Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships

Job Title: Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships 12 months Fixed Term Opportunity (Maternity Cover) Feb 2025-March 2026

Salary: £75,000 + car cash allowance 

Location: Remote working with hub allocated when required. 

At the Canal and River Trust we know that our network of canals, rivers and reservoirs improve the lives of the more than 10 million people who visit each month, that our 2,000 miles of connected hedgerows, towpaths and waterways provide vital corridors for nature protecting biodiversity and providing landscape scale opportunities for improvement, and looking forward we know our work will be vital as we as a nation adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.  And yet few people know we are a charity in need their support. This is about to change.

The Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships leads a team which inspires support and develops and sustains relationships with businesses, major donors, trusts and foundations and some statutory funders to help deliver the strategic ambitions of the charity. The team has substantial growth plans – and this role is to help shape and build that growth. It requires someone excited to deliver change and comfortable operating as a player – coach, delivering both leadership and hands on activity.

Location/base: This role will be based from home. Regular travel (approx. 2 days a week will be required for meetings with donors and team).

Vision and strategy

• Implement and refine the newly agreed Fundraising Strategy – positioning the team and driving improvements across the organisation to deliver to target.
• An inspiring and effective leader and line manager of a team. Setting objectives, conducting supervision meetings, and chairing team meetings.

Partnership working and relationship development

• Leading the team to build profitable, multi-year relationships with corporates, trust and foundations, and major donors; as well as personally developing your own portfolio of key strategic relationships.
• Supporting the team to build a strong prospect pipeline, developing compelling cases for support and engaging cultivation and stewardship plans.
• Responsible for managing your own portfolio of prospects and supporters with the capacity to make significant transformational gifts.
• Designing systems and procedures around cultivation, stewardship, and recognition to ensure the Trust maximises the potential of every relationship, seeking support from key internal stakeholders where appropriate.
• Ensuring a robust and sustainable philanthropy and partnerships programme – including excellent account and relationship management for current partners and a proactive approach to secure future supporters
• Develop relationships with Senior Volunteers including Trustees, Regional Advisory Boards and potentially Appeal Boards

Team Work

• Contribute fully to the fundraising management team, taking the lead on some key cross-team and cross-organisational activities.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the organisation to explore opportunities for income generation, in particular building on each team’s existing contacts and networks.
• Working with the Regional Teams to optimise income generation in philanthropy and partnerships from our enterprise and community engagement activities.

Outwood Looking

• Represent the organisation externally at a senior level.
• Keep abreast of sector developments and maintain an awareness of philanthropic trends, news, events and legislation particularly around fundraising compliance and regulation.

People & Budget Management

• The role will have responsibility for leading, motivating, mentoring and coaching and performance management of 9 colleagues
• Overseeing team deployment planning and management. Prepare, monitor and control the annual business plan and income budget.

Knowledge, Experience & Skills

• Excellent communication, networking and presentational skills
• Specific understanding of strategic corporate partnerships, high value trust and foundation relationships and giving from high net worth individuals.
• Flexible, creative and collaborative approach to work, able and willing to both lead and be a ‘hands on’ member of a team
• Experience of working for a multi-faceted organisation with a complex stakeholder environment and where voluntary income is not the dominant income source.
• A proven ability to develop and write persuasive and successful funding applications and partnership proposals for major donors, trust and foundations and corporates.
• Strong cultivation and stewardship experience, understanding the needs of potential and existing partners, whilst influencing and mobilising internal stakeholder to help secure and sustain long term high value support.
• Well organised with business planning and project management skills, with an ability to organise a busy workload and meet deadlines.
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting and planning

Closes 23:59 on 29 November 2024

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If you require any support with your application please contact the team at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk

What we offer:

In addition to your salary of £75,000, you will benefit from a Car Cash Allowance and a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits, all of which can be found here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits).

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us