Do you believe in the power of social enterprise to create meaningful and scalable change in children’s education, youth employment and women’s economic empowerment for disadvantaged communities, across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)? Are you looking to build and enhance your fundraising skills while helping grow a movement that is fostering sustainable social change and social enterprise through venture philanthropy and impact investing across the Arab region? Are you motivated to work with a pioneering, passionate, rigorous and high-energy team of action-orientated change-makers? Are you eager to put your creativity and commitment to the test?
The team at Alfanar (www.alfanar.org), the Arab region’s oldest venture philanthropy organisation, aims to accelerate Alfanar’s reach and impact through an ambitious 2022-2026 growth plan, and is looking to appoint a Development Coordinator to work with the Executive Director and the broader fundraising and communications team to enable the success of fundraising, partnerships, outreach and supporter engagement efforts.
Over nearly two decades, Alfanar has succeeded in gradually and organically growing and diversifying its individual and institutional supporter base, with generous support from its Board members and advisors as well as the commitment of its team. To achieve the next level of growth in impact and income, the organisation is growing its development team and is looking for a sharp, hardworking team player who is passionate about making sustainable change in the Arab World to take on this role.
The Development Coordinator will support the Executive Director and work with the Fundraising team to execute on a refreshed fundraising strategy, especially as it pertains to individual giving. This is a full-time role, with a competitive salary.
Launched in 2004, Alfanar is the Arab region’s oldest venture philanthropy organisation. We are a UK-based charity with operations in London, Cairo, Beirut, Amman and outreach affiliates in the US and the Netherlands. We aim to measurably improve lives in disadvantaged communities across the Arab world by strengthening ambitious social enterprises responding to pressing needs, especially around children’s education, youth employment and women’s economic empowerment. Alfanar provides grants, repayable grants and impact investment (through a soon to be launched sister impact fund) and technical assistance to social enterprises, enabling them to scale their impact in disadvantaged communities, while increasing the sales of goods and services to achieve greater financial sustainability. Alfanar’s highly engaged venture philanthropy approach applies the principles of private sector investment to charitable giving, delivering social returns that are sustainable, scalable, and game changing.
For more information about Alfanar’s venture philanthropy track record and future plans, see our Reports (2022 Impact Report) and our website at: www.alfanar.org. Candidates that progress to second round will be able to consult the growth strategy.
Scope of the Job
We are looking for a driven and enthusiastic individual who will ensure that Alfanar’s fundraising function, especially in relation to individual giving and outreach, is well-supported, responsive, properly documented and reflective of Alfanar’s values. The role will help contribute to the achievement of ambitious fundraising outcomes and targets. The successful candidate will support the Executive Director and the broader fundraising and communications team, as well as Alfanar’s country teams, in developing and building strong relationships with individual donors, in particular.
**Reports to:**Executive Director
Main Responsibilities
Income Generation from individuals
- Actively support the Executive Director to sustain and grow income from individual donors in line with approved targets and strategy
- Identify and conduct research on prospective donors and work with the Philanthropy and Partnerships team to develop relationships with potential donors
- Ensure all fundraising activity is in keeping with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice and is compliant with fundraising regulations
- Ensure all fundraising activity is in keeping with Alfanar’s values and guidelines and that Children, Youth and Women are centred and protected in all communications activities.
Donor Engagement and Management
- Support the Executive Director in pitching to, cultivating, converting, reporting to and managing individual giving relationships. Lend support in pitching to and following up with foundation and corporations, and other potential partners, from time to time
- Support the Executive Director in introducing a refreshed donor journey that encourages long-term support and deep commitment from individuals
- Process individual donations (through Stripe and Form Assembly integration), including recording donations (in Salesforce and Qlik), thanking supporters in a timely fashion and responding to ad hoc supporter queries
- Work with Communications Manager to ensure high-quality ongoing communication to maintain and develop supportive relationships with potential and existing donors, which will lead to an increase in longer term individual giving – this includes donor-facing email marketing and email campaigns (e.g. planning, drafting and designing email fundraising campaigns and general updates).
- Support the running of fundraising events, speaking engagements, conferences
- Contribute to and proofread media and donor kits for events and meetings, appeals, marketing materials and digital content
Donor Data Management
- Ensure that individual donor contacts, activity and giving are accurately recorded and up to date on our donor database (Salesforce)
- Work with the Finance and Operations team to ensure that donor restrictions are accurately recorded and coded in Xero and reflected in monthly management accounts
- Work alongside the Executive Director, Communications Manager and Operations team to ensure that all personal data is gathered, held, and used in-line with relevant data protection regulations
- Support the development team and other staff members to better understand and utilise Salesforce within their fundraising and outreach work.
Trusts, foundations and corporate support
- Support the development team in drafting funding applications and reporting to trusts, foundations and corporations, as needed.
Strategy
- Track, analyse and report on key fundraising KPIs and activity, including donor engagement strategies, on a monthly basis to the Executive Director
- Support the Executive Director to work with and report to the Board’s Fundraising Champion and other Trustees, who acts as a sounding board for new fundraising initiatives and opens doors to new income streams
- Support the Executive Director with drafting, designing, and publishing the annual trustee’s report and impact report, as needed
- Keep up to date with trends in fundraising approaches, opportunities and best practices, especially as they pertain to venture philanthropy, social enterprise in the Arab region, education, youth employment, women’s economic empowerment and the environment
Other
- Support Communications Manager with the development of general marketing collateral (drafting and designing documents for general use like the Alfanar Brochure, Portfolio Snapshot, Alfanar Overview)
- To undertake such other duties and responsibilities as the Executive Director may from time-to-time request. Alfanar is a small team, and all staff are occasionally called upon to support the work of others.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential
- Passionate about social enterprise, sustainable development, venture philanthropy, impact investment in the Arab World
- Experience using a donor management database/CRM, preferably Salesforce, and supporting others in using it effectively
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent professional qualification
- 3-5 years’ relevant work experience, including experience in major and individual donor outreach and fundraising
- Experience in running fundraising events, appeals and campaigns and developing fundraising materials
- High standard of computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, databases)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively to different types of audiences through various channels
- Ability to work calmly in a busy working environment with competing demands on your time;
- Self-confident and able to take initiative but also to work effectively within a formal governance structure
- Financially literate
- Knowledge of fundraising regulations, data protection and best practice in capturing and recording data
- Fluent in English; Arabic is a plus
Personal qualities
- Emotional intelligence; displaying diplomacy and self-awareness.
- Honesty, reliability, attention to detail and dedication
- Exemplary organisational and time management skills
- Ability to work on your own initiative and in shifting environments
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team (essential)
- Flexibility and willingness to travel and attend events outside normal office hours, from time to time
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
- Conscientious and willing to learn
How to apply
APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply, please submit your CV along with a cover letter that explains why you are interested in and suitable for the position to info@alfanar.org.uk with ‘Alfanar Development Coordinator’ in email subject line by 15 March 2024.
Note: We will not review applications without cover letter.