Major Donor Manager

Cornwall Air Ambulance has been flying for over 30 years, attending almost 30,000 adults and children in need of urgent medical attention. Our highly-trained aircrew are on average on scene within 12 minutes of a 999 call being made and fly patients to specialist departments in various hospitals including Treliske, Derriford and the Bristol Royal Infirmary. Although we are an essential part of the emergency services, we do not receive any government support towards the cost of operating the air ambulance, and we rely on fundraising and donations from individuals, community groups and businesses to fly every life saving mission. As we conduct our £2.5m New Heli Appeal and enter the next exciting chapter in the charity’s development, we have an opportunity to significantly grow our major donor activity and as a result we are looking for a highly skilled, enthusiastic and motivated manager, with proven philanthropy experience, to join our award winning charity team.

The Major Donor Manager will report to the Director of Fundraising on Major Donor strategy, budget, process, pipelines and prospect pools to plan ongoing and longer-term, single and multi-year major gifts. For the remaining duration of the appeal, the Major Donor Manager will also be expected to provide updates and discuss progress with the Appeal Board Chair. Accountable for income generation in the Fundraising Department. Annual Income Target > £500k.

We are seeking an experienced, inspirational and driven Major Donor Manager to join our Philanthropy team. In this new philanthropy development role, you will inspire, motivate and secure growth in major donor fundraising and steward prospective and existing major donors during the current New Heli Appeal and beyond. Working closely with our Appeal Board, leadership and fundraising teams, you will help create amazing partnerships and will be responsible for the development and stewardship of our major donor growth programme and portfolio.  

Report to: Director of Fundraising.

Principle duties:

1.  Establish, manage and maintain strong relationships with the prospective, new, current and past major philanthropists portfolio to deliver an excellent level of care and stewardship, helping to achieve the overall appeal target and specifically the major gifts targets, and subsequent post appeal annual income targets for philanthropy.

2.  Develop an understanding of all prospective and current major donor profiles to define motivations, relationship to the cause, ability to give and most appropriate timing to ask how they might support Cornwall Air Ambulance.

3.  You will be expected to develop excellent relationships with existing and potential donors primarily utilising face to face fundraising techniques and be expected to passionately translate complex information into a compelling case for support for the lay person in both verbal and written form.

4.  Directly support the Appeal Board Chair, and any future Appeal Boards or Fundraising Committees, in prospecting, researching and meeting with prospective major donors, also providing guidance on stewardship during and post major donations.

5.  Formulate personalised stewardship plans and establish effective systems to collate information about prospective and current major donors, ensuring compliance with charity law, fundraising policies and guidelines, Data Protection, Supporter Communication Policies and best practice in fundraising.

 6.  Assist the fundraising team specialists in facilitating and developing relationships for other fundraising opportunities for the corporate, trusts, community, individual giving and legacy income routes, recognising where these overlap with the work of the Major Donor Manager role.

7.  Report to the Director of Fundraising on major donor strategy, budget, process, pipelines and prospect pools to plan ongoing and longer-term, single and multi-year major gifts. 

8.  Maintain regular communications and feedback with all major donors and prospects to ensure good stewardship and engagement across the portfolio, working with relationship holders at Appeal Board, Trustee and Executive levels.

9.  Develop individual propositions to meet major donor needs, using established funding requirements and personalised cases for support.

10.  Attend prospecting and stewardship meetings with potential and existing major donors, plus occasional meeting with Appeal Board Chair and members, trustees or the fundraising team to promote and communicate major donor need and progress.

11.  Conduct major donor engagement and prospecting/cultivation events to promote the cause and secure new major donors to meet the strategic need.

This is a new full-time role (37.5 hours per week). The charity preference is that this role is based primarily at our Newquay HQ with frequent trips to London and other major donor locations. Competitive salary commensurate with experience & qualifications.

For a full briefing document or a confidential conversation about this opportunity, please contact our retained recruitment partner Anna Jay at Public Leaders Appointments on 07904 236 348 or anna@publicleadersappointments.com.

Alternatively download the briefing pack at https://cornwallairambulancetrust.org/about-us/vacancies/

To apply, please submit an up-to-date CV supported by a covering letter (not to exceed four pages) outlining your motivation for applying and highlighting how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of the role set out in the brief. This should be sent to: anna@publicleadersappointments.com by no later than midday on 8th August 2019.

Closing date for applications: 8th August, midday.

Initial interviews (by telephone): w/c 19th August. 2nd stage interviews: 28th August and/or 30th August (to be confirmed) at Cornwall Air Ambulance, Newquay. (If you are unable to attend any of the dates set out, please advise at the point of application.)