[Reader-list] Search for a Fund Raising Coordinator: Ummeed Child Development Center

[abshi at vsnl.com]

Ummeed Child Development Center
7A Chinoy Mansion
Warden Road, Mumbai 400 036 

Search for a Fund Raising Coordinator

The Organization
Ummeed is a Mumbai based non-profit organization formed with the specific objective of providing coordinated inter-disciplinary care to children with developmental disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, Learning Disability, Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, etc. Ummeed provides both diagnosis of these disabilities and follow-on care.
Ummeed has a team of 12 part-time professionals including developmental pediatricians, speech therapists, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, a physical therapist, a special educator, and a counselor. These professionals have trained at institutions like Harvard University, City University, London, Northwestern University, Washington University, and Bombay University, and all of them have significant experience in working with children with developmental disabilities in India.
Ummeed is unique in India because of the quality of its team, its inter-disciplinary approach (resulting in much better care for the child) and its focus on empowering parents to take a more proactive approach towards their child (which allows the professionals at Ummeed to benefit from the parent’s knowledge of the child, leverages the time of the professionals and helps motivate parents). 
Ummeed has gone from a start-up organization seeing 5 patients a week in November 2001 to a unit seeing over 70 patients a week in January 2004. It has also been active in supporting other organizations and public bodies build awareness and advocacy. It has also started two research projects. For more details on Ummeed, see Ummeed.org
However, given there are over 150,000 children with developmental disabilities in Mumbai alone - we would now like to grow the organization and expand its operations. By the end of 2007, we would like to be seeing over 800 children a week (using a central core facility and five satellite centers), executing on four research projects a year, running an early intervention center, disseminating information to parents and professionals across the country, training professionals to work in the field, and developing new more cost and resource effective ways to help children with developmental disabilities. 
As we scale up, we need increased funds. One of our board members, Ashish Karamchandani, CEO, Monitor Group (a leading international Management Consulting and Merchant Banking firm) has taken the lead in helping generate these funds. We are looking for a Fund Raising Coordinator to work with him on this task.
Note, while the task is primarily helping in fundraising, there will be opportunities to work with the team at Ummeed on other areas as described below.

Job Responsibilities
	Working with the board member in charge of fund raising (primary responsibility)
–	Following up on potential funders (sending emails to test interest, following up with those who are interested, responding to data requests, etc)
–	Following up on existing funders (keeping them updated, sending them info they want, periodic updates on Ummeed and areas where they are helping, etc)
–	Identifying new areas of funding and finding prospective funders (using resources like contacts, internet, proposals, presentations etc)
–	Maintaining a database of funders that keeps track of whom we have approached and the status
–	Preparing and supporting grant applications (to foundations and corporates in India and outside India)
–	Monitoring the overall portfolio of fund-raising activities to assess likely funding and “key areas to fill”
–	Coordinating presentations to various institutions and corporate organizations to raise funds
	Developing support material for Fundraising / PR / Image building
–	Writing up case studies, getting photographs and other visuals that communicate the work being done at Ummeed and its impact, etc.
–	Supporting other individuals (senior professionals at Ummeed or external experts) preparing brochures, videos, etc.
	Other tasks (25 – 40% of time)
–	In addition to fund raising and related tasks described above, the individual will also have the opportunity to participate in other tasks like research projects, supporting new programs, working with the Executive Director on growth initiatives, etc. The actual tasks will depend on the individual’s interests, areas of expertise and opportunities at Ummeed. 

Note: 
(1)	A core part of the job will be working closely with the Board member responsible for fundraising. He is a experienced business leader and much of the learning and development on this job will come from working with him
(2)	The Fund raising Coordinator is not expected to know health care or developmental disabilities. Ummeed has an experienced medical director and a number of very well trained professionals who will provide all the “technical knowledge” required. In fact, the coordinator will go through a “training programme” to help them understand the world of developmental disabilities
(3)	The coordinator is expected to be a full member of the Ummeed team. She/He will participate in team meetings, get involved in building awareness and advocacy, etc.



Candidate Profile
	Good verbal/written skills in English
	Well versed with computer basics (word, powerpoint, excel, internet browsing)
	Systematic, can handle large number of on-going interactions, good on tracking and follow through
	Good organizational skills
	Able to work independently
	Has a Bachelors degree
	Motivated and interested in working with NGOs

Logistical Details
•	Mumbai based
•	Work is expected to be full time, but there will be some flexibility in work hours/location (e.g., for a mother who may only be able to spend a limited amount of time at Ummeed).
•	Salary : Rs 6,000 to 10,000 (depending on experience and capabilities)

In summary, this is an interesting opportunity for a young graduate or a young mother who wants to work with the non-profit sector and develop fund raising and general management skills. It could be a path of apprenticing and learning skills for a long term career in the non-profit sector or a transition period of “sales skill development” and creating impact before getting a formal business degree.
 
Contact Details
If you are interested in applying for the position, please send Shamin Mehrotra, your resume, a sample of your writing and a letter telling us why you would like to do this job and why you feel you will be able to do it. Shamin’s contact details are:

e-mail: 	shamin_m at hotmail.com
Address: 	Ummeed Child Development Center
		7A Chinoy Mansion
Warden Road
Mumbai 400 036
Tel Number: 	91-22-2363-2258 / 2363-2932