Philanthropy & Giving Manager

Jamie's Farm exists to transform the lives of vulnerable children by providing our unique combination of ‘farming, family, therapy & legacy’. The last few years have seen transformational growth for the charity, having expanded onto a second farm in Hereford in 2014, a third farm in Monmouth in 2018 and a fourth farm in Lewes 2019. We are now seeking a passionate and professional individual to play a key role in our small but dynamic fundraising team, strategically driving forward philanthropic gifts and legacy giving - leading on the day to day of fundraising from individuals. This is an exciting opportunity within a unique charity to significantly grow these income streams from their current base of around £300,000 a year. We are hopeful to find an experienced fundraiser who can support with ideas on how to grow our lower-level individual giving programme and regular donations too.

You will work closely with our CEO, Heads of Fundraising and the SLT as well as our fundraising team including a regional Fundraising Manager based at our Lewes Farm, a Fundraising Manager based at HQ and a Fundraising & Events Assistant, also based at HQ. For the right candidate, there is potential for this role to take on more of a leadership role within our existing team too. The income the fundraising team look after is diverse and includes gifts from trusts, corporates, events and individuals. This role will help Jamie’s Farm to raise the vital funds needed from voluntary income from individuals, the growth of which is paramount to our fundraising strategy.

About Jamie’s Farm  

Jamie’s Farm helps children to flourish at home, in education and in the community through an intensive week-long immersion in rural life. We provide young people with a tailored range of activities designed to offer each an opportunity for achievement, as well as a supportive family environment that encourages them to push themselves out of their comfort zone. Our therapeutic input makes use of individual and group sessions to allow pupils to reflect on their lives on the farm and back home, in order to draw out tangible strategies for improvements to be realised when they return. By working with teachers and committing to follow up visits in school, we aim to make changes catalysed by Jamie’s Farm last; internal and external evaluation has proven this so.

The initial spark for the charity came from Jamie Feilden, who was teaching in a Croydon comprehensive school when he began taking inner-city pupils back to his home farm in Wiltshire. Ten years on, we are now on track to welcome 2,000 young people each year to our farms. This represents a significant proportion of the 30,500 vulnerable young people who are most in need of our intervention. Consequently, we would be significantly contributing to tackling the grave problem of social and academic exclusion on a national scale.

Main Responsibilities

• Grow our pipeline of mid to high level givers, securing new multi-year gifts to help with the financial sustainability of the charity, always thinking beyond the current financial year;
• Continue the stewardship of a small number of major donor relationships who give to Jamie’s Farm upholding our high standards of donor care;
• Contribute to the development of effective cases for support and wider fundraising materials to ensure integration of core messaging and strategic objectives;
• Lead on legacy giving by developing and delivering a strategy to grow this for Jamie’s Farm;
• Lead on planning, implementation and follow-up of ‘touch points’ and a couple of small donor events aimed at widening our network of supporters;
• Make this income stream your own, working closely with internal and external stakeholders;
• Attend networking events to proactively grow our network of supporters;
• Manage the database records, finance detail, gift aid, thank yous and communication with relationships you manage (with support from our fundraising assistant);
• Support our Fundraising Assistant with the management and growth of lower-level regular gifts;
• Occasional evening and weekend work to attend events will be required as well as travel to our other farm sites.

Benefits & Pay

• £29,000 - £38,000 pro rata depending on experience (with 6 month probationary period);
• All lunch meals provided and shared with our friendly team;
• Generous holiday entitlement (39 days pro rata, this includes bank holidays);
• Be part of a welcoming, vibrant team located on a beautiful Cotswold farm just outside of Bath; 
• Contribute to the growth of a dynamic, values-driven organisation. 

Person Specification

• 3 years+ experience of working in a fundraising team (essential);
• Demonstratable experience in target driven roles, especially in securing significant major gifts (essential);
• Good IT proficiency (Microsoft) and experience of using a fundraising database (essential);
• Understanding of compliance with fundraising regulations and Charity Commission (desirable);
• Experience writing strategy (desirable);
• Experience in managing or supporting an individual giving programme for lower-level gifts (desirable);
• Clean driving licence and access to a car (essential).

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Exceptional communication (spoken, written and face to face), teamwork and organisational skills;
• Confidence in liaising with a range of internal and external stakeholders to build relationships;
• Good attention to detail in all aspects of work, but particularly able to write engaging and high standard funding proposals, manage multiple relationships and is familiar with financial reporting requirements within a fundraising role;
• Enthusiasm to support a medium sized but national children’s charity in a rural setting with flexibility for travel and occasional evening and weekend work;
• Ability to contribute to wider vision, strategy and goals of an ambitious, professional and unique charity.

How to apply: please check our website for details on where to send your CV and covering letter (2 sides). Your covering letter should explain your relevant experience, how you meet the requirements of the role and person specification, if you are interested in part-time or full-time and what motivated you to apply for this role. 

Closing date: 9am Friday 6th December;

Interviews at Jamie’s Farm Bath: 11th December

Start date: Flexible in January - February 

Due to the nature of our work with young people, on acceptance of offer all Jamie's Farm employees are subject to an enhanced DBS check in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy.