Head of Philanthropic Partnerships (parental leave cover), Global Greengrants Fund
Application Closing Date: 25 September 2024
Location: Remote or hybrid working within the UK; individuals will be required to attend episodic in-person office days in London as needed and prescribed by the organisation. This role requires applicants to be able to show that they have the right to work in the UK.
Term: full time - 35 hours a week. This is a fixed term contract for a period of 12 months covering parental leave.
Organisation: Global Greengrants Fund UK
Salary: Salaries at Global Greengrants Fund UK (GGF UK) are dependent on applicable salary scales, internal pay policies including equity considerations and budget. Due to the ways in which salary negotiations perpetuate existing structural inequities, GGF UK has moved away from salary negotiation processes for any candidate. Our best offer for this position is £64,416 per annum
Benefits: We have improved our benefits package and we now offer 10% employer’s pension contribution, remote and flexible remote working, generous family and sick leave, employee assistance programme, health and life insurances, 28 days annual leave plus all UK bank holidays.
About Global Greengrants Fund:
Global Greengrants Fund (GGF) supports grassroots activists and civil society organisations around the world working to address environmental and social justice in over 160 countries. GGF applies a participatory and decentralised model in making grants to grassroots groups through regional and thematic boards of advisors, global partner networks and independent funds, to support grassroots environmental and social justice action.
Global Greengrants Fund comprises two organisations located in the USA, Global Greengrants Fund Inc (established in 1993), and Global Greengrants Fund UK (established in 2012). The two organisations work closely together with a shared grantmaking programme and strategic collaboration at the senior leadership level. GGF UK consists of thirteen staff members working on fundraising and influencing philanthropy; finance; communications; and operations, with all of these functions operating autonomously but in close collaboration with their US counterpart functions.
In 2024, Global Greengrants Fund is amid a strategic journey in which we collectively centre our values, including diversity, equity and inclusion, and organisational care in our work, and to rediscover our identity and potential after 30 years of work. We have experienced tremendous growth over the past two years and we are thoughtfully, yet rapidly, growing our annual grantmaking, our philanthropic advocacy, and our global partnerships and collaborations to new levels. This includes creating a globally networked learning organisation and transforming our organisational culture to be more collaborative and self-steering – we call this our transformational journey. The Programme Funding Manager needs to understand the challenges and opportunities that come with these transformations and can remain flexible, steady, and adaptable.
Head of Philanthropic Partnerships
The Head of Philanthropic Partnerships plays a central role in achieving the financial sustainability objectives of GGF UK. The postholder has lead responsibility for the organisation’s portfolio of trust and foundations (currently comprising c.90% of total revenue), including directly managing a number of strategic partnerships and funding opportunities, and will also be responsible for assessing and making recommendations on government and multilateral funding opportunities. The role also contributes to GGF UK’s philanthropic influencing activities, supports the development of overarching fundraising strategy and goals, and contributes to ensuring that the organisation’s fundraising activity is supported with robust infrastructure and processes.
The position reports to the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships, and works closely with colleagues within Global Greengrants Fund UK and Global Greengrants Fund Inc, particularly including Programmes and Finance functions. The position also line manages the Philanthropic Partnerships Officer position.
The postholder will be an experienced fundraiser and partnership manager with a strong track record of growing income from new and existing donors and specialist knowledge of trusts and foundations fundraising within the UK and Europe. Experience of international and / or environmental work, particularly with a social justice lens would be a strong advantage.
Major duties and responsibilities
- Lead responsibility for GGF UK’s trusts and foundations portfolio, supporting the organisation to achieve ambitious income targets and to sustain its existing growth trajectory
- Manage and develop strategic partnerships with a portfolio of existing and new trust and foundation donors in support of GGF’s programmatic and other objectives through excellent stewardship and business development
- Support the Philanthropic Partnerships Officer and Grant Writer to deliver high-quality donor reports and proposals; work closely with Finance colleagues in the UK and global organisations to develop accurate and timely financial reports
- Driving the team’s new business activity, including identifying gaps and opportunities in the existing portfolio, and designing new initiatives, products or approaches as required, including identifying and assessing potential government and multilateral funding opportunities
- With Operations colleagues, contribute to ensuring the Philanthropic Partnerships team has access to the processes and infrastructure required to continue growing the team’s work sustainably in service of organisational objectives
- Work closely with the Executive Director, Director of Philanthropic Partnerships and other senior staff within the Global Greengrants Fund network to support the organisation’s fieldbuilding and external relations priorities
- Deputise for the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships as required, including representing the organisation at conferences, meetings and events
Position Specifications
Essential Values and Competencies
- Commitment to the guiding principles, mission and values of Global Greengrants Fund
- Transparency and accountability
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Strategic risk management
- Ability to build strong interpersonal relations
- Ability to influence and resolve differences across boundaries
- Self-awareness and insight
Essential Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Experience
- Significant relevant experience in similar roles in non-profit, environmental justice, development, feminist, gender, human rights, and/or funding organisations
- Expert knowledge of trust & foundation fundraising and the philanthropic sector more broadly; experience of personally securing six-figure gifts or higher and a track record of achieving ambitious income targets
- Well-versed and updated on funding trends and key sources of philanthropic support. Can articulate the importance of grassroots movements in shifting power and systems; thrives (and has delivered results) in relational fundraising, is a natural connector, and enjoys building relationships
- Experience in representing organisations externally through networks and events; strong existing networks within philanthropy
- A strong understanding of and commitment to environmental and social justice, including some knowledge of the issues Global Greengrants Fund is working to address
- Excellent interpersonal understanding, relationship building and interpersonal skills to build strong alliances with diverse constituencies and manage complex politics, positioning and relationships
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, able to present strong experience in developing compelling proposals, presentations, reports, and other fundraising materials
- Demonstrated capacity to think strategically, innovatively, and analytically, with expertise in complex problem-solving, decision making and critical thinking skills
- Strong expertise in the use of various software and a high level of computer literacy (MS Office Suite, Google Apps, instant messaging, and virtual team collaboration software such as Trello, Zoom, Slack, Asana); experience working with Salesforce or other CRM systems
- Experience working with diverse communities from multiple identities across the globe, in a virtual environment
- Fluency in English; proficiency in other languages, especially another European language, preferred
- Ability to travel within the UK and the rest of the world (c. 2-4 weeks per year)
Personal Characteristics
- Committed to shifting power in philanthropy and promoting trust-based or power-shifting approaches to philanthropy and grantmaking
- Experience and skills to give, receive and work with feedback constructively, with the intellectual and emotional resilience necessary to take up critical responsibilities for an international global organisation
- Thrives in a changing environment and handles it calmly and strategically
- Able to innovate and navigate uncertainty and thrive in seeing and taking up opportunities in the context of ongoing organisational transformation
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Experience
- Relevant lived experiences related to Global Greengrants Fund’s work and community
- Understanding of and interest in Global Greengrants Fund’s work and environmental and climate justice, human rights, and philanthropy
- Knowledge and understanding of majority world grassroots movements
Global Greengrants Fund UK is an equal opportunities employer. We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life. We believe that diversity and inclusion in our team is critical to our success. We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.