Strategy, Evaluation and Fundraising Associate

St Werburghs Community Association is in the final year of its current four year Business Plan. We are now working on organisational development, which includes Digital Project (commissioning of a new booking and service monitoring software), Strategy and Board Development, Marketing and Digital Inclusion Plan, Finance and HR training, as well as Team Building activities.

With current challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, such as loss of trading income and continuous demands on services we are looking for an experienced Strategy, Evaluation and Fundraising Associate to work with the Centre Team and Board of Trustees to complete an evaluation of existing work and plan for the imminent future assuring the Centre’s sustainability. The work will also include writing and submitting funding bids to ensure continuation of SWCA’s core services and further development of the organisation going into the next Business Plan period 2021-2025.

Applicants should be available for a period of 30 days between February and July 2021 to support the organisation. The timeframe greatly depends on the grants proposals and deadlines. All preparation, strategy sessions with the Board and evaluation of services will need to happen before the end of March 2021, with fundraising focus from April to July 2021.

About St Werburghs Community Association

Established in 1971, St Werburghs Community Association aims to manage the Community Centre building, develop its services and ensure it meets the demands, and needs, of local people. In 1999 the Association took over the management of the Centre from the local authority and completed Asset Transfer and an over £1m Capital Project in 2010, which resulted in construction of a four-room eco-friendly annexe, doubling up on the lettable spaces and making the main Victorian building more energy efficient and fully accessible. The Centre is one of Bristol’s busiest, most loved and inclusive community buildings.

In the last 10 years the Centre has grown from strength to strength, developing the facilities, which now include six large multipurpose rooms available to hire on hourly basis, a catering kitchen, seven office spaces, an outdoor seating, growing and play area, an Open Access Computer lab, a café and a central Reception from which SWCA delivers a range of Signposting and Advice services. Services we offer to meet community needs includes weekly cooking and gardening courses, one to one computer support, employability support/advice, Tai Chi, stay and play and much more. Most recently due to Covid-19 we have a telephone befriending service, food bank and a community outreach programme. There are volunteering opportunities to build skills and promote inclusion, we support local people in taking actions on issues which matter to them and link people to the support they need enabling them to achieve their goals. The Centre is available for private, social and business hire.

As a membership organisation, we have 200 active member groups who use the Centre for faith and cultural activities, training and education, exercise, dance and hobbies, as well as personal development and voluntary and charitable sector members, who work with local people.

Role and responsibilities

The Strategy, Fundraising and Evaluation Associate will support SWCA in building a sustainable financial, business, engagement and development plan. Experience in organisational development, finance, fundraising, business evaluation and strategy are key to this role. Plus excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills; good knowledge of the community business and voluntary sectors and a sound understanding of the different protected groups, of social and community inclusion.

Specific responsibilities include:

• taking part in a half a day induction to familiarise yourself with the organisation

• facilitation and drawing on learning (Business Plan) from two to four sessions with the Board of

  Trustees, and Management Team to include:

  1. exploring our development trust status,

  2. forming meaningful alliances with other organisations,

  3. improving engagement with local residents,

  4. communications with groups,

  5. partnership working with other organisations and

  6. evaluation summary of community response/action.

• analysis of income streams and scenarios in liaison with Finance Manager(trading vs grants).

• looking at possible different membership structures: individual members, community member groups

  and associate members, also young members.

• evaluation of current service provision work in liaison with the Centre operational teams.

• creating a 3-page document / web content describing SWCA, its vision, aims and objectives based on the evaluation of services in liaison with the Digital Communications and Marketing Officer.

• fundraising in liaison with the Centre Director and Finance Manager to include writing and submitting bids, working to deadlines and in line with our fundraising strategy.

Person specification

Essential

Business and strategic planning. 

Ability to engage, communicate with and work with trustees, staff and partners at all levels.

Ability to evaluate and assess an organisation’s activities and performance and recommend detailed next steps.

Fundraising and bid writing to trusts and ufoundations.

The ability to read financial accounts and financial uprojections/ budgets.

Proficiency with IT and computer-based  information systems.

Ability to work independently. 

Excellent analytical, written and verbal ucommunication skills.

Commitment to equal opportunities and ability to exercise this in practice.

Sound understanding of the community business and voluntary based sectors.

Desirable

Understanding of membership organisations.

Knowledge of governance models, legal frameworks, and best practice in accountability and reporting. 

Deadline

Noon 22nd January 2021

Application process

For further information or informal conversation please contact the Centre Director, Goska Ong.

Applicants will be contacted by 26th January and contracts for successful applicants will be agreed by 29th January 2021. Successful applicant will attend a paid induction/meeting with staff and trustees week commencing 1st February 2021 TBA.

This post is supported by Power to Change Business Development Support Grant.