Trusts and Major Gifts Fundraising Officer

About AREF:

The Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) is dedicated to nurturing, mentoring, and supporting a community of researchers across Africa to become leaders in tackling global health challenges. Our focus is on supporting emerging health researchers within the first six years post-PhD to foster Africa as a hub for global science and research.

Role Overview:

As a Trusts and Major Gifts Fundraising Officer, you will play a pivotal role in increasing engagement, interest, and financial support from trusts, foundations, and major donors. You will manage and cultivate existing relationships while also identifying and developing new opportunities to secure funding for AREF’s impactful work.

Key Responsibilities:

Trusts and Foundations (70%):

• Manage and expand the portfolio of five and six-figure trust and foundation supporters, fostering personal relationships where possible.

• Research and identify potential trust and foundation partners aligned with AREF’s mission.

• Develop high-quality written proposals to secure both restricted and unrestricted funding.

• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure timely submission of proposals, budgets, and reports.

• Implement stewardship plans to thank donors and maintain strong relationships.

Major Donors (20%):

• Collaborate with the Head of Fundraising to identify and cultivate potential major donors.

• Develop bespoke cultivation and stewardship plans for major donors.

• Support the delivery of updates, reports, and events to engage high net-worth individuals.

Strategic Support (5%):

• Maintain donor database and filing systems to enable data-driven decisions.

• Contribute to strategic planning and budgeting processes.

• Monitor income against targets and KPIs, providing regular updates to management.

• Stay informed about developments and trends in fundraising.

Person Specification:

Skills and Experience:

• Proficiency in fundraising principles and methods for trusts, foundations, and/or major donors.

• Strong prospect research and donor stewardship skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Financial management skills and familiarity with budgeting.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite.

Working Style:

• Collaborative, supportive, and enthusiastic team player.

• Flexible, proactive, and resilient in a changing environment.

• Strong negotiation and diplomacy skills.

• Organised, reliable, and detail-oriented.

General:

• Passionate about AREF’s mission and values.

• Logical thinker with problem-solving abilities.

• Ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing demands.

• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to meet deadlines.

Additional Desirable Experience:

• Experience with Salesforce or other fundraising databases.

• Previous work in a busy fundraising team.

• Experience in an international development organization.

If you believe you possess the necessary skills and experience and are passionate about making a difference in global health research, we encourage you to apply.

Salary: upto £35,638 (depending on experience)

Location: Home working with occasional travel to London for meetings

Previous applicants need not apply. AREF reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date and will arrange interviews when they receive strong applications.

Application Deadline: noon, Wednesday 20th March, 2024

To find out more about AREF and the role, please download a copy of the recruitment information pack.