Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser

Can you help to create life opportunities for children with disabilities, their siblings and parent-carers with our corporate partners? 

Skylarks Charity is seeking a part-time Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser who will be part of a dedicated team supporting children with additional needs and their families.

Reporting to the Development Manager, you will lead on growing new corporate support for the charity, and manage existing relationships, in order to feed into Skylarks’ overarching fundraising strategy. 
This role is remotely based but applicants are expected to have the flexibility to regularly travel to Richmond, London and the surrounding areas in order to carry out the role. 

If you have experience in managing corporate partners, creating exciting corporate event programmes and pitching to potential new stakeholders, then we would love to hear from you.

About Skylarks Charity

Skylarks provides a supportive and active community. We care for the whole family, providing opportunities to join in, develop and feel empowered. We want to remove the isolation that can be felt by families and their children who have a disability or additional needs. We are based in Richmond upon Thames but have an open-door policy. Anyone, from anywhere, is welcome! 

It’s an exciting time to join our award winning team as we look to spread our wings, expanding to deliver to more families across the surrounding boroughs.

Our working culture

We believe that diversity of people, ideas and cultures enriches both our insights into the work we do and our relationship with each other. Being an inclusive organisation matters a lot to us. We expect you to live our organisational values.

Career opportunities

The post offers significant opportunities for the development and growth of the role as the charity continues to expand our reach and grow our services for children and families.

Application Process

To apply for this position, please submit: 

• A comprehensive CV 
• A supporting statement setting out why you are for applying for this role and how you meet the criteria set out in the attached Person Specification 

To discuss the role further please contact Amy Crichton via amy@skylarks.charity

Person Specification and Further Role Information

The Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser will be part of a small dedicated team supporting children with additional needs and disabilities. Skylarks are seeking a creative, confident, relationship builder, with experience in initiating and successfully developing corporate partnerships of varying scale. 

Reporting to the Development Manager, you will lead on growing new corporate support for the charity, and manage existing relationships, in order to feed into Skylarks’ overarching fundraising strategy. 
This role is remotely based but applicants are expected to have the flexibility to regularly travel to Richmond, London and the surrounding areas in order to carry out the role. 

We expect you to live our organisational values. We believe that diversity of people, ideas and cultures enriches both our insights into the work we do and our relationship with each other. Being an inclusive organisation matters a lot to us. 

You will be required to:

• Drive Skylarks’ corporate fundraising;
• Confidently approach and pitch to businesses;
• Successfully manage partnerships with businesses, ensuring long term support from partners;
• Compile pitch proposals and presentations;
• Carry out research, identify and  maintain a pipeline of corporate opportunities and support
• Effectively manage contacts using Skylarks’ CRM system
• Contribute to Skylarks’ fundraising committee and relevant internal meetings

PURPOSE OF ROLE 

• To develop existing corporate partnerships, identify, develop and secure new business relationships leading to significant growth of Skylarks’ corporate funding stream and portfolio of support. 
• Lead on the development of Skylarks’ portfolio of corporate support by initiating new relationships with corporate supporters and maintaining relationships to ensure a sustainable income stream for the charity. 
• Increase overall income from corporate supporters and raise the charity’s profile through corporate partnerships.  
• Support the Development Manager in driving forward Skylarks’ fundraising strategy, helping to diversify income and open up new funding opportunities for the organisation. 

PRINCIPAL TASKS

• Manage Skylarks’ corporate pipeline, using our CRM system to ensure effective relationship management.
• Identify and pitch for new business opportunities. 
• Manage corporate relationships effectively, developing rapport and ensuring long term support for the charity and opportunities for the charity to raise its profile through PR, social media and cause-related marketing. 
• Work alongside the Community & Events Fundraiser to support corporates taking part in events, including attending corporate events to either directly fundraise, or support participants. 
• Prepare reports which can be shared with Senior Management and Trustees to demonstrate corporate fundraising trends and income. 
• Effectively network with local businesses and maintain a presence for the charity where appropriate at external meetings, conferences or other networking opportunities. 
• Attend and feed into regular fundraising team meetings, working collaboratively to achieve Skylarks’ overall income target.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 
It is essential that in your supporting statement you give examples to demonstrate that you meet the following criteria: 

Qualifications, Experience, Skills and Knowledge 
Essential:

• The confidence to proactively generate new leads. 
• Significant experience in growing corporate income streams within the voluntary sector.
• Demonstrated expertise in winning new business and successfully converting this into longer-term partnerships. 
• Demonstrated experience in corporate stewardship and building positive relationships with corporate partners.
• Exceptional writing skills, with the capacity to write for different audiences and about topics on which they may not be a technical expert. 
• Experience in achieving financial targets and keeping financial records.
• Excellent time management skills, with attention to detail and efficiency to ensure tight deadlines are met.
• Computer skills:  technologically literate including the use of CRM’s, Google Drive and Microsoft Office Packages.

Desirable:

• Experience in preparing fundraising reports which feed into wider board reports or reports which are circulated to external stakeholders. 
• Experience in managing or working at fundraising events. 
• A good understanding of the best practices and regulatory frameworks in fundraising, including GDPR, the Fundraising Regulator and related areas. 
• General understanding of the special needs and disability sector.
• The ability and willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends occasionally when the charity requires.

Personal Qualities 

• A commitment to the aims and ethos of Skylarks. 
• The ability to maintain high standards of ethics, integrity and professionalism and to handle sensitive and proprietary information.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion - dealing with people and issues honestly, fairly and with respect. 
• An understanding and a sensitive approach towards the needs and challenges faced by young people with disabilities and their families/carers.
• A commitment to supporting the disability and additional needs community with whom we identify and support.
• The ability and willingness to work flexibly in a fast-paced team environment.
• Naturally collaborative with the ability to resolve issues that arise and support the team.
• A systematic approach to tasks, excellent time management skills and attention to detail.
• A motivated self-starter who has the ability to work on their own initiative with minimal supervision whilst working as part of a team
• A flexible, can-do attitude
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work constructively with a variety of stakeholders. 
• The ability to be efficient, responsible and maintain a high level of personal organisation