Fundraising & Events Lead

PURPOSE OF THE JOB
The Fundraising Event and Challenges Lead is responsible for overseeing our client's fundraising events portfolio, developing and driving the strategy, and leading the delivery of a wide-ranging events and challenges portfolio. This includes high-profile celebrity sporting and non-sporting challenge events, special events, and mass-engagement events aimed at achieving ambitious organisational objectives and fundraising growth targets.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead the strategy setting, annual planning, and budget setting for events, including building financial models, developing business cases, and strategic plans.
Oversee the operational planning and implementation of fundraising events from ideation through development and delivery, ensuring agility to adapt to changing circumstances.
Manage and coach the events coordinator to support and deliver operational and fundraising activities across the portfolio.
Lead or participate in cross-organisational project teams to deliver event fundraising elements, including fundraising marketing, supporter journeys, and performance tracking.
Manage project teams of internal and external stakeholders and suppliers to ensure successful delivery of events.
Procure and manage relationships with external delivery partners for safe and successful event execution.
Support all operational elements of events including logistics, risk assessments, live content, health & safety, and crisis management plans.
Actively manage event budgets, ensuring spending is monitored, reported, and reforecast to maximise net income.
Champion fundraising events within the organisation, identifying and embedding new tools and approaches to optimise income.
Foster a culture of high performance and build organisational event fundraising expertise.
Work with colleagues to ensure all activities are integrated within the wider fundraising plans and targeted appropriately.
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
Provide constructive feedback, manage performance, and support the professional development of staff.
Undertake business planning, prioritise activities, and set realistic objectives for the team.
Maintain regular communication with staff, ensuring information is cascaded and escalated as needed.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Criteria
Experience in developing strategies, plans, and managing/delivering events with a focus on income generation.
Experience delivering high-profile events with multiple external partners.
Demonstrable experience in complex project and stakeholder management, delivering on time and on budget.
Ability to manage and mitigate risk in high-pressure environments, adapting to fast-paced change.
Excellent communicator with experience leading cross-functional project teams and stakeholders.
Experience in budget management, including setting annual and campaign planning budgets, reforecasting, and tracking.
Desirable Criteria
Experience across a spectrum of events including sporting/non-sporting challenges and special events for various audiences.
Experience working with broadcast media partners.
Experience using digital channels to drive engagement and income for events.
Effective relationship builder, able to challenge and persuade senior stakeholders and partners.