Vacancy: Head of Business Development & Strategy

Location: West London with home-working flexibility

Reports to: Executive Director

Responsible for: Strategy, fundraising and communications staff

Salary: £45,200 – 47,500 pro rata

Hours:28 hours per week (equivalent to 4 days a week)

Duration: 24-months fixed-term contract, (potential to renew, subject to funding and delivery)

Benefits: Access to a 3% pension contribution and 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata). We also provide employees two days additional “duvet days between Christmas and New Year.”

About FORWARD

The Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD), founded in 1985, is an African-led women’s rights organisation that champions the equality and rights of African women and girls in the UK, Europe and Africa. We work to end all forms of violence against women and girls from female genital mutilation and child marriage to domestic and sexual violence. We tackle abuse and discrimination, enabling African women and girls to have the dignity, health and equality they deserve.

Job Purpose

This exciting new role will form a critical element to the future growth and innovation at FORWARD. You will build our profile and brand recognition whilst leading the organisation’s approach to events, strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement and external affairs. The role will involve leading significant fundraising and business development growth. You will focus your time leading, empowering and nurturing our teams working across various income strands (trusts and foundations, donors, corporates, earned income) to achieve our organisational targets. Working closely with the Executive Director, you will lead on policy and public affairs activities ensuring FORWARD continues to be recognised as a leading professional body, an independent and authoritative voice.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead a bold, ambitious fundraising strategy, meeting an annual target of £500,000
As part of the Senior Management Team (SMT), work with colleagues to develop innovative and practical ways to increase turnover and cost to income ratio, supporting the impact we seek.
Drive new and refreshed programme pipelines to secure new donors, including corporate partners.
Ensure systems supporting fundraising and business development activities are optimised to maximise efficiency, including communication and fundraising materials.
Establish yourself as a thought leader and represent FORWARD at external events, building networks and partnerships and ensuring a strong profile for the organisation.
To meet the agreed and targeted income for each financial year through the development of funding from a range of sources and work with Programme Heads and Operations to ensure collaborative, efficient, and sustainable (multi-year) funding programmes.

Business Development and Fundraising:

Develop and implement a business and income generation strategy including tendering for commissioned services, making targeted grant applications and maximising voluntary income through fundraising and staff capacity development.
Lead on grant receipt and acknowledgement and ensure grant reports are collated and submitted in a timely fashion to funders.
Lead on the development of compelling business cases, tender submissions and bids, including leading on bid writing, coordination and submission.
Develop and implement commercial strategies according to organisational goals and objectives aiming to accelerate growth.

Communications and External Affairs:

Devise, develop and implement the policy strategy to raise FORWARD’s profile, credibility and influence across key individuals, audiences, the VAWG sector and policy makers.
Provide parliamentary and political intelligence to the Executive Director and SMT as appropriate
Oversee FORWARD’s communications including website, digital and social media strategies, policies and guidelines to deliver on our mission with clarity and consistency and help to optimise impact.
Lead the Communications team to develop content and communicate a strong and compelling case for support and related fundraising resources and campaigns.

Benefits:

· Access to a 3% pension contribution.

· 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata).

· Two days additional “duvet days between Christmas and New Year.”

Application process

If you think that you might be the person to help us with this aspect of our work to end violence against African women and girls, please apply with your CV and a supporting statement highlighting how you meet the requirements of the role, to [email protected].

Please note that applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Closing date: 23:59, Weds 29th December 2023

Interviews will be held on: W/C 11 December 2023

As part of the recruitment and selection process FORWARD may undertake DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) checks where appropriate for all individuals who will work directly with children and vulnerable adults. We are committed to welcoming people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences.

FORWARD is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in our sector. We want this to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and identities.

If you have access needs or require reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know in your supporting statement.

We are sorry we are unable to respond to all applications; only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Many thanks for your interest in working with FORWARD.