Appeal fundraiser jobs

Are you an experienced Trusts and Foundations fundraiser seeking an exciting role in the nature and rewilding sector? Are you looking for a friendly, flexible and values-driven organisation where you can make a tangible difference and advance your fundraising career?  This opportunity could tick all your boxes! 

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity dedicated to making rewilding happen, as a solution to the biodiversity and climate crises. We work across Scotland, from the mountains to the sea and from the remotest communities to our urban centres. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes  and people thrive. 

In the five years since we were founded, we’ve established ourselves as a leading force for rewilding in Scotland: a charity that achieves outsized impact through our powerful storytelling and innovative collaborations.  We’re a small, agile and friendly team that works hard to:

• Drive support for rewilding – through our films, creative storytelling, conferences, training courses and political advocacy.

• Commit land and water to rewilding – by supporting over 100 landowners to enhance nature on their land, from crofts and community-owned sites to farms and large estates.

OUR FUNDRAISING 

SBP is a growing organisation with an exciting portfolio of nature recovery projects across Scotland.  Our key income streams include grants from charitable trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, philanthropic donations, corporate partnerships, regular giving and appeals. We have a strong track record in fundraising from trusts and foundations, and we are currently in receipt of grants from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other significant environmental funders. 

Our Fundraising Team comprises a Rewilding Investment Lead (who develops corporate partnerships) and a Trusts and Foundations Lead, led by our Fundraising Manager.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Trusts and Foundations Lead, you would establish and maintain relationships with a wide portfolio of charitable trusts and foundations, and be responsible for securing both project-specific and core income.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Identifying and researching funding opportunities, including due diligence as appropriate.

• Networking, and building and stewarding relationships with prospective funders.

• Liaising with senior, project and finance staff to identify, prioritise and cost key fundraising needs.

• Managing a dynamic pipeline of applications matched to the agreed fundraising priorities.

• Preparing and submitting compelling expressions of interest and funding proposals, including accurate financial information as required. 

• Processing grant offers and ensuring income is recorded accurately. 

• Managing a schedule of reporting and stewardship deadlines to ensure timely feedback and thanks to funders. 

• Securing progress updates from colleagues delivering funded work, in order to produce high-quality reports that meet funders’ requirements.

• Seeking feedback in relation to unsuccessful bids, in order to guide and strengthen future proposals.

• Maintaining accurate and comprehensive records on our fundraising CRM database. 

• Contributing to the development of fundraising strategies, plans and campaigns. 

• Participating fully in Fundraising and SBP team meetings, events and cross-team activities as appropriate. 

Essential skills and experience:

• At least two years’ experience securing and reporting on grants from trusts and foundations, and/or reviewing and advising on grants within a grant-giving organisation.
• Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail. Experience writing compelling bids and reports that align with funders’ priorities.
• Ability to communicate confidently with funders and colleagues in a friendly and engaging manner.
• Experience using a variety of information management tools, including CRM databases and spreadsheets, to accurately record and manage information.
• Confident with numbers. Experience working with project and finance colleagues to develop project budgets.
• Able to organise day-to-day activities according to agreed priorities, manage a busy workload, and consistently meet deadlines.
• Demonstrable passion for nature and rewilding in Scotland.
• Able to maintain personal wellbeing, productivity and effective communication in a remote team.
• Share and demonstrate our core values (see below).

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience securing grants at £250,000 and over.
• Experience of using desktop design tools to create attractive materials that combine written content with imagery.
• Experience building and managing relationships with senior or strategically important stakeholders, e.g. Board members, CEOs.
• Proficient with DonorPerfect CRM.
• Experience developing complex, multi-year budgets for grant applications, including full cost recovery where applicable. 
• Experience using a range of tools and approaches to manage priorities, meet deadlines and hit targets.
• Experience with funders that support nature and climate causes.
• Degree or equivalent professional qualification within a relevant discipline.

OUR VALUES

Our values define us as a charity and guide our relationships with colleagues, partners, funders, supporters and wider interest groups. 

● We are passionate about Scotland and its huge potential for nature restoration.

● We are bold and willing to push boundaries to make rewilding happen. 

● We trade in hope and possibility, not fear and conflict. 

● We are inclusive and respectful, inviting everyone to join the conversation. 

● We are collaborative, building connections across interest groups to drive change.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary: £35,500 - £37,500 FTE, depending on experience. Salaries are paid on the last working day of each month by bank transfer and cover the period of the first  of the month to the last day of the month. 

Contract: Permanent position. 

Place of work: This role is home-based and will require a suitable home office working  environment. SBP will provide a laptop and additional equipment as needed. 

