Fundraising Officer (Europe based)

Bellingcat Is Hiring! Fundraising Officer, Europe-based

We are looking for an experienced fundraising officer based in Europe to join Bellingcat’s team. Reporting to the Global Director of Fundraising at Bellingcat, the fundraising officer will provide vital support to the global fundraising team by managing all donation processes, ensuring data quality in our donor databases and serving as a first point of contact for individual donors, delivering a warm and welcoming experience for everyone. 

Who We Are

Bellingcat is an independent international collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists using open source and social media to probe conflict, corruption, crimes, misinformation, disinformation, extremist groups and much, much more. We have received numerous awards for our research and publications that uncover facts about events of public interest. Our community (which includes staff, contributors and volunteers around the world) works in a unique field where technology, forensic research, journalism and the advancement of justice and accountability come together. 

Who You Are

You have a proven track record in database management and data flows to manage and monitor donation processes in various channels and create reports that inform strategic decisions in fundraising (such as performance of campaigns, development and trends of target groups). You are enthusiastic to engage and connect with our donors, applying a hands-on attitude to offer them good service and the positive experience of being an essential part of our community. You seek to work for an international nonprofit organization that uses publicly available data and open source analysis to investigate a variety of topics that are in the public interest and advance transparency and accountability.

Main Responsibilities

Database management/ CRM System:

• Donation Processing: Ensuring a smooth processing of all donations via our various channels from Bellingcat entities (Donorbox online forms, wire transfers, checks etc.). Effective record-keeping and data quality management in our CRM System (Salesforce) as well as accurate logging of payments for reconciliation with the finance team and supporting backlog processing as needed.
• Producing data reports on fundraising activities’ performance, giving trends of various target groups and payment channels offering insights for strategic fundraising decisions.

Donor services/ community relations:

• Acting as the first point of contact for all individual donor enquiries through email and social media, directing queries appropriately and maintaining organised records of communication to ensure a positive and engaging experience for everyone.
• Our community is our biggest asset and we’ll engage much more with them in the future, offer campaigns and new support possibilities. Acting as the first point of contact for our community and helping with their questions and initiatives will be an increasingly important part of this position.
• Implementing a timely and personalized thank-you and engagement process for supporters.
• Assisting the fundraising team in regularly monitoring, registering and reporting progress of projects to donors, ensuring that all compliance and reporting requirements are satisfied.

Team collaboration:

• Working collaboratively with the fundraising and wider Bellingcat team to support team members with ad hoc projects, activities, and any high-priority tasks to contribute to overall team objectives.
• Performing a variety of other administrative tasks to support the fundraising team including e.g. assisting the coordination of campaigns or the organisation of fundraising events as needed.
• Any other duties as required by the needs of the organisation.

Development perspective:

• With the growing fundraising team and donor portfolio we’re aiming to develop this position into a junior fundraiser position with your own donor portfolio to manage in the future.

Experience & Skill Sets Required:

• • Experience of working within a team in a similar role (e.g. fundraising/marketing/ service), ideally in a charity/ non-profit environment
  • Competent level of database management, ideally with Salesforce, and donation processing systems as well as Office applications
  • Experience with data analysis, production of reports, ideally in fundraising settings
  • Experience of assisting with the organisation of projects/activities, team assistance

• Strong service orientation and hands-on mentality, strong team spirit

• Excellent project management skills including impeccable time management, problem solving and organizational abilities

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Able to manage a varied workload, with support from the manager and wider team
• High level of digital, data security & privacy awareness

Desirable

• Experience and/or knowledge related to media, press freedom, investigative journalism and technology.
• Interest in current social issues including human rights, humanitarian affairs, political corruption.

What We Offer

Bellingcat is a young and innovative international team with a flat organizational structure and a lot of flexibility. Our distributed model of work encourages initiative, a high degree of responsibility and ownership of both your successes and challenges. We value and reward the drive for excellence and don’t put up with the bare minimum. 

The position needs to be based in Europe (preferably in the Netherlands, UK or Germany) to ensure close collaboration with the Global Director of Fundraising, who is based in the Netherlands, but also supports fundraising operations in the US. Occasional travel to the head office in The Netherlands and potentially to the US may be required.

The position is based on a full-time (40 hours per week) employment contract. The salary range (based on 1 fte, 40 h/pw) is within the framework of the European non-profit sector and is between EUR 45,600 and EUR 56,100 gross annual (commensurate with experience and where the position is based). Additionally, we offer a generous benefits package (including additional paid holidays, wellbeing budget, training opportunities etc). 

How To Apply

Bellingcat is committed to a diverse working environment. Our team is international, from a wide range of backgrounds and we always welcome and appreciate new perspectives and life experiences. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, origin, religion, age, gender or sexual orientation. Your formal education is less important to us than your previous experience in the field. We require recommendations from previous employers and might request additional background checks. 

Please send a resume and motivation letter by 7 April 2025 to Dessi Lange-Damianova, COO Bellingcat, at jobs@bellingcat.com. Only shortlisted candidates will be approached and invited for the first round of interviews in April 2025.