Funding and Community Engagement Officer

Hope Family Trust is recruiting for a Funding and Community Engagement Officer based in Barking & Dagenham.

ABOUT THE HOPE FAMILY TRUST

Hope Family Trust is an anti-poverty charity situated in East London. Our Barking Foodbank Project is one of the food banks in the UK supported by Trussell. Aligned with Trussell’s overarching vision to stop UK hunger and poverty, Hope Family Trust is deeply committed to putting an end to food insecurity in the borough of Barking and Dagenham.

At the heart of our approach lies community engagement which forms the bedrock of our local strategy to combat the reliance on food banks in our borough.  You will be a lynch pin in our team enabling us to achieve our vision.

ABOUT THE ROLE

HFT-Barking Food Bank is looking for someone exceptional to help us fight hunger in our community. We’re on a mission to increase our fundraising income from £200,000 to £500,000 and need a passionate, results-driven individual to lead this effort. In this role, you’ll be a crucial part of our growth, enabling us to achieve our goal of increasing fundraising income and impact. 

You’ll build strong relationships with trusts, foundations, businesses, schools, and individuals, crafting impactful campaigns and proposals that inspire support. You’ll be at the heart of our local efforts, driving the financial support we need to continue our essential work, and ensuring that no one in Barking and Dagenham goes hungry.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

Key responsibilities

• Lead Grant Fundraising: You will dive into research to identify and connect with the right grant-giving trusts and foundations. With your expertise, you’ll build strong relationships and secure funding through compelling applications that stand out.
• Manage Funders: You will take charge of maintaining and growing relationships with grant giving trusts and current funders. Through exceptional stewardship and timely reporting, you’ll maximize opportunities for future funding.
• Drive Corporate Partnerships: You will actively seek and engage potential corporate donors, turning them into lasting funding partners. You’ll also nurture existing relationships, ensuring corporate partners remain deeply involved with our mission.
• Grow Our Fundraising Portfolio Management: You will manage a fundraising portfolio that generates over £500,000 annually. By setting clear KPIs and building a strong pipeline, you’ll ensure we consistently exceed our income targets and make data-driven decisions.
• Engage Individual Donors: You will design powerful fundraising appeals and stewardship communications to attract new donors and keep existing ones connected to our cause. You will ensure that every donor feels valued and informed about the impact of their contributions.
• Lead Community Fundraising: You will create and deliver fundraising events and campaigns, like our Christmas appeal, to galvanize local support. Your efforts will raise essential funds while engaging individuals, businesses, schools, and local groups in our mission.
• Collaborate with Key Partners: You will work alongside external consultants, Trussell Trust colleagues and other funding professionals to secure additional funding and partnerships, sharing best practices and learning from others in the network.

Skills & experience

• Proven experience in trusts and foundations fundraising, corporate partnerships, and individual/community fundraising.
• Exceptional communication and relationship management skills, with a talent for writing persuasive funding proposals and building long-term partnerships.
• Strong ability to set and report against fundraising goals, using KPIs to track performance and demonstrate measurable impact.
• Data-Driven Approach: You’ll be skilled at generating data to evidence the success of our projects and strengthen future funding applications, whether to secure new funding or extend existing support. You’ll create clear outcomes and outputs, providing staff and volunteers with the tools to track and measure progress.
• Highly motivated and self-organized, with the ability to embrace a new role and work independently.
• Empathy for individuals from disadvantaged or marginalized communities and a passion for making a difference.

Qualifications

• Degree-Level Education: A degree in a relevant field such as Business, Marketing, Communications, Non-profit Management, or Public Relations would be beneficial. This ensures a solid foundation in skills such as strategy development, communication, and organisational management (essential).
• Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) Qualification: A certification or qualification from the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) would be highly desirable, as it demonstrates a deep understanding of fundraising best practices (desirable).
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE): A CFRE is a globally recognized credential in fundraising, ideal for those looking to strengthen their fundraising knowledge and credentials. This is a valuable qualification for candidates who want to demonstrate advanced expertise (desirable).
• Additional Professional Development in Fundraising: Other fundraising certifications, such as those offered by organisations like the Institute of Fundraising or similar, would also be seen as advantageous (desirable).

Other considerations

• Project Management Certification: As the role involves managing fundraising portfolios, having a project management qualification (e.g., Prince 2 or Agile certification) would be beneficial for effective planning and execution of complex fundraising activities.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Essential

• Experience in Trusts and Foundations Fundraising: Proven track record in successfully securing funding from trusts and foundations, including writing and submitting funding applications.
• Experience in Corporate Partnership Fundraising: Strong experience in building and managing corporate relationships that generate financial support for charity projects.
• Experience in Individual and Community Fundraising: Demonstrated success in securing donations from individuals and community groups, through appeals or ongoing relationships.
• Experience in Fundraising Strategy and Portfolio Management: Ability to manage a diverse fundraising portfolio and use KPIs to track performance and forecast income.
• Strong Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling funding proposals and engage effectively with stakeholders.
• Data-Driven Approach to Fundraising:  Skilled in using data to measure outcomes and strengthen funding applications, with the ability to track and report on progress and impact.
• Experience in Designing and Delivering Fundraising Campaigns:  Experience creating successful fundraising campaigns or appeals, with measurable outcomes.
• Relationship Management Skills: Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders, including funders, donors, corporate partners, and community groups.
• Organisational Skills and Self-Motivation: Highly organised, proactive, and capable of managing multiple projects, with the ability to work independently and stay motivated.
• Empathy for Marginalized Communities: Demonstrated empathy and understanding of the needs and challenges faced by disadvantaged or marginalized communities.

Desirable

• Experience in Managing a Fundraising Portfolio Generating £500,000+ Annually:  Experience in managing and growing a fundraising portfolio of significant scale.
• Experience in Event Management: Experience organizing and delivering community fundraising events that engage local support and raise funds.
• Knowledge of the Trussell Trust Network:  Familiarity with the Trussell Trust network and understanding of the food bank sector in the UK.
• Knowledge of the Local Area (Barking and Dagenham): Knowledge of the local community, its challenges, and opportunities for fundraising.
• Fundraising Qualification:  A relevant qualification in fundraising or a related field (e.g., CFRE or similar).
• Experience with Digital Fundraising Tools and Platforms: Experience using digital fundraising tools and platforms (e.g., online donation systems, crowdfunding, etc.). Use of social media and online platforms to promote fundraising
• Training Delivery/Presentation: Delivery of training workshops/presentations.
• EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES: Commitment to incorporating Equal Opportunities principles into all aspects of work.
• ADDITIONAL: Must occasionally be able to work outside of usual working hours.

Location: Barking & Dagenham

To view the JD and application process, please click here –> Hope Family Trust – Funding and Community Engagement Officer – JD

We are reviewing CV’s on an ongoing basis, so it is highly recommended to submit your application as soon as possible.