Job Description
Campaign Officer
The principal and operational purpose of theCampaigns Officer is to provide fundraising support to the West Buckland School Foundation during the course of an ambitious capital campaign.
The successful candidate will have significant fundraising experience along with outstanding communication, inter-personal, research and administration skills, be highly organised with a professional attitude and enjoy working within a busy, pressurised environment. Competent IT, email, database and general keyboard skills are essential.
The governors of West Buckland School plan to add to the campus by building a Study Centre and Sixth Form Boarding House which are due to open in September 2015. The Foundation has been tasked with raising £500,000 towards the total cost of the build. The fundraising campaign will be managed and led by the Foundation Manager. Key areas of responsibility for this post will include undertaking research and managing applications to a range of fundraising prospects including Trusts & Foundations, High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) and Corporates. In addition, support for the individual fundraising drive including a telephone campaign will be required. The time frame of this campaign means that the ability to multi –task and work across several fundraising streams is essential.
Previous experience or an involvement within the independent education sector would be desirable but is not essential.
The School
West Buckland School was founded in 1858 nine miles from the town of Barnstaple. It stands in nearly 100 acres of grounds, surrounded by farmland, near the western edge of Exmoor.
West Buckland’s buildings and facilities have developed steadily throughout its history, and recent developments include the Delderfield Building which houses a classroom block for the Preparatory School and a new ICT Centre for the whole campus, the outstanding Jonathan Edwards Sports Centre and an all-weather pitch. The award winning 150 Building, a major £5m development which includes the Art and Design Technology Departments and a Theatre, opened recently. The governors’ current plans are for a major new development to providea new study centre for the senior school and accommodation, study and social facilities for sixth formers.
The School is fully co-educational and currently has around 620 boys and girls aged 4 to 18. There is a thriving boarding community of just under 100 UK and international students with the boarders being accommodated in four separate houses. The school has its own Preparatory School, with pupils aged 4 to 11, which is on the same site and an attached Nursery for children aged 3 and 4.
Academic standards at the school are high. For many years West Buckland has been the most successful school at GCSE and A-level in North Devon, and is one of the most consistently high performing schools in the South West. For each of the last seven years, over two-thirds of all A-level passes have been at A*-B grades. There is considerable emphasis on extra-curricular activities at the school, with a proud record in music, drama, boys’ and girls’ games, the Combined Cadet Force, outdoor education and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Further information about the school may be found on our website:
Line Manager
The Line Manager for the Campaign Officer will be the Manager of the West Buckland School Foundation.
Main Responsibilities of the Post
Fundraising
The successful candidate will be responsible for providing support for the Foundation Manager across multi fundraising streams: Trusts and Foundations; HNWI; Corporates and Individuals. Specific duties will be allocated according to the skills and experience of the successful candidate but it is anticipated that they will be responsible for researching and managing the application process for Trusts and Foundations; Corporates and HNWI. The successful candidate will work closely with the Foundation Manager who is responsible for the fundraising campaign.
Main responsibilities will include:
- Researching and profiling funding major gift prospects including HNWI and Trusts through internet research, use of relevant databases and other resources. This will include gathering information on business interests, family, time at school, hobbies, philanthropic interests and history and recording it using organisational templates and on the fundraising database.
- Manage the application process to Trusts and Foundations, including contacting Trusts, adapting proposals as appropriate, completing application forms, submitting them and carrying out all necessary communications. The post holder will also be expected keep excellent administrative records of the process on the fundraising database at every stage.
- Supporting the major gift phase of the campaign through setting up meetings and/or events and providing the Foundation Manager and/or Trustees with the relevant information and documentation including adapting and preparing proposals targeted to each individual’s capacity to give.
- Assist in the planning and delivery of a diverse range of events for alumni and parents. This will include working with the Administration and Relationship Officer on logistics, marketing and communication materials.
- Support the preparation for a telethon in July 2015. This will include database research and enrichment; administration; caller recruitment; assisting with constituency segmentation and developing additional solicitation vehicles such as flash films.
- Assist the planning and delivery of a broad individual giving campaign including working on marketing materials, distribution and promotion.
- To carry out any reasonable task at the request of the Foundation Manager.
