PURPOSE OF ROLE

Secure charitable income from grant making organisations and support applications to trusts and foundations, statutory, lottery and other voluntary grants programmes, prioritising restricted funds and projects with the greatest need, while ensuring unrestricted funding opportunities are maximised.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, write and submit compelling funding applications to charitable trusts, statutory funds and other grant making organisations in a timely manner and to agreed financial targets.
• Knowledge and appreciation of the challenges faced by those our living with mental health problems, disabilities, caring responsibilities and the ability to express this issue in a fluent, well researched and emotive way to potential funders .
• To research appropriate funding sources, keep abreast of new and emerging funding opportunities, and analyse their suitability to feed into the grant prospect pipeline to achieve identified funding targets.
• Develop and manage positive relationships with current and potential grants funders
• Maintain and develop the database of grant making contact, ensuring all information relating to each grant funders is accurate, up to date and well organised
• Maintain close knowledge with Guideposts projects and together with the Fundraising and Development Lead help facilitate the project planning process, the development of existing and new projects, and work closely with the operational teams to support the development of clear project plans and budgets, ensuring they are accurate, deliverable and will achieve their objectives.
• Review grant agreements and coordinate their review by relevant colleagues.
• Support the account management of successful applications, liaising with the project lead and finance team and ensuring that funding and reporting criteria are fully met and specific challenges in relation to project programme objectives transparently communicated.
• Maintain a timetable of deadlines to ensure grant making organisations receive reports and other correspondence as required.
• Use finance skills to ensure that grants are spent appropriately and report on this accordingly.
• Ensure that all grant funders communications are handled appropriately, promptly and courteously and that complaints and criticisms are logged, investigated and resolved in accordance with the organisation’s systems and procedures.

• Comply with all current charity law and data protection legislation (i.e. GDPR 2018) and other organisational policies and systems, as well as standards of best practice, keeping abreast of key fundraising trends and issues and the regulatory environment around fundraising. Ensure that you follow the Code of Fundraising Practice, as stipulated by the Fundraising Regulator and best practice is adhered to.
• Contribute to the monitoring and reporting of KPIs from grants as required.
• Attend events, as necessary, as a representative of Guideposts.
• Work as part of a fundraising team, supporting other fundraising activities as and when required.
• Promote Guideposts services to local communities and other agencies as appropriate.SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• Demonstrable evidence of inspiring and engaging communications skills, both written and oral
• Strong analytical and creative skills
• Awareness of Mental health, Disability, Carers support work
• An understanding of the UK grant funding market and trends
• Able to show successful fundraising results over a minimum of two financial cycles.
• Proven ability to secure five figure grants
• Demonstrable experience in developing and managing project and bespoke grant budgets
• Strong organisational skills & experience of managing multiple tasks and prioritising effectively
• Demonstrable ability to plan and report on activities
• Strong interpersonal & team working skills, with an ability to work independently and seize opportunities
• Demonstrable ability to work with teams and stakeholders to ensure good, shared ownership and ‘buy-in’
• Self-starter. Highly organised, with an ability to work systematically to targets and deadlines and able to work under pressure and willing to work flexibly, if required, in line with application and reporting deadlines
• Experience of using administrative systems and CRM databases
• Computer literate and confident in using all MS Office software and Teams

OTHERS

• Ability to travel with use of own car (driving license and use of a vehicle is essential as when current restrictions are lifted you will be required to travel to visit our services across Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire).
• Ability to work from home

OTHER DETAILS

• All staff are ambassadors for Guideposts and as such may be required from time to time to assist managers and fundraising in the promotion of Guidepost and its work.
• All staff have a responsibility to look after the Health and Safety not only of those people who use our services but for themselves and their colleagues and should follow Guideposts Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.

Guideposts is an Equal Opportunities employer.

This job description is not exhaustive but is provided to assist the post holder to know and understand the main duties of their role. Responsibilities may be subject to review and may be varied in emphasis depending on operational requirements. It may be amended from time to time in discussion with the post holder.