Purpose of Role
The role will oversee the management of the regular giving programme, ensuring the delivery of professional mass fundraising activities targeting alumni, friends and other stakeholders via telephone solicitations, direct mail, email and online campaigns.
They will focus on the acquisition and retention of regular donors and increase the average gift size and overall donation income within the £999 or less level.
Mass fundraising activity will focus on those within the <£999 giving bracket and the role holder will be responsible for identifying and working across the team to develop new fundraising ideas and work creatively to deliver an engaging regular giving programme.
Alongside the regular giving activity, the role holder will also support a sustainable pipeline to a middle gifts programme focused on prospects in the £1,000 to £10,000 gift bracket, working closely with the Individual Major Gifts team. This is an important programme developing pipeline activity for higher level gifts, and the role holder will work closely with the wider Advancement team on the development and implementation of this strategy.
The role holder will also manage the regular giving stewardship programme to ensure donors are thanked and their contribution recognised. They will work to an agreed annual income and expenditure framework and will be responsible for tracking the annual budget for the regular giving programme. To support the delivery of the annual strategy the role holder will develop compelling written and visual communications that effectively articulate the case for support.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Regular Giving Programme Planning
As a key member of the Supporter Engagement team, you will collaborate with colleagues across Advancement to develop and deliver an ambitious regular giving campaign. You will:
1. Lead regular giving activity alongside team leads to deliver a year‑round programme that encourages alumni giving
2. Define segmentation for targeted appeals in consultation with the Advancement Services team
3. Build an annual delivery schedule for the regular giving programme aligned with broader fundraising and alumni engagement strategy
4. Manage and promote crowdfunding opportunities for small projects
5. Deliver against agreed annual income and donor engagement targets
6. Collaborate with colleagues in the sector identify new approaches and ideas
Telephone Campaign Management
You will own the day‑to‑day delivery of telephone fundraising campaigns, playing a central role in generating philanthropic income for the Shaping Futures Campaign. Responsibilities include:
7. Supervising the fixed‑term student calling team and supporting caller enquiries
8. Managing calling (currently 4 weeks per year) alongside third party suppliers
9. Reporting weekly campaign progress to the wider Advancement team
10. Liaising with the third‑party calling software provider to ensure smooth operations
11. Overseeing the calling rota, payroll approval, and budget reconciliation
12. Working with the Advancement Services team to ensure timely CRM data imports
13. Ensuring all gift income and caller feedback is accurately recorded
14. Managing student caller recruitment via Unitemps, Academic Schools, and other departments, including developing promotional materials and overseeing the process
15. Designing and delivering caller training sessions
16. Managing follow‑up activity including information requests, pledge chasing, and stewardship
17. Tracking the telephone campaign budget weekly
Direct Appeal Campaign Management
You will deliver creative, compelling campaign communications that drive donor engagement. You will:
18. Create written and visual content that clearly articulates the case for support
19. Manage production of multi-channel fundraising packs, including liaison with external suppliers
20. Work with the Senior Development Executive to project campaign performance and review results
21. Report regularly on success against agreed targets
22. Ensure materials, content, and resources are prepared for future campaigns
23. Work with the Alumni Engagement team to secure campaign visibility across the website, social media, and other platforms
24. Ensure donors are thanked and enquiries are answered promptly
Middle Gifts Programme
You will contribute to building a strong donor pipeline by:
25. Managing the transition of donors from regular giving into the middle gifts programme
26. Implementing donor engagement strategies that support pipeline development towards the £1,000–£10,000 level
Wider Activity
You will play an active, forward‑thinking role in departmental activity by:
27. Managing the stewardship programme that recognises and retains regular donors
28. Collaborating with Supporter Engagement colleagues to raise awareness of philanthropy among current students and graduating classes, including developing giving opportunities and other areas of involvement
29. Contributing to departmental projects and cross‑team initiatives to support joined‑up Advancement activity
30. Providing input to help shape the broader alumni engagement and development strategy
Please note: This job description is not exhaustive. The role holder may be required to take on additional duties appropriate to the grade as priorities evolve or as the role develops.
Essential & Desirable Criteria
Essential
31. A first degree or equivalent qualification
32. Supervising and motivating others, ideally within a telephone fundraising or similar target driven environment
33. Experience of fundraising and stewardship
34. Experience of delivering telephone and direct mail campaigns
35. Experience of implementation of a multi-channel regular giving programme
36. Experience of developing campaign content including written appeals, social media content and web content
37. Experience of using Raiser’s Edge NXT or similar CRM system
38. Demonstrate tact and diplomacy
39. Ability to motivate and enthuse others about the cause
40. Excellent IT skills
41. Excellent communication, both written and verbal
42. Ability to build effective relationships
43. Creative and a problem solver
44. Positive and enthusiastic
45. Keen to develop skills and experience
46. Self-motivated and results orientated
Desirable
47. Marketing or related qualification
48. Experience of working within advancement within the higher education sector
49. Experience of direct fundraising asks
50. Budget tracking, monitoring and reporting
51. Experience of working to agreed income targets and reporting against these
52. Understanding of the tax advantages of charitable gifts
53. Understanding of the special requirements of the development and alumni engagement function within higher education
54. Understanding of the data protection regulations and of working within its framework
55. Commitment to the values and mission of Heriot-Watt University