Assistant event fundraising director jobs in Milton keynes

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a passionate, supportive team and to help grow community and events frundraising directly enables Bipolar UK to reach more people, reduce harm, and save lives. You will be trusted to lead, encouraged to innovate, and supported to do your best work.This is a management role focussed on strategic planning, enabling delivery and leading a small team to perform at their best.

Working closely with the Director of Fundraising and alongside the Strategic Partnerships and Trusts teams, you will be responsible for setting clear plans, developing effective fundraising approaches, and ensuring strong systems, processes and supporter experiences are in place to drive sustainable income growth.

You will lead the delivery and development of community fundraising, challenge events, individual giving through community activity, and in-memory fundraising. A key part of the role will be developing a clear and engaging events and fundraising volunteer offer, including an effective induction process that enables volunteers to fundraise confidently on behalf of Bipolar UK.

This role requires a thoughtful, organised and people-centred manager who understands how to balance ambition with compassion in a mental health charity context.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic leadership and planning

• Develop and deliver a clear community and events fundraising strategy aligned with Bipolar UK’s wider fundraising and organisational goals.
• Translate strategy into achievable annual plans, income targets and team objectives.
• Use insight, data and evaluation to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Work with the Director of Fundraising to forecast income, manage risk and maximise return on investment.

2. Community and events fundraising delivery

• Lead the planning, delivery and growth of a portfolio of community fundraising initiatives and challenge events, both in person and online.
• Ensure a consistently high-quality supporter experience across all community and events activity.
• Oversee web content and digital resources to support community and event fundraising
• Identify and develop new fundraising opportunities that align with Bipolar UK’s mission, values and supporter base.
• Act as an ambassador for Bipolar UK at key events when required.

3. Volunteer fundraising offer

• Develop a clear, accessible and motivating events and community fundraising volunteer offer.
• Design and implement an effective volunteer induction process, ensuring fundraisers feel confident, supported and well-equipped.
• Work with colleagues to ensure volunteer fundraising activity is aligned with safeguarding, wellbeing and organisational policies.

4. Digital campaigns and income growth

• Lead on the planning and delivery of digital-led community and events fundraising campaigns.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications colleagues to develop supporter journeys, content and communications that drive engagement and income.
• Develop approaches to grow connected income streams, including regular giving and in-memory giving, through community and digital activity.
• Monitor performance, assess impact and report clearly on outcomes and learning.

5. Supporter experience and stewardship

• Ensure supporters are stewarded with care, empathy and professionalism, recognising the personal connection many have to bipolar.
• Oversee thanking, updating and re-engagement activity to build long-term supporter relationships.
• Ensure accurate and compliant use of the CRM and fundraising data.

6. Team leadership and organisational contribution

• Line-manage and support the Fundraising Officer and Supporter Engagement Assistant, providing clear direction, coaching and development.
• Create a positive, supportive and high-performing team culture focused on impact and learning.
• Oversee income and expenditure for the community and events portfolio, monitoring budgets and performance against targets.
• Contribute to organisational planning, cross-team working and the development of efficient systems and processes.
• Evaluate performance and produce insight-led reports to support decision-making and improvement.
• Uphold Bipolar UK’s values at all times.

Essential Criteria

• Significant experience managing community and/or events fundraising, with a track record of achieving income and engagement targets.
• Experience of line-managing staff and leading a small team to deliver effectively.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with experience translating strategy into delivery plans.
• Experience of managing budgets and reporting on performance and impact.
• Demonstrable experience of digital fundraising and use of online fundraising platforms.
• Experience working with volunteers or community fundraisers.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire others.
• Confidence using CRM systems and fundraising data.
• Knowledge of the UK charity sector, GDPR and fundraising best practice.
• A compassionate, values-led approach and confidence working in a mental health context.

Desirable Criteria

• Fundraising qualification or Chartered Institute of Fundraising membership.
• Lived experience of bipolar, or a close personal connection to someone affected by the condition.