Fundraising Manager

About TastEd:

TastEd is a small and ambitious charity made up of a passionate team of people dedicated to transforming food education in schools and nurseries. We envision a world where every child learns to love eating vegetables and fruits and has the opportunity to develop healthy eating habits for life.

We collaborate closely with schools and nurseries across the UK. TastEd provides educators with engaging resources, practical tools and professional development for integrating sensory food education into their practices. 

TastEd can transform a child’s relationship with food and give them a liking for vegetables they never imagined they could have. We are inspired by the stories we hear from teachers, such as the one below. We hope you will also be inspired to apply: 

“[One pupil] was so tentative at first and stood at the edge of the class but came to the table with friends after being reminded of the rule. He now has a side dish of lettuce with every school meal - this is huge. He lives on very basic plain foods.”

Purpose of the role:

• Lead the development and delivery of TastEd’s fundraising in line with our existing 5-year strategy (2024-2029).

• Ensure the charity is financially secure and can generate consistent income to support the charity's growth by developing a range of fundraising income streams

This role offers great variety and will particularly excite someone looking to lead on fundraising and play a pivotal role in the development of a small charity.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Fundraising Strategy Development: Collaborate with the Director to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy for 2024-2029, encompassing trusts and foundations, individual giving, major donors, and corporate partnerships.

• Diversifying TastEd’s funding streams through some of the following: 

  • Trusts and Foundations: Lead the identification, application, and reporting processes for grant funding opportunities. Build and maintain relationships with grant funders to secure year-on-year grants and new grant funding.

  • Individual Giving: Develop and execute strategies to grow TastEd’s pool of individual supporters, including campaigns to increase one-off and regular donations. Engage with existing and potential donors through personalised communication and stewardship programs.

  • Corporate Partnerships: Work closely with the Director to identify and secure corporate partnerships that align with TastEd’s values. Develop proposals and manage relationships to gain corporate support through sponsorships, donations, and collaborative initiatives.

  • Major Donor Cultivation: Identify, cultivate, and solicit major donors. Develop tailored engagement plans to deepen relationships with high-net-worth individuals and secure significant gifts to support TastEd’s mission.

• Communication: Effectively communicate TastEd’s work and the vital need for our charity to a diverse audience, including donors, partners, stakeholders, and the wider public. You will craft compelling narratives that highlight our impact, engaging and inspiring potential supporters.

• Impact Measurement: Support the development of our impact measurement strategy, strengthening our monitoring, evaluation, and impact systems to ensure effective data collection that demonstrates our impact to funders and stakeholders.

• Compliance and Best Practices: Ensure effective systems, processes and legal requirements for fundraising are in place and adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice and Fundraising Regulator requirements.

• Financial Management: Work with the Director and Treasurer to prepare and manage an annual fundraising budget. Produce timely, accurate financial reports and management information to track fundraising progress and inform strategic decisions.

• Reporting: Regularly report progress to the Director and Board of Trustees. Prepare written papers, policies, and reports for internal and external stakeholders as required.

This role offers a unique opportunity to lead and shape TastEd’s fundraising efforts, working closely with the Director and the board of trustees. Although the Director and the board will closely support you you will be the sole income generator for the charity, securing the funding needed to support our mission and expand our impact. If you are a strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and a passion for improving children’s health through innovative food education, we would love to hear from you.

Person specification:

• Passion for Our Mission: Genuine passion for improving children’s health through better food education in schools and nurseries. Driven by the belief that every child deserves healthy food and the knowledge to make nutritious choices.

• Senior Fundraising Experience: Proven experience in a senior fundraising role, having met ambitious targets and secured funds from various sources. Experience working for organisations with causes linked to food or education would be beneficial. 

• Self-Starter: Able to work independently, take initiative, and drive our fundraising efforts forward.

• Strong Communication Skills: Excellent in writing and speaking. Skilled in creating compelling reports, presentations, and grant proposals, and can clearly convey our mission to different audiences.

• Leadership and Hands-On Approach: A strategic leader who enjoys planning and hands-on work, willing to dive into details when needed.

• Relationship Builder: Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with funders, donors, corporate partners, and stakeholders.

• Good Financial Understanding: able to develop and manage budgets, track performance, and produce accurate reports.

• Good Knowledge of Fundraising Regulations: understanding and implementing rules and best practices.

• A Team Player: Effective in a small, dynamic team, contributing to a positive and collaborative work environment. Opportunities: small, shape your role, training, professional development