Community Fundraising Manager

The Silver Line is a relatively new, ambitious charity with a 'big' charity outlook. Approaching its fifth anniversary, it has the ex Chair of Samaritans as its CEO (who was awarded an OBE this year), and a Director of Fundraising from Save the Children. It was started by Dame Esther Rantzen who also founded the highly successful charity Childline and also has support the Duchess of Cornwall, who last year agreed to become Patron, and other ambassadors. It has some heavy weight funders involved and it's very much an exciting time to be joining the team.

The Silver Line is the UK's only free, confidential, 24-hour helpline for vulnerable and isolated older people available every day and night of the year. 90% of callers live alone, 51% of callers say they have no one else to speak to, 36% of callers are men, a traditionally hard to reach group and the percentage of callers aged over 90 is almost twice the proportion in the UK population, uncovering an epidemic of loneliness amongst the UK's older population, which can lead to poor physical as well as mental health. Since launching nationally in November 2013 it has received almost 1.5m calls to its helpline office with a staff of 170, and the number of calls continues to rise. It has also recruited and trained over 4000 volunteers as Silver Line Friends who make weekly calls to older people, or exchange a letter.

In driving its growth, the charity would like to help significantly more people, striving to be as responsive and innovative as possible to achieve its mission.

For this reason we are looking now for a new team member to join as Community Fundraising Manager. Based in our head office, you will manage community fundraising across the country, developing donors, supporters, and awareness raising opportunities through the building of an active volunteer base. Starting with the roll out of two large community based projects, the aim is to generate a country wide campaign to raise GBP1m in recognition of its fifth birthday, culminating in a national event in May 2019.

Whilst we have an army of volunteers who are already supporting older people through friendship, or who participate in local awareness raising activities, we now need to galvanise their support to access wider community opportunities which drive ongoing future support. Success depends upon being able to communicate meaningfully about our work, inspiring individuals, and also key to this is managing accurate database records. The post holder should enjoy contacting potential supporters, feeling able and confident to encourage them to fundraise on our behalf.

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!

In particular, we are looking for:

• Significant demonstrable experience of success in a community fundraising role, securing, developing and growing new community fundraising supporters, groups and income and personally recruiting and managing volunteers.
• Experience of financial management including budgeting and forecasting.
• Experience of working with a geographically dispersed team, and able to demonstrate growth in fundraising and awareness raising accordingly.
• Strong negotiation, decision making and influencing skills.
• Ability to generate commercially viable, innovative ideas.
• Effective planning and time management skills.
• Abilty to multi-task and work effectively under pressure, managing changing priorities whilst maintaining excellent and scrupulous attention to detail.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Demonstrable customer service skills.
• Ability to take initiative.
• Passion for the work of the Silver Line.

The deadline for this position is rolling, and we are reviewing applications as we receive them. Please don't hesitate to send your CV as soon as you are ready.

If you would like to have a chat to find out more about the team or have questions about how this role might fit into your career plans, please don't hesitate to get in touch with Charlotte Wilmot, Director, Eardley Wilmot, .