Travel: Attendance of team meetings held across Scotland will be required (typically two to three times per year), and the role may also involve occasional travel elsewhere within the UK. Travel expenses will be paid in accordance with SBP’s  expenses policy. Applicants must be based within a reasonable commuting distance and must have the right to work in the UK (we are unable to provide visa sponsorship). 

Hours: We are open to this role being full-time or part-time (minimum 0.6 FTE, equating to
22.5 hours per week).  Working hours are flexible. The nature of the post may require occasional evening and weekend work. Paid overtime is not routinely available, but time off in lieu will
be given. 

Flexibility: Subject to ensuring that the needs of the charity and the role are met, SBP endeavours to meet the flexible working needs of its staff. 

Holidays: 28 days FTE (pro rata for part-time), including public holidays, plus 5 additional office closure days between Christmas and New Year. 

Pensions: We offer a workplace pension scheme with a 5% employee contribution and 3% employer contribution. 

Probationary period: 3 months. 

Notice Period: 1 month during the probationary period, thereafter 2 months.

Training: SBP is fully committed to personal development and training and offers staff regular opportunities for both internal and external training. 

Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture is committed to equality of opportunity for all and we make recruitment decisions by matching our business needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage or civil partnership. We regularly review our recruitment practices to improve the accessibility of SBP, and we would welcome feedback from you. 

TO APPLY 

Please email your CV and a covering letter (maximum two pages). The covering letter should detail why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience equip you for
this role. 

Applications should be sent by 5pm on Monday 13 July.

Interviews will be conducted by video call on Monday 20 July. 

We endeavour to provide feedback on request to unsuccessful applicants. However, as a small charity – and depending on the number of applicants we receive – we may need to prioritise feedback to those candidates who are shortlisted for interview. 

Thank you very much for considering this role.

Assistant Head of Fundraising (Public Fundraising)

Salary £57,574.79 per annum

LocationLondon/Hybrid

Weekly Hours35

The Vacancy

Job Title: Assistant Head of Fundraising (Public Fundraising)

Location: London/Hybrid

Salary: £57,574.79 per annum

Weekly Hours: 35

Reference: YMC1212513

An exciting moment to join us

YMCA England & Wales is entering one of the most exciting chapters in its fundraising history, launching our ambition to create 10,000 new homes for young people. Working alongside local YMCAs, we will support the development of new accommodation across the federation, helping young people move towards independence.

This role sits at the heart of that ambition.

You will lead the fundraising behind two critical components of the 10,000 Homes programme:
• Securing income from the public to build and sustain a central Centre of Expertise (mobilisation team), supporting local YMCAs to develop and deliver housing projects.
• Raising capital from individual supporters, mid-level donors and major donors to grow a replenishing national fund that provides upfront investment to unlock housing developments across the federation.

At the centre of this is the 10,000 Homes Fund: a bold, housing-focused proposition that offers the public a clear and tangible way to support young people into safe, stable accommodation. You will be responsible for growing this proposition, ensuring it resonates strongly with supporters and inspires giving at all levels.

You will lead an integrated public fundraising approach, bringing together individual giving, mid-level and major donors into one compelling, housing-led narrative. A key part of the role will be translating a complex, federated model into a simple, emotional and compelling case for support that connects with people’s motivations to give.

We’ve established strong early foundations and are now ready to scale. This role offers the opportunity to take a high-potential public fundraising proposition to the next level -expanding its reach, deepening supporter engagement, and unlocking significant new income.

We are looking for someone who is creative, data-driven and passionate about engaging the public to drive meaningful change for young people. We’re looking for someone comfortable working in a federated environment, with the ability to simplify complex ideas into compelling messages for the public.

The role

As Assistant Head of Fundraising (Public Fundraising), you will lead and inspire a team of talented fundraisers, deputising for the Head of Fundraising and taking ownership of our most ambitious programmes:

The 10,000 Homes Fund driving forward our flagship proposition across individual giving, cash appeals and mid-level audiences.

Major Donors shaping the strategy for high-net-worth relationships, new giving circles and development boards.

RoomSponsor, YMCA’s flagship regular giving product, now in its third year of an ambitious growth strategy. You will oversee a unique partnership model across 45 local YMCAs, support the income distribution process, and see first-hand the impact of your work through a programme that directly supports young people with safe accommodation.

Legacies working with the Senior Fundraising Manager and Head of Fundraising to define and grow what is set to become a landmark legacy programme.

This is a hands-on leadership role: you will set direction, manage budgets, develop your team, while also being prepared to step into delivery when it matters most. You will balance strategic oversight with practical execution, ensuring programmes are both ambitious and deliverable.

