North West Cancer Research

Job Description

Job Title: Community Fundraiser (Lancaster)

Reports to: Head of Fundraising

Direct reports: -

Key relationships:Individual Trustees, fundraising branches around the area, supporters, donors and the Head of Marketing and Communications.

Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week

Salary range:£24,000 – 27,000

Location:To be based at Lancaster University

Role Summary

North West Cancer Research is a long established regional charity which can trace its history back to 1948 and with a proud tradition of funding cutting edge research into cancer.The charity has recently agreed a new strategy and has a bold vision for the future.

We are now looking for a Community Fundraiser who can develop our fundraising in Lancaster, Lancashire and Cumbria. You will be our local representative and will work alongside the researchers whose work we fund at Lancaster University and the fundraising branches already established in the area. You will be managed by the Head of Fundraising who is based in Liverpool and so will need to work on your own initiative and will be out and about across the area for much of the time.

Community fundraisers are based across the region and serve three main purposes:

  • To raise funds for NWCR to help it continue its work. These can be from a wide range of community based activities, local events, local businesses and other sources;
  • To promote the work of the charity and raise awareness of it in the local community, focussing in particularly on work done at a local academic institution;
  • To support and develop the local fundraising groups which the charity has.

For an informal discussion on the role, please contact the Head of Fundraising, Sarah Jones on 0151 709 2919.

Responsibilities/Duties

Responsibilities and duties will fall in a number of key areas:

  1. Community fundraising
  • To stimulate, encourage and support fundraising activities in the community carried out by individuals, organisations, associations and volunteer groups;
  • Work with student groups to identify fundraising opportunities around the University site, contributing to any University based awards schemes;
  • To identify opportunities to raise awareness of the charity including giving talks, attending local events and networking events;
  • Develop links with individuals and groups including companies, schools, religious groups and community organisations;
  • Develop fundraising initiatives to engage individuals and groups;
  • Actively find new supporters to become donors along with locations for collecting tins and the sale of merchandise;
  • Maintain knowledge of lotteries along with the different events and activities being organised by the fundraising, marketing and communications teams;
  • Working with the Marketing and Communications team produce resources such as certificates, posters, sponsorship forms, fundraising packs and other items to support and promote community activities and events;
  • Recruit volunteers to assist with events.
  1. Community fundraising administration
  • Ensure that all donor details and transactions are recorded on the donor database;
  • Respond to donor enquiries, sending out agreements, donor information, activity packs and thank you letters;
  • Ensure that local events are shown on the NWCR website and other social media locations;
  • Log and maintain collecting tins in the local area;
  • Ensure risk assessments to events are completed when needed;
  • Ensure that donations are promptly banked and donors thanked.
  • Maximise the use of online platforms and Gift Aid for all fundraising activity.
  1. Fundraising branches and volunteer groups
  • Build effective relationships with the fundraising branches and other groups of volunteers as and when required;
  • Support local fundraising and volunteer groups who raise money for NWCR;
  • Assist groups in identifying and recruiting new volunteers;
  • Support groups to put on events and activities;
  • Develop new groups of volunteers to become fundraising branches or groups who run events for the Charity.
  1. Charity promotion
  • Wherever possible, promote the work of North West Cancer Research in the local community
  • Work with staff at local academic institutions to promote their work, along with the benefits of scientific research and cancer awareness.
  1. Other duties
  • Participate in the tasks needed for performance monitoring, including the setting of budgets and annual targets and the agreement of appraisal objectives etc.
  • Support the development of good health and safety and risk management procedures within the organisation;
  • To undertake other reasonable duties as requested.

Person Specification

Education and Knowledge / Essential or Desirable
Qualifications to include at least 5 GCSEs (grade C or above) or equivalent
Good Maths and English education
Experience of or solid working knowledge of the charity sector
Knowledge of the local area including voluntary groups
Knowledge of fundraising practices / E
E
E
D
D
Experience
Experience of working in the community in a sales or people facing role
Previous fundraising experience in paid or voluntary capacity
Proven experience of achieving/exceeding financial targets from a fundraising/commercial or sales background.
Proven ability to motivate supporters or customers to meet financial target.
Experience of developing and delivering simple projects.
Proven ability to recognise and reward people’s contribution.
Experience of working unsupervised.
Strong IT skills.
Use of databases to record contacts and transactions with individuals
Experience of preparing a range of reports with commentary. / E
D
E
E
E
E
E
E
D
D
Skills
Personal credibility and excellent presentation skills with the ability to inspire people from a range of backgrounds to give their support and so achieve desired outcomes.
Good organisational skills appropriate for arranging events and other activities.
Good interpersonal skills
Computer literate, confident in Microsoft Office and other packages
Able to work independently and be self-motivating, taking the initiative and making decisions.
Able to deliver public talks and explain the work of the charity
Excellent networking and relationship building skills.
A solution focused approach to enable supporters to overcome challenges and maximise their fundraising efforts for NWCR.
Understanding of meeting or exceeding KPI’s and financial targets to maximise income.
An ability to stay up to date with changes in fundraising codes of practice and data protection legislation / E
E
E
E
E
D
E
E
E
D
Finance
Regularly review and identify and shortfalls in performance preparing necessary mitigation plans to ensure financial milestones are met. / D
General
An understanding of cancer and its impacts
A highly flexible approach to working and a willingness to attend NWCR fundraising events and meetings. This will involve, on occasion, working anti-social hours, including evenings and weekends.
An attention to detail
Ability to work effectively as part of a team and interact with donors, supporters and Trustees
High productivity, drive and a visible ‘can do’ attitude
Willingness and ability to travel independently through the NWCR area
A driver with access to a car when required / D
E
E
E
E
E
E