Bid development officer jobs

Are you someone who leads from the front? Do you want a role where no two days are the same – one that combines hands-on project delivery, meaningful work with volunteers, and making the evidence count? The South London Mission is looking for a Community Projects & Volunteer Officer to be at the heart of our work.

This is not a desk-bound role. You’ll be packing Brite Box meal kits, running sessions with families and older people, building and leading a committed volunteer team, and producing reports that tell our story to funders and decision-makers. It’s a role for someone equally at home lifting boxes and writing impact reports.

About Us

Merstham Community Facility Trust (MCFT) is a community charity based at the heart of Merstham.

We provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive space where residents can connect, access support, learn new skills, and feel part of their community. Our vision is for Merstham to be a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Our work is rooted in strong local relationships and shaped by the voices of the community. We are a small, committed team driven by our values of inclusion, empowerment, and community connection.

About the Role

This is a varied and rewarding role combining community development, project delivery, and fundraising.

As Community Development & Funding Officer, you will design and deliver community projects that respond to local needs, while securing funding to sustain and grow our work. You’ll work closely with colleagues, volunteers, and residents to co-create inclusive programmes that make a tangible difference.

You’ll play a key role in:

• Developing new initiatives based on community insight
• Leading projects from idea through to delivery and evaluation
• Building partnerships across the local area
• Securing funding and demonstrating impact

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys both hands-on community work and strategic development, and who thrives in a small, collaborative team.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience in community development, project coordination, fundraising, or a similar role
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Experience using community insight or feedback to shape services or projects
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a small team
• Good IT skills, including data management and basic budgeting
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends to support community activities
• Commitment to inclusion, empowerment, and community-led approaches

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience working with volunteers
• Experience writing funding bids or managing grants
• Knowledge of local community services or challenges
• Experience monitoring and evaluating projects and reporting on impact
• Experience managing budgets or reporting to funders
• Ability to travel locally (e.g. driving licence or equivalent access)

Why Join MCFT?

• Make a visible, meaningful difference in a local community
• Help shape and deliver community-led projects from the ground up
• Work in a supportive, collaborative team environment
• Enjoy flexible working options to support work–life balance
• Gain experience across both project delivery and funding development
• Be part of an organisation that values people, place, and inclusion

Trusts & Grants Officer

Salary:£31817 per annum

Location:Midlands Wide, Hybrid Working (2

Benefits:25 days holiday, pro-rata, 5.5% Employer Pension Contribution including Life Cover, Occupational Sick Pay Benefits & Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity Leave and Pay, plus more

Reporting to: Trusts, Grants & Foundations Fundraising Manager

FareShare Midlands is the region’s largest food redistribution charity, tackling inequality, transforming lives and ensuring no good food goes to waste. We rescue surplus food and redistribute it to 650 local charities and community organisations, feeding 60,000 people every week. We also invest in communities, providing education, training and volunteering opportunities, helping over 700 individuals to date to build a better future. Together, we’re fighting hunger, reducing food waste and creating opportunities across the Midlands. Learn more here or read our latest Annual Report Snapshot by going to our website.

The Role

The Trusts & Grants Officer is responsible for delivering income from trusts, foundations and statutory funders through proactive prospect research, high quality applications, relationship management and timely reporting, contributing directly to FareShare Midlands’ income targets and growth plans.

Trusts & Grants Delivery

• Manage a portfolio of trust, foundation and grant funders
• Writing applications and reports
• Budget management for restricted funds
• Working with FSM and FSUK colleagues on bids
• Build strong relationships with programme officers, grant managers, funding panels.
• Managing restricted funding compliance
• Coordinating evaluation and evidence collection for funder reports
• Monitoring funder requirements and deadlines

Pipeline Development & Prospect Research

• Identify a pipeline of new opportunities in trusts, grants, foundations and corporate to secure new income for FareShare Midlands
• Maintain a rolling 12 to 18 month pipeline
• Regular prospect research using databases (e.g. funds online, the charity commission website, idox etc)
• Prioritising opportunities by value, likelihood and strategic fit
• Assisting on project development working with colleagues to build in the needs and preferences of funders to ensure projects can attract support

Funder Stewardship & Reporting

• Professional stewardship of trusts and foundations funders
• Managing funder communications in line with grant agreements
• Working with the stewardship officer and comms team to identify and develop impact stories and relevant data.

Communication

• Writing funder-facing materials
• Ensuring clarity, evidence and compliance in all submissions
• Coordinating case studies and impact data for bids

Compliance, Monitoring & Administration

 Application tracker ownership

• Reporting calendar management
• Income forecasting for trusts & grants
• Document management for funder requirements

You will be successful in this role by:

• Consistently securing income from trusts, foundations and statutory funders in line with agreed targets
• Maintaining a strong, well-researched pipeline of trust and grant opportunities
• Submitting high-quality funding applications and reports to deadline
• Achieving a healthy success rate across applications through strong prospecting and proposal quality
• Ensuring full compliance with restricted funding requirements
• Building positive, professional relationships with funding partners
• Providing accurate income forecasting and pipeline reporting
• Bringing creativity and passion in communicating FSM’s central mission to inspire funders to support us.

