Team Coordinator & Senior Philanthropy Advisor

Context & Mission

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian organization providing medical aid to victims of man-made or natural disasters, epidemics and endemics. Its Operational Centre in Geneva is responsible for medical assistance programmes in 24 countries.

The mission of the Team Coordinator & Senior Philanthropy Advisor is to secure and grow income for MSF from individual Major Donors in German speaking Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The position holder will coordinate activities of the small team of philanthropy advisors raising funds from individual major, with the objective of raising around CHF 10m in 2022 and grow income over the following years.

Main Responsibility

The Team Coordinator & Senior Philanthropy Advisor for individual major donors is a key position in the Philanthropy Unit. S/he is personally responsible for raising funds from her/his own pool of individual major donors and coordinates individual major donors fundraising in the German speaking part of Switzerland. With the Head of Unit, s/he’s in charge of designing the general strategy and moves management procedures and guarantees the implementation of annual action plans for each portfolio of major donors. S/he coaches and supports his/her team members in managing their portfolio.

Scope of Responsibilities

Strategy and action plan

• In accordance with the Head of Unit and in coordination with the Team Coordinator for the French speaking Switzerland, steer and coordinate the strategy for individual major donors fundraising in Switzerland and Liechtenstein
• Define, in accordance with the Head of Unit, a strategy of allocation of donors to the different donor pools within the team. Regularly analyse the donor pools to ensure that the donors receive the best possible relationship management
• Ensure a smooth interface with the Middle Giver program in order to allow for upgrading of Middle Givers to Major Giving
• Develop a yearly donor journey with a variety of touch points
• Define the strategy of acquisition and renewal of the donor pools in accordance with the Head of Unit and taking into account the advice of the Prospect Researcher
• Together with the Team Coordinator for the French speaking Switzerland and the Head of Unit, ensure coherence in donor approach across Switzerland

Qualification, cultivation and stewardship

• Qualify each Major Donor and Major Donor prospect, in close cooperation with the Prospect Researcher
• Prepare and facilitate one to one meetings, calls, presentations and other meaningful interactions with Major Donors or representatives (lawyers, wealth managers, etc.)
• Establish relations with new potential Major Donors, including high-potential Middle Givers and other prospects, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, to secure significant future support for MSF’s work
• Interact and collaborate with senior management within MSF (President, General Director, Director of Operations, other management team members), as well as field staff, with the aim of bringing donors closer to the organisation and show them our live saving mission and work in the projects.
• Define, propose and organise visits to MSF offices and projects, in line with MSF criteria and guidance
• Ensure that the moves management runs smoothly, and donors are thanked and steward properly
• Liaise with Writing Officers for the preparation, including proof reading and editing, of project briefings, reports, proposals, slideshows, infographics and any other creative way of presenting MSF and its mission to high net worth individuals.

Solicitation

• Present and defend MSF’s cases for support to individual major donors in German speaking Switzerland
• Ensure that the major donors journey strategy is followed and that major donors are solicited according to their motivations in a personalised way

Team coordination and management

• Supervise and guide the work of a team of one to two Philanthropy Advisors for individual major donors
• Ensure that the team implements the moves management steps according to the methodology
• Ensure that new major donors are added to the pools in a coherent way and that pools are regularly reviewed to ensure a productive moves management methodology which is fit for purpose and implemented as planned
• Plan annual quantitative (revenue) and qualitative objectives of the members of her/his team in agreement with the Head of the Unit.
• Support team members in reaching their objectives and in growing professionally, including by setting and monitoring yearly performance objectives and professional development objectives
• Monitor the team’s activity, set their priorities and provide the necessary support and coaching
• Propose and implement tools to increase the efficiency of her/his team’s activity, including improving procedures and promoting best practices
• Ensure coherence in the use of the database “DREAM” (Microsoft Dynamics)
• Identify Human Resources needs (employees, trainees, volunteers) within her/his and with the Head of the Unit and manage their recruitment

Others

• Liaise with the Marketing team, including by participating in kick-off meetings for their mailings
• Actively participate in the Community of Practice for Individual Major Donors of the Philanthropy Unit
• Work proactively on projects as needed in the Unit, upon request by her/his supervisor

Your Profile

Education

• University degree in Business Management, Marketing, Communications, Political Science, Law, International Relations or equivalent

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in similar functions or in the fields of marketing/sales/communication/journalism or high-level relational skills, like public relations or wealth management
• Experience in leading a team is a plus
• Experience of working with MSF is a plus
• Humanitarian experience: a plus

Languages

• (Swiss) German (mother tongue equivalent),
• Excellent English is an advantage
• Good understanding of French is a plus

Personal Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Negotiation and persuasive skills
• Dynamic and proactive
• Autonomous
• Rigorous and good organizational skills
• Empathic, good listener
• Enthusiastic, optimistic
• Team spirit

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Proven writing skills, in particular personalized writing
• Excellent in oral public presentations
• Excellence in story telling is a strong advantage
• Good knowledge of the Windows environment (Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Good knowledge and interest in the use of a costumer database
• Coaching and people management skills are a plus

Terms of Employment

• 90%- 100% (36h-40h/week)
• Open-ended contract
• Working place : Zurich,
• Ideal start date: October 3rd, 2022
• Gross annual salary for 100%: from CHF 91’663.- to CHF 105’179.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)