The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare organisation, offering care and protection to donkeys worldwide. Our vision is a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and our mission is to improve the lives of donkeys every day. We will achieve this by transforming the lives of donkeys in need worldwide by fostering greater understanding, collaboration and support, and by promoting lasting, mutually life-enhancing relationships. 

These are ambitious times for the Charity as we have recently launched a new strategy that sees us growing our impact across the world exponentially, and we now have an exciting opportunity for a proactive and self-motivated team player with outstanding decision making and multi-tasking skills and a strong customer service ethic to join our dedicated Fundraising Department. As Major Gifts Officer, you will support delivery of agreed activity within the Major Gifts Team, successfully cultivating and stewarding a portfolio of mid-value individuals and trusts and delivering a range of agreed projects. Working closely with the Major Gifts Managers, you will evolve and continuously improve our supporter stewardship and cultivation activity in line with their capacity and propensity to donate.

About you:

• Demonstrable experience of supporting or managing mid value or major donors, high value or sensitive customers.
• A proven track record of meeting and exceeding fundraising/sales targets.
• Experience of working within a team environment with complex internal stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport and trust with donors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience of writing successful bids (fundraising or sales) and summary reports.
• Strong research and prospecting skills.
• Project and event management experience.

About the role:

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include –

• Supporting the delivery of the Major Gifts Strategy, improving Major Gifts performance.
• Supporting the Major Gifts cultivation/stewardship programme to grow the number of supporters financially contributing mid value and major gifts.
• Managing, supporting and attending Major Gifts stewardship and cultivation meetings and events, including supplier liaison, supporter invite lists, follow ups and budgets.
• Securing, managing and stewarding a portfolio of active mid-value donors and charitable trusts, delivering compelling bids and donor reports, forging and maintaining strong and enduring relationships.
• Researching current and potential major and mid-value donors to enable a donor-centric approach.
• Delivering and reporting on agreed development and stewardship projects, fundraising targets and KPIs.
• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date donor information on our CRM system.

What we offer in return:

This is a full-time, permanent contract starting as soon as possible, working 35 hours per week, 08.30-16.30, Monday-Friday (Please note that we are happy to consider applications on a part-time basis – 28 hours per week over 4 days).

This role is nominally based at our site based in Sidmouth, Devon – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – and we offer hybrid working. We are keen to make the role work for you, and will consider fully remote/home working and flexible working patterns, where required.

Benefits:  

Competitive pension.

31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.

Wellbeing team.

Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.

Long service awards.

Healthshield plan –

• Reimbursement of some medical expenses up to the specified limits per membership.
• Offers, discounts and cashback on shopping, travel and entertainment from participating outlets.
• Access to a 24/7 GP and counselling service.

Free parking.

Subsidised restaurant and shop.

Closing date for completed applications: Wednesday 1 June 2025.

Interviews will be held at The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, during the week commencing Monday 23 June 2025.

The Donkey Sanctuary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults), and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

Please note: The Guaranteed interview scheme is only applicable to candidates who consider themselves to have a disability applying for roles based within the United Kingdom.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: We look forward to receiving your application, but we do ask you to complete this in your own words, and not to employ an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tool or assistant. Applications that are considered not to be an applicant’s own work may not be shortlisted for interview.