Skip to main content

This job has expired

Legacy Officer

Employer
Ferne Animal Sanctuary
Location
Chard, Somerset
Salary
£12.09 per hour
Closing date
24 May 2019

View more

Function
Fundraising, Community Fundraising
Sector
Animal
Hours
Part Time
Contract Type
Permanent

Job Details

Legacy Officer

Wambrook, Chard, Somerset

An interesting opportunity has arisen to join our busy and dedicated fundraising team to help support and develop our legacy work. The current postholder is looking to retire in due course and the aim is that this role will begin the process of taking on some of the legacy work with a view to a full handover once the current postholder retires. Responsibilities will include legacy administration for existing wills, supporting the External Funding Manager in nurturing existing and potential legators and maintaining relevant and up to date records of their specific wishes.

Interested candidates will be able to demonstrate recent fundraising and/or relevant administrative experience. Excellent attention to detail, organisation skills and a positive ‘can do’ approach is essential for this post. You will be a confident communicator able to build relationships with people from varied backgrounds and have the ability to effectively prioritise and work calmly under pressure and to tight deadlines. You will also be a competent user of Microsoft Office applications and preferably have experience using databases.

Due to the location and the role it is essential you have access to transport and have the ability to travel independently. There will also be some evening, weekend and bank holiday working.

 

Job Description

Job Title:                Legacy Officer

Department:           Fundraising

Responsible to:     Head of External Funding

Overview of the Organisation

Set in 52 acres of glorious Somerset countryside, high in the Blackdown Hills, Ferne Animal Sanctuary has been saving the lives of unwanted and abandoned animals for over 75 years. We provide refuge for domestic animals, farm animals and horses. We work hard to re-home the cats and dogs that find their way into our care, other animals remain at Ferne to enjoy the rest of their lives in the peace and tranquillity that the Sanctuary offers.

Main purpose of the role

To work for the External Funding Manager for the orderly transition of the handover of legacy work. To develop and deliver appropriate events that support the development of new potential legators. To develop and deliver events that sustain our current group of legators.  The post holder will also support the team in the effective delivery of a wide range of fundraising activities across the key areas of: events and community fundraising; individual giving and corporate fundraising.  Key to this role is the desire and ability to work with people at all levels, developing and maintaining excellent relationships with staff and supporters alike.

Key Responsibilities

  • To ensure the effective and timely handling of all matters relating to legacies including development and management through to money distribution.
  • To help prepare proposals, reports and presentations for different audiences.
  • To support with the planning and implementation of legacy events.
  • To set up and maintain accurate and up to date records for legators.  
  • To support the finance team with the receipt and acknowledgement of legacies.

Skills & Experience

Qualifications/Training

Good standard of education

Knowledge and Experience

  • Some experience of fundraising in the charitable sector / proven demonstrable ability to meet the job requirements
  • A keen understanding and belief in the mission of Ferne Animal Sanctuary 

Personal Skills

  • An ability to build good relationships
  • Exceptional tact and diplomacy skills
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills to multi-task administration tasks and prioritise effectively
  • Ability to work under own initiative, managing own workload and working collaboratively
  • The ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
  • Good analytical skills with the ability to research and interpret information
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Sound IT skills, working knowledge of fundraising databases preferable

This is an outline of the post-holder’s duties and responsibilities. It is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time in order to meet the changing needs of the charity.

Conditions of Employment

Hours: Part time - 21 hours per week (within the normal office hours 9am – 5 pm Monday to Friday, excluding 1 hour for lunch).

Some evening and weekend work essential.

Holidays: 28 days including bank holidays pro rata.

Salary: £12.09 per hour

Application forms to be sent to Racheal Rattenbury, HR Advisor at hr@ferneanimalsanctuary.org 

Closing Date: 25th May 2019

Company

Ferne Animal Sanctuary is a charity that provides care and shelter for domestic and agricultural animals whose owners are either unable or unwilling to look after them. The sanctuary cares for approximately 300 animals at its 51 acre site in Somerset. Founded in 1940, Ferne has 43 employees and over 100 volunteers.

Ferne’s history began in 1940 when it was founded by the Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon to provide a temporary refuge for animals belonging to service men and women who were sent abroad to fight in World War Two. Based at the Ferne Estate in Dorset, the charity continued to take in animals after the war. In 1975, the sanctuary moved to its present premises high in the Blackdown Hills in Somerset. In 2015, Ferne celebrated its 75th anniversary.

The sanctuary is home to a collection of different animals including dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, birds and chinchillas. In addition, it actively seeks suitable homes for cats, dogs, rabbits and horses within a 40 mile radius of the sanctuary and regularly checks on their wellbeing after rehoming.

Another of Ferne’s activities is the delivery of talks at schools, local societies and residential homes.

Ferne Animal Sanctuary also provides free access to its site and offers guided tours. The sanctuary is open to visitors seven days a week and has a café staffed by volunteers. There are also three Ferne charity shops – in Bridport in Dorset and Chard and Ilminster in Somerset.

Ferne has more than 40 employees but also relies on volunteers to carry out much of its work. A network of volunteer home visitors, for example, regularly visit the homes of cats and dogs adopted from Ferne. Should an unexpected change occur in a rehomer’s life which results in them being unable to continue to offer the cat or dog a home, the animal is guaranteed a place at Ferne and need never be homeless again.

There are many other volunteer opportunities at Ferne, including a need for dog walking volunteers, cat socialisation volunteers, volunteer drivers, café volunteers, event volunteers, charity shop volunteers, estate helpers, office volunteers and fundraising volunteers.

The charity relies on donations and had an annual voluntary income of £1.27 million at the end of 2014.

Company info
Website
Telephone
01460 65214
Location
Ferne Animal Sanctuary,
Wambrook,
Chard
Somerset
TA20 3DH
GB

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert