Philanthropy & Events Officer Jobs

Title: Philanthropy Officer – Events

Department: Communications & Development

Location: US or UK

Reporting to: Philanthropy Director

Direct reports: Not Applicable

Budget responsibility: Not Applicable

• This role is classified as requiring standard pre-employment checks

ABOUT Relief International.

Relief International (RI) is a leading non-profit organization working in 16 countries globally to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and chronic poverty.

RI combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact and resilience. We focus on health/nutrition, education, economic opportunity, and water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) programming while integrating protection, environment/climate change, and conflict mitigation in partnership with the communities we serve. We empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

RI includes the three corporate members of the RI Alliance: RI-US, RI-UK, and MRCA/RI-France. Under our alliance agreement, we operate as a single, shared management structure.

About our Programs

RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

RI employs about 5,000 staff and auxiliary workers

97% of staff are local nationals and there are about 90 international (expat) staff.

2021 programs budget is about $125M

RI receives funding from a broad range of institutional donors – US,UK, Europe, and the UN, to delivery life-saving and resilience building programming with communities and local and international partners. RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.

Position Summary.

Relief International is looking for a Philanthropy Officer to join its high performing, growing philanthropy team. Reporting to the Philanthropy Director (USA) you will work closely with the team to support cultivation of mid-level and major donor relationships, including through the planning and execution of an events programme, as well as through other agreed activities.

Building on our existing events programme you will design (with support from the Philanthropy and Communications team), plan and execute dynamic and engaging events to include both in person and virtual audiences. These will include small dinners / lunches and receptions in the UK & USA, our regular webinar series and a donor country visit in 2024.

In addition to your events oversight, you will manage a portfolio of mid-level donors. You will steward and cultivate these donor relations to ensure year on year giving and uplift in giving where appropriate.

You will be highly organized, able to manage multiple work streams and projects and have excellent communication skills both written and verbal. You’ll be persuasive and able to work with people at different levels of the organization and from different country offices.

Key Responsibilities and Duties.

• Support and coordinate major donor communications, including writing and reviewing copy for Impact reports, newsletters, thank you letters and annual review mailings.
• Ensure all donations are thanked within 48 hours, with a personalised thank you related to their level of gift and relationship RI.
• Work closely with other departments, such as finance, to ensure coordination and alignment of efforts.
• Collaborate with communication colleagues to promote events through various channels.
• Generate regular reports on fundraising activities, event outcomes, and donor contributions for internal and external stakeholders. Analyze fundraising data and trends to identify opportunities for improvement and growth.
• Undertake any additional duties that may, from time to time, be necessary and compatible with the nature and grade of this post.
• Take initiative to stay informed of Philanthropy trends, actively participating in fundraising networking groups and bringing ideas to inform RI’s philanthropy activity.
• Plan, organize, and execute fundraising events and donor/prospect events.
• Coordinate and support fundraising campaigns, including online giving platforms, peer-to-peer fundraising, and crowdfunding such as Global Giving.
• Manage and develop a mixed pipeline of donors and prospects, securing donations to achieve individual targets and contribute towards annual targets and future financial years.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key internal contacts across departments such as Programme Development, the Executive Office, M&E as appropriate.
• Undertake the accurate recording and maintenance of donor records on the database, and other systems, adhering to business rules and protocols, GDPR and Fundraising Regulations.

Safeguarding and conduct

• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
• Work collaboratively with the Global Safeguarding Manager to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program
• Support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
• Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, contribute to ensuring that all those who come into contact with Relief International staff and the communities we serve can be trusted to work safely with them
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse

Other duties as required for this role.

Role requirements.

Experience and skills required for the role.

· Educated to degree level, preferred but not essential

· Experienced in event management, with running Digital and In-person events

· Experienced with individual donor management

· Strong communication skills, and highly organised

· Skilled with managing various digital platforms

· Negotiation skills

· Knowledgeable about US locations

· Travel requirements – less than 15%, if any.

RI Values.

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

We value:

• Adaptability
• Sustainability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Integrity