Development Officer

Work Location: London, SE1

Reports to: Head of Communications & Engagement

Contract: Employment Contract

Development Officer, UK 3 days p/w, in London

• £22,000 - 24,000 pro rata (salary based on experience)
• 1-year contract with high likelihood of renewal based on performance and availability of funding (with 3- month probation period)
• Hybrid position (at least 2 days per week in the London Bridge office)

Job Overview

Seenaryo is seeking a highly motivated individual with a passion for arts and education to join the team in the UK as Development Officer. The successful candidate will lead on philanthropic donor engagement and fundraising event management for the organisation. The role will be based in our London office, with regular contact via Zoom with our teams in Lebanon and Jordan. They will report to the Head of Communications and Engagement in the UK.

About Seenaryo

Seenaryo is a leading specialist in theatre and play-based learning with under-served communities in Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Syria. We use theatre and play to transform education and support people to learn, lead, heal and thrive in their classrooms and communities. Having reached over 160,000 children, youth and women since 2015, Seenaryo was winner of the Arts, Culture & Heritage prize at the 2023 UK Charity Awards, has received a 2023 Innovation Award from TheirWorld, and was one of Expo 2020 Dubai’s 120 Global Innovators. 

Responsibilities and Duties

DONOR ENGAGEMENT

• Managing and expanding philanthropic giving streams, by developing innovative initiatives that foster strong, lasting relationships with donors.
• Leading fundraising appeals, including Crowdfunders, direct debit and legacy campaigns.
• Growing Seenaryo’s network of philanthropic donors in the UK, proactively identifying potential supporters, as well as managing relationships with 200+ existing high net worth donors and a small number of family foundations.
• Managing Seenaryo’s public email mailbox and being the first point of contact for the organisation.
• Assisting with the production of case for support literature and other relevant fundraising materials.
• Developing and implementing a plan to grow monthly donors and increase their base level donations.
• Contributing to the development of a new fundraising strategy, including ideas for new events, initiatives and audiences in the UK.
• Overseeing donations at live events, tracking and accepting donations by card, cash and cheque.
• Developing a touch points strategy for our philanthropic donors.
• Working with the Head of Finance to track, acknowledge and report donations and provide relevant documentation

EVENT PLANNING

• Leading on fundraising events in the UK, particularly the annual Seenaryo Supper, handling everything from venue research, to overseeing contracts, coordinating volunteers, project managing on the night and guest list management.
• Supporting colleagues with UK theatre events and film screenings, liaising with partners on audience outreach, researching venues and securing speakers.
• Collaborating with the Lebanon and Jordan teams on live events, including fundraising events, conferences, theatre productions.

DATABASE MANAGEMENT

• Managing philanthropic donor records on the CRM.
• Tracking and acknowledging philanthropic donations.
• Managing Seenaryo’s newsletter mailing list.
• Quarterly Gift Aid submissions.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILTIES

As part of an ambitious and growing organisation with a shared mission, the role will also involve engaging with the UK team and wider organisation on other tasks not listed above, within reasonable expectation and in agreement with the Development Officer’s line manager. These tasks can also be developed as part of the role depending on the strengths of the candidate. For example:

• Creating social media content to support fundraising campaigns and UK events.
• Supporting the Head of Communications & Engagement to update and produce content for the website that contributes to donor engagement and fundraising.
• Building media relationships to promote UK events by preparing press releases and developing relationships with journalists.

Essential Qualifications and Experience:

• A BA degree in a relevant field
• Strong written and spoken communication skills, with the ability to create compelling fundraising materials and confidence to speak persuasively with new people from diverse backgrounds
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• A motivated self-starter who can use initiative and work independently
• An ability to work collaboratively within a small, multi-disciplinary team
• Experience using Microsoft Office and Google Suite (including Excel/Spreadsheets and Powerpoint/Slides), Google Drive and Zoom
• Right to work in the UK
• 1 year of experience within the charity, arts or education sectors (strongly preferred)

Desirable:

• Experience in fundraising, event or campaign planning
• Experience using a CRM/database for donor management
• Previous experience working in an international organisation or with teams across multiple countries
• Graphic design or video editing skills to support communications and fundraising
• Knowledge and understanding of the arts, education, and social impact sectors
• Knowledge and understanding of the political context in Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and the wider Arab region
• Knowledge of Arabic

How to apply

To apply, please fill out the application form on our website by 5pm on Friday 28th February 2025. We will contact the shortlisted candidates for interviews after the closing date.