Trusts & Foundations Advisor

Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Title: Trusts & Foundations Advisor

Location: Remote positions open for candidates based in the UK

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £40,000 per annum

About the role

Sightsavers’ Trusts and Corporate Partnerships team is excited to be expanding its team in response to growing demands and opportunities in the trusts & foundation sector. We are recruiting for two additional Trusts & Foundations Advisors to be key contributors to the development of Sightsavers trusts and foundations programme. They will play a crucial role in the successful recruitment and cultivation of new business, while also managing a portfolio of existing trust and foundation donors primarily based in the UK, U.S and Europe.

In this role, the Advisor will be instrumental in contributing towards the team’s annual income target and supporting additional planned growth in the coming years.

Responsibilities

• Manage and cultivate relationships with a portfolio of key trust and foundation donors for Sightsavers (up to 7-figure funding agreements) via proposals, mailings, reports, telephone or face-to-face meetings as appropriate, and coordinate donor visits, dealing with CEOs, Directors, and Trustees.
• Develop key external and internal relationships and donor engagement activities for the achievement of planned objectives with these donors.
• Research, identify, prioritise, and develop personalised engagement plans and donor strategies to cultivate new trust prospects in targeted global markets. Lead on cultivating relationships with CEOs, Directors, and Trustees, with the aim of establishing additional high-value funding relationships.
• Work proactively across the organisation, including cross-culturally, to coordinate, develop, and deliver a high standard of compelling project proposals and reports ready for submission to donors whilst ensuring excellent grant/contract management to existing donor relationships.
• Actively participate in the networks surrounding trusts and foundations, sharing information, insights, opportunities, and fundraising materials produced.
• Represent Sightsavers and/or support staff delegations at conferences and networks to engage with and cultivate new donor relationships.
• Contribute to team, departmental, and wider organisational systems development and initiatives.

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

About you

The Trusts & Foundations Advisor is a dynamic professional with a proven track record in managing and cultivating relationships with key trust and foundation donors. They excel in developing bespoke proposals, coordinating donor visits, and engaging with high-level stakeholders such as CEOs, Directors, and Trustees.

The Advisor will possess strong research skills to identify and prioritise new trust and foundation prospects in global markets. They are proactive in cross-team collaboration, adept at delivering compelling project proposals and reports, and committed to continuous improvement. Their active participation in networks and drive to ensure the best representation of Sightsavers at conferences and meetings highlights their dedication to cultivating new donor relationships.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential

• Relevant experience working in the charity sector, ideally in international development.
• Experience of long-term grant/contract management of significant funders/clients.
• Proven success in personally cultivating new relationships with prospective donors/clients and maintaining relationships with existing donors/clients.
• Demonstrative experience of excellent written skills, including proposals, bids, and reports for external audiences.
• Proven success in creating successful funding proposals.
• Knowledge of good fundraising practice.
• Experience of in-person networking at conferences or face-to-face meetings with senior trusts and foundations staff/board.
• Understanding of and interest in charity sector and international development issues.
• First-class presentation and writing skills, including preparation of proposals, project budgets, and reports with excellent attention to detail.
• Research experience, including the development of engagement plans.
• Strong listening and negotiating skills.
• Self-confidence with the ability to take the initiative, manage time effectively, and work to deadlines.
• Good analytical skills – can prioritise and plan opportunities based on available information.
• Capable of relating well to a wide range of people.
• Excellent IT skills, including Word and Excel, and experience of using fundraising databases.
• Highly collaborative approach.
• Experience of in-person networking at conferences.

Desirable

• Experience of writing for the US market.
• Experience of fundraising from the US market.

Next Steps

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

Successful candidates will be invited to participate in a virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, and we will also ask all candidates to complete a short task related to the responsibilities of the Trusts & Foundations Advisor role.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Closing Date: 6 April 2025