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders who can add value to the cultivation process 

• Create engaging and impressive donor communications including funding proposals and impact reports 

• Adhere to a suite of clear work processes demonstrating compliance with our privacy policy, GDPR, data protection legislation and fundraising best practice 

• Deliver a comprehensive set of KPIs including meeting an individual income target 

• Maintain accurate and up to date donor records and updates using our CRM 

Want to know more? We've attached a detailed job description that outlines the role, responsibilities, and how you can make a difference. 

About you 

You will have exceptional interpersonal skills and quickly understand donor motivations, delivering tailored and impactful stewardship. A natural communicator, you can adapt your approach to connect with any audience, whether through compelling written proposals or face-to-face meetings. 

Creative and strategic, you know how to craft inspiring fundraising materials for different audiences and settings. You’re proactive in moving prospects through the pipeline, building strong relationships, and confidently making the ask. 

With a results-driven mindset, you foster productive stakeholder relationships that drive philanthropy forward. You work with professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion, and you take pride in being part of a dedicated and supportive team. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience   

• Proven experience of mid to high-value fundraising with a track record of initiating new relationships, making the ask and developing long-term donor relationships 

• Experience of crafting compelling funding proposals and applications

• Experience of designing stewardship journeys for mid to high value supporters resulting in increased affinity to the organisation and donation uplift

• Experience of sharing philanthropic opportunities with high-net-individuals in a professional and engaging manner, with a flair for adapting to their individual aspirations

• Experience of successful developing senior stakeholder relationships (both internally and externally) 

• Experience of successfully delivering an income target 

• An ability to think laterally and proactively to problem solve 

• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure, excellent attention to detail, prioritise work and meet deadlines 

• Experience of successfully conveying a fundraising need to donors in an engaging way both in person and in high quality written stewardship 

• Excellent interpersonal skills with a high level of professionalism and discretion 

• Full driving licence in order to travel to donor meetings 

A bonus if you have:  

• Experience of working within an animal welfare charity

• A fundraising qualification or evidence of CPD 

How to apply  

Click the apply button and complete the online application process before 23:59 on the closing date on Tuesday 29 April 2025. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.   

Blue Cross benefits    

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it weren’t for their amazing efforts and commitment, we wouldn’t be able to make the difference that we do today.  In return, we want to provide you with the best working environment we can.

With a wide range of perks aimed at enhancing your life both inside and outside of work, you'll 
thrive in a supportive and rewarding environment. 

Our generous benefits package includes:   

• Enhanced annual leave entitlement: 30 days plus bank holidays  

• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution  

• Life assurance  

• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme 

• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support 

• Free access to GP via MetLife 

• Recognition scheme 

• Annual volunteer days  

• Claim for professional fees 

• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers.  

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.  

PURPOSE OF THIS ROLE

Over recent years, SBP has grown from a fledgling charity to an established and impactful organisation with an annual budget of over £1m in restricted and unrestricted funds. 

Our existing Head of Finance, who has been with us through part of this journey, is shortly due to retire and will be replaced by this Head of Finance & HR role, with strategic and operational ownership of SBP’s finances, as well as responsibility of SBP’s HR policy and processes.

KEY LIAISONS

The Head of Finance & HR will report to SBP’s CEO and sit on SBP’s Management Team, comprising the CEO and other heads of functions. 

The role will manage our Finance & HR Officer and work closely with other members of the home-based SBP team, including colleagues in Fundraising leading on income generation.

The role will also communicate regularly with SBP’s Treasurer and the wider Board of Trustees to support their understanding of the charity’s financial and HR management.

Where required, the role will also have contact with SBP’s partners, suppliers and other external contacts in the course of managing the charity’s financial agreements and transactions.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational ownership of SBP’s finances, including:

• Control and management of SBP’s bank accounts and financial system (Xero).

• Responsibility for SBP’s financial transactions, payments and payroll.

• Responsibility for external claims/reporting, including Gift Aid claims and VAT returns.

• Responsibility for SBP’s financial processes, controls and policies.

• Line management and development of the Finance & HR Officer to support in the above. 

Strategic ownership and governance of SBP’s finances, including:

• Management and delivery of our annual budget and the budgeting/re-forecasting process, with input from the wider team.

