Assistant head of individual giving jobs
How's your job search on our site?
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
FUNDRAISING ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Job description and person specification
Imagine being told that you, or someone you love, is losing their sight. In that moment, two profound questions demand urgent answers:
• Can this be stopped?
• How will I live my life?
Currently, research into preventing and treating sight loss is chronically underfunded, receiving a mere 1.2% of publicly funded health research grants: people who are blind or vision impaired are three times more likely to experience loneliness and isolation than the general population.
We find and fund the brilliant minds and bright ideas that put change in sight. Our researchers are at the forefront, making breakthroughs and discoveries that will prevent, treat and cure eye disease. The partnerships we build and initiatives we support are changing life for blind and vision impaired people.
We are Fight for Sight: we won’t stop until we: Save Sight. Change Lives.
We have a clear ambition and have the support of well-respected and highly engaged ambassadors. We are now looking for experienced, committed, and creative individuals to join our dynamic team to help realise a new five-year growth strategy. If you want to be part of something impactful, we’d love to hear from you.
The Fundraising Administrative Assistant forms an integral part of our Fundraising Team. We are looking for a driven, committed, and creative individual to join our dynamic team as we devise and launch a new five-year strategy. You’ll be part of something impactful and a key support within the fundraising team.
The Fundraising Administrative Assistant will play a crucial role in the future growth of our charity and the impact that we can achieve through partnerships for people with sight loss. You will be a key part of a growing fundraising team providing support across the team.
Responsible to: Individual Giving Manager
Direct reports: None
Working hours and contract: This is a permanent full-time role (35 hours per week). We will consider part-time and flexible working arrangements.
Salary: £25,000 - £26,500 (depending on experience)
Location: Central London with some remote working. A minimum of two days required in the office, 50 Leman Street, London E1 8HQ.
How to Apply:
Please submit your CV and a covering letter, with the subject header: Fundraising Administrative Assistant application to our recruitment inbox
Your covering letter should include a supporting statement (max two pages) comprising why you think you are an ideal candidate for the role, what applicable experience you’ll bring and why you want to work for Fight for Sight?
Closing date for applications: Thursday, 9 July 2026 at noon
Early applications are encouraged. We will be shortlisting on a rolling basis; therefore, we will close the vacancy as soon as we have found the right candidate.
Interview dates: 16-17 July 2026 (TBC)
The interview process is as follows:
• 1st Interview: Online with recruiting manager and fundraising colleague.
• 2nd Interview and an informal meeting with colleagues: Face to face in London E1 8HQ with line manager and other members of the fundraising team on Wednesday, 22 July (TBC)
Role Responsibilities
Supporter Development team
• Support the Individual Giving Managers and Legacy Giving Manager with day-to-day communications with our donor base, including timely database administration to capture communication preferences and personal details.
• Support the Database team with data and financial processes, including recording and batching donations, generating reports, contributing to supporter journeys and reconciling income.
• Liaise with design and print suppliers to source quotes and deliver appeals and other campaigns.
• Support the Supporter Development team in-person in the office, with the processing of direct marketing appeal responses, including banking of donations and sending thank you letters.
• Work with the Individual Giving Managers to implement supporter journeys to encourage further support to the organisation.
• Support the Individual Giving Managers in building emails using the charity’s email marketing platform.
Philanthropy team
• Use a CRM database to effectively administer and manage event and community enquiries and activities.
• Work with the Events and Community team to send out literature and parcels to community groups and event participants in an efficient and timely manner.
• Support with logistics for virtual and in-person events as required.
• Work with suppliers to order new fundraising materials. Be responsible for managing and replenishing fundraising merchandise and stock.
• Helping the team to source prizes and goods for community and challenge events.
• Provide financial admin support to the Philanthropy team including batching and reconciling incoming payments.
• Provide general administration support across the Philanthropy team as required, including printing and posting items.
• Update the database and provide CRM reports as required.
Wider fundraising
• Answering inbound calls as part of the head office call team, at least three days per week, and responding to or triaging enquiries to be resolved in a timely manner.
• Support the Supporter Care Officer in dealing with external enquiries and managing internal post, including sorting incoming post and organising outgoing fundraising post from head office.
• Provide general administration support across the fundraising team as required.
• Be responsible for the fundraising team’s 1Password folder, ensuring it is consistently updated.
• To work in compliance with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Practice and data protection legislation.
Person specification
Desirable skills, knowledge & experience
• Excellent communicator in formal and informal communications, both verbally and in writing, to all stakeholders.
• Proven ability to engage, inspire and enthuse a range of supporters.
• A commitment to undertake training where required and an enthusiasm for new challenges and experiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport.
• Strong project management and prioritisation skills.
• IT literate with experience of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook, and databases.
• A commitment to our values: Together we are bold, tenacious, informed and optimistic.
• Experience of using a CRM database to support relationship management.
• Understanding of the charity sector and associated fundraising technique.
Personal qualities
• An understanding of and commitment to blind and vision impaired people.
