Head of Philanthropic Partnerships (Maternity cover)

Contract: 14 months fixed-term contract (maternity cover)

Remuneration:  £80-£100k per annum depending on experience

Hours: Full-Time or Part-Time (5 or 4 days per week)

The Role

FILE is seeking an experienced Head of Philanthropic Partnerships to lead the organisation’s ambitious fundraising programme, and set direction at a key time for our growth and development. The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships will work closely with FILE’s Executive Director, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees to lead the Philanthropic Partnerships team, set strategic direction on fundraising, effectively steward high level donor relationships and deliver against ambitious fundraising targets to secure new donors at highest financial level.

The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships will manage the Philanthropic Partnerships team of two and report to the Director of Partnerships and Finance. They will work closely with strategy leads and subject matter experts to plan and deliver excellent donor engagement strategies. The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships will lead senior conversations and engagement externally, and lead on initiatives to develop funding propositions, craft strategic communications strategies and oversee donor fund management and delivery.

At a critical point in FILE’s fundraising strategy, this is a unique opportunity to work with world leading philanthropies to develop ambitious and strategic partnerships that deliver real impact on climate and nature.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and leadership

The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships will be responsible for strategy and direction on fundraising to:

• Refine and evolve the fundraising vision for the organisation and deliver and report on ambitious financial and non financial targets, working closely with the Executive Director, Senior Leadership Team and Board
• Continue to build and embed organisational fundraising culture and competencies at all levels
• Take the lead on transforming fundraising priorities into compelling donor propositions and strategies
• Collaborate with the Head of Grants and Head of Finance leads on fund management, funding restrictions, reporting and information flow.

Donor relationship management and stewardship

The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships will lead on donor relationships, and partner with senior colleagues and strategy leads to deliver excellent donor experiences through a decentralised fundraising model.

• Lead FILE’s donor engagement strategy, stewardship and communications planning and be responsible for overseeing delivery for all donors
• Lead partnerships with major high value funders, including through development of resilient and complex many-to-many institutional relationships
• Support the Philanthropic Partnerships Lead and Philanthropic Partnerships Manager to manage other key donor relationships, and role model fundraising best practices
• Be responsible for impact reporting for all donors, and work with Impact and Learning colleagues to design and develop compelling and engaging approaches to donor reporting
• Design and deliver excellent and inspiring donor experiences, including events, digital experiences and senior level engagements

Strategic communications and external relations strategy

• Consider and shape FILE’s donor facing brand identity and strategic communications approach
• Define and shape stakeholder management and fundraising objectives and priorities for the Executive Director to set and deliver a vision for their external mandate and focus
• Scope and explore opportunities to refine the organisation’s approach and positioning around thought leadership for the climate philanthropy sector
• Empower senior colleagues and strategic leads to plan and deliver excellent donor experiences and external thought leadership by partnering across the organisation in a decentralised model

Cultivating new funder relationships

The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships will be responsible for securing new funding relationships, delivering against ambitious income targets.

• Drive new income growth by identifying new donor opportunities, and collaborating internally to define and deliver on engaging and bespoke cultivation strategies
• Manage the income pipeline to drive forward new opportunities, and track and report on progress to the Senior Leadership team and Board
• Lead the development of new relationships externally through face to face meetings, peer approaches, networking, and planning and delivering excellent engagement strategies

About you

• We are looking for a dynamic and confident philanthropy professional, with demonstrable experience of leading complex and high value philanthropic partnerships at the 7+ figure level.
• We are seeking a candidate with exceptional leadership and strategic attributes and a passion for creating sector leading partnerships with some of the world’s leading philanthropies.
• The preferred candidate will be a confident and collaborative team leader, with expert knowledge of the philanthropic sector, excellent skills of planning and analysis and a flair for communications.

About FILE

The Foundation for International Law for the Environment (FILE) was set up in 2018 to be the major philanthropic regrantor scaling up legal action globally to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis.

We work as movement enablers, campaign strategists, and impact funders, using the law in pursuit of three interconnected system-level goals:

• Reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to protect the climate
• Safeguarding nature
• Delivering climate and environmental justice

We pursue these goals by supporting legal action, growing the strength of the climate and biodiversity legal movement globally and enabling people and movements to use legal action to shift narratives.

As movement enablers, campaign strategists, and impact funders, we do not bring litigation or other legal action ourselves. As a regrantor, FILE is not an endowed foundation, but rather we engage in fundraising to secure resources to support our partners globally.

Location

FILE has offices in London and the Netherlands, and a small hub of staff in Australia. Otherwise, we look to employ staff remotely in the regions where our partners are based. We are advertising this role for candidates based (and with the right to work) in the UK but will also consider applications from other locations where we are able to do so.

Working for FILE

FILE is a collaborative community of individuals who share a passion for climate, nature, and justice. We bring together knowledge and experience to support our mission.

Our people are empowered to lead their work both individually and as part of a wider team in order to make impactful change. As a relatively young organisation with the ambitious mission to change global systems, our roles are ideally suited to those who are highly strategic, flexible and adaptable, and open to growing in line with the Foundation.

FILE is committed to challenging inequality and values diversity, equity and justice in all areas of life. Our mission, work and impact is global, with staff and partners from across the world and a range of lived experiences. We firmly believe that we are strengthened by the diversity of our partners and staff.

At FILE, we actively work to create an inclusive culture where colleagues feel welcomed, heard and supported to succeed and thrive.

How FILE supports its staff

FILE is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. FILE offer a generous annual leave policy and additional time-off work to support wellbeing. Amongst other benefits, FILE offers private healthcare and a contribution to a pension scheme.

Applications

Please apply on our website and upload your CV. This role is open for applications immediately and we accept applications on a rolling basis. If you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. The role will remain open for at least four weeks from the date of advertisement.

Diversity & Inclusion

As an equal opportunities employer, FILE is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join FILE.