Development and Communications Lead - Funder's Initiative for Civil Society

---

Job description

Global Dialogue seeks a Development and Communications Lead for the Funders' Initiative for Civil Society (FICS).

FICS' vision is a world in which people can leverage their collective power to push for political, social and economic transformation without harm, stigma, or fear.

Our mission is to defend and expand civic space through ensuring progressive movements and their allies have the resources they need to tackle the drivers of closing civic space - the systems, actors, and trends that sit behind growing restrictions on rights of assembly, association and other fundamental freedoms.

Established in 2016 as a donor network, over the past twelve months FICS has shifted its model significantly in response to the compelling call to action we set out in our landmark 2020 report Rethinking civic space in the age of intersectional crisis: a briefing for funders.

We offer:

Futures-focused analysis on the trends that will shape civic space, so that funders can be ahead of the curve in spotting opportunities and threats.

A platform for learning - enabling funders, movements and their allies to come together to strategise, track progress, and learn about what works.

Funding and incubation - providing direct resources to movements and their allies and incubating new vehicles so that funders can work together at scale.

We are scaling up to deliver ambitious new grant-making and research programmes; this year alone we have more than doubled our budget and grown from a team of two staff to five, with two further appointments - including this role - anticipated by the end of the financial year.

The Development and Communications Lead will be a critical member of our core team. The person appointed will take responsibility for stewarding existing funder relationships and developing new relationships, working closely with the Deputy Director, who leads fundraising, and the dynamic and well-known outward-facing Director, as well as our expert grant-making and research leads. They will also lead our external communications work at an exciting time as we build up the story of FICS and our platforms for delivering it, based on our new communications strategy.

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced Development and Communications Lead to oversee the development of FICS' fundraising and external communications, and to act as a powerful advocate within our team for ambitious story-telling about FICS.

Primary responsibilities will include:

Fundraising and Development

Identify new sources of income from trusts, foundations and other institutional donors, conducting prospect research and working with programme teams to develop cultivation strategies.

Manage a portfolio of current and prospective US- and Europe-based donors, including those giving six-figure grants.

Learn about programmatic developments and drive forward programmatic goals by matching with funding opportunities.

Accompany and / or brief the FICS Director ahead of key meetings, ensuring FICS is able to build effective relationships with current and prospective donors.

Develop and draft compelling concept notes, letters of inquiry, grant proposals and reports for current and prospective donors.

Assist in donor engagement activities, such as occasional event planning and related tasks as needed.

Communications

Oversee FICS' communications strategy and workplan: working with the senior team and with access to an experienced external consultant, to agree clear influencing goals and recommending how communications activity can support these.

Working closely with programme teams - coaching them to identify opportunities for communications activity to add value to FICS' work; and writing, editing, or managing the production of external-facing communications materials, both print and digital.

Manage FICS' websites1, planning and updating content, and collating website and social media metrics.

Manage FICS' e-communications, including drafting and publishing emails to key contacts lists.

Manage FICS' image library and work with vendors to procure photo and video assets.

Maintain and oversee the FICS brand guidelines.

Where needed, work with FICS' donors and partners to effectively promote shared goals and achievements.

Supporting cross-fertilisation between and across FICS' initiatives

Work collaboratively with other members of the FICS team to identify and assess opportunities to build FICS' programming, strengthen its impact, and further develop its organisational infrastructure and staffing.

Other duties commensurate with the role.

Person Specification

We are committed to being a diverse team and are looking for talented people from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences who share our values. We strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply.

Essential criteria:

In your application, you need to demonstrate how you address most of the essential criteria.

You will have:

Excellent copywriting and editing skills in English, up to a standard required for complex publications, strategic reports, and website and social media.

Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build highly effective internal and external working relationships.

The ability to analyse complex information and present it in an accessible format for different audiences.

A developed understanding or experience of the pressures on civil society organisations resulting from current political trends; familiarity with contemporary human rights and social justice issues.

Experience of building and drafting complex proposals in accordance with funder guidelines, which may include objectives, theory of change, and other materials.

Experience of successfully securing funds from a range of institutional, foundation and corporate donors.

Proven organisational skills, with the ability to juggle a wide range of responsibilities while also retaining thorough attention to detail.

Strong numeracy skills, with the ability to develop project budgets.

Knowledge and understanding of private philanthropy in an international context.

Proven ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team.

Strong IT skills, with sensitivity to the relevance of digital security in human rights work (the main tools we use are O365 and Wordpress).

Permission to live and work in the UK.

You will be:

Comfortable working in a 'start-up' culture - flexible, with the capacity to learn quickly, proactive in identifying new or improved ways of working and with a 'pitch-in' attitude (i.e., staff make their own copies and schedule their own appointments).

Committed to FICS and Global Dialogue's values.

Methodical with strong record keeping skills.

Committed to your own personal professional development.

Desirable criteria:

We will use desirable criteria to help us make a final decision where we receive similarly strong applications.

Educated to degree level, or otherwise able to demonstrate the capacity to deal sensitively and appropriately with complex issues.

Experience of working with funders and/or civil society organisations in the global South or East.

Experience in creating content to suit a variety of formats.

Proficiency in a language other than English.

Terms and conditions

Hours: This role is advertised at 0.6 - 1 FTE. We are open to negotiating a working pattern that works for the successful candidate and for FICS and would welcome joint applications as a job share.

Salary: £38,000-45,000 pro rata, depending on experience

Terms: Permanent contract, subject to funding, with a three-month probationary period

Benefits: We offer a range of benefits including 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata). Global Dialogue contributes 6% to its workplace pension scheme, has a flexible working policy, and offers personal development leave.

Location: The FICS team works remotely and this role is home based. Once it is safe to do so, the successful candidate will be expected to be in London regularly for team meetings and other activities (up to 2 days per week) with occasional international travel.

Reporting to: Deputy Director, FICS