Thistle’s ambition is for a world of inclusion, free of isolation and loneliness - where a health crisis does not mean a life crisis. Working as part of Thistle’s Development team, the Fundraising Officer will play a crucial role in making this ambition a reality for people in Scotland living with the devastating diagnosis of a long-term health condition.

The main purpose of the role is to deliver high quality, responsive fundraising support across all fundraising income streams – including donor communications, data entry and analysis and reporting – to Thistle’s Development Team. Working as part of a team, you will have a dedicated workload including third party and supporter-led fundraising events alongside shared responsibilities.

If you feel you can be a positive contact point for Thistle, ensuring the provision of an effective, efficient and friendly service to those we support, staff and others who come into contact with Thistle, then we would love to hear from you.

Who we are

We are a pioneering Scottish charity supporting people with disabilities, long-term health conditions and those facing challenging life situations to live well – on their terms. We focus on the person, not their condition, and tailor our support to their unique hopes.

It is an exciting time to join Thistle as we expand our health and wellbeing service nationally, with fundraising being crucial to achieving this ambition.

About you

As Thistle’s Fundraising Officer, you will be responsible for ensuring the smooth running of our income streams. This will involve things like gift processing, making Gift Aid claims, reporting on fundraising data, managing existing fundraising relationships and sourcing new opportunities to generate income in the community.

You will also be responsible for Thistle’s community and third party fundraising, which will bring you into contact with our amazing supporters. This role also comes with the potential for future development opportunities in this area of fundraising.

At Thistle, we encourage people to follow their interests; we are a supportive bunch with a development and training budget to match, so even if you don’t yet hold all the skills we’re looking for we’d love for you to apply anyway. What’s most important to us is a passion for people and making a difference, excellent attention to detail, and the enthusiasm and ability to think innovatively and bring new and creative ideas.

Your main responsibilities

• Processing donations, counting cash income, recording gifts, regular income reporting
• Data entry of accurate, up-to-date supporter information, tracking and recording all contact with donors, and ensuring that data protection regulations and standards are met
• Producing financial and statistical analysis for team members and senior leadership
• Being a positive point of contact for people engaging with Thistle, including supporters, staff, and people we support via email and phone (or in-person)
• Acknowledging donations promptly and keeping supporters engaged and informed through friendly and professional stewardship, including letters, cards, emails and phone calls
• Working to improve donor retention and understand attrition rates e.g. delivering supporter surveys and speaking with donors to understand their motivations for support
• Identifying and securing opportunities for income generation including third party events, supporter-led activity and relationships with community and corporate groups
• Supporting fundraising activity through digital channels, including virtual and in-person events
• Working with and supporting Thistle fundraisers with their fundraising activity
• Responsible for fundraising materials such as t-shirts, collection cans and other materials, liaising with supporters, volunteers and suppliers as necessary
• Supporting fundraising appeals, campaigns and other tasks as required

Why work at Thistle?

• Covid-19 has changed how we live and work. Consequently, our team is moving to a hybrid working arrangement between home and in-person at our Centre of Wellbeing in Edinburgh
• A lively and supportive culture where you know you are making a difference every day
• Flexibility to shape your hours in a way that works best for you and the team, working around interests and commitments like childcare, hobbies etc.
• 35 days of annual leave, inclusive of bank holiday allowance (flexibility to take bank holidays or not)
• Fantastic paid for training opportunities
• Award-winning office space in Edinburgh and support for hybrid working

Thistle’s ambition is for a world of inclusion, free of isolation and loneliness - where a health crisis does not mean a life crisis. Working alongside the Head of Fundraising, the Trusts and Foundations Manager will play a crucial role in making this ambition a reality for people in Scotland living with the devastating diagnosis of a long-term health condition.

The main purpose of the role is to secure transformational income from charitable Grants, Trusts, Foundations and statutory bodies to sustain and grow Thistle’s Health and Wellbeing service. You will lead on and develop a funding pipeline, the writing of applications, co-ordinate reporting requirements in addition to liaising with funding partners and other key stakeholders.

If you are an experienced, creative and passionate person who wants to make a positive difference to those we support, staff and others who come into contact with Thistle, then we would love to hear from you.

Who we are

Thistle is a pioneering Scottish charity supporting people with disabilities, long-term health conditions and those facing challenging life situations to live well – on their terms. We focus on the person, not their condition, and tailor our support to their unique hopes.

It is an exciting time to join Thistle as we expand our health and wellbeing service nationally, with fundraising being crucial to achieving this ambition.

About you

Are you passionate about writing impactful funding applications, developing meaningful relationships and making a positive difference to the lives of others?

As Thistle’s Trusts and Foundations Fundraising Manager, you will be responsible for securing ambitious funding targets that will provide vital support to people living with long-term health conditions in Scotland. You will work closely with our service delivery teams, people we support and a variety of stakeholders.

What is most important to us is a passion for people and making a difference, excellent attention to detail, and the enthusiasm and ability to think innovatively and bring new and creative ideas.

If this is something that excites you, then we want to hear from you.

Your main responsibilities

• Growing income by executing Thistle’s Trusts and Foundations strategy
• Managing Thistle’s funding pipeline by identifying income generation prospects, securing ambitious funding targets and stewarding existing funders
• Identifying, researching prospective funders and writing high-level and compelling funding applications
• Co-ordinating and delivering report submissions
• Working closely with key stakeholders to deliver successful applications and provide comprehensive reports
• Working closely with Thistle’s Strategic Leaders, Development team and Health and Wellbeing service to identify and determine funding priorities
• Attending networking and sector events to generate new opportunities
• To perform an Ambassadorial role and be the primary contact for stakeholders including Thistle staff, funders and partner organisations
• Maintaining accurate records on Thistle’s fundraising database

Why work at Thistle?

