CRM Director

La Fosse Associates; London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the charitable sector is seeking a highly experienced CRM Director/Programme Manager to lead the implementation of a new grant management system. This strategic role requires strong project management skills and experience in the not-for-profit sector. The successful candidate will drive the project from its inception, collaborating with various stakeholders and managing the procurement process. Key responsibilities include defining system requirements, overseeing implementation, and ensuring integration with finance systems.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading CRM or grant system implementation projects.
• Experience in the charitable, public, or grant-making sectors is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the discovery phase to define high-level requirements for a new grant management system.
• Drive the detailed specification of system requirements aligned to business needs.
• Manage relationships with key third parties, including system suppliers.

Skills

Project Management

Leadership

Collaboration

Stakeholder Engagement

Communication

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

Salesforce

Flexigrant

Job description

We are seeking a highly experienced CRM Director/Programme Manager to lead the end-to-end implementation of a new grant management system for a charitable organisation. This role will be pivotal in defining and delivering a successful transformation, with significant input into shaping the project from its earliest stages.

This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role, suited to someone with a strong track record in CRM or grant system implementation, particularly within the not-for-profit or public sectors.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Lead the discovery phase to define high-level requirements for a new grant management system in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
2. Design and manage a procurement process to identify and select the most appropriate grant management system.
3. Advise on internal team structure and lead recruitment or contracting of key roles (e.g., project manager, data migration specialist) necessary for successful implementation.
4. Work with leadership to assess the potential for seconding internal staff to the project team and supporting backfill planning as needed.
5. Drive the detailed specification of system requirements aligned to business needs.
6. Review and challenge existing operational processes to encourage simplification and alignment with standard grant system functionality across all teams.
7. Lead engagement with the current system vendor to understand the data structure and plan for data migration to the new platform.
8. Develop and implement an archival strategy for non-current data from the legacy system.
9. Create a comprehensive project plan encompassing system configuration, testing, implementation, and data migration.
10. Lead the overall programme delivery and establish appropriate project governance, including senior stakeholder oversight and coordination with any selected implementation partner.
11. Collaborate with the finance team to ensure successful integration between the new grant system and the organisation’s finance platform (e.g., Microsoft Business Central).
12. Manage relationships with key third parties, including system suppliers and delivery partners.
13. Prepare and present regular project updates to the organisation’s board.

Skills and Experience:

1. Proven experience leading CRM or grant system implementation projects with demonstrable success.
2. Strong project and programme management skills with the ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
3. Demonstrated leadership and team-building capabilities.
4. Excellent collaboration skills and a track record of working effectively across organisational boundaries.
5. Experience in the charitable, public, or grant-making sectors is essential.
6. Deep understanding of service-oriented system implementations (note: fundraising systems experience is not relevant to this role).
7. Familiarity with commonly used grant and CRM systems, such as Flexigrant, Microsoft Dynamics, or Salesforce.
8. Experience integrating CRM or grant systems with finance systems.
9. Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and reporting skills.
10. Highly organised, delivery-focused, and composed under pressure.