Director of Income Generation & Partnerships

The Food Chain exists to ensure people living with HIV in London can access the nutrition they need to get well, stay well and lead healthy, independent lives. We deliver meals, groceries and formula milk, run cookery and nutrition classes, and hold twice-weekly communal meals for some of the most vulnerable and isolated people living with HIV in London. 

We are the only HIV Nutrition specialist charity in the UK: we exist at the intersection between HIV, food poverty and social isolation. Everyone accessing our services is referred by a health or social care professional who has identified that they are experiencing crisis. Each person receives a personalised Dietetic Assessment from one of our HIV Specialist Dietitians, designed specifically to meet their needs. By offering a tailored package of support, at the appropriate time, we help people to lead healthy, independent lives.

The Director of Income Generation & Partnerships, along with the Director of Services & Development, lead the organisation's small staff team to deliver vital services to an average of 500 people every year. The Director of Income Generation is a vital link in The Food Chain, ensuring income is secured to enable the delivery and sustainability of all our services and activities, and setting the organisation’s strategic direction for the achievement of our charitable purpose.

Since we were formed on Christmas Day 1988, The Food Chain has delivered food services to people living with HIV every week since. We were founded by volunteers, and are proud that volunteers are still key to the deliver of our charitable services. The Food Chain family is vast - it’s not at all uncommon for us to be out fundraising and someone run up to us with a shout of “Food Chain! I volunteered for you in 1994!” 

Position: Director of Income Generation & Partnerships

Responsible to: Board of Trustees

Location: Flexible and remote working is offered to all staff. We have an office in Caledonian Road, London, and we deliver some services in Stepney Green. We envisage this role being hybrid. 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full-time), core hours of 9.00am–5.30pm but flexible working hours will be considered. 

Salary: £42,436 per annum

Annual leave and benefits:

• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays)

• Company pension scheme with matched contributions of 5% after probationary period of 6 months

• Health benefits scheme

• Long service leave entitlement after 2 years of service

How to apply: Click the Quick Apply button below. You’ll be asked to submit a CV and cover letter about your relevant skills and motivation.

We are actively reviewing applications and interviews will be held on a rolling basis. The ad may close early if a successful candidate is found.

Closing date: 14th August 2024. 

Purpose:  

• To ensure income is secured to enable the delivery and sustainability of all Food Chain services and activities. 

• Along with the Board of Trustees and the Director of Services and Development, to set the organisation’s strategic direction and build strong and sustainable external partnerships for the achievement of our charitable purpose. 

Key Activities & Accountabilities

Strategic Management

• Contribute to the development of The Food Chain’s strategic and operational plans and ensure income is secured for their effective delivery in line with all relevant legislation, best practice and The Food Chain’s values

• Work collaboratively to develop this role as the needs of the organisation and its services users change over time

• As part of the Charity’s Senior Management Team (SMT), lead in the overall day-to-day running of the charity, including directly reporting to and attending meetings of the Management Committee

• Represent The Food Chain in public, both within the sector and externally

• Identify and manage financial risks

Income generation and development

• Research, prepare and submit applications for core and project funding to Charitable Trusts and Foundations, corporate bodies and other partners as required to meet the charity’s core purpose 

• Maintain and develop positive relationships with existing Trust funders ,donors and other supporters of The Food Chain as appropriate 

• Ensure that record keeping relating to all fundraising activity is accurate, up to date and timely, using Salesforce CRM 

• Ensure that all necessary reporting to all funders is of a high quality and submitted in a timely manner.  

• Maintain a realistic pipeline of existing and potential applications for all funding streams  

• Develop and implement fundraising initiatives to increase support from, and enhance our profile with all potential donors, including corporate partners and individuals  

• Research potential commercial partners and provide a planned approached to pursuing and executing a full offer of fundraising opportunities to engage corporates. 

• To provide support to the trustee lead Corporate and Individual donors fundraising group

Financial management

• Lead on the day-to-day management of all financial operations, including forecasting and the annual planning and budgeting process, working closely with the SMT and Trustees 

• Provide sound financial advice to the SMT and Trustees also assisting with strategic planning, forecasting, projections and service models for the charity and any trading activities. 

• Ensure that The Food Chain makes the most of financial opportunities and works with challenges effectively as they arise in order to meet priorities and fulfil our charitable purpose

• Monitor cash flow forecasts and the budget against actuals and bring any major variations in budget expenditure for discussion to SMT and the Operations Working Group in a timely manner

• In liaison with our external provider, prepare monthly I & E reports, and quarterly management accounts for the SMT and Board of Trustees

• Write, review and update finance policies and procedures as and when required

• Lead on the annual audit process and ensure it is carried out effectively and in a timely manner

• Provide line management of the financial administrator role

• Supervise and review all accounting records processed by financial administrator 

• Authorise the payment of suppliers on a monthly basis and as needed

• To support the Director of Services in their management of the monthly payroll and pension submissions and carry out administration as needed

Communications and external relationships

• Develop, as appropriate, The Food Chain’s public profile, and influence and foster good relationships through liaison with statutory, voluntary and private bodies, Food Chain members, volunteers, patrons, supporters and the public.  

• Develop partnerships and relationships with external organizations and stakeholders for the furtherance of The Food Chain’s strategic goals 

Person Specification 

Essential Skills and Experience 

• Track record of engaging and generating income from Charitable Trusts and Foundations

• An understanding of different fundraising revenue streams and how they contribute to charitable objectives 

• Driven and energetic, motivated by achieving financial targets 

• Relationship management experience

• Highly organized and technically competent (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Salesforce) 

Desirable Skills and Experience 

• Experience of public speaking

• Experience of planning and running events 

• Understanding of corporate social responsibility and experience of income generation through corporate engagement

• An understanding of the needs of people living with HIV

• Financial literacy with experience of tracking income and expenditure

Personal Qualities 

• A strategic and creative thinker

• An excellent communicator, both verbal and written 

• A problem solver with a flexible, practical and ‘can do’ approach

• A strong and persuasive negotiator 

• Positive, resilient and supportive