Funding Officer

Youth Fed is known as a pioneering forward-thinking organisation and needs to secure funding to further develop innovative and user-led intervention services for young people and youth organisations in the North West.

Youth Fed is embarking on a formal partnership with World Merit, an innovative charity that serves the global community with the aim of tackling the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The ideal candidate will have excellent skills, experience in writing bids and grant applications for regional, national and international causes. They will enjoy working for a charity which aims to benefit the lives of young people.

Responsible To: Head of Fundraising

Starting Salary: £26,141.00- £32,082.00

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Ellesmere Port and Liverpool

Job Purpose

Working with the Charity’s Head of Fundraising to generate income through applications to international and UK-based Trusts, Grants, Statutory and other sources which align with Youth Fed and the World Merit partnership strategy for income generation.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Identify, research and assess potential funders and their fit with Youth Fed and World Merit’s charitable aims and objectives
• Write and submit medium to large funding applications (£10,000+ in value)
• Contribute to the Fundraising target and business development plan
• Manage funder recognition and wider stewardship activity to ensure long-term sustainable relationships
• In conjunction with the Operations teams, ensure that criteria for funders are met and regular updates, progress reports and other reporting requirements are submitted to funding bodies
• Support the Head of Fundraising in writing larger funding applications
• Work with the Fundraising Support Administrator to ensure the bid pipeline is up to date and the progress of applications are tracked and monitored
• Develop excellent relationships with both internal and with external key stakeholders
• Represent Youth Fed and World Merit at various meetings and events
• Support the Senior Leadership Team and wider organisation with their own business development activity such as providing standard answers to bid questions and advising on funding best practice.

Other

• Notwithstanding the Job Purpose and Duties and Responsibilities included in this job description, the post holder must be prepared to undertake additional tasks, duties and responsibilities at the discretion of their line manager that fall within the strategic and corporate objectives of Youth Fed and/or World Merit.

You have a legal duty that gives you responsibility, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure that you do not endanger yourself or anyone else by your acts or omissions. In addition you must cooperate with the charity on health and safety matters and must not interfere or misuse anything provided for health, safety and welfare purposes.

It is the responsibility of employees to apply the Youth Fed’s Equal Opportunities Policy in their own area of responsibility and in their general conduct.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent qualification or relevant professional experience)
• GCSE grades 4-9 (A-C) in English and Maths

Desirable Qualifications

• Membership of Institute of Fundraising or other similar body
• Professional fundraising qualification

Essential Experience

• At least five years’ experience of successful fundraising resulting in income in excess of £100,000 per year
• Experience of researching and identifying funders
• Experience in international development
• Experience of meeting/exceeding fundraising targets
• Experience of presenting to funders in a clear and engaging way
• Project development
• Experience in bid pipeline management
• Networking/building sustainable relationships with funders
• Reporting/funding stewardship

Desirable Experience

• Experience of winning bids within the children and young people’s sector

Essential Skills

• High level of IT literacy including Word, Excel and databases
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbally
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent organisational and prioritising skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines Accurate record keeping
• Ability to collate and analyse complex data to produce clear and detailed applications

Desirable Skills

• Networking skills
• The ability to generate accurate project budgets

Essential Knowledge

• Fundraising legal requirements and best practice
• Fundraising in an international setting
• Understanding of funding bodies’ requirements and goals
• Knowledge of maintaining a bid pipeline

Desirable Knowledge

• Understanding of the needs of youth organisations and the voluntary sector
• In depth understanding of United Nations Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals
• Familiarity with the children and young people’s sector

Essential Attitudes

• Ability to work to stretching targets
• Honest with high ethical standards
• Ability to work with confidential and sensitive information
• Problem solving
• Excellent Communicator
• Proactive and Enthusiastic
• Self-motivated and able to work using own initiative, as well as part of a team

Desirable Attitudes

• Excellent negotiation skills
• Creative

Additional

• Be able to work across two office bases: Ellesmere Port (main base) and Liverpool City Centre
• Hold a valid driving license, have access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across the UK.