Are you a fundraising team leader, experienced across a range of funding sources with a passion for wildlife? Have you inspired support for a cause from a wide range of people and able to help our organisation grow in delivering our strategy to 2030?

Avon Wildlife Trust has exciting plans for nature’s recovery in the former Avon region. We want to create and restore habitats, enable people to take action for wildlife, and secure more land for nature in our local area.

We are looking for a Head of Fundraising to cover maternity leave, who can galvanise support for our work from funders, members, corporates and donors, help with continuing to develop a high-performing fundraising team, and support colleagues in developing fundable projects towards nature’s recovery engaging people and bringing wildlife back. If this is you, we want to hear from you.

Avon Wildlife Trust is a charity dedicated to working with local people for local wildlife, covering the West of England region (former county of Avon). It is supported by more than 17,500 members, manages over 30 nature reserves and is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts in the UK. We want to see nature restored on a grand scale across the Avon region, with one in four people taking action for wildlife.

The Wildlife Trusts value diversity. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures. We also have robust child safeguarding policies, and this role requires two work references.

Overall purpose of job

To build and maintain relationships with the Trusts members and supporters to help enable us to achieve our vision of restoring the abundance of wildlife throughout our area, and to help us grow the Trust’s income.

Main Responsibilities

· Lead and motivate the Trust’s fundraising team, overseeing development of fundraising, growing income from membership, major donors, individual giving, legacies, corporate partnerships, grants and charitable trusts, ensuring that the Trust achieves its restricted and unrestricted income targets

· Inspire funding support externally for the Trust’s work through initiating relationships with funders, major donors, corporates and grant-making bodies

· Ensure effective collaboration across teams to enable ongoing delivery of core programmes supporting the development of fundable projects and high-quality bids.

· Stimulate growth in individual giving from members and non-members through the development and implementation of an ambitious plan incorporating supporter development, recruitment and retention.

· Ensure fundraising systems are working effectively and all activity is compliant with the Trust’s policies, fundraising guidelines from regulators, and all relevant legislation, including Data Protection and Health and Safety.

· Manage an integrated functional team across fundraising, contribute to the direction and development of the Trust as a member of the leadership team and undertake other duties in line with the role as requested

· Lead on the creation and implementation of a Fundraising Strategy, with input from the CEO & Director of Finance & Operations.

· Oversee the development of legacy and major gift/ donation income

· Ensure an effective relationship with marketing & Comms team to support the growth of our supporters and income

· Overseeing the departmental budget, taking an active role into annual organisational budgeting and re-forecasts.

· Ensure effective liaison with our umbrella body, the Wildlife Trusts and our neighbouring Wildlife Trusts.

· Feed into the Trusts midpoint review of the 10-year strategy.