Grants and Development Manager

Are you interested in exposing obstacles to climate action? Want to join an award winning, dynamic and growing organisation holding the powerful to account on their environmental promises? DeSmog is looking for a Grants and Development Manager to coordinate our existing grants and identify new fundraising opportunities for the organisation.

DeSmog has recently undergone a phase of rapid growth, and we are looking for someone to help manage the administration of our existing grants while identifying new ways for the organisation to grow sustainably.

The ideal candidate will be well-organised, with experience of managing multiple grants from institutions, trusts and foundations, and with a knowledge of the institutional and international fundraising sector. They will also be passionate about making a positive difference in holding powerful corporate and political interests to account to help the world tackle climate change.

About DeSmog

DeSmog is an environmental investigations outlet providing accurate, fact-based reporting on misinformation campaigns and climate activism worldwide. Our work has become a crucial resource for anyone with an interest in the undue influence of climate science denial, polluting companies, and the lobbying industry on policy and the public debate.

We regularly work with mainstream media partners including the Guardian, Independent, and Channel 4, and we recently won Best Specialist News Site at The Drum Online Media Awards. Our work has been used by MPs to challenge government decisions, and in the US Senate in Congressional hearings on climate science denial.

The Grants and Development Manager will be managed by the Operations Director (UK), working with DeSmog’s Operations Team to deliver effective grant management and scope out future opportunities for the organisation’s growth.

Main Duties

• Improving and streamlining DeSmog’s grant management processes;
• Managing DeSmog’s multiple grants – helping to ensure the organisation meets grant criteria and writing interim and final reports;
• Working with the Operations Director and bookkeeper to formulate and manage individual grant budgets;
• Undertaking research to identify new funding prospects, establish new funding contacts, and representing DeSmog at relevant fundraising events;
• Drafting grant applications, and managing the grant application process.

Role requirements

The following skills and experience are essential for this role:

• Significant and demonstrable experience of working in a grant-management, fundraising or business development role for a charity or NGO;
• Experience of designing and implementing grant management processes and delivering on grant reporting criteria;
• Significant experience of drafting complex proposals for trusts, foundations and statutory institutions and securing multi-year, five and six-figure grants;
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, with ability to foster positive working relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders;
• Experience of writing concise and actionable briefings on new and existing funders and their evolving priorities;
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills;
• A commitment to DeSmog’s mission of holding powerful actors to account and tackling climate change.

DeSmog values diversity and aims to appoint the most suitable candidate at all times and welcome applications from people from all different backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) candidates.