Fundraising Executive

Working at the RFU means being part of the ‘bigger picture’ at England Rugby: to be rooted in our purpose, which is to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union & develop the sport for future generations. If our purpose resonates with you, and you recognise the value that sport can bring to people’s lives, we’d love to work with you. An opportunity has arisen for a Fundraising Executive to join the RFU Injured Players Foundation (IPF) team on a permanent basis.

We really want to understand who you are as a person, please therefore limit your use of AI or ChatGPT.

Job Title : Fundraising Executive
Department : IPF/Rugby Development
Reports To : Fundraising and Charity Officer
Salary Banding : circa £31,000-£33,000
Job Level : Implement
Location : HQ - This role is contractually based at Allianz Stadium, offering some flexibility to work from home
Employment Type : Permanent
Working Hours : This is a full-time role, covering 35hrs per week

Application Information:

• Please submit an anonymised CV and cover letter (i.e. please exclude personal details, etc.).
• The closing date for applications is 18th February at 5pm.

The Role:

Working in the Fundraising Team based at Twickenham, the Fundraising Executive will be responsible for providing fundraising administrative and event support to the Charity and Fundraising Officer and IPF Director.

Working across the RFU Injured Players Foundation charitable initiatives, as well as other RFU CSR activities, the Fundraising Executive will provide support to volunteers, fundraisers and enquirers, engaging them to increase the returns for the charity and build long lasting relationships. This individual will also act as a point of contact for external charity related enquiries received by the RFU and will be expected to take ownership of all administrative processes for the Fundraising Team.

Some key responsibilities include:

The job holder is accountable for the delivery of a professional customer service to fundraisers & supporters, event promotion, management and support and accurate and confidential data management.

• Respond to fundraising enquiries promptly & engage potential fundraisers in the work of the IPF
• Motivate and facilitate existing supporters to maximise funds raised.
• Recruit, organise & manage volunteers through a volunteer programme to fulfil various functions at charity events.
• Deliver and support event days when required, and take responsibility for the organization of small events and programmes under the supervision of the Fundraising and Charity Officer (this will entail evening and weekend work)
• With the IPF’s PR company manage the IPF’s social media accounts, and support with the delivery of awareness activities. 
• Maintain and update the IPF’s website. 
• Process donations received by the charity, maintain accurate and up to date  donor and supporter records and deliver acknowledgement and supporter retention schemes.
• Work with stakeholders to source charity collateral, managing their distribution and the production and distribution of other resources or branded goods.
• Maintain diary of fundraising/awareness events; ensuring necessary resources are available to deliver.
• Provide administrative support for the IPF and fundraising teams when required
• Act as an ambassador for and always promote the best interests of the RFU and IPF, including the promotion of the organisations’ core values and culture
• Undertake such other duties as maybe required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the post and the needs of the organisations

Qualifications, Skills & Experience:

The skills and attributes outlined in this description are not exhaustive and we welcome candidates who can bring different relevant experiences to the role.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Must be highly computer literate with experience of MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook (Essential)
• Strong administration skills (Essential)
• Must have experience in a customer facing role (Essential)
• Knowledge of charity processes & operations (Essential)
• Social Media experience (Desirable)
• Event experience (Desirable)
• Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Experience (Desirable)
• Charity challenge event and community fundraising stewardship experience (Desirable)
• Demonstrable team working & relationship building (Desirable)

Skills and Personal Attributes:

• A team player with a confident manner and a professional, flexible, and positive approach to work
• Demonstrate strong communication and administrative skills
• Organised and attentive to detail.
• Able to manage their time and prioritise effectively 
• Confident working independently, taking ownership of work with minimal supervision
• Able to demonstrate initiative to problem solve  independently with minimal supervision,  who can provide solutions to problems or issues
• “Customer Service” driven, with an understanding of customer requirements and orientation towards service of others 
• Able to communicate effectively with all audiences and build relationships, using positive working relationships, and multiple communication methods
• Good understanding of social media & how to use this to strengthen relationships with charity supporters/fundraisers and to promote charity initiatives to a wider audience
• Determination to follow through tasks or projects to completion
• Will be an effective listener, able to show empathy with the views of others
• An understanding of the rugby/sport landscape is an advantage but not essential

Additional Information:

• Personal circumstances must allow the candidate to work flexibly, (including occasional evenings and weekends), and occasionally work extended hours during times of peak activity.
• Must live within commuting distance of Twickenham.
• IPF role holders are employed by the RFU and seconded to the IPF.

About England Rugby

England Rugby or Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby in England. We deliver three core activities, and our purpose is to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union and develop the sport for future generations.

Our core activities are:

• Rugby – supporting rugby from grassroots to performance level
• Commercial – building partnerships and hosting matches and events
• Running the business - ensuring our organization and people can thrive

Our Culture

At England Rugby, one of our core objectives is to drive rugby union to better reflect the diversity of society. We are aware that rugby, and sports in general, has not always been as welcoming an environment for everyone as we would like, and we are working hard to make rugby a more inclusive space for all identities.

We believe hiring people from underrepresented groups into positions at all levels is vital to creating spaces and initiatives that better support those identities. We would love to see applications from disabled people, LGBTQ+; people, people from ethnically diverse communities, people of faith, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and women and non-binary people.

We know that representation is more than just getting people through the door, it’s about keeping people by responding to structural barriers relating to identities and valuing the insights that different lived experiences bring. We have network groups that provide peer-to-peer support and drive forward change internally. We support colleagues to develop, and each colleague has access to a personal coaching platform that can provide same-day one-to-one coaching. We are pushing ourselves to create a more inclusive culture every day through role modelling our culture and core values; This Rose Means Everyone: Put The Team First, Shape The Future, Respect Each Other.

We know that flexible working is important to our colleagues, so our guiding principles are designed to support everyone to work in the way that suits them, their teams, and the organization in the best way.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. If there is anything we could do to support you through your application or to provide the best environment for your interviews, including assistance or adjustment, please reach out to recruitment@rfu.com.

What we can offer you

We are proud of the range of benefits we can provide:

• A variety of corporate discounts
• Priority access to purchase match tickets
• 25% discount in Rugby Store and EnglandRugby.com
• 25 days of annual leave
• Your birthday day off
• Free access to the stadium gym
• Life assurance of 4x your basic salary, income protection scheme and Employee Assistance Programme that offers anonymous and confidential, emotional and practical support 24/7
• Pension Scheme; the RFU will double match your individual contribution up to 10% of salary
• Ride-to-work scheme, eyecare vouchers, season ticket loans and so much more.