Major Gifts Manager

About the Ri

The Royal Institution (Ri) is an independent charity which has been connecting people with science for over 200 years. Founded in 1799 through the wonderful generosity of 58 patrons, to this day we remain based in our original, magnificent, Georgian home in central London. Thanks to the support of those early philanthropists, the Ri has inspired generations of scientists over the years whose discoveries have helped shape our modern world.

The Ri has a clear vision that Science is for Everyone and it is our belief that everyone should have equitable access to science. Through our packed event programme available in person or online, our UK schools outreach and social impact initiatives, and our global digital reach including almost 1.7m YouTube subscribers we achieve our mission by connecting people with scientists to explore science together.

About the Role

We are looking for a motivated major gifts fundraiser to join our small fundraising team to contribute to our ambitious goal to raise £20 million across 4 years our Be the Spark campaign.

You will need to be a collaborative self-starter who wants to make an impact, working at all levels of the organisation to build and develop the relationships that will enable the Ri to succeed. You will be used to identifying, researching and managing a portfolio of major donors or high value clients and comfortable working with donors at the highest levels.

This role is responsible for driving major donor engagement and income by proactively identifying and cultivating new supporters aligned with our mission.

The postholder will work collaboratively across the Ri and fundraising team to build strong relationships, develop innovative and compelling proposals, and deliver exceptional account management and stewardship to existing donors. Key responsibilities include researching, developing and cultivating new prospects, building a strong major gifts pipeline, visiting donors and prospects, and advising colleagues on best practice for stewarding major donors throughout their relationship with the Ri.

If you are a warm, professional and engaging communicator, adept at managing a portfolio of high-net-worth donors and able to cultivate and develop influential relationships, we would love to hear from you.

This role is part time (21 hours), permanent and will require a willingness to undertake occasional travel, evenings and occasional weekends. Requests to work flexibly or part-time will be considered.

Main responsibilities

• Owning and managing a portfolio of major donors, building strong, long-term relationships and serving as their primary point of contact.
• Devising and delivering tailored stewardship journeys for each donor in the portfolio, ensuring personalised engagement
• Securing repeat and increased support
• Proactive identification and researching of new major donor prospects, and building a strong pipeline for cultivation
• Maintaining major donor engagement levels through regular communications and meetings and maintaining CRM records.
• Developing a fledgling giving circle aligned to the Be the Spark campaign.
• Monitoring and managing a budget, reporting to the board and analysing performance against agreed KPIs.
• Supporting and empowering other teams at the Ri to enhance major donor relationships.
• Collaborating with the events teams to ensure that major donors receive an exceptional experience at all Ri events and activities.

About you:

Essential:

• Experience of identifying, researching, pitching to and managing a portfolio of major donors or high value clients and comfortable working with donors at the highest levels.
• Confidence in talking fluently about money in a professional environment and working with donors at the highest levels
• Proven experience of building excellent relationships and networks both internally and externally
• Experience of managing relationships with donors or high value clients
• Demonstrable experience of maximising opportunities from researching prospects to generating meetings, and securing income
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable:

• Substantial demonstrable experience working in a fundraising position for a charity or educational organisation.
• Experience of organising small to medium sized events for major donors and prospects
• Experience leading a giving club or members networking group
• Patron/Major Donor/Legacy fundraising experience, securing 6-figure donations.