Vacancies

Job Number: 2512

Job Title: Tusts and Foundations Officer
Charity: Sight Research UK
Salary Range: £40,000 FTE pro rata (21hrs/wk)
Location: Home based, required to attend in-person at our office in Bristol once a month

Deadline for applications: 23rd February

Role purpose and scope

Sight Research UK began life as the National Eye Research Centre, founded in 1986 by David Easty MD FRCS, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Bristol and Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Bristol Eye Hospital.

The charity began as a Bristol-based research centre, focusing on projects to improve treatment for corneal eye conditions, enabling the establishment of the UK’s first Corneal Transplant Service.

The charity grew out of the generosity of the many eye hospital patients in Professor Easty’s care, who were keen to support research for new treatments. As donations grew over time, we began to support research across the UK in leading ophthalmology centres within universities and hospitals, covering all eye conditions in children and adults.

Sight Research UK, as we are today, is committed to turning scientific discoveries in to tangible health benefits for people at risk of sight-threatening conditions, working collectively to beat sight loss and blindness forever.

Sight Research UK has ambitious plans to grow income to increase the reach and impact of our work.

The Trusts and Foundations Manager is responsible for contributing to the long-term growth of Sight Research UK.

This is a hands-on role which will deliver five and six figure income outcomes from existing and new funders. The Trust and Foundations Manager will input into the design of the Trusts and Foundation strategy and will take a leading route in its implementation.

We expect this to take a relationship orientated approach to fundraising, building strong connections and identifying links between organisations to develop the deep and meaningful connections that can help to unlock significant fundraising opportunities. The postholder will benefit from the support of both the Fundraising Manager, the Marketing and Communications Manager as well as the CEO, who are fully committed to supporting growth in this area.

The successful candidate will have experience of securing significant Trust and Foundation income, a proven ability to devise and deliver effective fundraising strategies, and experience of managing a pipeline of funders.

The ability to make a strong case for supporting medical research is crucial, as is an aptitude for proactively turning new prospects into major supporters.

A track record achieving income and activity targets is essential, and the post holder will be adept at working cross-organisationally as part of a highly functioning fundraising team.

Key responsibilities

1. Input into and implement a multi-year Trust and Foundation strategy to ensure annual income targets are consistently met or exceeded and that funds raised support SRUK research projects.
   • Lead the planning process for the Trusts and Foundations strategy ensuring that it meets the goals of the wider organisation’s overall strategic plan
   • Monitor and report on progress against the Trust and Foundations strategy, ensuring we are routinely meeting KPIs, making data-driven decisions, and adjusting the approach as required
   • Maintain up-to-date knowledge on sector and market trends that impact on Trust and Foundations fundraising and ensure compliance with standards determined by Fundraising Regulator and others
2. Manage a portfolio of supporters and prospects to personally secure five and six figure grant funding
   • Facilitate strong relationships with donors and prospects to maximise financial support
   • Undertake cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies
   • Write and develop persuasive funding proposals which articulate the value, impact and importance of Sight Research UK’s work
   • Coordinate and communicate approaches and actions with key stakeholders and colleagues where appropriate
3. Adhere to internal processes and procedures for fundraising, reporting, financial management and information management
   • Accountable for ensuring that the Trusts and Foundations CRM records on Donorfy are up to date
   • Contribute to the development of quarterly income forecasts and pipeline reports, as well as other reports required by the CEO/Board
4. Contribute to a supportive, high-performing, and collaborative working culture within the organisation.
   • Work across the organisation to add value and identify shared opportunities and collaborative approaches for income generation
   • Contribute to the development of process management tools and other resources leading to improved quality of funding approaches
   • Adhere to all charity organisation standards, policies and procedures
   • Comply with the data protection regulations, ensuring that information on prospects and donors remains confidential

For a copy of the full job pack, including the full person specifications, terms of employment and details on how to apply please contact us via the form on this page.