Business & Entrepreneurs Engagement Lead

CORE PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Business & Entrepreneurs Engagement Lead is responsible for the Party's engagement with business, entrepreneurs and wider sector community, and for deepening our relationships with major donors and supporters through excellent stewardship. The role sits at the intersection of sector engagement, donor relations and network management: helping the Party hear the voices of sector experts and major donors alike, and channeling their insight, support and advice into the heart of our parliamentary and fundraising teams.

A core part of this role is the leadership and growth of the Liberal Democrat Business and Entrepreneurs Network, working closely with the events lead to ensure the Network's events are high quality, well attended and continue to expand our reach among the business community.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Sector & Business Engagement

• Identify and engage members of the business community, entrepreneurs and other sectors of the economy, building long-term relationships on behalf of the Party.
• Gather and collate sector expertise and advice, condensing this into clear, accurate findings for parliamentary and policy teams.
• Act as a trusted point of contact for sector stakeholders, ensuring their views are heard and reflected in the Party's policy development.
• Lead on the organisation of the party’s annual Business Day at Autumn Conference

2. Donor Engagement & Stewardship

• Build and maintain direct relationships with major donors, providing excellent, personalised stewardship that reflects the Party's appreciation of their support.
• Work with the wider Fundraising team to develop and deliver donor engagement plans, ensuring donors are kept informed of, and involved in, the Party's work.
• Support donor cultivation and retention by identifying opportunities for tailored engagement, including briefings, events and one-to-one contact.
• Help raise the profile of business, economy and sector fundraising among the wider donor community.

3. Business and Entrepreneurs Network Management

• Own the strategic development of the Liberal Democrat Business and Entrepreneurs Network, with a clear focus on growing membership and engagement.
• Work closely with the events lead to plan and deliver a high-quality programme of Network events and policy roundtables, ensuring they are well organised, well attended and deliver value for members.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of prospective Network members, converting interest into active engagement.
• Monitor and report on Network growth, engagement levels and event quality, using insight to continuously improve the offer.
• Manage the relationship between the network and MPs/policy advisors to ensure it feels linked up and the party is making use of expertise within the network. 

4. Insight, Reporting & Collaboration

• Provide regular, clear reporting on sector, donor and Network engagement activity to the Head of Fundraising and other stakeholders as required.
• Work collaboratively across the Fundraising and Events teams to ensure a joined-up approach to donor and sector engagement.
• Represent the Party at relevant external events, conferences and meetings, acting as an ambassador for the Business and Entrepreneurs Network.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of building and managing relationships with senior stakeholders, donors or business contacts.
• Knowledge of, or interest in, UK business, economic and political landscapes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, concise findings.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple relationships and priorities simultaneously.
• A collaborative approach, comfortable working across teams including Fundraising, Events and Parliamentary teams.

Desirable

• Experience of major donor fundraising or membership/network growth roles.
• Experience working within a political party, membership organisation or not-for-profit environment.
• Experience of planning and delivering high-quality events, or of working closely with an events function to do so.

OTHER

This job description is intended to reflect the core duties of the role and is not exhaustive. The postholder may be required to undertake other duties as reasonably requested, commensurate with the level of the role.

How to apply:

Please fully read through the requirements of the job  before applying and take a few minutes to complete our Equality and Diversity Monitoring Forms then proceed with your application.  

• A full CV of no more than two pages and including a telephone number and email address
• A covering letter (no more than one A4 page) setting out why you want the job and how your experience and skills are relevant to it 

To be considered for this position, please submit your application to recruitment@libdems.org.uk.

We will be reviewing applications as they come in and reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

Please note: We will not be able to employ you if you are not eligible to work in the UK. We will not be able to obtain a work permit on your behalf.

Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed to be made during any part of the recruitment process.

Please let us have details of your current salary and two referees including one from your current employer – if you would prefer us not to contact them until a later stage of the selection process, please let us know.

We will not notify applicants if their application has been unsuccessful at the shortlisting stage.

The Party believes it is essential to foster equity, equality, diversion and inclusion within our workforce. We want our employees to thrive in an environment where everyone is welcome and supported to achieve their potential. It is important to celebrate what makes us unique and that you feel valued, appreciated and free to be who you are.