Director of Fundraising and Communications

**PLEASE NOTE: To apply for this vacancy, please ensure you firstly download a copy of our application form from the documents section when you click through to our prortal and complete it. Click the 'apply' button and fill out your personal details in the relevant sections. Once you have submitted these you will be asked if you would like to attach any documents. At this stage please submit the completed version of the application form.**

BENEFITS 

28 days holiday + Bank Holidays
Life Assurance x4 of basic salary
Income protection scheme
8% employer contribution pension scheme
Flexibility

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO  

United Kingdom for UNHCR is the United Nations Refugee Agency’s national charity partner for the United Kingdom. We generate public awareness of the plight of refugees and raise funds to help protect them through UNHCR’s humanitarian operations across the world.    

Our supporters include UK private individuals, communities, corporate partners, trusts and foundations. The funds we raise help UNHCR deliver emergency relief such as shelter, medical care and basic supplies to people fleeing conflict and persecution, as well as healthcare, education and livelihoods opportunities for those who remain displaced over the long term.  

Nobody chooses to be a refugee, but we can all play a part in their protection, and we want those who work with us to share our values and passion for the cause.   

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING    

We strongly value diversity and recognise that it is critical to our success and the cause that we serve. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all who work with us and strongly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience of being a refugee, asylum seeker, internally displaced person, or a stateless person.  

UK for UNHCR is proud to have a Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. The Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Working Group is a group of colleagues focusing on tasks that drive action in the implementation of our D&I Approach. The group also works to create safe spaces that bring colleagues together for events, discussions and learning experiences that celebrate and support diversity and tackle barriers to inclusion.    

We are also open to flexibility in many different ways, including an element of working from home and flexible hours. Please don’t be afraid to speak to us about this at the interview stage, so we can explore what’s possible.  

JOB PURPOSE 

There has never been a more challenging time for refugees. At UK for UNHCR we are determined to be as effective and inclusive as we can to mobilise resources to support international relief work for displaced people around the world. We aim to share the refugee experience to inspire hope and compassion with our supporters and key audiences in the UK. 

We are still a young charity, but we have grown quickly in response to the acceleration in global displacement. In 2023, the charity raised circa £24m of income from donors across the UK and in 2022 we raised £50 million, much of this in response to the Ukraine emergency. We are actively fundraising across all income channels, with a fundraising team of 30 staff working closely with colleagues from the charity across communications, finance, data, executive and operations teams. 

As Director of Fundraising, you will be responsible for leading and motivating our talented fundraising team to deliver our ambitious five-year plan across all income streams – Individual Giving, Partnerships and Philanthropy. The Director of Fundraising is a pivotal role within the senior management team (SMT), reporting directly to the CEO.  

We are looking for an experienced fundraising professional with a proven track record of delivering income across all streams and meeting and exceeding targets to deliver growth. Passionate about the donor experience and fundraising, you will be a strategic thinker with an ability to represent UNHCR’s work effectively with donors; anticipate risks, challenges and opportunities; and manage multiple stakeholder relationships within and outside the charity.  

You will be an experienced and confident leader, used to motivating a large and high performing team and operating a learning and development approach. A confident and skilled communicator and influencer, you will have an ability to develop strong working relationships with staff, trustees, donors and other stakeholders. and be competent at managing your own workload and competing priorities. You will have extensive budget management and planning experience, and of working closely with the Director of Finance and Board of Trustees.  

If you think you have the relevant skills, and crucially the passion to support the refugee cause, please apply.  
 

ROLE RESPONSIBLITIES 
Fundraising 

• Lead and manage a diverse and effective fundraising team that delivers against its growth targets; 
• Drive forward, monitor, innovate and evaluate the fundraising strategy to deliver our ambitious five-year targets; 
• Represent and speak for UK for UNHCR at donor meetings, events and conferences; 
• Work closely with the Communications Director to position the organisation as the go to charity in the UK for global refugee crises;  
• Ensure our fundraising adheres to core UN principles of impartiality, neutrality, humanity and independence; 
• Lead an appropriate strategic and tactical response to mobilise donors across all income streams in the event of humanitarian emergencies; 
• Ensure a high level of customer service to all supporters, prospects and donors to build brand loyalty; 
• Work within and ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory bodies and their respective legal frameworks. 

