Major Donor & Philanthropy Fundraiser

Objective

To increase fundraised income for BRACE and dementia research through major donors and high-value supporters, both cultivating existing supporters to increase their support and networking to develop new major donors.

Role

As our Major Donor & Philanthropy Fundraiser, you will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive major giving programme to increase revenue from high-value supporters. This is a new and exciting opportunity to establish and grow this income stream for BRACE, requiring proven experience in securing major gifts.

Key Tasks:

Major Donor Fundraising

• Develop and implement a strategic plan to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high net worth individuals.

• Build and maintain a strong portfolio of potential funding sources through thorough prospect research.​

• Manage a diverse portfolio of existing and new major donors, delivering excellent relationship management to meet ambitious individual fundraising targets.​

• Build, manage, and maintain a full and consistent pipeline of prospects, ensuring timely progression through each stage from identification to stewardship.​

• Conduct frequent and regular contact with donors and prospects by phone, video, and in-person meetings, utilizing the Head of Fundraising and CEO for potential new and existing high net stakeholders.​

• Develop compelling, tailored proposals and funding applications to secure significant donations.​

• Create and implement bespoke stewardship plans to ensure long-term support.​

• Represent BRACE at networking events to build relationships with potential high-value supporters.​

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all major donor activity in our database.​

Strategy & Planning

• Work closely with the Head of Fundraising to develop and implement a major donor fundraising strategy.​

• Monitor performance against budget targets and analyze data to support future budgeting.​

• Contribute to the overall fundraising strategy of the charity.​

• Stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in major donor fundraising.​

General Responsibilities

• Be an active and supportive member of the BRACE team, supporting colleagues across the organization to support the charity’s wider organizational goals and objectives.​

• Gain and maintain in-depth knowledge and understanding of the charity's work, priorities, and future plans.​

• Assist the CEO, Head of Fundraising, and other colleagues with charity-wide development initiatives.​

• Attend meetings and events as required both during and outside normal office hours, including the annual Let’s Talk Dementia.​

• Carry out any other duties compatible with this post as directed by the Head of Fundraising.

Candidate requirements

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience in major donor fundraising or equivalent high-value relationship
  management
• Proven track record of securing large and repeat donations from individuals
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with good copywriting and proofreading ability
• Experience in creative proposal writing and the ability to demonstrate clear outcomes and impact
• Confident and persuasive presentation skills
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with high-net worth individuals
• Experience in developing and implementing stewardship plans for major donors
• Strong research skills with experience in identifying quality new business leads
• Proven ability to form good working relations, both internally and externally with people at all levels
• Innovative and keen to find solutions to problems
• Strong interpersonal skill set with the ability to be persuasive
• Excellent IT literacy
• Excellent planning, time management, and organisational skills
• Willingness to work flexibly in order to adapt to the needs of supporters and the charity
• Able to work unsupervised and independently from home and on the road

Desirable:

• Excellent ability to motivate, inspire, and influence people
• A self-starter with entrepreneurial spirit
• Experience in launching or growing a major donor program
• Understanding of the medical research funding landscape
• Experience using Raiser's Edge to manage donor relationships
• Empathy with the cause that BRACE represents (knowledge of dementia and research is not essential, as information and informal training will be provided)