Fundraising Manager

Christine Loopstra; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Christine Loopstra is seeking a seasoned Fundraising Manager in Cape Town to lead fundraising initiatives and secure major funding from local and international funders. The role emphasizes donor engagement, stewardship, and sustainable relationship management with corporate funders and donors.

The candidate should excel at building partnerships, identifying funding opportunities, and overseeing back-office fundraising processes to meet organizational targets.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in fundraising, donor relations or resource mobilisation.
• Track record in securing major donations, preferably corporate CSI.
• Experience in cultivating and managing donor/partner relationships.
• Strong proposal writing, presentation and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify, solicit and secure funding from corporates, trusts, foundations and individuals.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with funders and donors to ensure ongoing support.
• Drive partnership engagement and donor retention.
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies aligned with organisational goals.
• Prepare funding proposals, reports and donor communications.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Corporate partnerships

CRM systems

Donor engagement

Proposal writing

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

FUNDRAISING MANAGER

Cape Town: My client, an iconic Cape Town-based cultural and arts institution is seeking to appoint an experienced and commercially astute Fundraising Manager to join its team. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned fundraising professional with a proven ability to secure significant funding, cultivate meaningful partnerships and build sustainable relationships with corporate funders, donors and other key stakeholders.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing fundraising initiatives and securing financial support from local and international organisations, corporates, foundations and individuals. The role requires a proactive relationship builder with strong self-solicitation capabilities, the ability to identify and leverage funding opportunities, and a genuine talent for donor engagement, stewardship and long-term relationship management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify, solicit and secure funding from corporate CSI initiatives, trusts, foundations, donors and other funding partners
• Cultivate, develop and manage relationships with existing and prospective funders and donors
• Drive partnership engagement, relationship building and donor retention
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies, campaigns and initiatives aligned with organisational objectives
• Identify new funding opportunities and leverage existing networks and relationships to maximise fundraising potential
• Manage internal fundraising structures, processes and back-office functions
• Prepare funding proposals, presentations, reports and donor communications
• Ensure effective donor stewardship, ongoing engagement and recognition
• Monitor fundraising performance against targets and maintain accurate donor records

Minimum Requirements & Experience:

• A relevant Bachelor's or Honours degree in Fundraising, Development Studies, Business, Marketing, Communications or a related field
• At least 5 years' proven experience in fundraising, donor relations or resource mobilisation, preferably within the NGO, arts, culture, education or development sectors
• A successful track record in independently identifying, soliciting and securing significant funding, particularly at corporate CSI level
• Demonstrable experience in securing major donations, ideally exceeding R5 million.
• Strong experience in corporate partnerships, donor cultivation, stakeholder engagement and relationship management
• Good understanding of fundraising strategies, internal processes and back-office management
• Excellent proposal-writing, communication, presentation and negotiation skills.
• Strong networking, interpersonal and relationship-building abilities
• A proactive, results-driven individual with an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to recognise and capitalise on fundraising opportunities
• Knowledge of CRM systems and donor database management
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends when required for events

Additional advantage:

Exposure to international fundraising and proficiency in an additional European language, preferably German and/or French