Sports and Challenge Events Manager

About the Role

We are looking for a highly motivated, organised and experienced sports and challenge fundraiser, to deliver a review of our sports and challenge events programme, identifying new opportunities to grow our income.

Working closely with the Head of Individual Giving and Fundraising Campaigns, you will develop strategies and bring new ideas to grow and develop this programme, potentially including community events – to deliver significant growth in income over the next 5 years.

In this feasibility review, you will analyse our past performance including in well-established, externally organised activities such as marathons and third-party challenge events, and our partner events such as the Terry Fox Runs. You will also assess the feasibility of developing and launching our own-branded events.

During the review, you will line-manage the Sports and Challenge Events Officer to maintain and deliver our current successful events programme and work together on the feasibility review to identify new opportunities for innovation and ways to increase participation. 

You will build key relationships across the department and work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation, to identify and work through new ways to grow participation and increase fundraising income.

At the end of the review, you will present your findings, making recommendations on the key components for a future sports and challenge programme that reflect our ambitions for growth, with plans to deliver it.

This is initially a fixed term project contract. There is potential for the role to become permanent dependent on the direction and outcomes of the review.

Key Responsibilities

In this role you will lead a review of our sports and challenge events programme, including third-party activities such as marathons and challenge events, using data to analyse past performance (income and ROI) and assess the feasibility for developing our own-brand sports, challenge or community events – whilst maintaining the success our current programme of activities.

You will:

• Review, develop and prepare plans to deliver a profitable, engaging and effective annual programmes of sports, challenge and community event opportunities.
• Be responsible for managing the annual available sports marketing budget and contributing to annual budget planning.
• Create innovative new sports and challenge events, designed to attract and retain supporters and develop plans to launch these on time, and to budget.
• Work with Communications and Digital teams to develop comprehensive marketing plans to promote our events, secure participants and increase levels of engagement.
• Work with your team to set targets and monitor progress of fundraisers – and manage their participation in cost-effective ways, to maximise return on investment.
• Support your team to provide excellent stewardship and supporter experience, with pre and post event contact, to encourage repeat participation.
• Collaborate with Development teams to cross sell and identify leads for fundraisers from other areas of fundraising, such as major gifts, corporate, appeals and legacies.
• Be responsible for managing and the personal development of your team, to deliver their campaigns and activities, to agreed objectives and KPIs.

About You

You’ll be a confident, motivated, self-starter who is passionate about using your fundraising experience and skills to make a difference to the lives of people with cancer. You’ll be a strong communicator with good interpersonal skills and creative flair, who enjoys working with a wide range of people, to bring new ideas and initiatives to life.

To be successful, you’ll need:  

• Proven experience and success in a similar role in events or sports and challenges and / or community fundraising

• A proven track record of being results-driven and working to and achieving fundraising targets

• Significant experience of developing and delivering fundraising / and or event plans

• Ability to create and implement marketing plans (online and offline) for events-related activity

• Good interpersonal skills and experience of building and developing relationships with a wide range individuals, colleagues, event committees, and suppliers

• Highly organised and analytical, with ability to cope with competing priorities

• Experience of setting and managing budgets, developing strategies, and producing comprehensive reports

What We Offer

• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Competitive salary and pension

Directorate Information

The Development Office Directorate is responsible for fundraising and philanthropic income across the ICR, maximising support from major donors, individuals, trusts, corporates, charity partners and events. We have a proud track record of performing at a consistently high-level, raising millions every year.

This role is part of the Fundraising Campaigns and Individual Giving team, who are focused on raising funds through individual giving, gifts in Wills and sports and challenge events. Join our team in this exciting new role to help make the discoveries that are so urgently needed to improve cancer patients’ lives.