• Management and delivery of our annual accounts and audit, in conjunction with an external accountant/auditor.

• Monthly financial reporting to the Management Team.

• Quarterly financial reporting to the Board of Trustees.

• Financial planning for the organisation, taking into account trends in spending and income, and planned growth of our activities.

• Assessment and communication of financial risks to the Management Team and Board of Trustees.

Financial advice and support to the wider SBP team, including:

• Providing financial information to feed into fundraising applications.

• Providing advice on VAT/financial risk in relation to new products, partnerships and agreements.

• Advising on budget creation and management for projects, commissions and operational areas.

Human resources policy and processes:

• Responsibility for SBP’s human resource processes, controls and policies.

• Oversight of contracting and on-boarding of new employees.

• Oversight of holiday management and storage of key documents/information using our HR system, Breathe. 

• Line management and development of the Finance & HR Officer to support in the above. 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA), or equivalent level of knowledge/experience.

• Experience of reporting, budgeting, payroll and other finance processes at an operational and strategic level.

• Experience in a charitable organisation, or good working knowledge of the unique aspects of charity finance, including management of restricted and unrestricted funds.

• Experience of taking ownership of either a finance function or a discreet finance area, along with the responsibility for its accurate management and efficient running.

• Experience of presenting and explaining financial information to individuals and groups with varying levels of financial understanding.

• Experience of HR management policy and process.

• Experience of working with Xero, or proven ability to get up to speed quickly with new financial systems.

KEY SKILLS/ATTRIBUTES

• Self-motivated and solutions-focused, with the capability and desire to take ownership of all relevant responsibilities and continually improve the charity’s financial and HR processes. 

• Comfortable working in a small organisational setting, without the support of a wider, multi-level finance and HR structure/team.

• Attentive to detail, in order to ensure that transactions, processes and reporting are accurate and reliable.

• Analytical, with the skills to provide financial analysis in support of decision-making and help others identify trends and anomalies in our finances.

• Skilled at taking financial data from a variety of sources (e.g. accounting software, bank, spreadsheets) and presenting it to a non-financial audience in an accessible format.

• Excellent organisational, time management and prioritisation skills, with the flexibility to respond to changing needs in a dynamic working environment.

• Ability to communicate confidently with a wide range of people and build positive
  relationships with colleagues, partners and stakeholders.

• Desire and ability to stay up to date with financial and HR governance law and requirements as they relate to charities.

• Motivated to be part of a committed wider team working towards our vision for rewilding in Scotland.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary: £24,000-27,000 per annum on 0.6 FTE hours (pro-rated from £40,000-45,000 FTE), depending on experience. Salaries are paid in arrears on the last working day of each month by bank transfer.

Hours: Working hours are flexible, but must equate to a minimum of 22.5 working hours (0.6 FTE) per week, Monday to Friday. Note that the full-time working week at SBP is 37.5 hours. The nature of the post may from time to time require evening and weekend work. Paid overtime is not available, but time off in lieu will be given. 

Place of work: This role is home-based within Scotland and will require a suitable home office working environment (SBP can provide a laptop and support additional equipment needs). Attendance of meetings and events in other parts of Scotland will also be required periodically, with travel expenses paid in accordance with SBP’s Expenses Policy. 

Contract: Permanent.

Flexibility: Subject to ensuring that the needs of the charity and the role are met, SBP endeavours to meet the flexible working needs of its employees. 

Holidays: 16.8 days on 0.6 FTE hours (pro-rated from our FTE allowance of 28 days) including public holidays, plus 5 additional office closure days between Christmas and New Year. 

Pensions: You may be eligible to be enrolled into SBP’s employee pension scheme. Written terms of the scheme are available on request. 

Probationary period: 6 months. 

Notice period: 2 months.

ABOUT US

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity that works to make rewilding happen across Scotland, as a solution to the growing climate and biodiversity crises, by influencing opinion and delivering practical change. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes and people thrive.

We are a small, friendly, agile and progressive team that works in a spirit of collaboration with many different interest groups to:

• Drive support for rewilding

• Commit more land and water to rewilding

Learn more about SBP and the way we work on our website.