We’re Hiring! Head of Fundraising
Action Duchenne was established in 2001 as the first national charity dedicated to supporting young
people, adults and their families living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 87p in every £1 we raise
is invested in charitable activities; research, educational and support programmes, and life-changing
campaigns. We are looking to appoint a Head of Fundraising, to make a real contribution to the lives
of those living with Duchenne.
Job Title: Head of Fundraising
Reports to: National Director
Type: 12-month FTC
Working week: 22.5hrs, 3 days/week, days to be agreed
Salary: £40-£45k per annum, pro rata equates to £24 – £27k per annum.
Location: Home based
Line Management: 2 staff
Overview
Most children are diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy around the age of 4. Hearing the
words “your child has Duchenne muscular dystrophy” is extremely upsetting and emotionally
challenging for families to understand, process and cope with. It leads to a myriad of dark thoughts
and feelings and anticipatory grieving shortly follows.
We would like to provide all families living with Duchenne with free and widely available support
that is not otherwise available. We want every family receiving this life-changing diagnosis to be able
to immediately access whatever it is they need to help them at such a difficult time. This role is a
vital part of that plan.
Benefits
We offer the competitive salary shown, flexible working hours, home-working and an innovative and
supportive working environment.
Why should you apply for the role of Head of Fundraising?
Young people and adults living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) face many challenges in
their foreshortened lives. Our support is vital to thousands of young people, adults and families
living with Duchenne. We developed our progamme in response to their needs and since 2017 we
have been developing a sustainable, long-term funding model for this work.
We work to achieve our vision by:
- Supporting the Duchenne community – to bring people together to share their experiences
and learn from each other. - Working with the NHS to improve care and provide their patients with the earliest possible
access to approved medicines. - Funding research into potential therapeutic strategies for everybody living with Duchenne.
- Helping to create an inclusive society where everybody is equal, and disability is accepted.
About the role
This is a great opportunity for you to make a significant contribution within our small yet vital
patient organisation.
We have launched a new two-year support programme, delivered with partner organisations, to
bring people together in a physical and emotional sense, we will build our community and improve
the communities and places that matter to our families. This role is a vital part of that plan.
We must attract the appropriate fundraising to do this, and this role will lead the way forward, and
set the right strategy in place, for how Action Duchenne can achieve this with the help of our
corporate, community, individual and family fundraisers. Most importantly, we will support our
wonderful Duchenne families to live a life that meets and exceeds their aspirations.
Key deliverables will also be:
- Researching and submitting major funding applications to statutory sources and Trusts and Foundations, at a local, regional, and national level.
- Leading on contract compliance across all grants and contracts including leading project initiation for new funding, funder stewardships, overseeing management of online systems (eTapestry) and to ensure that funds raised are accurately and efficiently transferred to the appropriate programmes:
- Leading the Fundraising Team to prepare a workplan that will achieve agreed key performance indicators and work alongside all agreed organisational plans.
- As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, working with the National Director to agree and implement an engagement strategy to raise the profile of Action Duchenne and increase the awareness of the Duchenne condition.
- Preparing annual business plans and budgets, developing, and maintaining income and expenditure tracking and evaluation systems with the accountant and the Treasurer.
- Providing leadership for the Fundraising Team strategy, working with the National Director to develop compelling projects capable of driving revenue generation.
- Establishing an impactful external engagement strategy, including marketing, for the Fundraising Team that takes account of key audiences including Duchenne families, partner organisations and the wider community.
- Evolving and enforcing the Action Duchenne communications and brand guidelines to ensure all communications are consistent and sensitive and effective.
- Overseeing management of our fundraising platform to ensure that funds raised are accurately and efficiently transferred to the appropriate programmes.
- Leading on the day-to-day community fundraising projects – developing work plans, liaising with funders and partner organisations.
- Contributing to the development of the corporate, trusts, foundations, government agencies strategy to maximise opportunities which many span more than one income stream.
Candidate specification
The Head of Fundraising will have a strong commitment to Action Duchenne’s aims and objectives
and a drive to deliver tangible outcomes.
You will be a self-starter with a hands-on, operations-focused approach. As Head of Fundraising you
will work in a collaborative and flexible manner with our team of staff, volunteers, committees, and
trustees.
Essential criteria:
- A solid understanding of the role charities, like Action Duchenne, play in improving the lives of
life-limited children, young people, adults, and their families. - Understanding and experience of the process of grant-making and monitoring.
- Experience of evaluation including use of a range of methods.
- Proven understanding and experience of the process of fundraising and monitoring.
- A good understanding of organisational dynamics including business planning, financial
reporting, performance management and governance. - Strong project management skills and experience of delivering successful projects.
- Experience of overseeing budgets and confidence in dealing with financial reports.
- Ability to analyse and synthesise complex information effectively.
About You:
- Strong relationship building and stakeholder management skills across all levels.
- Excellent written and oral presentation skills and ability to communicate with a range of audiences.
- Strong organisational and time management skills.
- Team player, also able to work on own initiative and to deadlines.
- IT savvy.
- A real drive to work in this sector, with an appreciation of how this work impacts the charity and those who rely on us.
- Confident, resourceful, and proactive, with an aptitude for problem-solving.
- Positivity and resilience – able to bounce back from setbacks whilst offering alternative solutions.
- An understanding of and commitment to Equal Opportunities and the ability to promote this in the day-to-day work of the post.
How to apply
Send your CV and cover letter to HR@actionduchenne.org, explaining why you are the best
candidate for the Head of Fundraising and what is your connection, if any, to Duchenne muscular
dystrophy.
Application deadline: 30 September 2023.
Successful applicants will be invited to attend a face to face first interview via video, with further
interviews arranged as appropriate.
If this sounds like an opportunity you would succeed in, please get in touch!
A note to candidates:
Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they
believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are
committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment and we are most interested in finding the
BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional
background, and that’s okay. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe
you meet every one of the qualifications described.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT
As part of its recruitment policy, Action Duchenne intends to ensure that no prospective or actual
employee is discriminated against on the basis of race, sex nationality, marital status, sexual
orientation, employment status, class, disability, age, religious belief, or political persuasion, or is
disadvantaged by any condition or requirement which is not demonstrably justifiable.
A Postcard from Florence
