Careers

Philanthropy Manager (Major Gifts)

We’re looking for someone to develop a new income stream from Major Donors, creating and embedding a new programme aimed at delivering five and six figure gifts. You will identify, research, cultivate and manage a portfolio of new Major Donor prospects, as well as providing excellent stewardship of existing relationships.

Job Description

We’re at the beginning of a journey to develop and diversify our income streams at Designability. This includes the implementation of a new major donor programme, a new corporate partnership strategy and developing our consultancy income.

You will lead the development of a considered programme of engagement opportunities for Major Donors and prospects, providing them with a unique insight into the work of Designability and its impact.

You will be a great storyteller able to build relationships with potential donors and how they can truly make a difference to disabled people across the UK. You will provide a bespoke and personalised approach to their supporter journey. The role will involve close collaboration with colleagues across Designability to develop a deep understanding of our charity’s work.

To be successful, you will need to be a confident relationship builder and communicator at all levels, both in person and via written communications, skilled in understanding donor motivations and matching them to relevant opportunities. You will have proven experience in identifying and researching opportunities to create prospect pipelines and be an expert networker.

Key responsibilities:

  • To deliver agreed income targets, KPIs and strategic objectives for the role on an annual basis, reporting progress on a monthly or quarterly basis.
  • Proactively seek out, develop and manage a portfolio of prospective major giving donors.
  • Build and develop strong relationships with existing donors and prospects to increase charitable income for Designability – with a focus on five and six figure gifts.
  • Research, cultivate and steward relationships with new and existing donors with a focus on ensuring all opportunities for increased income are maximised.
  • Design, plan, manage and host engagement and cultivation events with donors and prospects where appropriate, working closely with teams across the organisation.
  • Complete research to identify opportunities to deepen relationships with prospects and donors by further involvement from internal stakeholders such as CEO or Chair of Trustees. Provide clear and accurate briefings prior to contact with prospects and donors.
  • Produce compelling proposals, reports and presentations as required to demonstrate a case for support.
  • Ability to understand donor motivations and influence others to support a cause, and confident in asking for five and six figure donations both in writing and face to face.
  • Create and manage personalised stewardship plans for donors and Trusts based on their contact preferences, delivering a high standard of support and increasing the likelihood of success when asking for significant gifts.
  • Ensure donors’ and prospects’ expectations are being met, or where this may not be possible, carefully managed to secure long term support.
  • Represent Designability at external events, presentations, meetings, networking opportunities and funding pitches.
  • Be excellent at briefing and preparing colleagues to support your programme and getting what you need from them – whether they’re members of the SLT or anyone across the organisation
  • Regularly analyse the fundraising database to ensure all opportunities to engage donors and prospects are utilised and maximised.
  • Establish close working relationships with the wider fundraising and communications team and across Designability, keeping up to date with project developments, organisational changes and produce on brand communications in order to provide up to date and accurate information to donors and prospects.
  • Ensure all records and donor information on the fundraising database are up to date, accurate and GDPR compliant.
  • Where appropriate support the wider fundraising team to achieve income targets and objectives for the Fundraising and Communications team.

 

Designability is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed.

We are proud to be a Real Living Wage employer and accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, committed to making reasonable adjustments.

How to apply:

Please submit your CV and a covering letter, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria contained in the Job Description.

We are happy to provide information about this role in alternative formats where possible and receive applications in alternative formats, please contact HR@designability.org.uk should this be required.

If you have any questions about the role:

Please contact Genevieve Arney, Director of Fundraising and Communications, on genevievearney@designability.org.uk

Closing Date for applications: Applications are being taken on a rolling recruitment basis.

Interview date: Successful applicants will be offered a mutually convenient interview date. Interviews will be held at our Bath offices.

Start date: Early April 2025

Job Details

£45,000 - £50,000 FTE, dependent on skills and experience
30 - 37.5hrs per week (open to flexible working)
Bath (Hybrid)

Submit Your Application

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Max. file size: 2 MB.
Max. file size: 2 MB.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.