Fundraising Operations Manager

The Felix Project; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Felix Project is seeking a 12-month fixed-term Head of Fundraising Operations to provide leadership and management support during a period of significant organisational change. Reporting to the Head of Public Fundraising and Engagement, the role leads the Fundraising Operations team to deliver excellent supporter service, income processing, compliance and strong operational delivery.

Working with colleagues across Fundraising, Finance, Marketing and Technology, you will embed effective ways

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading and developing teams.
• Strong people management and coaching abilities.
• Experience driving process improvement and organisational change.
• Understanding of supporter journeys and supporter experience.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Strong organisational and project management capabilities.
• Ability to work in a changing environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication skills with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the Fundraising Operations team, creating a positive, accountable and high-performing culture.
• Provide coaching, support and performance management to team members.
• Set clear priorities, objectives and expectations across the team.
• Ensure appropriate resource planning and workload management.
• Review and improve fundraising operational processes to drive efficiency, consistency and an excellent supporter experience.
• Identify opportunities to simplify ways of working and reduce operational risk.
• Develop and maintain clear procedures and process documentation.
• Monitor operational performance and implement improvements where needed.
• Ensure effective collaboration between Fundraising Operations and wider organisational teams.
• Oversee the delivery of an excellent supporter experience across all supporter touchpoints.
• Oversee the effective handling of supporter enquiries, complaints and requests.
• Ensure robust processes are in place for income processing, Gift Aid administration and financial reconciliation.
• Monitor service standards and implement improvements where required.
• Ensure fundraising operations support the delivery of organisational income goals.
• Ensure fundraising activities are supported by appropriate operational controls and processes.
• Work with colleagues to maintain compliance with fundraising regulation, data protection legislation and organisational policies.
• Ensure risks are identified, managed and escalated appropriately.
• Support the maintenance and review of fundraising policies and procedures.
• Build strong working relationships across Fundraising, Finance, Marketing, Technology and other key organisational teams, while ensuring the team's data responsibilities are effectively integrated with its wider operational work.
• Act as a trusted operational adviser to fundraising colleagues.
• Support organisational change initiatives affecting fundraising operations.
• Ensure operational requirements are effectively represented in organisational projects and initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Performance management

Process improvement

Data management

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication

Change management

Job description

This 12-month fixed-term role will provide leadership and management support for the Fundraising Operations function during a period of significant organisational change.

Reporting to the Head of Public Fundraising and Engagement, the postholder will lead the Fundraising Operations team, ensuring high standards of supporter service, income processing, compliance and operational delivery. They will play a key role in driving team performance, embedding effective ways of working, improving processes and ensuring the function is well positioned to support fundraising growth.

Working closely with colleagues across Fundraising, Finance, Marketing and Technology, the postholder will help ensure operational changes are successfully embedded and that fundraising teams are supported by efficient, effective and supporter-focused processes, including strong data management and insight delivered by the team they lead.

This is a leadership and management role focused on leading people, driving performance, embedding effective operational practices and delivering excellent supporter service. The role will provide oversight of the team's data responsibilities, while working closely with specialist colleagues across Finance and Technology where additional technical expertise is required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead, motivate and develop the Fundraising Operations team, creating a positive, accountable and high-performing culture.
• Provide coaching, support and performance management to team members.
• Set clear priorities, objectives and expectations across the team.
• Ensure appropriate resource planning and workload management.

Operational Excellence and Process Improvement

• Review and improve fundraising operational processes to drive efficiency, consistency and an excellent supporter experience.
• Identify opportunities to simplify ways of working and reduce operational risk.
• Develop and maintain clear procedures and process documentation.
• Monitor operational performance and implement improvements where needed.
• Ensure effective collaboration between Fundraising Operations and wider organisational teams.

Supporter Services and Income Processing

• Ensure the delivery of an excellent supporter experience across all supporter touchpoints.
• Oversee the effective handling of supporter enquiries, complaints and requests.
• Ensure robust processes are in place for income processing, Gift Aid administration and financial reconciliation.
• Monitor service standards and implement improvements where required.
• Ensure fundraising operations support the delivery of organisational income goals.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure fundraising activities are supported by appropriate operational controls and processes.
• Work with colleagues to maintain compliance with fundraising regulation, data protection legislation and organisational policies.
• Ensure risks are identified, managed and escalated appropriately.
• Support the maintenance and review of fundraising policies and procedures.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong working relationships across Fundraising, Finance, Marketing, Technology and other key organisational teams, while ensuring the team's data responsibilities are effectively integrated with its wider operational work.
• Act as a trusted operational adviser to fundraising colleagues.
• Support organisational change initiatives affecting fundraising operations.
• Ensure operational requirements are effectively represented in organisational projects and initiatives.

Significant experience leading and developing teams.

• Strong people management skills, including performance management, coaching and developing others.
• Experience driving process improvement and operational change.
• Strong understanding of supporter journeys and supporter experience.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a changing environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in a charity or fundraising environment.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulation, Gift Aid and data protection principles.
• Experience leading operational functions within fundraising, customer service, supporter services, membership or a similar environment.
• Experience managing income processing, financial controls or CRM administration functions.
• Experience supporting organisational or system change projects.
• Experience managing supporter services functions.

We bring people together to rescue, repurpose, and share surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, turning an environmental problem into a social opportunity. Together with 16 other independent charities, 18,000 volunteers, and thousands of partners, we are the UK's food rescue network, supporting 1.5 million people across the country. We are about fuller plates, fuller communities, and fuller lives.

At Felix, we are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do. We value the unique contributions of every individual and strive to create a respectful, inclusive environment free from discrimination or prejudice. Our commitment extends to all employees, and volunteers, ensuring equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of background or characteristics.