Trusts and Foundations Coordinator

Job Title: Trusts and Foundations Coordinator Organisation: Self Help Africa Location: Flexible – London (preferred), or home based with regular visits to the London office Contract: Permanent – Full Time Reports to: Head of Programme Funding

ABOUT SELF HELP AFRICA:

Self Help Africa is an international NGO dedicated to the vision of an economically thriving and resilient rural Africa. Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the UK (London and Shrewsbury), the US and six African countries, SHA creates scalable and sustainable solutions to eradicating long-term poverty through knowledge transfer, investment, and market linkages.

In August 2021 United Purpose joined the Gorta Group of organisations (which also includes SHA, Partner Africa and TruTrade). This is an exciting time to join SHA as the merger of two like-minded and entrepreneurial organisations will be catalytic in nature as we look to tackle the global challenges of today and tomorrow as one unified organisation.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Trusts and Foundations Coordinator is a key role within SHA’s busy Programme Funding Team and will develop our portfolio of Trust and Foundation supporters.

The post holder will develop and manage relationships with Trusts and Foundations including ongoing stewardship of current funders. Most of our Trust and Foundation donors contribute cofunding towards our larger programmes and the post holder will work closely with country teams to identify the best fit between potential funders and projects. We believe that there is significant growth potential with Trusts and Foundations for us, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to drive this forward. As such, will need to be a confident networker with the ability to build relationships with major Trusts and Foundations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Trust and Foundation relationships

• Generate Trust and Foundation income and expand SHA’s/United Purpose’s portfolio of supporters, particularly larger Trusts and Foundations.
• Account manage the existing portfolio of Trust and Foundation donors in the UK, Europe and USA, including acknowledging donations in a timely manner, working closely with programmes colleagues to ensure a high standard of reporting on existing grants and coordinating follow-up requests for further support.
• Actively develop relationships with new Trust and Foundation donors in the UK, Europe and USA. This will include prospect research, meeting and cultivating contacts, and liaising with colleagues across the organisation to coordinate donor meetings and briefings.
• Lead proposal development for trusts, foundations and other assigned donors, including identifying relevant projects, writing and editing content, and coordinating timetables, inputs, review and approval processes, and submission.
• Contribute to meeting ambitious departmental financial and non-financial targets.
• Work closely with Programmes Department colleagues to support and/or lead contract negotiation with trust/foundation donors as required.

Programme Funding Team and Miscellaneous

• Work closely with the Head of Programme Funding, Programme Coordinators and finance colleagues to track cofunding gaps and identify priority projects for funding.
• Work with colleagues within the PF Team, and across SHA, to improve the standard of proposal and report writing and donor relationships and ensure funding opportunities and contracts are managed according to donor requirements.
• Contribute to Programme Funding reporting through ensuring donor information is up-to-date on Self Help Africa’s management information system.
• Represent SHA in donor funding-related groups and networks.

Key Relationships:

Internal

• Head of Programme Funding (Line Manager)
• Programme Funding Coordinators x3 (Colleagues)
• HQ Programmes team (Liaison)
• Country Directors and Heads of Programmes (Liaison)
• HQ and Country Office Finance & Admin staff (Liaison)

External

• Trust and Foundation trustees and staff
• Partners (NGOs, private sector, academic institutions)

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Essential

• Minimum of three years’ experience of building and maintaining successful relationships with trusts and foundations and/or institutional donors.
• Experience of working with global teams and ability to form good working relationships and coordinate with colleagues across the organisation in multiple locations.
• Experience of managing and prioritising own workload, meeting tight deadlines and working under pressure.
• Excellent written skills, and the ability to turn complex project and/or organisational information into a compelling case for support.
• Excellent oral communication and presentation skills, and an ability to establish relationships with a variety of people including in senior positions.
• Strong numerical and analytical ability, with an ability to understand complex budgets and expenditure reports.
• Flexibility – able to work varied hours to ensure that proposals are submitted on time.
• Ability and willingness to travel as required.
• Commitment to Self Help Africa’s work.

Desirable

• Experience and/or knowledge of agricultural development.
• Ability to speak/understand French or Portuguese