Fundraising Officer at The University of Sheffield

Main duties and responsibilities

• Plan and deliver key fundraising projects using a range of channels (email, direct mail, events) to make direct asks for support through gifts and community fundraising.
• Ensure that all supporters have an exceptional experience and coordinate activities that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy in a meaningful and personal way to retain all donors.
• Support the wider team with elements of larger, multi-channel appeals. This will include building relationships with beneficiaries, suppliers, copywriting, using our mass email platform and manipulating data to personalise appeals. 
• Deliver community fundraising activities primarily the Big Walk, supported by the Individual Giving Manager and the Communications & Events team.
• Manage relationships with long-standing community fundraisers, as well as supporting ad-hoc fundraisers to maximise donations, showcase the University’s work and raise awareness of philanthropy. Proactively identify opportunities to build the supporter community and increase participation in fundraising.
• Manage relationships with corporate partners capable of sponsoring or participating in our fundraising activities, such as the Big Walk.
• Work with the team of scholarship ambassadors (students who have benefitted from donations) to gather and create content that tells their stories and demonstrates impact to donors.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of ad-hoc telephone fundraising sessions. Including training and motivating the students, enabling them to make direct asks.
• Coordinate the fundraising team’s shared inbox and phone line, including delegating to other members of the team. Act as a key point of contact for donor and fundraiser enquiries, ensuring each supporter receives the highest level of customer service and
• Ensure that accurate records are maintained on the CRM database, Raiser's Edge and use JustGiving to optimise fundraising. Work with large datasets to personalise appeals and communication approaches, working to a data processing brief.
• Ensure fundraising activity fulfils its regulatory and statutory obligations (GDPR and Fundraising Regulator Code of Conduct) and its obligations for the health and safety of fundraisers and event participants.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

*This role will involve some flexible working for telephone appeals and events, outside of core hours - time off in lieu will be granted.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Essential criteria

• Experience in fundraising, volunteer management, marketing or a relationship focused role (assessed at application / interview)
• Experience building and managing supporter or customer relationships with integrity and sensitivity (assessed at application / interview)
• Experience delivering communications or marketing projects to different audiences across a range of channels including print and email (assessed at application / interview / selection task)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to make direct asks for support through written communications (assessed at application / interview / selection task)
• Experience of working collaboratively and flexibly, as part of a team, and with colleagues from across teams and the wider organisation (assessed at application / interview)
• Ability to deliver an outstanding supporter experience whilst acting as a passionate ambassador for the University (assessed at application / interview)
• Ability to manage and progress multiple projects across a busy and varied workload, including producing and working to clear briefs, project plans and deadlines (assessed at application / interview)
• Understanding of the principles of fundraising and a genuine belief in the transformative power of philanthropy in Higher Education (assessed at application / interview)
• A creative approach to problem solving with the ability to react and work flexibly in a fast-paced and dynamic environment (assessed at application / interview)

Desirable criteria

• Ability to manage and motivate individuals, volunteers and/or a team to achieve targets (assessed at application / interview)
• Experience of Raiser’s Edge database or equivalent CRM database and a high level of attention to detail when it comes to working with data (assessed at application / interview)