Home » News » JOB VACANCY: Hill End – Fundraiser (p/t)
JOB VACANCY: Hill End – Fundraiser (p/t)
February 3, 2025
Hours: Part-time, expected 2.5 days per week (50% FTE), flexible working hours
Location: Hill End Outdoor Education Centre, Oxford (hybrid working possible)
Reports to: Centre Director
Salary: Subject to experience (FTE expected in the range £28,000-£35,000)
Job Type: One-year fixed term appointment (including a 3-month probationary period). Subject to funding, there may be scope to extend this.
Introduction
The Hill End Outdoor Education Centre has been providing unique outdoor learning experiences to children and adults since the 1920s. The Centre is located in 67 acres of beautiful woodland and meadow just three miles West of Oxford, and operates a busy programme throughout the year to schools and other organised groups.
Our mission is to provide exciting and meaningful day and residential learning experiences that inspire children, and every visitor, to enjoy and value nature and the outdoors. We are passionate about the value of getting outdoors, especially for those who struggle most to access green spaces. We want to protect and develop this amazing resource so children and adults can continue to benefit – for education, health and wellbeing.
Managed for decades by local authorities, Hill End is now an independent charitable trust seeking to create a more sustainable future. We have developed an ambitious business plan to further our mission, and now need help to deliver it. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and help our small charity survive and thrive for the next 100 years.
The Role
We are seeking an experienced and organised person on a part-time basis to help us deliver our vision for the future. These are ambitious plans and we will likely need to secure funding from a wide variety of sources to achieve them.
This fundraising role is new for Hill End, and while we are advertising for an in-house team member, we are also open to approaches from self-employed fundraising professionals who can meet our needs.
Our funding priority for the next 3 years is key building renovations and improvements, preserving our rich heritage while making our facilities more inclusive, environmentally sustainable and fit for the future. For that reason, we are particularly keen to hear from those who have experience with fundraising for larger capital projects.
As Fundraiser, you will work closely with the Centre Director and Trustees to develop our fundraising strategy and targets. Using your experience, you will help us to scope and shape our projects to ensure our goals are achievable. Focussing initially on grant-giving organisations, you will research and identify likely sources and build a robust pipeline of new and potential funding. You will write compelling proposals and applications and develop relationships with funders, partners and stakeholders.
This role might suit someone wishing to work two or three full days, or part of each working day. We are happy to discuss flexible working hours. The expectation is that the post-holder will spend some time on site at Hill End to become familiar with our charity, but we are open to hybrid working.
Key Responsibilities:
* Reviewing and improving our current fundraising strategy and goals.
* Identifying and collating key data as required, e.g. defining our audience and their needs.
* Updating and writing key documents such as case for support.
Securing Funding:
* Building on initial prospect research to identify potential funders.
* Focussing initially on larger grant-giving organisations such as trusts, foundations and lottery funds.
* Writing grant applications and supporting documents.
* Managing positive relationships with funders, tracking progress and outcomes.
Organisational and Project Support:
* Helping to refine key project aims, needs and budgets in line with our strategic priorities.
* Identifying and engaging with staff and a wide range of external stakeholders.
* Putting in place new and robust systems to manage our fundraising effort.
* Reporting on performance and progress with our goals.
Knowledge, Experience, Skills, and Personal Attributes Required:
The Centre has a small, dedicated staff who are all committed to the aims of the charity. The successful applicant will share the values and enthusiasm of the team. Hill End is outdoor-focused and they should be prepared to embrace this outlook in their work and join in wholeheartedly with making the Centre a success.
The successful applicant must have:
* A proven track record of successful trusts and foundations fundraising.
* Expertise in developing and implementing fundraising strategies.
* Experience in identifying new prospects and managing an engagement pipeline.
* Ability to analyse and interpret information from a range of sources.
* Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
* The ability to prioritise and work to deadlines.
* Self-motivation and able to work without close supervision.
* Proficiency in standard office software packages (e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel).
* Awareness of their responsibility to protect the safety and promote the welfare of young people visiting the Centre.
* A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
It would be an advantage for an applicant to have:
* Experience of large, capital grant projects and/or appeals.
* Experience with National Lottery Heritage Funding applications.
* Experience with donor fundraising, developing relationships and engagement.
* Previous experience in similar sectors – e.g. education, nature, heritage.
* Enthusiasm for education and outdoor learning.
Application Procedure:
To satisfy the requirements for safer recruitment, we need to ask for a full employment record. Details of any gaps between jobs or between finishing education and employment must be provided.
Please apply by submitting the following:
* A cover letter explaining your previous experience relevant to the position.
* A CV including employment history and full contact details of at least two referees.
The closing date for applications is 12pm on Friday 21 February 2025.
Interviews will take place on Thursday 27 February 2025.
Hill End is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders in regulated activity are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. An offer of employment will be made subject to appropriate references.
Hill End seeks to embed its key values in the recruitment of new team members – to be passionate about all people’s learning and development of skills. To ensure that everyone is respected and valued, and can feel safe and secure. To acknowledge achievements and celebrate success.
You can read more about Hill End on our website, and access key documents such as our Safeguarding Policy and our Equalities and Diversity Policy and Commitment.
We are a certified Oxford Living Wage employer.
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