Senior Philanthropy Manager (Major Donors)

Do you have an entrepreneurial approach and a commercial mindset? Could you help us end the devastation caused by dementia by building credible relationships, encouraging further support for our cause and securing five-, six- and seven-figure gifts from major donors?

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Philanthropy Manager (Major Donors) to join on a full-time basis, working 35 hours per week on a permanent contract. This is a home-based role, but you will be required to travel to attend internal and external in-person meetings and events at our head office in London (monthly) and to work from Manchester up to 1-2 days a week.

As Senior Philanthropy Manager you will drive a pipeline of major gifts, including leading the pipeline development for an emerging transformational project in Manchester. You will proactively manage a small portfolio of warm prospects while identifying new pipelines among high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and family foundations that can deliver 6 and 7-figure gifts for this landmark appeal, alongside fundraising for our other strategic priorities.

You will focus on supporting the Major Donor Lead in transforming our early pilot successes in Manchester into a sustainable, multi-million-pound major giving programme. However, whilst this will be a priority project, this won’t be your sole focus, as you will also be a proactive pipeline builder responsible for both established major donors and new prospects.

By working in close partnership with experts in science and healthcare, you will operationalise their exceptional high-level network to convert warm prospects into six- and seven-figure investors. You will establish a prominent footprint within Manchester's philanthropic networks, engaging the region’s top entrepreneurs, business leaders, and family foundations with our cause, helping to end the devastation caused by dementia.

We have provisionally scheduled the first stage interviews for this role to take place via MS Teams on Tuesday 10^th and Wednesday 11^th November.

About you

We’re looking for someone with an entrepreneurial approach and a commercial mindset. You’ll be an experienced relationship builder with the credibility to engage effectively with senior business leaders, philanthropists, influential volunteers, advocates and high-net-worth individuals. You’ll be able to sustain these successful relationships, whilst also proactively identifying and cultivating relationships with new prospects to secure further support and pipeline development.

Crucially, you’ll have the communication skills to translate complex information or principles into engaging and accessible messaging, enabling you to encourage donations or support for a specific cause. You’ll have experience of developing compelling, donor-centred funding propositions that align with supporter interests, and you’ll be able to secure five-, six- and ideally seven-figure gifts from major donors, philanthropists, family foundations or equivalent high-value supporters.

You don’t need to have existing experience in philanthropy or the charity sector specifically. If you think you have similar, relevant, transferrable skills and experience and you feel like this role could be for you then we encourage you to apply.

What you’ll focus on:

• Developing and delivering the major donor fundraising pipeline for the Manchester appeal, building a sustainable pipeline of high-net-worth individuals, family foundations and philanthropic organisations capable of making transformational gifts.
• Building and managing a portfolio of prospective and existing major donors, developing tailored cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans that secure six- and seven-figure gifts in support of the appeal.
• Establishing and growing Alzheimer's Society's presence within Manchester's philanthropic, business and community networks, identifying and creating opportunities to engage new supporters and advocates for the project.
• Working closely with the project's leading scientist and other senior stakeholders to identify, prioritise and develop high-value relationships, providing strategic fundraising advice, briefing and assistance to maximise philanthropic opportunities.
• Working collaboratively with Impact Communications colleagues to develop compelling cases for support and donor propositions, translating complex scientific and operational information into inspiring, accessible and credible philanthropic opportunities.
• Leading the planning and delivery of high-value donor engagement activity, including cultivation events, networking opportunities, donor meetings and bespoke experiences that strengthen relationships and progress prospects towards significant gifts.
• Developing high-quality, tailored funding proposals, presentations and donor communications that align donor interests with the regional and national impact of the Manchester appeal.

Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.

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