Head of Development

ABOUT GROUNDSWELL

Groundswell started as a project within the National Homelessness Alliance and it has evolved into where it is now supporting people experiencing homelessness to address their healthcare needs.

Our story can be understood to have 4 ‘eras’ with our early days focusing on direct action and campaigning, moving to delivering Service User Involvement and Peer Research, becoming a support service provider ourselves and now growing our health focused research and services across the UK.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for an experienced senior fundraiser who has demonstrable success in generating income through a range of income streams and prides themselves on compelling, engaging written communications for a range of audiences.

Recently kicking off our new ‘Creating Positive Change Together’ strategy, co produced by over 130 staff, volunteers, clients and partner, Groundswell has ambitious plans and a compelling model which in its simplest form promotes healthier lives and a better future for anyone who has experienced homelessness.

The post-holder will have the opportunity to develop Groundswell’s next fundraising strategy, working closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), and particularly Finance & Fundraising Director who can bring a wealth of knowledge and insight from recent external and internal reviews of Groundswell’s fundraising portfolio.

You will be a champion for the joined up working of fundraising and communications, with the ability to line manage a team and lead strategic plans to engage a range of current and potential donors (individuals, trusts, corporates) to diversify Groundswell’s income and ultimately help Groundswell continue to create positive change in the lives of people, services and systems on their mission to tackle homeless health inequalities.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

Income generation and stewardship

• Lead the generation of voluntary income from trusts & foundations, corporates and individuals in line with Groundswell’s organisational budget (working with the Trust Fundraiser and freelancers where in post).
• Write high quality proposals, reports, applications and pitches to ‘sell’ Groundswell’s unique activities, approach and impact, adapting to a range of audiences to align with their interests.
• Attend pitches, prospect and engagement meetings and events with funders and partners; acting as their main point of contact.
• Support the Trust Fundraiser to produce and submit well-written, effective funding applications, tenders, proposals and cases for support to meet the relevant criteria.
• Lead relationships with all key funders and implement a relationship-based stewardship plan for all voluntary income sources

Lead Groundswell’s ‘individual giving programme’:

• Oversee an annual programme of donor communications and journeys through Mail Chimp and Donorfy.
• Design and lead digital fundraising appeals, working closely with the Communications Manager to ensure a smooth, consistent engagement and user journey.

Working closely with freelancers, oversee Groundswell’s corporate partnerships:

• Develop of Groundswell’s corporate fundraising strategy.
• Managing corporate income and relationships.
• Work with colleagues to arrange volunteer days that have dual benefits for Groundswell and the partners.

Support colleagues responsible for generating our commissioned and statutory funded projects (Research, HHPA and Learning & Development), including:

• Supporting proposal writing.
• Working with them to refine and ‘sell’ their case for support, service or offer.

Strategy and project management

• Lead the development and delivery of Groundswell’s next fundraising strategy and continuing to diversify our income to deliver Groundswell’s organisational strategy.
• Work closely with the SLT and trustees to make strategic plans to engage contacts in their networks to generate income.
• Oversee a live pipeline of prospects and provide quarterly risk and opportunities analysis to Groundswell’s Finance Committee.
• Lead the monthly Development meeting for the Fundraising Team, SLT and Heads of Department.
• Keep abreast of all current and planned activities across Groundswell to ensure they can effectively be communicated to secure and maintain funding.
• Ensure all projects and funding proposals are developed in a co produced way, informed by Groundswell’s staff, volunteers and data to identify the need for funding and develop project objectives, outcomes and measurement tools.
• Champion a collaborative and open relationship between fundraising and ‘project delivery’ staff to ensure they are clear on agreed KPIs, deliverables and monitoring framework that works for both them and the funder.
• Maintain the fundraising CRM (Donorfy) and ensure colleagues do the same.

Work with the Director of Finance and Fundraising and CEO to develop a fundraising engagement programme, which may include but is not limited to:

• Trialling a fundraising committee, including internal and external stakeholders
• Delivery of a fundraising engagement events’ (sponsorship secured for one at the end of 2025).

Brand and communications

• Support the Communications Manager to develop and deliver Groundswell’s digital communications strategy and associated work plan, ensuring this supports the delivery of the fundraising strategy.
• Ensure all our communications align with our key messages, core values and are bespoke to the target audience; whilst remaining accessible.
• Agree a set of key messages and calls to actions that will underpin a consistent, engaging user journey across Groundswell’s digital platforms.
• Centre all fundraising and communications on the lived experience of homelessness.

General

• Be a supportive line manager operating in a trauma-informed environment, promoting direct reports of your own development through objective setting.
• Lead the wider fundraising and communications team to ensure all fundraising activity adheres to the Fundraising Code of Practice; stay informed of updates and review the fundraising policy as per the policy timetable.
• Keep informed of fundraising and communications regulations, news and trends.
• Support the Fundraising and Finance Director in annual budgeting and reforecasting.
• Participate as an active member of Groundswell’s team leads management group.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge and experience of generating income through a variety of sources including trusts and foundations, corporates and individuals.
• Experience of communications and marketing for a fundraising purpose.
• Excellent attention to detail, with demonstrable experience of writing engaging and high-quality applications, proposals, cases for support, reports and pitches with excellent creative and persuasive writing skills.
• Confidence and experience of face-to-face meetings or pitches to potential funders.
• Understanding of monitoring and evaluation to drive understanding of impact and attract funding.
• The ability to use data to inform plans and make decisions.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise, work on your own initiative and to be self-motivated.
• Proactive, with the ability to seize and act on opportunities.
• Understanding and sensitivity to the process around sharing personal stories, in particular experience of dealing with confidentiality.
• Willingness to collaborate with Groundswell stakeholders both internally and externally, to ensure all voices are equal and are part of Groundswell’s development journey.
• Confidence to try new idea’s, get creative and present ideas to the SLT and Board to support Groundswell’s development.

Desirable

• Experience of being a Line Manager to employees and/or freelancers.
• Experience in developing a fundraising strategy.
• Experience of working with a fundraising/CRM database (Donorfy).
• Experience of working in a co-production and participatory environment.
• Strong numeracy skills, including the ability to interpret and present financial information.
• Personal experience of homelessness or other related issues (e.g., mental health, the criminal justice system).
• Good working knowledge of all Microsoft Office software including Outlook, Word, Excel and SharePoint.
• Experience of accessibility across digital and written communications, in particular the use of plain english.
• Experience of running digital campaigns/appeals using social media advertising.

To view the full job description, please click here –> Groundswell-Head of Development-Job-Pack-April 2025

Interviews: Candidates will be notified if they have been invited to an interview by Friday 9th May at the latest. If you have not been notified by this date, then please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Interviews will then be held online on 20th or 21th May 2025.

Location: Hybrid (this role can work from home and from our office in Kennington, London). You will be expected to work from our Kennington office for at least one day per week.