About Us

Rainforest Trust is a leading global organisation sponsoring the creation and expansion of protected and conserved areas, playing a central role in combating biodiversity loss and fighting climate change. We have already placed over 45 million acres under permanent protection across 68 countries, and recent surveys show that 99% of the rainforest we have protected since 1988 remains intact.

Rainforest Trust UK (RTUK) is set up as a separate charity to tax-efficiently raise funds from donors here in the UK for Rainforest Trust’s conservation projects. We are currently a team of five people, but we are affiliated to, and supported by, the Rainforest Trust team in the U.S., which has a team of about 45 staff.

Overview

In 2022 the global charity raised $38 million for conservation projects in Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. The UK charity contributed £1.2m of this, and we are confident there is significant potential to increase our income from donors here. So, we are looking for an experienced, passionate, and  highly personable fundraising professional to join our UK team, to help us identify, approach and cultivate relationships with new private individuals with the potential to make major contributions to our work.

The successful candidate will have previous experience of developing and implementing donor acquisition strategies, managing a pipeline of major donors and a proven track record of securing high value (5 and 6 figure) gifts. You will have outstanding interpersonal skills and be a confident and able communicator – making presentations, hosting meetings and other special events, and writing impactful and personalised impact reports. As this is a new role, in a relatively young charity, your ideas will help shape this work.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy

• Develop and execute a Major Gifts fundraising plan, setting out key priorities across each area, including new areas to pilot, and income generation targets in line with the ambitions of the charity’s strategy and budget.
• Measure the success of initiatives using a data-driven approach and take a proactive approach to researching and applying funding trends and industry best practices in day-to-day work.
• Ensure legal and financial compliance of fundraising activity, including data protection, fundraising regulations, charity regulations and financial policies and procedures.

Fundraising Delivery

• Proactively research, identify, and cultivate a high-net-worth individual (HNWI) prospect pipeline.
• Build great relationships with, and deliver a fantastic service to, our most significant private supporters – developing and personally managing and inspiring a portfolio of individual donors and prospects, soliciting 5 and 6-figure gifts.
• Creating engaging opportunities for donors to increase their giving to a higher level.Develop and lead delivery of a
• programme of relevant cultivation and networking events, including receptions and lunches.
• Act as a public-facing ambassador at events, representing the organisation and its values, engaging with attendees, and enhancing our public image and relationships.
• Design and implement giving and stewardship plans for existing and prospective major donors, including annual and regular gifts, significant gifts, and planned gifts, using insights to plan appropriate communications.
• Provide engaging reports to donors on the impact of donors’ gifts as required.
• Produce clear and compelling proposals, bespoke project information, thorough briefs and other supporting materials.
• Implement necessary systems and processes to promote the growth of major donor giving across the charity.
• Develop a new system for accepting gifts as shares/stocks.
• Provide some support to others developing new partnerships with UK businesses and corporates.

General Duties

• Update and maintain our supporter database, ensuring all information relating to funders and prospects is accurate, up-to-date and adheres to data protection guidelines.
• Provide mentorship and shared learning opportunities to others in the team.
• Attend or support fundraising events.
• Ensure the effective implementation of RTUK policies and procedures.
• Undertake such other duties, appropriate to the grade and character of the work, as may be reasonably required.

Person Specification

Experience

• Track record of securing high value (5 and 6 figure) gifts from HNWIs and of meeting and exceeding fundraising goals
• Experience of personally managing and developing a major donor portfolio/pipeline
• Experience of identifying new major giving opportunities
• Experience of designing and delivering high impact stewardship programmes
• Experience of designing and delivering high value events
• Experience of working strategically and collaboratively with colleagues to improve and strengthen donor experience and the overall supporter journey
• An established network of existing UK donors who are willing to support conservation and climate projects would be desirable
• It is likely that this postholder will be responsible for staff in the future, as our team grows, so it would be desirable to also have experience of staff or volunteer management.
• Experience of building funding partnerships with corporates would be desirable.

Knowledge/Skills

• Excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate and inspire others to give
• Effective public speaker and communicator who can successfully present proposals and adapt their style to different audiences
• Strong writing skills with the ability to compose compelling funding proposals and reports
• An understanding of GDPR and other regulatory compliance issues
• High proficiency with remote working and management, donor databases, spreadsheets, document management, etc. Working knowledge of Google-Suite is desirable.
• Ability to work closely with leadership, senior volunteers and influencers to unlock peer connections and leverage new or uplifted support

Values and Behaviours

• Commitment to Rainforest Trust UK’s mission and a passion for protecting the environment, saving species and fighting climate change
• Affinity with our core values of Nature & People; Efficiency; Transparency; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Partnerships & Collaboration; Science & Innovation
• Collaborative and able to work in a team
• Discretion and sensitivity in handling confidential information

Working Arrangements and Travel Requirements

Rainforest Trust UK staff work remotely and you will be expected to work primarily from home with an excellent internet connection. You may be based anywhere in the UK but you will be expected to work from a shared team space in London twice a month, and your donor events are most likely to take place there. May be required to travel internationally if a major donor requires accompanying on a trip to the field, or to attend U.S. hosted events. The postholder will be required to host networking events and attend some online meetings with our partners in the U.S so some (early) evening working is required. We are also flexible as to how many hours this postholder works, and will consider a 4-day per week arrangement, depending on experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Rainforest Trust UK is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to developing a diverse and inclusive working environment. We recognise that promoting diversity and eliminating discrimination in our work will bring benefits for our people, our organisation and our charitable purpose. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief or any other protected characteristic.

Benefits of joining Rainforest Trust UK

When asked what they love most about working at Rainforest Trust UK our staff say it is feeling they are making a difference and taking direct action on some of the biggest issues of our time – climate change, biodiversity loss and Indigenous Peoples’ rights. They also like being part of a small, friendly, and supportive team, where they feel they can have a direct input into decisions and our direction. We offer a host of other benefits too. See our Staff Benefits Policy here.

How to apply

Closing date for applications: is midday on 27 September. To apply, please go via the Charity Job website. If you have been shortlisted we will let you know by the 29 September, and first interviews will take place on Friday 6 October. Further information about our work can be found at: www.rainforesttrust.org