About you

You are an experienced public fundraising professional with a strong track record in individual giving or direct marketing, alongside a well-developed understanding of major donor fundraising. You know how to bring different disciplines together behind a single proposition and deliver results.

You are an effective and confident leader, able to build, motivate and develop high-performing teams. You create clarity, set high standards, and support others to do their best work, stepping in when needed and leading from the front.

You are at your best when driving a clear proposition forward. You are excited by the opportunity to take a compelling idea and translate it into something that engages the public, inspires generosity and delivers sustainable income.

You are energised by a challenge, comfortable with complexity and working in a federated environment, where success depends on strong relationships and shared ownership. You are skilled at working with partners, whether agencies, internal stakeholders or local YMCAs, and know how to align people around a common goal.

You combine strategic thinking with operational delivery. You are data-driven, using insight and performance to shape your decisions, and confident working with (and occasionally building) financial models to plan, test and scale activity. You bring both creativity and discipline, generating new ideas while ensuring they are grounded, deliverable and effective.

Above all, you are a strong communicator and influencer. You can simplify complex ideas into clear, compelling messages, build confidence with colleagues and stakeholders, and position fundraising as a critical enabler of impact.

Why join us now

YMCA is the oldest and largest youth charity in the world, serving communities across England and Wales every day. The fundraising team is geared up for success, the strategy is set, the proposition is proven, and the results are already coming in. What we need now is a leader ready to take this momentum to the next level.

YMCA England & Wales is committed to equality and valuing diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Our recruitment process is anonymised and candidates' names are hidden. Safer recruitment is important to us and the successful applicant will be asked to provide two references. They will also be required to complete a safeguarding self-declaration, safeguarding training and undertake a DBS check.

George Watson’s College wishes to appoint a Senior Philanthropy Officer to lead the school’s individual giving and legacy fundraising initiatives, and support major programmes and campaigns. Develop strong relationships with donors and our alumni community to grow philanthropic income and long-term engagement. 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 

Individual Giving 

• Lead the planning, execution and optimisation of individual giving efforts. Manage campaign setup, timelines, assets, and donor experience.  

• Monitor performance and analyse results to drive continuous improvement in participation, engagement, and revenue.  

• Collaborate with Admissions and Marketing, and other internal teams, to source and develop compelling content.  

• Along with the Head of Development, manage a fundraising communications calendar and play a leading role in content creation.  

• Collaborate with the Admissions and Marketing team to ensure website content, landing pages, and donation pages support digital giving goals.  

• Execute fundraising strategies in partnership with the Head of Development. Build, segment, code, and deploy emails to support giving campaigns and organisational priorities.  

• Manage a portfolio of donors linked to specific programmes and campaigns. 

Legacies  

• Plan and deliver multi-channel legacy marketing campaigns (print, digital, events)  

• Build and maintain relationships with legacy pledgers and prospects  

• Deliver high-quality, sensitive stewardship to recognise and retain legacy supporters  

• Organise events and communications to engage legacy supporters  

• Produce compelling and sensitive legacy messaging and materials  

Campaign/Programmes 

• Manage and grow the patrons programme, including recruitment, retention, and upgrades  

• Develop a clear donor journey, including benefits, communications, and recognition  

• Monitor performance against income targets and KPIs  

• Work in collaboration with Heads of the Creative Arts programmes to monitor and administer funds for maximum impact across the arts 

Foundation Places and Enrichment Fund 

• Support impact reporting and administration of discrete aspects of our widening access programmes. 

• Manage application process to the Enrichment Fund, including managing enquiries, disbursements and liaison with Finance. 

• Any other duties related to these programmes as directed by senior staff. 

IDEAL CANDIDATE 

Essential: 

• Relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent professional experience  

• Demonstrable experience in Individual Giving, Direct Marketing or Legacy fundraising, with an annual income return of 6+ figures  

• Proven track record of delivering successful multi-channel campaigns  

• Strong understanding of supporter journeys, acquisition and retention  

• Skilled in data analysis, performance tracking and forecasting   

• Proficiency with graphic design tools, experience with Canva would be an advantage.  

• Demonstrable experience with Raisers Edge, or similar CRM system 

• Ability to manage complex projects and programs and deliver to set KPI and timelines 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.  

• Experience with content writing, brand voice, and digital fundraising best practices.  

• Ability to build and foster relationships across business functions.  

• Understanding of charity law, GDPR and best practices in fundraising  

• Commitment to high level of professional standards  

• Genuine appreciation of George Watson’s College’s mission and the ability to communicate it  

Desirable: 

• Fundraising or marketing qualification such as CIOF accreditation or CIM qualifications. 

• Event management experience  

• Experience of working in the education or charity sectors  

• Understanding of the Independent School sector