Head of Fundraising

Make a big impact with a dynamic small charity transforming lives in Africa. Join us to help ensure we reach everyone with water, sanitation & hygiene, leaving no one behind.

Since 2004, Village Water has been dedicated to transforming lives in Africa by providing vital support in hygiene promotion, sanitation facilities, and safe water (WASH) in rural communities of Zambia and Mozambique.

Working hand-in-hand with local partners, we strive to reach the most marginalised populations in rural villages, schools, and health centres, creating positive impacts on their health and empowering them with opportunities.

As a small yet dynamic team, we pride ourselves on our personal touch and can-do approach. We need an ambitious and tenacious Head of Fundraising, responsible for overseeing and growing the fundraising department, developing and delivering an ambitious fundraising strategy.

Key information:

Location: Remote working. (UK only) Must be able to attend a minimum of 5 mandatory meetings per year (includes overnight stay for 2-day meetings) at our office in Shrewsbury and occasional meetings elsewhere.

Contract: Permanent. Full time 37.5 hours a week. 

Salary: Between £39,000 – £44,000 a year depending on experience,

Benefits and entitlements: Matched pension contributions - 7% of salary after 3 months’, 5 weeks' annual leave plus bank holidays and discretionary Christmas shut down.

Reporting to: CEO, Village Water.

Job Purpose

As the Head of Fundraising, your primary responsibility is to lead the strategic direction and execution of Village Water’s fundraising efforts, with a focus on diversifying income streams and maximising revenue generation. You will oversee all fundraising activities, particularly in Trusts and Foundations (both UK and International), corporate partnerships, High Value Donors, and statutory bodies. Your role involves crafting compelling funding applications and reports, creating an ambitious fundraising strategy, applying for and securing large multi-year grants from new and existing donors, ensuring exemplary donor stewardship, and fostering collaboration across teams to achieve fundraising goals.

Responsibilities

•       Develop and refine a comprehensive fundraising strategy, with a specific emphasis on Trusts and Foundations & corporate fundraising, to ensure a steady pipeline of funding opportunities. Coordinate with team members to meet fundraising targets effectively and manage donation pipelines working with CEO and Finance manager to ensure the pipeline matches the cashflow.

•       Directly oversee and support your team members, conduct performance evaluations, and provide coaching to ensure both individual and team objectives are achieved. (currently the team is 3)

•       Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with existing and potential donors, including Trusts, Foundations, Corporates and Statutory bodies, through proactive engagement and personalized stewardship.

•       Collaborate closely with colleagues to develop persuasive proposals and impactful reports that effectively communicate Village Water’s mission and achievements.

•       Plan and implement annual fundraising campaigns.

•       Work closely with monitoring and finance teams to accurately assess impact and budgetary needs, ensuring timely and accurate reporting to donors.

•       Maintain accurate donor records and ensure compliance with data protection regulations within Village Water’s database.

General

•       Foster a collaborative work environment by engaging with staff, volunteers, suppliers, and local partners.

•       Actively participate in networking events to expand Village Water’s connections and fundraising opportunities.

•       Provide regular updates at team meetings and Trustee meetings as required.

•       Offer support for other fundraising activities as needed, promoting a culture of teamwork and shared success.

•       Uphold the organisation’s safeguarding policies by undergoing necessary training and fulfilling safeguarding responsibilities.

Skills and Experience

•       Ability to inspire, motivate, and guide team members toward achieving fundraising goals. Provide clear direction, set expectations, and foster a positive and collaborative team environment.

•       Support the professional growth and development of team members through coaching, training, and mentoring. Provide opportunities for skill-building and advancement within the fundraising field.

•       Proven track record in securing funds from Trusts and Foundations, Corporates and Statutory, including large awards.

•       Experience in securing multi-year grant support, including both restricted and unrestricted funding.

•       Familiarity with complex application and reporting processes.

•       Strong donor stewardship skills, with the ability to cultivate and maintain successful relationships.

•       Excellent communication skills, capable of crafting compelling cases for support and presenting Village Water’s work effectively.

•       Proficiency in financial management and budget analysis.

•       Familiarity with relevant software and databases, including Microsoft Office 365 and Salesforce or similar.

Equality and Diversity

Village Water is dedicated to promoting a workplace that embraces inclusivity, values diversity, and honours the unique contributions of its employees and partners. It ensures equal treatment for all individuals and encourages everyone to reach their full potential.

Village Water is an advocate for disability inclusion, so if you require alternative application methods, please get in touch with us for further assistance.