• A passion for fundraising and wanting to make a difference. Someone who is keen to succeed and keen to demonstrate their abilities.
• Highly organised with the ability to juggle several deadlines at the same time.
• Positive, confident and enthusiastic.
• The ability to use initiative, common sense and solve problems.
• Self-motivated, team worker with ability to work autonomously as required.
• Willingness to work flexibly where required.
• Approachable, creative, ‘can-do’ attitude.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Happy and comfortable with managing day-to-day routine administrative tasks, in addition to prioritising ad hoc tasks when required
• A growth mindset.
Flexibility
The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended as we grow. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.
Important note: All applicants must have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we do not have a sponsoring license for non-UK employees which means that if you do not have a current, valid UK working permit, please do not apply, as we will not be able to consider your application.
Employee benefits
We value our staff and volunteers and want to make sure that they are supported in their work. Other benefits we also offer are:
• A great team and a supportive culture
• Employer pension contributions matching up to 10%, and death in service cover
• Generous parental leave
• Flexible/hybrid working options
• Apprenticeships scheme, study leave and financial support for training & development
• Cycle to work scheme, eye test vouchers, and a staff loan scheme, access to an Employee Assistance Program
• An active Social Committee and staff events
Application & Interview process
See above (page 2) for How to Apply. Please note that we value the authenticity and individuality of our applicants and believe that your CV and cover letter should reflect your unique skills, experiences, and personality.
Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview online via MS Teams.
Accessibility
We believe in fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of their abilities or circumstances, feel supported and valued. If you have any accessibility requirements or specific needs that you would like us to accommodate during the application process, please let us know. If you are unfamiliar with MS Teams and would like to familiarise yourself with the platform before the interview, we are more than happy to arrange a tech run-through to ensure your comfort and confidence.
Equal opportunities, diversity & inclusion
Don’t meet every single requirement? At Fight for Sight we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every item in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles that we have.
We have an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, including any adjustments required to support people from diverse community groups.
Save Sight. Change Lives. At Fight for Sight, we fund world-class research that helps us better understand, diagnose, prevent and treat vision loss.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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.
YMCA is the world's oldest and largest youth charity. Collectively, we support 402,501 young people across 708 communities in England and Wales.


Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
JOB TITLE: Retail Manager
LOCATION: Alderley Edge
DATE WRITTEN: May 2026
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Retail Area Manager
PRIMARY PURPOSE:
To manage an Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop located in the Cheshire area, ensuring efficient and effective management of colleagues, volunteers, premises, sales, and stock to provide a high-quality retail service in relation to agreed performance targets.
To achieve the maximum potential of funds for Age UK Cheshire by achieving charity retail standards and community engagement.
To ensure all appropriate standards of security and health and safety are met. To organise and manage the day-to-day operations of the store including effective communication with the Head of Retail and reporting of relevant data.
Main Duties:
1. To ensure that the Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop achieves required standards of performance and agreed sales targets:
§ Maximisation of sales through stock rotation, correct pricing, brand awareness and merchandising, to use the full potential of the stock available to you.
§ To gain Gift Aid on eligible donations to Age UK Cheshire to maximise funds for the charity in line with HMRC guidelines. This includes signing up new donors to the scheme and selling stock accordingly.
§ Responsible for managing, training, and developing the Assistant Retail Manager to achieve pre-set objectives.
§ Support, train, and coordinate the work of volunteers in the shop as required.
§ Working with the Assistant Retail Manager to ensure that the shop complies with all the relevant legislation, trading standards and health and safety.
§ Ensuring stock from donors is correctly received and stored within the shop. Working with the Area Retail Manager to make certain of timely collections and suitable deliveries to merchandise appropriately and safely.
§ Administrative systems and working practices to include daily and weekly sales reports, charity log and financial information.
§ Identify stock which can maximise income when sold via e-commerce, auctions, or other sales opportunities.
§ To plan and prioritise special promotions, seasonal adjustments, and sale events.
§ Ensuring professional signage throughout the shop; to be clear and on brand.
§ Engage with the Retail Operations Manager regularly to create a cohesive working relationship with the wider retail team in order to gain support and advice
2. Maintain a high level of commercial awareness by staying informed of sales trends, stock position and local competition.
3. To work as a member of the wider retail team to ensure that all shops across the region are covered appropriately. Have a flexible approach to days worked and location, to provide support to other colleagues and providing holiday cover for the Assistant Retail Manager.
4. To participate in recruitment, induction, training and deployment of colleagues and volunteers. To work with other organisations when necessary to ensure compliance with all legislation and good practice.
5. To develop and manage “designated volunteers” through appropriate training and development, to ensure that they can take responsibility for the running of the shop in the absence of paid colleagues, including holiday cover if necessary.
