Overview

Are you an experienced fundraiser looking to use your passion and expertise to support impactful arts activities involving people with experience of homelessness? Experience of implementing successful major donor, corporate or individual income programmes? Want to be part of a dynamic, ambitious, joyful organisation? Then this could be the role for you!

The Choir with No Name (CWNN) has been building supportive choir communities with homeless and marginalised people since 2008. We were founded on the premise that singing makes you feel good; it distracts you from all the nonsense in life and helps you build confidence, skills and genuine, long-lasting friendships.

“I’m so happy to have found CWNN. It’s made such a difference to me. I’ve broken a 25-year cycle with drugs and honestly, I don’t think I could have done it without the choir. I’m not existing anymore, I’m living, and that’s huge.”
Richard, choir member

We are at an exciting stage as an organisation with an ambitious 10-year strategy to increase our choirs from six to thirty by 2033, so we are investing in our fundraising team to grow our income in line with our bold strategy and plans.

Reporting to the Head of Development, the Development Manager will take an active role in building a robust and sustainable major donor and corporate fundraising programme to help us expand our work across the UK over the coming years. They will work closely with the Head of Development to establish new and exciting partnerships with high-net-worth individuals and companies who align with our values, to grow income sustainably and guarantee the long-term stability of the organisation. As well as these two key areas, the role will oversee the individual giving programme as a whole, including the fan club (regular giving scheme) and online digital appeals, with the support of the Communications and Operations Officer.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and firmly believe that each team member can provide a unique perspective and valuable contribution to the lives of the people we work with, and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, ethnicity, religion or belief. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of homelessness. We follow an anonymous recruitment process.

Reports to: Head of Development
Contract: 2-year fixed term contract with possibility of extension
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours a week. Flexible and compressed hours possible.
Location: Remote, with colleagues in London, Colchester and Sheffield and regular online meetings. Must be UK resident/taxpayer.
Annual leave: 25 days per year pro rata (rising with length of service) + UK bank holidays
Salary: £34,500 pa pro rata
Benefits: 6% employer contribution pension, Employee Assistance Programme, home working allowance, flexible hours

PLEASE NOTE: There is a rolling deadline for this role and may be closed to applications at any time, so we advise you to send in your applications as soon as possible.

A downloadable version of this job description is available at the bottom of this page

Job description

Major Donor Fundraising

• Proactively research, identify, and develop support from high-net-worth individuals.
• Manage a portfolio of philanthropy partners, building our income from major donors and developing a long-term major donor strategy.
• Plan and participate in engaging cultivation events, fostering strong donor relationships.

Corporate Fundraising

• Build and nurture strong partnerships with companies of all sizes, taking a proactive approach to ensure mutually beneficial partnerships nationally and locally in our choir cities.
• Securing gig sponsorship and Charity of the Year partnerships, both on a national and local level.
• Manage a portfolio of corporate partners of all sizes, building our income from businesses and developing a successful long-term strategy for securing financial, pro bono and in-kind support.
• Develop long-term relationships with companies and senior business people for the Choir with No Name
• Develop our workplace singing workshop programme into a sustainable self-earned revenue stream.

Individual Giving

• Oversee the Big Give Christmas campaign in December.
• Manage and develop the Choir with No Name fan club (regular giver programme), agreeing and achieving recruitment and attrition targets.
• Working with the Communications and Operations Officer, develop and promote digital giving appeals.
• Manage the Choir with No Name supporter database (eTapestry) ensuring donor data is kept up to date and is accurate.
• Work with the finance and data administrator to produce accurate and timely monthly donation reports for our bookkeeper.

General

• Contribute to the annual fundraising strategy, alongside the Head of Development and CEO.
• Develop a robust fundraising pipeline and stewardship plan to generate sustainable income in line with our targets and strategy.
• Evaluate fundraising activities, embedding a test and learn approach across all projects.
• Produce accurate and timely reports for funders and Trustees.
• Ensure donation data is accurately recorded in accordance with data protection regulations.
• Carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Choir with No Name within the scope of the role.

Experience/skills

Experience

Demonstrable experience in two or more of the following areas:

• securing and stewarding high-value relationships with supporters.
• cultivating, securing and managing successful corporate partnerships.
• managing and growing committed giving programmes.
• managing and growing digital appeals.

Essential skills:

• Proven success in achieving challenging fundraising targets and meeting deadlines
• Proven ability to produce high quality reports.
• Excellent presentation and pitching skills.
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent written, verbal and communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across a dispersed team.
• Strong IT skills with the ability to work effectively using MS 365 suite
• Experience using a CRM system/donor database
• A strong understanding of legal and best practice fundraising requirements

Personal attributes

Essential:

• Love networking, relationship building and have an eye for opportunity.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences – as comfortable pitching to a team of corporate partners as you are talking about our fundraising with our choir members.
• A self-starter who can work with a high degree of autonomy.
• Results driven.Good at managing priorities and remaining calm under pressure.
• Consistently work with integrity and confidentiality.
• Excellent at creative problem solving and a positive can-do attitude.
• A desire to be part of a committed and hardworking team working in alignment with the values of the Choir with No Name.
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings.
• A good sense of humour!

Desirable

• Ability to work well with a board of trustees and respective sub-committees.
• A love for music and singing.
• UK Driving Licence

HOW TO APPLY​

In the interest of a non-biased approach to recruitment, all applications will be anonymised before they reach the selection panel. We are not, at this stage, asking for information about your work experience or education, we are only seeking the answers to questions that will demonstrate the skills required to deliver the role.  CVs will be required at the interview stage.

We are particularly interested in applications from people with lived experience of homelessness.  An interview will be offered to anyone with experience of homelessness who demonstrates the essential criteria for the role through their answers to the questions below. If you have lived experience of homelessness, please flag this in your email along with your application answers.

Please follow these steps:

• Copy and paste the questions below onto a separate Word document.
• Answer the questions, trying not to use more than 300 words per question. 
• Don’t put your name or any identifying information on the document. 
• Email the document as an attachment to info@choirwithnoname.org. Include your phone number in the email. 

If you have access needs that make any aspect of the application process challenging, please contact us at info@choirwithnoname.org and we will make reasonable adjustments.  You can also use this email address if you have any questions about the process. 

If your answers are among the ones that show the best demonstrations of the skills we’re looking for, we will be in touch to invite you to an initial interview. If you haven’t been successful, we will inform you by email.   

Thank you so much for your interest in working with us at the Choir with No Name and good luck with your application!

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

Try not to use more than 300 words per question – thank you.  Don’t feel you need to use the full word limit if you can answer more succinctly.

1. Why are you interested in working with the Choir with No Name and why now?
2. What do you think are the key attributes of a successful major donor or corporate fundraiser, and how do you reflect those attributes?
3. Please provide an example of a significant donation you have secured. What were the key elements of your cultivation plan, and what was the outcome?
4. Describe a work-based example where you have had to use initiative to solve a problem. What was the outcome?
5. Give an example of a public fundraising appeal or campaign you have been involved with that you are most proud of and why? Was there anything you would have done differently?