Development and Funding Officer

Closing Date 18 August 2022

Unique opportunity to get involved in a conflict resolution and peace building organisation based in central London with responsibility for working to ensure that income meets the organisation’s needs, and in support of achieving the strategic objectives through the development and management of fundraising and donor relations.

DPI aims to foster an environment of sharing information, ideas, knowledge and concerns for furthering of democratic solutions and outcomes. Our work supports the development of a pluralistic political arena capable of generating consensus and ownership over work on key issues at political and local levels. We provide expertise and practical frameworks to encourage stronger public debate and involvement in promoting peace and democracy building internationally with a specific focus on Turkey.

Job Description Summary

The Development and Funding Officer plays a key role at DPI, working to ensure that income meets the organisation’s needs, and in support of achieving the strategic objectives through the development and management of fundraising and donor relations.

The Development and Funding Officer is responsible for identifying and pursuing diverse funding streams; writing applications, reporting back and progress reports to meet existing and future funders’ guidelines; monitoring the implementation of projects to ensure funders’ guidelines are met; and liaising with funders and other stakeholders. The Development and Funding Officer works closely with the Finance Manager to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to donors.

The Development and Funding Officer also collaborates with the Programmes Team with regards to expenditure across budget lines to ensure compliance with grant contracts and grants periods. The Development and Funding Officer assists the Finance Manager with audit preparations of accounts at the end of the financial year and ensures the timely drafting of the Trustee report.

Furthermore, the Development and Funding Officer works closely with the Chief Executive Officer and the Finance Manager in the preparation and presentation of the annual organisational budget.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising and Grants Management

• Leads the development and delivery of short, medium and long-term fundraising strategies for DPI
• Identifies and nurtures the successful implementation of appropriate grant funding and contracting
• Researches and assesses DPI’s eligibility in line with DPI strategy and donor criteria
• Produces and submits grants proposals, expressions of interest and donor reports
• Oversees compliance with funding requirement to ensure that deadlines and criteria for donor reporting are met, including financial reporting in close collaboration with the Finance Manager

Stakeholder Engagement

• Manages and develops external relationships as a representative of DPI, attending meetings and public events where necessary
• Follows up with potential donors to open up new funding opportunities
• Conducts regular updates with current donors to maintain and strengthen relationships
• Prepares and oversees the dissemination of external materials such as the Quarterly Update and Trustee Report to all relevant contacts
• Prepares background information ahead of DPI meetings with donors and prospective donors
• Oversees donor communication history, ensuring that notes and information are logged and shared accordingly

Development and Impact

• Leads process and system improvements/developments to ensure that all DPI material shared externally is of good quality, in line with the strategy and structure of the organisation
• Reviews all programme activities in line with the external environment and donor requirements to ensure sustainability and identify growth opportunities
• Assists the Programmes team to develop organisational work plan to ensure that all activities and research comply with applications and donor obligations
• Develops M&E and risk assessment frameworks to carry out monitoring and evaluation of activities to measure outcomes and the impact in relation to our strategic aims, and acting to make improvements if required
• Establishes close working relationships and develop efficient systems with key individuals in the programmes, research and finance functions, to access knowledge and information needed for funding propositions and reporting
• Maintains close collaboration with DPI staff to ensure sound project management, including by ensuring regular M&E meetings with the programmes team and other relevant members of staff are conducted to ensure that donor requirements and output standards are met

Financial Management

• Collaborates with Project Officers with regards to the allocation of expenditure across budget lines and donors, to ensure compliance with grant contracts.
• Assists the Finance Manager in their work on audit preparations of accounts at the end of the financial year, and ensures the timely drafting of the Trustee report
• Works closely with the Chief Executive Officer and the Finance Manager in the preparation and presentation of the annual organisational budget.
• Ensures that the Chief Executive Officer, and all members of staff, are kept aware of their obligations and opportunities in relation to donors

Administrative Tasks

• Maintains an accurate record of donor information
• Ensures an effective and clean S-drive structure for files relating to grants and fundraising, including financial reports

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential experience

• A University degree in politics, international relations, peace and conflict studies, or similar field (or comparable professional experience).

A minimum of 1-3 years relevant professional experience, ideally in a grants and fundraising role and/or in an NGO working on issues similar to DPI. Essential skills and knowledge

• A strong foundational understanding of grants fundraising and potential funding streams available to the NGO sector, and/or a willingness to quickly learn and develop new skills in this area of work.
• Knowledge of, or a keen interest in learning about, the issues of peacebuilding and conflict resolution, in particular in the context of Turkey.
• Excellent written communication skills in English and an ability to translate complex ideas into compelling grants narratives.
• Excellent analytical skills and a strong ability to engage in structured thinking.
• Strong time management and organisational skills, ability to prioritise, pay attention to detail and juggle multiple competing priorities whilst meeting tight deadlines.
• Self-starter with the ability to initiate projects and see them through to successful completion.
• Ability to work independently, but also as part of a small team, on different projects.
• Good interpersonal abilities for networking and interaction with high level stakeholders at DPI events, and an ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural setting and remotely.
• Strong command of Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), plus Outlook.

Desirable

• Experience in trust and government fundraising in relation to human rights, peace building and conflict resolution or similar fields.
• Knowledge of the political situation in the areas of DPI’s current programmes.
• Additional languages are considered an asset.