CRM Director

We are seeking a highly experienced CRM Director/Programme Manager to lead the end-to-end implementation of a new grant management system for a charitable organisation. This role will be pivotal in defining and delivering a successful transformation, with significant input into shaping the project from its earliest stages.

This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role, suited to someone with a strong track record in CRM or grant system implementation, particularly within the not-for-profit or public sectors.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the discovery phase to define high-level requirements for a new grant management system in collaboration with internal stakeholders.

• Design and manage a procurement process to identify and select the most appropriate grant management system.

• Advise on internal team structure and lead recruitment or contracting of key roles (e.g. project manager, data migration specialist) necessary for successful implementation.

• Work with leadership to assess the potential for seconding internal staff to the project team and supporting backfill planning as needed.

• Drive the detailed specification of system requirements aligned to business needs.

• Review and challenge existing operational processes to encourage simplification and alignment with standard grant system functionality across all teams.

• Lead engagement with the current system vendor to understand the data structure and plan for data migration to the new platform.

• Develop and implement an archival strategy for non-current data from the legacy system.

• Create a comprehensive project plan encompassing system configuration, testing, implementation, and data migration.

• Lead the overall programme delivery and establish appropriate project governance, including senior stakeholder oversight and coordination with any selected implementation partner.

• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure successful integration between the new grant system and the organisation’s finance platform (e.g. Microsoft Business Central).

• Manage relationships with key third parties, including system suppliers and delivery partners.

• Prepare and present regular project updates to the organisation’s board.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience leading CRM or grant system implementation projects with demonstrable success.

• Strong project and programme management skills with the ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

• Demonstrated leadership and team-building capabilities.

• Excellent collaboration skills and a track record of working effectively across organisational boundaries.

• Experience in the charitable, public, or grant-making sectors is essential.

• Deep understanding of service-oriented system implementations (note: fundraising systems experience is not relevant to this role).

• Familiarity with commonly used grant and CRM systems, such as Flexigrant, Microsoft Dynamics, or Salesforce.

• Experience integrating CRM or grant systems with finance systems.

• Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and reporting skills.

• Highly organised, delivery-focused, and composed under pressure.