Fundraising Director (consultancy) - Bid to Tender

About Bond and the role 

Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. We unite and support a diverse network of over 365 civil society organisations to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice. We strengthen and champion the sector to make international development more efficient and effective. We work to influence governments and policy-makers, develop the skills of people in the sector, share expertise, and build organisational capacity and partnerships. We also support the sector to decolonise and become more anti-racist and locally-led.  

 Bond gets nearly half its income from restricted funding, so it is critical part of becoming a financially resilient organisation with a diverse income portfolio, able to adapt to external cost pressures and having scope to invest in the work it wants to do.  As our members shrink their UK presence, Bond’s membership income is reducing accordingly, and so we need to increase our access to restricted fundraising to compensate and allow us to continue to deliver our strategy.   

Bond has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to fundraising. Our strength is our unique place in the UK sector, our structured relationships with the UK government and our key role in global networks, including around key processes such as the G7 and G20. Our main selling point for funders is that an investment in Bond can reach our 365 members, the UK government and the key global institutions in which it plays a key role. We have also demonstrated thought leadership on key issues, including anti-racism, economic justice, sector transformation, civic space, decolonization and development finance. We have access to unrestricted funding from our members, and funding from the FCDO, which can be used to co-finance other initiatives. Our weakness is that, as a UK based network, we cannot easily demonstrate the kind of ‘on the ground’ impacts that other organisations can, and we risk being deprioritized by UK funders who want to fund UK work, and those interested in work in LMICs who (rightly) want to prioritise spending in those countries. We are also rightly focused on our member priorities and positioning, which can limit access to some funding streams, as we are clear that we will only work on areas that are of sufficient priority for our members.  

Moreover, many of the key trusts and foundations that Bond is targeting rely on relationship building and networking rather than a formal application process. We need to build up our profile and relationships with these funders, especially those in the US.  

We are looking for a part-time fundraising director, to work on a consultancy basis, to support us in securing the next phase of these large grants and helping us to identify and engage with other funders to diversify our funding sources.  This role combines coordination with building strong relationships and supporting Bond managers and leaders to secure our funding into the future.  The person will lead an informal team of staff drawn from across the organisation (which meets fortnightly) and work closely with the CEO and Directors to establish and maintain relationships with key donors. They will also play a key role in upskilling and developing staff capacity to fundraise within Bond and coordinating our efforts.  

We have done a significant amount of groundwork and initial scoping of trusts and foundations over 24/25, so this new director’s role will be to help us in opening doors and building relationships with priority funders. The director will also help to support the CEO, Senior Management Team and our managers to identify and build relationships with funders, strengthen networks and sharpen up our pitch. The director will also provide strategic advice and guidance to the SMT as to how we might strengthen our work areas to better attract additional funding, building on some consultancy on our finance model that is currently ongoing.  

The ideal candidate will have a track record in fundraising from major donors and a strong interest in and understanding of the international development sector and the role of networks within that sector. They will have significant existing relationships and networks amongst the major donors likely to fund Bond’s work. They will be excellent at bringing teams together to submit bids, overseeing active funder management and finding the best relationships from which to secure funds. 

Main purpose of the job 

The main purpose of the job is to support Bond to secure the next phase of Bond’s large grants and to identify and engage with new and existing funders to diversify our funding sources.   

Main responsibilities 

We envisage that this role will deliver: 

• Lead our overall approach with donors and ensure key relationships are nurtured (through the SMT and key managers). 
• Build and manage relationships with key funders and sure introductions are made to relevant Bond staff members. Monitor trends in key donor agencies (new leadership, new strategies etc) and ensure that Bond staff can make the most of these opportunities.  
• Work with the SMT and extended management team (EMT) to create and sustain a culture of fundraising within Bond 
• Provide high level, strategic advice to Bond staff as to entry points and pitches with particular donors. 
• Identify key external events at which Bond leaders can present our work and build profile and relationships with donors, and prepare Bond staff as appropriate.  
• Proactively seek-out and identify new fundraising trends and developments, and make recommendations to Bond based on this  
• Provide us with advice on how to best package our work to attract specific funders, while ensuring that we are able to continue to respond to member demand and our obligations and positioning with existing donors. 
• Support and coordinate the preparation and submission of bids, expressions of interest and concept notes as appropriate, supporting our expert teams to present their work and plans in the most compelling way.  
• Train and coach the Bond team ahead of key funder meetings and presentations. 
• Write and deliver the fundraising strategy for 2025/6, including identifying new potential income streams and producing new strategies to access these funds.  
• Monitor and deliver annual income targets  
• Provide the CEO and SMT with advice on how we can best adapt our approach and ways of working to build up a more diversified funding base.  
• Attend meetings with funders and prospects, and networking events to uncover new opportunities for fundraising  
• Ensure Bond’s prosect list is kept up to date and prepare fundraising pipeline reports for relevant board meetings.  

The role will be supported by a number of staff who have fundraising as a small part of their roles, including the CEO, Head of Finance, Operations and Performance, SMT and the Extended Management Team (EMT).  

Person specification 

Essential. 

• A solid track record in leading significant successful fundraising efforts from trusts and foundations and major donors.   
• Significant network of contacts within the major trusts and foundations likely to fund Bond’s work, including those in the US.  
• Experience of developing and delivering high-level fundraising strategies and working with Senior Management Teams to implement them  
• An excellent knowledge of the major donors likely to fund Bond’s work, including their approaches, strategies, key contacts and ways of working 
• Strong knowledge of international development and sector transformation, including some expertise on the policy areas within which we work 
• Strong ability to work within teams and engage staff effectively in the context of significant competing workload pressures  
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to adapt written and oral pitches to the audience.  
• Experience of working with Senior Management Teams and providing guidance as to how organisations can maximise their fundraising potential 
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with an ability to keep track of funding bids, bring in relevant colleagues as needed and quality assure bids before submission.  
• Understanding of Statutory Funding, Overseas Funding and Grantmaking Trusts. 
• Ability to network at a senior level 
• . A commitment to a just and sustainable future and a strong interest in how international development will change 
• a demonstrable commitment to anti-racism, equity and inclusion and a commitment to Bond’s values of openness, collaboration, dynamism and influence 
• Able to work independently and with an informal team and to show leadership and self-management within their work area

Desirable 

• Fundraising certification or accreditation 
• Understanding of a membership organisation 
• Excellent IT skills and experience working with salesforce 

 How to apply 

Please email your CV and proposal (outlining why you are the right candidate for this role)  by midnight 16th March, this should include how you will deliver on the TOR above and outline your proposed budget for this work.  

Bond and equal opportunities 

Bond recognizes the positive values of diversity and works to advance equity and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applicants from people of all backgrounds. In order to assess and ensure the continued effectiveness of Bond’s Equal Opportunities Policy, all applicants are asked to complete a short questionnaire when applying. You are not obliged to answer the questions but the more information you supply the more effectively we can monitor our equal opportunity practices. Completion of all questions is voluntary and failure to answer any question(s) will not affect your application in any way.  

The information you supply will be treated in confidence and will not be seen by any member of the selection panel responsible for the appointment. The questionnaire will be detached from your CV and cover letter, stored anonymously and used purely to provide statistics for monitoring purposes.