Fundraising Officer

Purpose: you will be the key resource within a small fundraising team, with responsibility for applying and securing funding to cover our core costs, as well as grant applications for specific community activities and building projects. As the only paid member of this team, you will take the lead in researching, applying for, and reporting on grant application progress with charitable trusts and other potential funders, in line with our fundraising strategy. You will also be a member of our Operations Team, which meets weekly to oversee the day-to-day efficient running of The Hub.

Contract: 2-year contract initially, subject to successful completion of a 4-month probationary period.  

Hours: 8-12 hours per week, to be agreed upon appointment. Within reason, we are flexible about when these hours are worked throughout the week, although we would expect the successful candidate to regularly attend the weekly Operations Team meetings on Tuesdays, in person.

Background:

The Leatherhead Community Hub (LCH) was established in July 2020, as a dedicated community centre in North Leatherhead. LCH provides opportunities for people to come together socially and build community, as well as giving our partner organisations a permanent base from which to offer critical support and services to local residents, including the local Foodbank and Community Fridge. Our mission is to create a safe, welcoming space at the heart of the community, where people of all ages can connect, learn, have fun, and find the support they need to thrive. The Hub attracts around 3,000 visitors a month to our café and the many other community activities and events run by LCH, our partners and other local groups.

LCH has a yearly budgeted turnover of over £200,000 (2024/25), excluding funds raised for a major building project. Just over a half of this amount is from the café & tenant rental income, and the remainder is from grants & fundraising activities (including a 3-year grant from the National Lottery).

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Researching potential funding opportunities, with a particular focus on charitable trusts and local authority grant schemes. (Other members of the fundraising team will take the lead in fundraising from local businesses, schools, and churches).
• Submitting a regular flow of small and larger grant applications to meet core costs and match other identified funding needs, with support from the rest of the fundraising team.
• Attending monthly meetings with the fundraising team, including setting the agenda and updating the rest of the team on progress towards our fundraising targets.
• Maintaining a database of past, current and prospective grant applications, as well as digital copies of all grant applications, award letters, etc.
• Monitoring and fulfilling the reporting requirements of successful grant applications, ensuring that we are collecting information on outputs/outcomes set out by funders.
• Attending weekly meetings of the Operations Team, to keep in touch with what is going on at the Hub and identify future funding priorities. 

Requirements of the postholder 

Essential:

• Hard-working, honest, dependable, self-motivated, and friendly, with the ability to work effectively both alone, and as part of a team.
• A positive and flexible approach to work - able to handle new or competing demands and work under own initiative, without close supervision.
• Excellent written communications skills – able to write clearly, persuasively and passionately about the charity’s work.
• Experience of writing grant applications or able to demonstrate equivalent skills in a different setting.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, and good IT skills (e.g. internet, emails).
• Ability to comply with policies and guidance and maintain clear and up-to-date records.
• A commitment to the vision, mission and values of LCH.

Desirable:

• Proven experience of working in a charity, trust or other fundraising role.
• Experience of working or volunteering for a voluntary or community organisation.
• Experience of living, working and/or volunteering in the local area.

 Posted on: 13th October 2024

Closing date: 31st October 2024

Interview date: 8th November 2024