Grants Development Officer

Location: EJF offices in London or Bath. EJF has hybrid working (3 days in the office)
Salary range: £35,000 – £40,000 (according to experience and location) plus excellent
benefits

This is a unique career opportunity for an extraordinarily talented, committed and
ambitious individual who can deliver outstanding written materials according to tight deadlines
and use superb presentational skills to secure new funding for EJF’s work protecting people and
planet.

About EJF

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is an international organisation that protects the
natural world and defends our shared, fundamental human rights to a secure environment. With
grassroots projects and national programmes in 16 countries and a growing investigative,
filmmaking, and campaigns team working to protect our global ocean and climate, wetlands and
forests, EJF is growing fast. This new role reflects our ambition to increase our income and
diversify our funding to meet our commitment to defend the planet, wildlife and people.

Most of EJF’s income comes from private foundations and government agencies in the UK, Europe,
and the USA. We want to diversify the funding base by sharing our impact and ambitions with
potential funders and securing long-term prospects that help us plan and sustain our
international campaigns. The role needs a highly organised and self-motivated individual to
identify opportunities and manage the grant application and reporting process.

About the Role

The post is new to EJF, offering an unusual opportunity to join a dynamic growing organisation
and help deliver on EJF’s vision for the future. The role will work directly with the directors
and COO, senior management, and colleagues in every geography, giving unique insights into each
team’s operations and impacts and the issues they are working on.

This role is for you if you are enthusiastic and self-motivated with superb, precise and
persuasive written skills and meticulous attention to detail. You are organised and able to
meet deadlines and prioritise your workload. You have a track record of writing successful
grant applications and meeting the reporting requirements to deadlines. You enjoy researching
and reaching out to prospective funders, building relationships, and liaising with colleagues
to ensure you have the information needed to craft winning proposals. You are a confident
speaker who will inspire funders to support our work.

Responsibilities include:

• Research and make recommendations of funding opportunities (new funders) and the best fit
  with EJF’s current and planned programmes. Draft initial enquiries (LoI or call) or funding
  applications. Ensure timely, appropriate follow-up is conducted and that we collect and learn
  from feedback.
• As directed, manage relationships with funders, ensuring timely reporting that meets their
  needs. This will include drafting the funder newsletter (bi-monthly) and providing new
  materials, such as reports, films, audits, etc.
• Draft funding proposals and monitor all deadlines for reporting, planning for the timebound
  and efficient delivery, and working with team members to ensure the highest quality reports are
  drafted in good time.
• Organise a monthly meeting with the directors and COO to present opportunities and actions
  and agree on priorities and approaches to donors.
• Take the lead in preparing government grant applications, liaising with colleagues for
  information and finessing draft texts.
• Maintain the grant database and ensure it is regularly checked and updated and that leads
  are followed up.
• Maintain the grants calendar, ensuring you are aware of reporting deadlines and other
  priority needs well in advance and ensuring no deadlines are missed. The role will take a
  proactive lead and coordinate as required.
• Assist in delivering events to update existing and attract new funders and ensure
  appropriate follow-up.
• Assist in crafting presentations to funders and, as required, work with the comms team to
  develop films or other materials.

Essential skills and attributes

• You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrable
  experience drafting clear, precise, and engaging copy, winning fundraising proposals, and
  supporting materials.
• You can deliver presentations and engage with funders.
• You are meticulously organised and able to meet multiple priorities to tight deadlines.
• You are friendly, self-motivated, and confident, and you can connect easily with colleagues
  and funders.
• Fluent in written and spoken English; other modern European languages are an asset.

Applications: please send your CV and cover letter explaining why you are the right person for
the role to [email protected].

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted due to the volume of
applications we receive.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK. 

Closing date for applications: 13th May 2024.