6. Implement the highest standards of customer care and service.
7. To maximise income by participating in fundraising and trading opportunities.
8. To take responsibility for the shop to implement shop procedures, as follows: -
§ To act as a key holder at an assigned location
§ To prepare the shop for opening by the correct time
§ To close the shop at the correct time and ensuring the shop is secure before leaving
§ To assist in the acquisition of donations including furniture and to liaise with the Area Retail Manager on collection and delivery procedures
§ To sort, prepare and price stock to in line with charity retail processes.
§ To present stock in the sales area to the agreed standard
§ To recruit, train, organise, supervise, and care for the welfare of colleagues and volunteer helpers
§ To reconcile the cash register, banking and to work to Age UK Cheshire’s financial policies and procedures
§ To complete paperwork as necessary, to include use of information technology on computerised systems
§ To carry out Age UK Cheshire’s policy on Health and Safety of colleagues and customers, including all manual handling policies and procedures for goods and furniture, emergency and accident procedures, trading standard policy, refunds and exchange policy.
9. To use initiative to ensure any issues in the shop are resolved quickly and effectively. To follow the correct reporting procedure to inform the Health & Safety Manager of any problems or concerns.
10. To understand and achieve daily/weekly/monthly/annual targets which will be reviewed regularly with the job holder. To undertake performance related reviews with Assistant Retail Managers as required.
11. To be a role model for Age UK’s mission statement and values and to understand how the role of a Retail Manager complements this.
12. To undertake such duties as may from time to time be reasonably requested by management within the flexible definition of the post.
AGE UK CHESHIRE
RETAIL MANAGER - PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Criteria:
- strong communicator with the ability to deliver team messages, deal with customer issues and resolve problems with firmness and fairness.
- ability to understand and interpret financial information in order to manage shop performance outcomes.
- good administrative and organisational skills with the ability to undertake banking tasks, keep basic records and organise resources in a busy environment.
- the ability to recognise stock potential in order to generate income and the importance of attractive presentation.
- supervisory experience with the ability to motivate, inspire and lead a team.
- IT literate
- ability to travel freely between shops (ideally full driving licence and use of a properly insured vehicle during work hours).
Desirable Criteria:
- basic knowledge of Health & Safety and Fire regulations and ability to identify potential risks to include items that sold under Health & Safety regulations.
- proven retail experience
- experience of working with volunteers.
- general understanding/empathy with the aims of the organisation.
Processing stock deliveries will regularly involve carrying and moving heavy stock. You will also be on your feet for long periods of time. On occasions you may be required to work on your own within the shop.
AGE UK CHESHIRE
RETAIL MANAGER - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The organisation currently operates 9 charity shops and has ambitious plans to open more charity shops which all help to provide funds for the charity to deliver its services for older people in Cheshire, as well as being a location to promote Age UK Cheshire services.
All Age UK Cheshire shops sell unwanted household and personal goods donated by the public and other commercial companies. The success of the shops is dependent upon achieving a regular adequate supply of donations. Age UK Cheshire shops have established a reputation for selling good quality items, well presented and at reasonable prices.
The shop staffing structure is supported by volunteer helpers. They do not receive any payment other than the reimbursement of their exact travel costs from their home to the shop.
The shops are all expected to trade profitably. Their function is to provide income to the organisation. Each shop is given a weekly sales target to achieve to produce a targeted net profit once rents and other costs have been deducted.
Each shop has a mixture of staff and volunteers covering a 6- or 7-day working period. The Retail Manager will be supported by an Assistant Retail Manager working flexibly to provide cover at the shop. At times you might be asked to cover other shops depending on staffing issues, so flexibility is a must. Volunteer support is key to the success of the operation and development of “designated volunteers” who can take responsibility for the shop, during some periods of staff absence.
Location: Shop Base – Alderley Edge. You may be required to cover other shops on an ad hoc basis.
Hours: 36.25 hours per week, worked over 5 days Monday to Sunday. Hours are required to be flexible to ensure that the shop is staffed appropriately. There may be a requirement to travel between shops. In exceptional circumstances you may be required to work 6 days per week. The role will require working over the Christmas period and potentially all bank holidays.
Salary: £25452.03 per annum (£13.50 per hour). Overtime payments can be paid for exceptional circumstances where additional days have been worked.
Pension: Age UK Cheshire has an automatic enrolment workplace pension scheme in place for eligible employees.
Leave: 25 days’ leave per annum (plus Bank Holidays) rising after 5 years’ continuous service by one day per year (pro rata) to a maximum of 30 days’ leave after 10 years.
Contract: All new staff are subject to a three-month probationary period. 4 weeks’ notice is required to terminate employment by either side i.e., the employee or Age UK Cheshire. During the probationary period, one week’s notice is required by either side.
Health Care: All staff will automatically join the Age UK Cheshire’s Health Care Cash Plan and will be entitled to receive healthcare benefits.
Criminal Disclosure: Basic DBS Check applicable for this post.
Age UK Cheshire is a Mindful Employer and positive actions will be taken to ensure that people will not be excluded from working for Age UK Cheshire because of their age, race, ethnicity, faith, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, physical or mental health.
Registered charity no. 1091608
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.