Head of Fundraising

JOB TITLE:                          Head of Fundraising  

LOCATION:                        Great Horwood, Buckinghamshire (minimum 3 days in office per week)

SALARY:                             £48K – 52K

JOB TYPE:                          Permanent, Full Time (37.5 hours per week)

Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives.

We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving alert assistance dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease.

We have an exciting new opportunity to join this small, but ambitious charity that is a world leader in its specialist innovative field.

Main purpose and scope of the role

This is a pivotal leadership role within the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at Medical Detection Dogs (MDD), combining strategic oversight with hands-on operational involvement. The role requires a proactive leader who can inspire a high-performing fundraising team while actively engaging in day-to-day fundraising activities.

As Head of Fundraising, you will lead the development and delivery of MDD’s income generation strategies across multiple streams. This includes rolling up your sleeves to participate in operational fundraising activities, engaging with supporters directly, and ensuring that established initiatives and campaigns are optimised and expanded.

Your ability to work collaboratively across the charity, combined with a strong focus on achieving results, will ensure that MDD continues to generate the income required to fund its vital work throughout the UK.

Strategic leadership and SLT contribution

• Provide strategic direction for all fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with MDD’s overall mission and objectives.
• Contribute to SLT discussions and charity-wide strategic initiatives, offering operational insights and aligning fundraising efforts with broader organisational goals.
• Represent the fundraising function at Board meetings, providing updates on performance, opportunities, and risks.

Operational hands-on involvement

• Actively participate in delivering key activities, such as "Name a Puppy," and ensure their growth and success.
• Develop and maintain relationships with supporters, attending community events, presenting to groups, and engaging with donors to build loyalty and long-term support.
• Work with both the fundraising team and with colleagues across MDDm to create engaging campaigns and donor propositions that drive income.
• Be a visible, approachable leader who works alongside the team in operational activities, fostering a “lead by example” ethos.

Income stream development

• Drive the growth of established income streams, including individual giving, community and events fundraising, corporate partnerships,philanthropic giving (trusts and major donors) and legacy giving.
• Identify and implement innovative approaches to diversify income streams, using data and insights to inform decisions, with clear KPIs to monitor progress
• Work closely with the head of communications to ensure campaigns like "Name a Puppy" have compelling narratives and effective promotional materials.

Team leadership and development

• Provide hands-on leadership to the fundraising team, ensuring they are motivated, trained, and supported to deliver high-quality results.
• Encourage a collaborative, solution-focused culture within the team, where innovation and resilience are fostered.
• Set clear goals for team members and provide regular feedback to ensure alignment with charity objectives.

Financial oversight and performance monitoring

• Lead on the creation and delivery of annual fundraising income and expenditure budgets, ensuring financial targets are realistic yet ambitious.
• Monitor performance across all fundraising activities, preparing regular reports and forecasts in collaboration with the head of finance.
• Address income shortfalls promptly by identifying and implementing corrective actions.

Other Duties

• Represent MDD at key events and meetings, both in person and virtually, to build and maintain relationships with key supporters.
• Ensure all fundraising activities comply with relevant legislation, including GDPR, and adhere to the standards set by the Fundraising Regulator.
• Actively contribute to cross-departmental projects and initiatives to further MDD’s mission.
• Embrace and demonstrate MDD’s values at all times.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• A track record of establishing, leading, growing a broad range of income streams and delivering successful fundraising strategies which achieve significant uplift in income generation for an organisation
• Proven success in participating in operational fundraising activities
• Experience of working at a senior level of an organisation and managing relationships with key stakeholders, such as at CEO and Board level
• Experience of monitoring, evaluating and financial reporting of income generation.
• Experience of developing robust stewardship plans to build long term relationships with key funders and supporters.
• Demonstrable experience of leading, managing and inspiring a team, including encouraging innovation and improving ways of working to build a resilient and high performing team
• Demonstrable experience in managing and growing a range of income streams, including donor engagement campaigns, including via digital
• Experience of managing and developing a small team to deliver both strategic and operational goals.

Desirable

• Member of Chartered Institute of Fundraising

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Strong strategic thinking skills combined with a hands-on, operational approach to fundraising delivery.
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills
• Good influencing and negotiation skills
• Strong people management skills with the ability to train and develop individuals and create a ‘one team’ positive ethos which works across an organisation to achieve results
• Understanding of GDPR legislation and Fundraising Regulator’s requirements
• Good working knowledge of CRM systems and a solid understanding of the role of data within a fundraising environment

Desirable

• Experience of Harlequin CRM

Other Requirements

• fA full current driving license
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends
• You will be required to have a criminal record check carried out by the Disclosure & Barring (DBS) when you first join the charity and at regular intervals thereafter.
• Comfortable with dogs in the workplace/office