Grants & Enquiries Officer

Reports to: Director of Grant Giving

Salary: £35,000 (37.5 hours a week spread over 5 days)

Working arrangements: Hybrid working with a minimum of 2 days a month in the office (negotiable). Initially a 3-year contract with potential to be made permanent.

Benefits: Annual Leave - 25 days per annum plus all customary and statutory English Bank Holidays; Christmas office closure; Pension - 5% of qualifying earnings with employee making the minimum required contributions which can be added to if desired; Season Ticket loans and Cycle to Work scheme offered.

Overview

The Royal Society of Musicians (RSM) is an independent charity providing crucial support to music professionals across the UK, whose lives have been impacted by physical or mental ill health. We support individuals throughout their careers and into retirement and in the last five years have distributed over 3,500 grants totalling over £3.6million and increased beneficiary numbers by 65%.

Grant giving sits at the heart of all RSM’s activities and RSM prides itself on the highly personal support it gives to all its beneficiaries. In a profession where public knowledge of illness can have a devastating impact on an individual’s career, RSM ensures that every application for assistance is treated with the utmost discretion and sensitivity.

The Grants Team (currently a team of two) manages and maintains RSM’s relationship with all applicants and beneficiaries. They receive and process all support-related enquiries and applications for assistance, enabling the production of monthly schedules, reports and annual reviews for consideration by RSM’s senior staff and Governors. Regular liaison with RSM’s Referral Partners and like-minded organisations not only enables working relationships to remain strong but also ensures beneficiaries can be signposted to the most appropriate support networks as necessary.

Main purpose of the job

The Grants & Enquiries Officer is a new role at RSM. Working with the Director of Grant Giving and Grants Manager, the postholder will play a key role in the efficient running of the Grants Department.

This varied role will include managing all incoming enquiries, assisting with the processing of applications for assistance, and production of schedules and reports when required. The postholder will develop strong working relationships with a diverse range of partner organisations and suppliers and will work alongside the Director of Grant Giving and Grants Manager to ensure the continued sustained growth and development of grant giving at RSM.

Key Responsibilities

Case administration

·         Assess eligibility of all incoming enquiries, issue application packs and guidelines and redirect to other funding sources, if necessary.

·         Provide advice and guidance regarding welfare benefits to enquirers and beneficiaries.

·         Identify any individuals facing additional challenges including debt problems and refer them to appropriate and authorised agencies in line with RSM policy.

·         Compile all incoming applications for assistance and work with the Grants Manager to ensure each application is accurate and complete, ready for assessment.

·         Liaise with Referral Partners, health practitioners, Local Authorities and other bodies to enable referrals to relevant organisations for onward support.

·         Check incoming Grants invoices against sums agreed, querying and rectifying any errors before they are presented to the for authorisation and payment.

·         Support the Director of Grant Giving in the Grants Manager’s absence. This may include authorising grants and preparing applications for assistance schedules for presentation to Governors in line with RSM’s grant giving policy.

Data Management and Reporting

·         Create and maintain records with RSM’s case management systems including information about advice and support offered, ensuring information remains accurate and up to date at all times.

·         Ensure all information is managed in accordance with RSM’s policies, including those relating to GDPR.

·         Contribute to RSM’s impact reporting by creating and maintaining a system for Beneficiary Impact Reports to highlight the impact of RSM’s charitable activities.

Communication and Training

·         Develop and maintain successful working relationships with enquirers, beneficiaries, Referral Partners and like-minded organisations, ensuring clear communication channels at all times.

·         Represent RSM at meetings with Referral Partners and other organisations, as well as sector events as necessary, reporting back as appropriate.

·         Take a proactive approach to ensure a full understanding of current State Benefits and other sources of support is maintained, providing updates to staff and Governors when required.

·         Attend regular training for any matters relating to RSM’s grant giving or the organisation as a whole.

General

·         Undertake any tasks not necessarily related to Grants, as directed by the Director of Grant Giving.

Person Specification

Grants

·         Experience of working in a complementary role within a charity, health, social care or welfare setting

·         Full understanding of the health and welfare sector

·         Experience of dealing directly with vulnerable individuals and complex cases

·         Knowledge and application of the latest data protection regulation

·         Ability to assess beneficiary need and develop appropriate options for support

Administration

·         Extensive organisational and administration experience and highly proficient IT skills 

·         Experience and understanding of CRM systems 

·         Strong written and verbal communication skills with a high standard of verbal/written English and the ability to write letters, reports and other documents 

·         Accuracy and attention to detail 

·         Strong time management skills with the ability to prioritise and meet deadlines 

·         Flexibility in dealing with changed priorities, initiative and problem solving 

·         A self-starter with capacity to manage a busy workload with high productivity 

·         Ability to assimilate new information and learn procedures 

·         Commitment to delivering a high standard of work

·         Creative approach to taking forward new ideas

People Skills and Other 

·         Highly empathetic

·         Consistent high level of customer care and responsiveness coupled with patience, tact and diplomacy

·         Ability to deal with people at all levels in a confident and professional manner

·         Team player

·         Confident communicator, able to represent the Society in the public domain

·         An interest in music and sympathy towards the music profession, recognising the value of the arts

Note: This job description reflects the current situation. It does not preclude change or development that might be required in the future.

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter to enquiries@rsmgb.org

A rolling interview process will take place throughout February.