Development – information for TC22 applicants

Job Description

Telephone Campaign callers will be trained to contact specially selected alumnae with the objective of talking to them about the College’s current alumnae relations and development programme. The purpose of this is:

To seek support from alumnae on behalf of the College by asking for donations and pledges in a sensitive and non-obtrusive manner and to encourage the call recipient to consider Regular Giving
To build closer links between the College and its alumnae and to help accelerate our wider development programme and communicate our fundraising aims
To inform alumnae of specific College events and to record any feedback given relating to past events
To record any news snippets for newsletters or gain feedback on previous newsletters
To talk to alumnae about their lives and as an additional aspect you will find alumnae offer careers help and advice to you as an individual caller
To boost energy and evoke interest in specific projects and to measure support for the College development and alumnae relations projects
To thank current donors for their continued generosity
To help us to build and verify contact details
To record pledges of voluntary help for College events and activities
To remind them of privileges associated with being an alumna of Newnham College

FAQs

When is the Campaign?

The 2022 Telephone Campaign runs from Monday 19 September to Monday 3 October inclusive.

Monday 19 September 9.00am – 4.00pm training
Tuesday 20 September 9.00am – 4.00pm training and 6.30pm – 8.00pm calling
Wednesday 21 September 6.15pm – 9.30pm
Thursday 22 September 6.15pm – 9.30pm
Friday 23 September DAY OFF
Saturday 24 September 10.45am – 5.00pm
Sunday 25 September 1.45pm – 8.00pm
Monday 26 September 6.15pm – 9.30pm
Tuesday 27 September 6.15pm – 9.30pm
Wednesday 28 September DAY OFF
Thursday 29 September 6.15pm – 9.30pm
Friday 30 September 6.15pm – 9.30pm
Saturday 1 October 10.45am – 5.00pm
Sunday 2 October 1.45pm – 8.00pm
Monday 3 October 6.15pm – 9.30pm

Where do I call from?

Calling will take place in College. Rather than a dedicated calling room with computers and phones, each member of the team will be working from their own room, but you won’t be on your own – you’ll be connected online with the rest of the calling team and the campaign manager for every session. The calling team is provided with free accommodation in College from the evening of Sunday 18 September 2022 until the morning of Saturday 1 October 2022 when room licences begin.

Why are we fundraising in this way?

The telephone campaign is the best way to contact a large number of alumnae in a more personal and unique manner, and it facilitates conversations between Newnhamites of different generations, strengthening our College community and increasing engagement with alumnae. The campaign is a great way to seek support for vital projects at Newnham, particularly related to student support, while allowing students to exchange experiences with alumnae, benefit from invaluable careers advice, and provide an update on what has been happening in College and forthcoming events, which may be of interest to them.

Why do current students need to be callers?

You are ideally placed to call alumnae as you both have Newnham as a common link. By matching you with alumnae who have similar interests and degrees, you will end up having many fascinating conversations with alumnae. Many of our alumnae have told us that they enjoy chatting to students, sharing experiences, and seeing what life is like in College today. Likewise, many of our students have thoroughly enjoyed these conversations. Our students are also very passionate about making a difference to current and future generations at Newnham who need financial support to be able to come to the College, make the most of their time here and complete their studies.

What does a standard call achieve?

Our calls aim to build relationships with alumnae, update our records, raise awareness about vital projects at Newnham and seek financial support. The donations that we raise are spent on supporting students and funding bursaries, helping to facilitate access and outreach initiatives, and other projects that are important to the future of the College.

Is it cold calling?

Don’t worry, it is not cold calling. The alumnae included in the campaign have been sent a letter beforehand letting them know that a current student will be calling them. They are given an outline of our projects and an idea of how much we would like them to donate. They are also given the chance to opt-out if they do not want to participate. The majority of people you speak to will not only be expecting the call but will be looking forward to it.

Do you get a good response?

We are very fortunate that in previous campaigns, around 75% of Newnham alumnae who were called donated, with the remainder having enjoyed their conversations with students.

What skills do I need for the position?

Excellent standard of spoken English and communication skills, particularly over the telephone
Naturally outgoing with a pleasant, polite and diplomatic manner
Strong commitment to the College
Confident manner to enable you to negotiate
The ability to handle personal information in a discreet and tactful manner
Reliability, punctuality and accurate time-keeping
Resilience, openness to taking direction and being receptive to feedback so that you develop your skills throughout the campaign

You will receive full professional training before the campaign over two days and you will develop excellent transferable skills for your CV and future careers. This training is compulsory for all callers, even if they have been part of the team in previous years.

Do I need a National Insurance number for the role?

Yes. If you do not have one, please visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number to learn how to apply for one.

More questions?

Contact the Roll and Development team on development@newn.cam.ac.uk and we will be happy to help.

The application deadline has now passed.