Head of Fundraising

Reports to: Director of Strategy and Development (DMI UK)

Responsible for: n/a

Start date: As soon as possible

Term: Full time, permanent

Based in: London (N1), UK with opportunities for limited overseas travel

Salary: £55,000 - £60,000, plus 5% pension contribution and private health care

Application closes: Midnight 30th June 2019

About DMI

Development Media International (DMI) delivers media campaigns aimed at changing behaviours, promoting health and saving lives in developing countries. We are the first organisation to scientifically demonstrate that mass media can increase life-saving behaviours. DMI recently published the results of its 5-year, £7m randomised controlled trial in West Africa which showed that 56% more children were taken for treatment for malaria, 73% more for diarrhoea and 39% more for pneumonia following exposure to our campaign. Modelling indicates that over 3000 lives were saved during the campaign and that our approach is one of the most cost-effective ways of saving children’s lives.

DMI has two priorities: first, to continue to generate ground-breaking research (we are conducting another randomised control trial in Burkina Faso, this time to measure our impact on contraceptive uptake), second, to take our proven strategies to scale, saving as many lives as possible. We work across a range of health issues, including child survival, reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene, and early childhood development. DMI works in close partnership with leading experts in health, including WHO, UNICEF and LSHTM and has been funded by some of the world’s most prestigious organisations including the Wellcome Trust, DFID, Comic Relief, the Global Innovation Fund, Unorthodox Philanthropy and the Mulago Foundation.

We are an innovative and rapidly growing organisation, working at the nexus between science and creativity. DMI has demonstrated that knowledge is not only a human right, but is also the key to saving lives in a cost-effective way. Our intellectual rigour, enthusiasm and willingness to learn from both our successes and mistakes, makes us distinct. Our ethos is non-hierarchical: all our staff are intellectually high-powered and we have a “best idea wins” culture. By working at DMI you will have a genuine, measurable impact on improving lives in low-income countries.

DMI has a permanent presence in Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Tanzania and will expand to Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire in 2019. Its regional operations include five more countries in West Africa as well as Burundi. DMI’s headquarters overlooks the Regents Canal in Hoxton, London and provides the strategic direction for the whole organisation.

DMI is ranked as one of the most cost-effective non-profit organisations in the world by GiveWell and was the first organisation to receive the maximum rating from Impact Matters. It is also endorsed by the Centre for Effective Altruism, Giving What We Can and The Life You Can Save.

Find out more on our website.

Job description

We are looking for a Head of Fundraising who will develop and deliver an effective and sustainable fundraising strategy for DMI. The Head of Fundraising will lead DMI’s funding proposals to large donors including institutional funders (such as DFID, USAID, and the World Bank) and large Foundations and Trusts (e.g. Wellcome, CIFF, and Comic Relief). The ideal candidate will have significant experience of writing successful concept notes and proposals.

The Head of Fundraising will join DMI’s friendly and dynamic London team and he or she will work closely with the Director of Strategy and Development. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced senior fundraiser with the drive to get things done and the flexibility to work effectively within a diverse, creative and growing team. This role offers excellent benefits, a competitive salary, interesting travel opportunities and a varied and exciting range of responsibilities for the right candidate.

More specifically, this role will include the following responsibilities:

1. Developing relationships with key stakeholders who are interested in our approach, including funders (in particular bilateral and multilateral organisations, foundations, companies and high net worth individuals), governments, implementers and media organisations.
2. Identifying opportunities for developing new mass media projects in developing countries, and designing projects that will save lives or improve health while also meeting the strategic priorities of both DMI and funders.
3. Writing and submitting successful concept notes and proposals to secure funding for those projects.
4. Communicating DMI’s work to stakeholders through writing briefing notes and documents, presentations, and content for the DMI website and social media.
5. Other tasks as required by DMI.

Person specification

Required knowledge, skills and experience

1. Extensive experience of securing funding from large funders including institutional donors (such as DFID, USAID, and World Bank) or large Foundations and Trusts (including Wellcome, CIFF and Comic Relief).
2. Very strong intellectual ability, as evidenced by a good degree, similar qualifications or extensive appropriate experience in a relevant field and performance at interview.
3. Substantial experience of writing proposals, presentations or analytical reports.
4. Knowledge of the international development field.
5. Potential to develop a detailed understanding of the applications of mass media and of public health issues.
6. Outstanding writing skills in English. The successful candidate must be able to communicate concisely, clearly and with flair.
7. Self-motivated and dynamic. High capacity for work, and resilient and good-humoured under pressure.
8. Excellent general communication skills, with an ability to conduct meetings authoritatively, to present well in public, and to enthuse donors.
9. Excellent IT skills, including the ability to use web-based content management systems and customer relationship management systems, proficiency on common office applications and general web literacy.
10. Ability to develop complex project budgets.
11. Ability to work in a team environment with technical and non-technical staff and to manage effective collaboration between partners and stakeholders, including those with differing agendas.
12. Self-motivated, flexible and dynamic. High capacity for work, and resilient and good-humoured under pressure.
13. Permission to live and work in the UK.

Desirable knowledge, skills and experience

1. Language skills in French or Portuguese
2. Experience of working in developing countries, for an NGO or in international development
3. Knowledge and experience working within global health and/or mass media environments