Principal Gifts Manager – Europe

Position description

The WHO Foundation (WHOF), launched in May 2020 and headquartered in Geneva, was created as an independent Swiss foundation affiliated with but independent of WHO. Its mission is to mobilize greater private capital and partnership to advance the mission of the World Health Organization (WHO), enabling catalytic impact on the people whose lives rely on WHO’s work and facilitating innovation to maximise the impact of the resources we invest.

WHO plays a singular role in leading the global health ecosystem, acting as a first-responder to health crises — including the current conflict in Ukraine and on behalf of the 15+ million people in urgent need of aid in Horn of Africa; producing technical guidelines and tools to prevent and treat disease; and acting as a country-level convener with an unparalleled level of trust. The crises of the 21st century, including COVID-19, have made clear both the inequity of access to effective and affordable healthcare and the indispensable role of WHO. Yet WHO lacks sufficient resources to fulfil its mandate. And, beyond funding, its vision cannot be achieved by the public sector alone.

The WHO Foundation was therefore created as an independent Swiss foundation affiliated with but independent of WHO to marshal new resources from philanthropists, foundations, businesses, and individuals to support its mission: promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable, while protecting the neutrality and independence of WHO as the world’s leading health authority. WHOF is a nexus for unique opportunities in global health, facilitating game-changing opportunities between the private sector and WHO. Our focus is on mobilizing grant income, shared value partnerships, and investment to power WHO’s work.

PURPOSE

The Principal Gifts Manager is a vital member of the Development team at the WHO Foundation, responsible for advancing strategic fundraising and engagement goals. The post will appeal to a talented principal gifts fundraiser who is motivated by the opportunity to have a transformative impact on the Foundation’s fundraising at a crucial point in its history.

By fostering relationships with individuals, trusts, and corporations this role aims to secure funding at $3 million plus level, from a diverse and growing community of supporters.The Principal Gifts Manager will connect these stakeholders to our mission through a combination of face-to-face meetings, events, written proposals, and compelling presentations.This role may be a multi-market specialist, concentrating on a selection of portfolios.

REPORTS TO

The Principal Gifts Manager will report to the Regional Director of the WHO Foundation.

ACCOUNTABILITIES & FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising and portfolio management:

• Responsible for increasing philanthropic gifts for WHOF, and developing a sustainable pipeline of prospects and fundraising income.
• Manage a portfolio of 30-40 prospective donors and deliver multiple gifts at the $3 million + level.
• Deliver against set targets including money raised, asks made, meetings secured and gift close rate.
• Develop strategies for multi-year transformational funding, working collaboratively with the Development Team to achieve successful financial growth through increased UHNW networks and corporate partners. This includes building a plan to engage family offices, donor advised funds, wealth advisors, and grow family foundation engagement working at the principal level.
• Efficiently use the CRM to record and report on activity: feeding into campaign data, team reporting and management information for the senior leadership team.
• Cultivate deep and meaningful PG relationships with prospects and donors
• Develop strong working relationships with WHO and WHOF’s staff and senior volunteers

Relationship management:

• Develop and implement effective cultivation/ solicitation strategies with potential donors to motivate significant gifts to match fundraising priorities.
• Initiate and grow a personal network of senior key influencers who are able to advise and make introductions to strengthen and grow our major donor base.
• Build mutually beneficial relationships with WHOF and WHO colleagues, particularly in relation to fundraising projects, and align programmes of activity where appropriate.
• Create shared opportunities that support and advance the Foundation’s fundraising priorities.
• Translate complex ideas into compelling messages tailored to supporters.
• Work with leadership and fundraisers from across the Foundation to identify potential funding priorities that may be of particular interest to principal gifts donors and prospects.
• Where assigned, lead on a geographical focus region’s overall engagement strategy, leveraging existing and planned foundation-wide activity to increase regional engagement, whilst collaborating with stakeholders, advocates and ambassadors to further identify new philanthropic funding opportunities

Collaboration:

• Work in partnership with the Finance team, Legal, Comms and wider WHOF teams to ensure gifts are processed in line with donor wishes and financial regulations
• Work with senior stakeholders to secure transformational gifts.
• Ensure the highest standards of donor care through effective stewardship, timely reporting, gift acknowledgment and continued engagement.
• Demonstrate tact, poise, and resourcefulness in all areas of performance.

Job requirements

PROFILE

• A minimum of 8-12 years of experience in fundraising
• Significant experience of managing a portfolio of principal gifts prospects, and closing large 7-8 figure gifts
• Proficient in developing relationships and negotiating with HNWI prospects and supporters
• Demonstrable experience of working to and achieving challenging financial targets
• Demonstrable experience of devising successful fundraising strategies
• Excellent knowledge of best practice in philanthropic fundraising and applying those principles successfully in an international development, higher education, charity or other similar environment
• Strong experience in health partnership with health emergencies and corporate partners is also welcome
• Thorough knowledge of IT systems, database management and Salesforce.
• Experience working in an international organization and/or in international development within a complex stakeholder environment
• Knowledge of European and UK philanthropic networks and organizations
• Self motivated, target driven and aptitude to work with flexibility and autonomy both individually and as part of a multi-stakeholder team
• Comfort with and/or experience of operating in a lean, start-up and remote environment
• Excellent attention to detail and highly organized
• Ability to juggle and prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Experience of fundraising from international donors
• Fluency in English (excellent writing skills), French and/or any other language an advantage
• Politically astute with a tactful and diplomatic communication style
• Proficient at developing relationships and influencing and negotiating at a senior management and board level, internally and externally

WHAT WE OFFER

• Rewarding work in a dynamic non-profit environment
• A collaborative workplace within a multicultural team
• An agile and flexible environment

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Type of contract: Permanent contract
• Location: Geneva
• Working rate: 100%
• Estimated start date: February 2025
• Application deadline: 3 December, 2024

This is a rolling process; applications will be reviewed as they arrive.

Application instructions

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