• Covid-19 has changed how we live and work. Consequently, our team is moving to a hybrid working arrangement between home and in-person at our Centre of Wellbeing in Edinburgh
• A lively and supportive culture where you know you are making a difference every day
• Flexibility to shape your hours in a way that works best for you and the team, working around interests and commitments like childcare, hobbies etc.
• 35 days of annual leave, inclusive of bank holiday allowance (flexibility to take bank holidays or not)
• Fantastic paid for training opportunities
• Award-winning office space in Edinburgh and support for hybrid working

ENABLE Scotland’s mission is to create an equal society for every person who has a learning disability. Led by people who have a learning disability, a crucial part of our work involves campaigning, influencing and advocating for improvements in public policy and legislation so that any barriers to an equal society are removed. You will deliver ENABLE Scotland’s strategic objectives as a membership-led campaigning charity.

The Campaigns & Activism Lead will join an award-winning campaigning team to lead the delivery and development of membership led campaigns and activism.

The primary priority, for this high-profile role, is to influence the successful delivery of the Scottish Government’s Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill, ensuring that the voices of people who have a learning disability are at the heart of influencing the process. Working alongside partner organisations to coordinate and lead joint campaigning and influencing activity.

You will engage strategically with both local and national stakeholders, ensuring opportunities are identified for ENABLE Scotland members to participate, and that relationships are maintained, with lead responsibility for the CPG Learning Disability.

You will lead the development of all aspects of ENABLE Scotland campaigns and activism work co-designed with our members in line with key policy priorities.

You will have lead responsibility for our work to enable the participation of our members, their families and the people we support in the development of policy and campaigns work, ensuring their voice and experience is gathered as evidence, contributing to the development of ENABLE Scotland’s body of policy and research. You will design and implement our campaigns and activism plans, and, working with our Inclusion and Participation team, empower people who have learning disabilities and their families to take positive action to achieve change.

You will be creative, solutions focused, and values driven; an experienced and astute influencer, with a strong understanding of the Scottish political system, excellent communication skills, and a passion for human rights and leading change.

About You

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline

Knowledge & Understanding

• Understanding of the current policy and social issues relating to equalities and human rights; learning disability; carers; the social care sector; the charity sector.
• Have a flexible approach to work and an ability to prioritise
• Knowledge of services and networks supporting people with learning disabilities nationally
• Knowledge of participation structures, methodology and principles
• Good working knowledge of Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, and local government processes and how to influence policy and legislation.

Skills & Abilities

• Team Player who is ready to support the Charitable Services Team and the wider organisation when required
• Ability to research and analyse information and problems, draw conclusions and make recommendations
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, knowing how to prioritise and mange own workload
• Ability to build relationships and trust
• Computer literate including the ability to use databases and Office 365
• Produce high quality, accurate work
• Excellent interpersonal skills in dealing with people issues
• Excellent communication skills, ability to maintain professional relationships, even under pressure

Experience

• Delivering high quality events both in person and online
• Experience of leading campaigning and influencing work in a similar role
• Experience of writing for a variety of audiences e.g., easy ready, government consultations, parliamentary committees, internal briefings and comment pieces for publication on a website
• Experience of supporting a range of stakeholders in participatory activity to inform policy development

About Us

What’s also great about ENABLE Group is that we’re passionate about developing all our staff and provide an extensive training programme, combined with a commitment to create career development opportunities.

We also have an excellent range of staff benefits on offer including but not limited to:

• Health cash plans providing a wide range of health benefits to help people cover the cost of their everyday health care.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Season Ticket Loans

Remember, this is an exciting opportunity to join a group which is shaking up the social care sector in Scotland and making a real difference to people’s lives. Don’t miss the chance to help shape this journey.

ENABLE group is an equal opportunities employer and our recruitment, selection and assessment process is based entirely on values, skills and competencies required of the specific roles.

GAMH services support people with mental health problems to recover and lead self-determined and purposeful lives. We currently have vacancies for reliable people who can commit to our core values of equality, inclusion and recovery. All GAMH employees benefit from excellent terms and conditions including pay which matches at least the Scottish Living Wage for every role. Our Learning and Development Programme guarantees that you have continuous training opportunities to ensure that you have all the skills you need for the job as well as meeting the requirements for SSSC registration.

Assistant Project Workers are required to work in our Service Centres located across the city. Assistant Project Workers will provide personalised support to adults with mental health problems on an individual and group work basis.

A qualification at SVQ2 or equivalent, or a willingness to work towards achieving this qualification is essential due to the requirements to register with the SSSC for this post.

Knowledge of the role and purpose of a social care worker is essential for the above posts. Full induction and training will be provided including on the SSSC Codes of Practice and the National Care Standards and how this framework applies to your role.

Applicants for all posts must be able to work flexibly; some early morning, evening and weekend working may be required.

GAMH aims to promote equality of opportunity in service delivery as well as in employment practice. To achieve this, we positively welcome applications from all sections of the community. Accordingly if you have any particular requirements regarding your application please contact Pauline Stewart, Admin Support, on 0141 552 5592.

These posts are regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. An offer of work with Glasgow Association for Mental Health will be subject to the outcome of this check being satisfactory.