Application Deadline: Open until filled
Location: London, UK
Salary: £37,000 – 44,000
The Media Diversity Institute (MDI) is seeking an experienced full-time Development Director to provide an overall leadership and direction of MDI fundraising strategy and other income-generating activities. A Development Director is responsible for the effective delivery of MDI bi-annual financial targets and the financial sustainability of MDI, including liaison and negotiation with funders and other income-giving partners; the preparation and negotiation of grant applications; and the timely delivery of project reports and other contractual obligations.
MDI encourages the inclusion of citizens in society, regardless of their social, cultural and political background, through the provision of industry-leading diversity training and development for media professionals and other stakeholders across the globe.
MDI is a registered charity with offices in the USA, the UK and North Africa and in need of a mixed income of project and core funding granted by international media development agencies, governmental and intergovernmental organisations as well as charitable foundations.
Please apply by sending a copy of your CV and a letter setting out why you would be a good candidate for this position, including two references (one being your current or most recent employer which will be taken up if you are offered employment) to:
farid.littleproud@media-diversity.org
Job Description
1. to lead on the development of funding prospects for the Media Diversity Institute (MDI), including identifying funders, preparing approaches and proposals and negotiating contracts.
2. to oversee MDI’s research pipeline of potential funding.
3. to lead on the stewardship of all MDI’s funding relationships, including overall oversight of monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
4. to lead on MDI’s programme development, in liaison with the Executive Director, Project Managers and in-country teams, including identifying project opportunities, identifying partners, and matching programmes to funding opportunities.
5. to maintain oversight of the US-based fundraising operations, through liaison with the Head of US Operations.
6. to support in-country teams on local fundraising, partnership identification and in-country donor stewardship.
7. to provide assistance to other departments as may be required.
Person Specification
Essential:
1. strong track record of raising funds for international development, human rights and/or media development programmes (securing at least 1 major grant or consulting contract of over GBP 300,000 per year in the last three years).
2. minimum five years’ experience of successfully working with major institutional funders in this sector, including some or all of the following: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, DFID, the EU, USAID, the Big Lottery Fund and European funders such as Sida, Norad and the Swiss Development Agency.
3. experience of successfully working with UK and overseas trusts and foundations.
4. experience of programme development and working with diverse teams in different parts of the world in this role, including setting budgets.
5. experience of developing and executing fundraising strategies.
6. staff and /or volunteer management experience.
7. a self-starter, able to take the initiative and work with minimal supervision.
8. highly organised and able to manage a heavy, diverse workload.
9. excellent written English (native-level standard) and proven ability to synthesise information into appealing and compelling funding proposals.
10. excellent spoken communication skills and proven ability to effectively present an organisation’s work to external parties.
11. ability to work well with colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds.
12. an understanding and commitment to inclusion, human rights and tolerance.
13. right to live and work in the UK.
14. good knowledge of Microsoft office applications.
Desirable:
1. experience of setting up and working closely with a fundraising board.
2. experience of one or more of the following fundraising areas: organising fundraising events, high-net-worth individuals, corporate funders, tendering and commercial contracts.
3. experience in or understanding of the media development sector.
4. experience of fundraising from the US.
Competencies
The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job:
Creative thinking: able to transform creative ideas into practical reality. Can look at existing situations and problems in novel ways and come up with creative solutions.
Strategic thinking: can identify a vision along with stepped plans to deliver this vision. Evaluates situations, decisions, issues etc, in the short, medium and longer-term.
Planning and organization: able to think ahead in order to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources.
Communication: able to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.
Influencing and persuading: able to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.
Managing relationships and team working: able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people. Works co-operatively with others to be part of a team, as opposed to working separately or competitively.
Developing others: creates a climate in which potential can be realised.
Resilience: manages personal effectiveness by managing emotions in the face of pressure, set backs or when dealing with provocative situations. Demonstrates an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy.
Flexibility: adapts and works effectively with a variety of situations, individuals or groups. Able to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives on an issue, to adapt an approach as the requirements of a situation change, and to change or easily accept changes in one’s own organization or job requirements.