Reall – Director of Business Development and Investor Relations

Strong strategic leadership to support growth across the organisation. The Director of Business Development and Investor Relations will provide vision and leadership to the Fundraising Team and the wider business with the aim of achieving increased growth in the full range of revenue streams. This includes ensuring that Reall secures sufficient grant funding to deliver our mission of a green affordable homes’ revolution.

Grant funding is essential to meet Reall’s strategic and operational requirements and complements the work underway to raise significant commercial funding (non-grant). The priority is leveraging new large-scale, multi-year funding, as well as ensuring strong relations with existing and prospective funders.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, this is a new role and expansion of the Executive Team which also includes: Director of Policy and External Affairs, Director of Africa & Asia Partnerships, and Commercial & Governance Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Hands On:

• Lead the grant fundraising strategy.
• Driving increasing business revenue, identifying and developing new opportunities and building and expanding the presence of the company and its brands.
• Lead relations with existing and prospective investors.
• Secure new grant funding to manage risk, diversify funders, cover core operational costs, and help support our debt investment book. This includes funding from trusts, foundations, philanthropy, private sector and large-scale multi-year funding from institutional donors.
• Initiate, develop and maintain strong connections with potential and existing funders to aid retention. This includes robust individualised stakeholder management plans.
• Build relationships with major implementing companies / organisations likely to lead consortia bids and establish Reall as a viable sub and/or lead for largescale contracts.
• Collaborate internally, notably with Communications, the Partnerships and Policy & External Affairs Directorates to shape Reall’s fundraising proposition / products and effectively demonstrate the impact of Reall’s work to potential funders.
• Lead on gathering and sharing donor intelligence, tracking and sharing trends and opportunities in funding for international development, specifically institutional donors, major foundations, and the impact investing sector.
• Raise the profile of Reall within the funding space through identifying and leading on key networking opportunities and having strong presence at important events.
• Oversee funder due diligence assessments, progress against agreed funder targets and compliance with all contractual obligations, including reporting
• As required, lead on developing and maintaining relationships with relevant contacts, stakeholders, and sector influencers in the UK and internationally to grow Reall’s profile and ensure appropriate introductions and recommendations.
• Oversee the development and effective use of management information systems.
• Leading a team and direct line management, developing and coaching direct reports. Currently 5 with the intention that the postholder will shape the future team with the current vacancies.
• Participate in Corporate Strategy Reviews and in the development of Reall’s Annual Operational Plan and budget. Responsibility for assigned budgets.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Reall’s services, products, tools, methods, systems, and standards
• Clear reporting to, and communication with, the Executive Team as well as the Board.
• Carrying out such other reasonable duties as may be required by the Chief Executive

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Proactive leadership of and support to the delivery of Reall’s Corporate Strategy. A substantive member of the Executive Team, taking a whole-of-Reall perspective, promoting the organisation internally and externally.
• Design and drive the grant fundraising and investor relations strategy. This includes engaging colleagues and directing how to best deploy colleagues including the Executives and Non-Executives.
• Lead improvements to Reall’s capacity to acquire and implement funding from new sources. This includes ensuring Reall has fit for purpose systems and processes for all aspects of the grant funding cycle.
• Working closely with the Executive, Leadership and the CEO, ensure all strategic decisions take into account the appropriate perspective of existing and prospective investors.
• Fosters and works to maintain an entrepreneurial growth culture throughout the company and across all teams and work functions.
• Working with Leadership and other colleagues, ensure timely and impressive reporting to donors, including contributions to the organisational annual report and key evaluations.
• Participate in Corporate Strategy Reviews and in the development of Reall’s Annual Operational Plan and budget. Responsibility for assigned budgets.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Reall’s services, products, tools, methods, systems, and standards
• Clear reporting to, and communication with, the Executive Team as well as the Board.

Changes to Responsibilities:

• The Chief Executive reserves the right to change the key activities from time-totime to meet the strategic objectives in accordance with the job role.

Compliance:

• Comply with the policies and procedures as set out in Reall’s Staff Handbook and all relevant procedures and processes.
• Adhere to all relevant Data Protection legislation
• At all times to work in a manner that ensures the health and safety of the postholder, other staff, colleagues, and visitors to Reall’s premises.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education:

• A relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification.

Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years’ experience in fundraising, business development or investor relations in an international development charity, not-for-profit, business, social enterprise or equivalent.
• At least 4 years’ experience of working at a senior strategic level

Key Competencies

Essential:

• Track record of bringing innovative creative thinking and fresh ideas to an organisation and/or its services.
• Knowledge of the fundraising environment and of a range techniques and disciplines which will support the generation of income
• Exceptionally convincing and persuasive written and oral skills with the ability to present and convey complex ideas and issues clearly and coherently
• Ability to secure Senior Management and Board approval for strategy
• Highly proficient in proposal development, bid writing and pitching, grant contract management, funder reporting and monitoring
• Solid understanding of the African and Asian funding landscape
• Strong strategic planning, influencing, and negotiating skills
• Proven experience of securing substantial funding from and working with a range of large grant providers (major institutional donors, large foundations, multilateral bodies)
• Effective interpersonal skills and relationship manager
• Understanding of and substantial experience in African and Asian markets
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Strong computer literacy
• Leadership, management and mentoring skills to deliver against objectives
• Big-picture thinking
• Lead generation and management experience
• Fast Learner
• Enthusiasm and sincerity

Desirable:

• Understanding of the social enterprise and impact investment space
• Experience with commercial businesses as investors and/or High Net Worth Individuals
• Financial product literacy and familiarity with a range of investment strategies
• Experience of managed funds

Personal Qualities:

• Excellent communicator
• Learning attitude
• Constructive and proactive
• Works well under pressure
• Able to work with minimal supervision, use initiative and problem solver
• Social justice driven
• Conscientious and responsible
• Culturally sensitive
• Innovative and entrepreneurial
• Able to prioritise own workload and to see a task through from start to finish