Fundraising Manager

Disability Rights UK (DR UK) is a charity with our office based in the Olympic Park in East London. We occupy a unique position as the only national organisation led by disabled people. 90% of our trustees have lived experience of disability, as do the majority of our staff and volunteers. We describe ourselves as ‘disabled people leading change’.

Our charitable objectives include breaking the link between poverty and disability and challenging negative perceptions in society. We work to reduce the additional barriers that disabled people face. Evidence of injustice and inequality that we gather is taken forward into our policy and campaigning work.

We offer advice and information services to disabled people and member organisations. Our website reaches one million people each year with factsheets on subjects such as welfare benefits, housing, education, transport and accessing legal advice.

DR UK runs a range of innovative projects, working with partners including other Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), to demonstrate new approaches to disabled people’s participation. For example, we have a successful model of working with disabled people, local DPOs, social workers and Sport England to change attitudes, perceptions and practices around physical activity and wellbeing.

To underpin this vital and far-reaching work we have a plan to increase our annual income from individual giving, legacies, grant funding and corporate activity.

The role

This is an exciting time to join us. This newly created post is designed to build our digital fundraising, grow the number of individuals actively supporting DR UK and increase income from trusts and foundations. You will be asked to come up with as many effective, innovative and engaging fundraising approaches as possible to help achieve these aims.

 DR UK has continued working at full capacity during the pandemic:

• supporting disabled people contacting our helplines
• producing special Covid-19 supplements for the advice sector
• creating high level channels for feeding the experiences of disabled people into emerging national policy and practice

Motivation and communication across staff teams has never been better – being already used to remote working and having a strong unity of purpose at this time.

As our Fundraising Manager, you will have a unique opportunity to influence the design of new systems and ways of working. This will include helping shape the development of our digital strategy and the fundraising aspects of our new website, to be launched in the second half of 2021.

To fulfil this wide-ranging role, we are seeking a highly creative, determined and enthusiastic fundraising all-rounder, with the ability to lead on income generating activities, while working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation.

You will report to and work with our Head of Business Development to make sure fundraising activities meet annual targets, raise DR UK’s profile and enhance our reputation in line with our values.

In return we offer a highly competitive salary, employer pension, flexi-working and an informal, inclusive and modern workplace within the Here East innovation zone on the edge of the London Olympic Park. There will be opportunities for training and personal development.

To apply, please send your current CV together with a cover letter, outlining why you want this job and addressing each point in the person specification. Should you wish to apply using another format, please contact us. Otherwise, applications without a suitable cover letter will not be considered.