Leadership 

• As a member of SMT, play your part in shaping, monitoring and delivering the wider organisational five-year strategy; 
• Lead and motivate fundraising managers and team members ensuring that team and individual objectives, standards and development opportunities are met, operating within the wider organisational strategic aims; 
• Work closely with the Director of Strategy and Growth and the Director of Finance to deliver plans and budgets that secure approval and investment from Trustees and UNHCR;  
• Manage recruitment for senior roles within the team as necessary, and support the charity’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive team culture; 
• Provide fundraising reports against agreed KPIs for the CEO and Trustees as required. 

Relationships 

• Play a strategic role in advancing donor relationships and partnerships as well as advise the CEO and Chair around donor engagement; 
• Manage relationships with key external stakeholders in support of the fundraising strategy, including Trustees, Advisory Development Board members and others of influence; 
• At an international level, liaise with UNHCR’s divisional office in Copenhagen and with the peer network across international markets; 
• Ensure effective and ongoing collaboration with the European Regional fundraising team and from UNHCR, particularly in relation to UNHCR’s annual planning cycle, quarterly reporting and investment funds; 
• Ability to work outside of core hours and at weekends, when necessary, including to attend in-person events in the UK and to travel overseas for short trips. 

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND EXPERIENCE 
Essential Experience 

• Experience of innovating, monitoring and delivering successful fundraising strategies that drive income and donor growth; 
• Extensive experience of leading and building high performing fundraising teams; 
• Extensive experience of strategic planning, developing and monitoring annual plans, and management of income and expenditure budgets; 
• Ability to solve problems proactively and display good judgment in making decisions; 
• Proven track record of meeting and surpassing challenging income targets;  
• Successful and relevant achievement at a senior management level in another UK-based charity or international organisation; 
• Experience and confidence in representational work including donor meetings, presentations and public speaking. 

Essential Skills/Knowledge 

• Strong leadership skills; a motivated individual that drives self and others to achieve challenging results and achieve a high output through inspirational team leadership and management; 
• Track record of bringing innovative and creative thinking to further the organisation’s objectives; 
• Knowledge of the charity fundraising market, methodologies and approaches to building and increasing income;  
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to motivate, engage with and earn the trust of donors and partners; 
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to engage and manage a broad spectrum of stakeholders at all levels; 
• Ability to work on own initiative and make decisions for the benefit of the organisation and ultimately those whom we are working to help; 
• A commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, demonstrated through your own working practices;  
• Familiarity with the UK fundraising market and the associated regulations.   

WHY JOIN UNITED KINGDOM FOR UNHCR?    

You will be part of a high performing agile team of talented people, all committed to build solidarity and raise funds for refugees and displaced people worldwide. You will be working in a flexible, supportive, and inclusive environment, where your work will be recognised and appraised.  

What else?  

Wellbeing 

• 28 days’ leave per annum plus bank holidays 
• Employee Assistance programme providing 24/7 access to online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing.  
• Access to a mental health app, providing personalised mental wellbeing support.  
• Access to 1000s of perks with discounts on everyday purchases.  
• Office wellness perks.  
• Discount on gym memberships.  
• Hybrid and Flexible Working.  
• Staff socials.  

Financial 

• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8%.  
• Non-contributory group life assurance scheme (four times annual salary).  
• Non-contributory income protection scheme.  
• One-off contribution towards homeworking set up.  
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.  
• Enhanced sick pay scheme.    

Development  

• Comprehensive training and continuing development opportunities.  
• Individual training budget.  

HOW TO APPLY  

If you have the relevant skills and the passion to use them to support refugees, please apply.

Closing date: 12pm, Monday 19th February 2024 

Interviews date: Week commencing 26th February 2024 

If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to the application or hiring process that may better facilitate your participation, please contact us using the email address when you click through to our online portal. We will make every effort to respond to your request for assistance as soon as possible.