This is an exciting time for the School and Foundation and the fundraising campaign will be fast moving and varied. It will therefore be essential that the post holder is prepared to work flexibly as the demands of the role dictate. Due to the varied nature of the role, it will also be important that the post holder is able to use their initiative and respond accordingly and positively to the many different situations that will present themselves.
The School and Foundation reserve the right to vary or amend the duties and responsibilities of the post holder at any time according to the needs of the School’s business. In exceptional circumstances, the post holder will be required to undertake other duties and responsibilities of a similar post in order to support workload peaks, skill shortages, to ensure priorities are met. This will be sensitive to available resources and individual skills and will be generally be in the areas outlined above.
Key Experience / Essential / Desirable2 or more years of fundraising experience which includes at least 2 of the following fundraising streams: trusts and foundations; major gifts; individual giving; events or corporates /
Experience of relationship building /
Experience of using fundraising databases /
Previous knowledge or experience of working in the independent education sector /
Key Skills / Essential / Desirable
Excellent communication, interpersonal and customer service skills for dealing with prospective funders; alumni; parents and other members of the school community /
Good written English skills /
Strong research skills, particularly using internet search engines and online databases /
Excellent IT skills and proficient with MS Office packages and database management, preferably in a fundraising context /
Excellent organisational and administrative skills /
Ability to use own initiative and work within a small team /
Hours of Work
This is a Fixed Termpart time appointment of 22 ½ hours per week for one year, with the start date to be as soon as possible. The preference is for the post holder to work 3 full days which are to be mutually agreed.However some flexibility may be needed due to the demands of the job (e.g. running events). The normal hours of work are 08.45hrs till 17.15hrs with an hour’s unpaid break each day. The incumbent is expected to be flexible in his or her attitude to hours of work and will be expected to manage working hours in line with the needs of the School. Overtime is not applicable but time off in lieu for additional hours worked can be claimed.
Beverages are provided free whilst on duty. Lunch is provided during term-time – subject to notified working hours - and during certain other holiday periods when the catering department is operational.
Pension & Life Assurance
There is a Group Pension Scheme available after the successful completion of three months employment which in accordance with government legislation we are required to enrol you. You will have the option to opt out of the scheme in accordance with the regulations
The benefit of this scheme is a contribution made by the School of 3% of your gross annual salary; this is on condition that you also contribute at least 3% of your gross annual salary.
Free Life Assurance cover equivalent to twice your annual salary is given after the successful completion of three months employment.
Salary
In the region of £22k per annumpro rata dependent on experience.
Holidays
You will be entitled to 15 days paid holiday per annum plus Bank Holidays (except May Day Bank Holiday which is a normal working day – for which a day off in lieu is given) to be taken at agreed times during the school holiday periods. The holiday year runs from 1st September through until 31st August, staff appointed during the holiday year will receive a prorata amount of holiday entitlement. Holidays during term time are not normally permitted.
Notice
One calendar week’s written notice will be applicable to both yourself and the School, subject to statutory requirements during your three month probationary period. After the successful completion of the probationary period, your notice will be extended to one calendar month for yourself and the School. This is without prejudice to the right of suspension of summary or dismissal for misconduct.
Child Protection
West Buckland School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.
This post requires a cleared Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service. The post holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom s/he is responsible, or with whom s/he comes into contact will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection Policy Statement at all times. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School s/he must report any concerns to the School’s Child Protection Officer or to the Headmaster.
Application Process
Please send this fully completed application form, and a supporting letter explaining how your skills and experience meet the person criteria toLucy Lancaster, or by post to: Mrs Lucy Lancaster, West Buckland Foundation, West Buckland School, West Buckland, Barnstaple, Devon. EX32 0SX.
If you would like to have an informal conversation regarding this post please contact the Foundation Manager, Valerie Bishop on 01598 760164.
Closing date 9th May
Interviews are expected to be held at the beginning of the week commencing 19th May
If you have not been called for interview within two weeks of the closing date, then this normally means that your application has been unsuccessful.
Data Protection
The School is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. The information you supply when requesting a job pack will be held in electronic format for monitoring and evaluation purposes and in connection with any future contact. We keep applications from unsuccessful candidates for a period of six months from the closing date after which they will be destroyed. If you do not wish your application to be retained during this period please indicate this in a covering letter with your application.
March 2014