Trusts and Partnerships Fundraising Manager

As the Fundraising Partnerships Manager you will be responsible for delivering and managing strategic partnerships between corporate partners and the Harlequins Foundation, building strong relationships with a focus on maximising income and raising awareness of the Foundation’s purpose.

The Harlequins Foundation is the charitable arm of the Club, delivering programmes in our communities that primarily support young people to develop the Essential Skills, enabling success on and off the pitch.

This is an incredible opportunity for a corporate fundraising professional with an excellent grasp of working across all aspects of partnership management to make a difference with our impactful organisation. Working closely with the Head of Fundraising and Engagement and within a small Fundraising team, your focus will be on identifying and securing long-term, strategic partnerships with a variety of organisations as well as building on and maintaining those already in place.

You will develop key relationships within the Foundation and Club’s network of supporters and partners to manage a portfolio of different partnerships, securing donations, sponsorship, volunteers, communication opportunities and fundraising as relevant to each corporate relationship.

This role will have huge variety, requiring strong communication skills with both internal and external audiences, great organisational skills and experience of account management, ideally within the charity sector. You will also possess excellent networking, influencing, budget management and presentation skills. Some weekend and evening working will be required as part of the role.

Key responsibilities

• Support the development and delivery of a varied portfolio of partnership activities to meet agreed objectives, all of which reflect the spirit of the Harlequins Foundation
• Act as main point of contact for existing charity partners and stakeholders
• Deliver high quality supporter care and stewardship, ensuring a quality experience for partners that reflect the values and identity of the Foundation, and build long-term relationships with key contacts and stakeholders
• Maximise income from our portfolio of partnerships and drive fundraising through a variety of income streams related to corporate organisations
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders to develop effective activity plans, with clear objectives and outcomes to engage with new and existing corporate partners
• Research and approach companies to maximise fundraising opportunities, developing and managing a pipeline of prospective partners that are in line with our overall values and identity
• With the support of the wider team, create engaging proposition presentations to approach new businesses, engaging with them and other stakeholders regularly, hosting visits and attending meetings where necessary
• Develop and promote sponsorship opportunities around Foundation events and programmes
• Regularly review the performance of partnerships and corporate relationships, make recommendations for improvement, and support decision-making regarding fit of new opportunities for the Foundation
• Cultivate and maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders, including but not limited to Harlequin FC, their partners and sponsors, Quins Supporters Association (QUINSSA), Harlequins Players Association (HPA), First XV members and other corporate supporters
• Ensure relevant processes and policies are in place to deliver a successful, profitable partnership programme
• Represent the Foundation both internally and externally, acting as an ambassador for the Foundation and advocating for our work

Person specification

Qualifications and experience

• Educated to degree level or demonstrable equivalent experience
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in a professional environment dealing with external partners
• Proven ability to build relationships with a focus on fundraising
• Experience of generating income through partnerships, with an ability to innovate and maximise fundraising from corporate opportunities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to confidently present to stakeholders in person or online
• Ability to build excellent relationships and a confidence in networking and public speaking
• Experience of multiple tactics to secure meetings and develop relationships with prospects including, but not limited to, cold calling, emailing, running events, event networking and social media
• Experience developing and delivering engaging, relevant and impactful pitches and written proposals to prospective partners
• Strong team player and project leadership, ensuring clear and regular communication with the team and stakeholders as appropriate
• Competent user of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and experience of CRM systems and project management tools
• Experience of working within the sports charity/sports sector (desirable)
• Experience of working with high-net-worth individuals or celebrities would be an advantage

Skills, abilities and knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of charity fundraising and partnership management
• Highly organised with excellent planning and coordination skills and a meticulous attention to detail
• Strong communications skills and decision-making capabilities
• Strong financial literacy and proven budget management experience
• Demonstrates both creative and operational thinking and judgement
• Able to think long-term and support the strategic development of the Foundation
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to differentiate your delivery to meet the needs of the audience
• Ability to keep calm under pressure and maintain a clear head, anticipating risks and solving problems
• Experience in managing a diverse workload with multiple deadlines, deliverables, and stakeholders and to be able to prioritise when needed
• Excellent negotiation skills with proven record of accomplishment
• Hands on, with the ability to lead from the front and support the delivery of our work
• A commitment to safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults

Applying for the role

To apply for the role, please fill out an application form and send it along with a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role. Applicants are strongly advised to read the person specification closely and ensure their cover letter demonstrates how they meet the criteria for the role. All applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage all applicants to apply as soon as possible.