The Access Project: Fundraising Manager
VACANCY:
Fundraising Manager
Overview of the Position
Job Title Fundraising Manager
Reporting to
Job Location
Start date
Hours
Salary
Closing date
Head of External Relations
140 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5DN
ASAP
Full time
£30k-£34k dependent on experience
9am, Monday 1 February 2016
Interviews Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 February 2016
About The Access Project
We help students from disadvantaged backgrounds win places at top universities. This is an issue that matters: at present the most affluent young people are 7 times more likely to attend a highlyselective university than their less privileged peers. Unsurprisingly this is a significant factor in the decline in social mobility in the UK in recent years, and we are working to fix it.
The main way we address this issue is by helping students from less affluent backgrounds to achieve better grades: we match our students with a volunteer graduate who tutors them for an hour a week. In 2015 we worked with 1,600 volunteers and motivated young people every week. We also have a team of talented Programme Coordinators who work directly in schools to deliver university support that enables our students to progress to competitive universities.
We have a track record of success: students at our London schools last summer were twice as likely to go to highly selective universities as would otherwise be expected.
The role
The Access Project is at an exciting stage of its development. We are working in 18 schools in two regions, and have ambitious plans to develop the programme further in the coming years.
At its heart, The Access Project is an intensive, long-term intervention that makes a real difference to young people’s lives. Delivering this programme sustainably requires a broad funding base, including funding from schools, businesses, grant giving trusts and individual donors.
The Fundraising Manager will play a crucial role in securing new funding to help The Access Project grow to 70 schools by 2020. They will focus on our relationships with grant giving trusts and major donors. This will include stewarding relationships with our current donor base, as well as new business development to reach our ambitious targets.
© 2015 The Access Project
Company number: 07473072 | Charity number: 1143011
Registered address: Bastion House, 140 London Wall, London EC2Y 5DN
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The Access Project: Fundraising Manager
The Fundraising Manager will work with the Head of External Relations to set their strategy for achieving these targets, and will then have considerable autonomy to deliver on these targets.
The Access Project is a flexible employer. For the right candidate we will consider options to work occasionally from home and on a flexible basis in order to create the right work-life balance.
Young people are at the heart of The Access Project, and as such we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We fully expect the
Fundraising Manager to share this commitment. Please note that a high standard of written and spoken English is required in order to carry out this role.
Duties and responsibilities
The Fundraising Manager will be responsible for:

Developing our Fundraising Strategy in partnership with the Head of External Relations.
This will include o Leading on developing a clear donor and grant giving trust strategy to hit annual targets
 Identify the most promising avenues for grant and donor funding over the next
1-3 years
 Prioritise which areas to focus on, and identify support needed from the
External Relations and Programme Teams to support approaches to existing and potential funders o Collaborating with the Head of External Relations on broader strategy relating to e.g. corporate relationships

Delivering on our targets for new grant and major donor funding . This will include o Grant funding
 Longlisting potential grant funders and conducting research on probability of success. This may include e.g. using TAP’s broader network to gain introductions to relevant staff and current grantees
 Writing grant applications
 Managing the progress of live applications with grant funders o Major donors
 Working with current major donors and TAP’s Trustees and staff to identify individuals who may be interested in a philanthropic relationship with TAP
 Researching potential donors to understand their motivations and interests
 Providing opportunities for donors to understand TAP better through e.g. meetings with the Director and Trustees, evening events etc

Stewarding our existing grant and donor funders . This will include: o Developing and delivering a simple events calendar that allows funders to engage with TAP on a personal level (e.g. through in-school events and opportunities to meet participants) o Working with the Programme Team and Communications Manager to produce a regular newsletter for TAP’s supporters, and working to improve the level of engagement through this route o Crafting more tailored approaches for individual higher-value relationships, including exploring potential opportunities for follow-on funding
Person specification
About you
© 2015 The Access Project
Company number: 07473072 | Charity number: 1143011
Registered address: Bastion House, 140 London Wall, London EC2Y 5DN
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The Access Project: Fundraising Manager
We’re looking for someone who believes in our mission, and has the ability to communicate their passion to others externally.
You will be a skilled relationship manager, able to understand donors’, grantmakers’ and businesses’ needs and take these into account in the way you approach them, build rapport, and then steward relationships on an ongoing basis.
You will have experience of having worked with these kinds of stakeholders in the past, and will be hungry for the opportunity to develop your own strategy and take responsibility for building meaningful, mutually-beneficial relationships. Your efforts will be a ke y part of TAP’s sustainability and our growth as we aim to reach 70 schools by 2020.
We can offer you a clear funding proposition: an intensive, sustainable intervention that already has real evidence that it is making a difference to young people’s lives. We can also offer you a network of existing funders and advocates who can support you in finding other like-minded individuals, and access to a community of over 1,000 graduate volunteers in London and the West Midlands, all of whom are dedicated to The A ccess Project’s mission.
Essential characteristics and experience

Experience of researching and writing applications for donations, funding or high value contracts

Experience of leading events and creating an events plan for the year

Experience of setting targets, managing a relationship building pipeline (donors, companies, or other stakeholders etc.) and reporting and evaluating work through use of CRM systems and ongoing financial monitoring via excel

Experience of solely leading for an organisation the building and maintaining of significant donation, funding or high value contracts relationships, preferably with a range of donor, grantmaker and business stakeholders

Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written

Excellent interpersonal skills, enabling you to engage a wide variety of audiences

Commitment to the cause, mission statement and aims of The Access Project
Highly desirable characteristics and experience

Experience of developing five-figure donation requests from high net worth individuals and grants and trusts, including managing the relationship from approach, to securing funding and re-engaging year on year

Experience of leading fundraising events for high net worth individuals and corporate partners

Experience of designing and delivering a year-long fundraising strategy end-to-end with grants and trusts, businesses and/or major donors

Experience of issues relating to our work and ability to discuss them with confidence e.g. social mobility, educational disadvantage, university access and deprived communities
© 2015 The Access Project
Company number: 07473072 | Charity number: 1143011
Registered address: Bastion House, 140 London Wall, London EC2Y 5DN
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The Access Project: Fundraising Manager
Disclosure of a Criminal Record
The Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986 does not apply to posts where there is access to children. This means that applicants for employment which involves working with children and young people must disclose any criminal record. If your application is successful, you are required to make these disclosures and consent to The Access Project verifying the accuracy of your response with the Disclosure and Barring Service.
If you require further information, please contact The Access Project on 0207 601 1939.
To Apply
Please complete our application form and send by email to Cheryl Eaton
(recruitment@theaccessproject.org.uk). Please put ‘Fundraising Manager’ as the subject of your email.
Applications can only be considered from individuals with the right to work in the United Kingdom.
© 2015 The Access Project
Company number: 07473072 | Charity number: 1143011
Registered address: Bastion House, 140 London Wall, London EC2Y 5DN
4

The Access Project: Fundraising Manager
The Access Project’s mission
Our mission is to combat educational inequality by using volunteer tutors to help motivated students access top universities.
The Access Project’s values
Community
We build a community of schools, volunteers and partner organisations that share a common vision.
Motivation
We harness and reward motivation.
Development
We promote a culture of excellence, improvement and innovation.
Academic Excellence
We help students achieve their potential by matching them with tutors who have been given excellent resources and training.
© 2015 The Access Project
Company number: 07473072 | Charity number: 1143011
Registered address: Bastion House, 140 London Wall, London EC2Y 5DN
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