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of restricted funding
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Strong analytical and written skills
• Confidence working with budgets and impact data
• Experience of supporting or developing fundraising partnerships and maximising fundraising opportunities
• Experience of securing gifts from trusts, grants and foundations
• Experience in writing compelling funding applications and impact reporting
• Experience in prospecting for new business and stewarding donors face to face
• Willingness to work flexibly including events and occasional weekends.
• To subscribe to the ethos, vision and mission of FareShare Midlands
• Full clean driving license and have access to a vehicle so that travel between depots or to stakeholder meetings is possible (all travel costs reimbursed)

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• Knowledge of trust, grant and foundation fundraising, particularly around restricted funding
• Excellent communication skills, good persuading skills and good writing skills
• Excellent numeracy skills and use of Excel
• Good relationship building skills, both inside and outside an organisation
• Ability to work to meet objectives and deadlines
• Ability and experience of working well in a team

Values and behaviours 

• A commitment to Equal Opportunities
• An appreciation of FareShare Midlands’ mission and vision
• Flexibility of approach and ability to work in a team
• Proven ability to develop and maintain good working relations, with both internal and external audiences

How to Apply:

If you would like to apply for this role, please create a supporting statement to demonstrate your suitability and to explain your interest in both the job and FareShare Midlands. Please send your supporting statement with a copy of your CV.

We continue to strive to ensure that the profile of our staff and volunteers reflects the diverse communities we serve across the Midlands. As such we encourage and welcome applications from all our communities. We particularly welcome applications from people from ethnically diverse backgrounds as they are currently under-represented within FareShare Midlands. 

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 22nd July 2026. 

Do you believe in the power of communities to shape change?
OCVA is seeking a values-driven Chief Executive to inspire, connect and champion Oxfordshire’s community and voluntary sector.

This is an opportunity to lead a respected local infrastructure organisation at the heart of Oxfordshire’s voluntary and community sector. As Chief Executive of OCVA, you will work alongside a committed Board and a small, passionate team to support charities and community groups, promote and champion volunteering, influence local systems, and ensure the sector’s voice is heard.

You will balance strategic leadership with strong relationships. This includes working closely with local councils, funders and partners, while staying grounded in the realities faced by community organisations. 

We are looking for someone who shares our values, understands the voluntary and community sector, and is motivated by making a meaningful difference. The role is as much about listening, collaboration and trust as it is about income, sustainability and delivery. If our mission resonates and you bring curiosity, integrity and a commitment to inclusive leadership to all that you do then we would love to hear from you.

Link to Change is an award-winning charity dedicated to protecting children and young people from exploitation, abuse and harm. We work alongside children, families, professionals and communities to create safer futures and stronger outcomes.

Now entering an exciting new phase of growth across Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, we are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation into its next chapter.

 Link to Change has a strong reputation as a trusted specialist in tackling child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, online harms and abuse affecting children and young people. Our work has influenced policy and practice, supported thousands of children and families, and amplified the voices of young people with lived experience.

We are ambitious about the future. We want to reach more children, strengthen our influence, grow our services, and continue driving meaningful change within safeguarding systems and communities.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide strategic and operational leadership to the charity, ensuring we remain financially sustainable, well governed and focused on achieving the greatest possible impact for children and young people. Working closely with our Board of Trustees, staff team and partners, you will lead organisational development, strengthen relationships across sectors, champion safeguarding excellence and help shape the future direction of the organisation.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected, award-winning charity with a passionate team, a strong reputation and a clear sense of purpose.

We are looking for a values-driven leader who can inspire others, build strong partnerships, navigate complexity and lead with confidence and compassion. You will share our commitment to safeguarding, trauma-informed practice and ensuring that the voices of children and young people remain at the heart of everything we do.

If you are passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people and want to lead an organisation that is making a genuine difference every day, we would love to hear from you.

Join Link to Change and help create a future where every child and young person is safe, heard and free from exploitation.

Please ensure to follow the guidance within the application pack on how to apply.

Main Purpose of the Role

The Head of Partnerships and Networks provides senior leadership for EHCVS’s partnerships, networks, and income development. Reporting to the CEO, the post-holder strengthens the voice and connectivity of the local voluntary and community sector (VCS) and develops new, sustainable income for the organisation and the wider sector.

The role focuses on growing corporate funding and business partnerships, developing Hounslow Giving (the borough’s place-based giving scheme) in partnership with the Head of Volunteering, and encouraging collaboration and consortium bids across the VCS.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Funding and Income Development

• Lead the development of corporate funding, sponsorship, and business partnerships to generate sustainable income for EHCVS and the wider sector.

• Build relationships with local businesses, major employers (such as Heathrow), and corporate funders, developing clear cases for support.

• Identify corporate social responsibility (CSR) and community investment opportunities and help diversify income.

Developing Hounslow Giving (Place-Based Giving)

• Work with the Head of Volunteering to develop Hounslow Giving, the borough’s place-based giving scheme, as part of the London Giving network.

• Bring together business, philanthropic, public, and community partners to grow local giving and connect funds to local need.

• Support donation, fundraising, and volunteering routes that engage both individuals and businesses.

Partnerships, Networks and Consortium Development

• Coordinate and facilitate EHCVS networks and forums across both boroughs, encouraging partnerships and collaboration within the VCS.

• Develop consortium bids with VCS partners, brokering relationships to pursue joint funding opportunities.

• Represent EHCVS and the VCS at strategic boards and sector events, and maintain relationships with statutory partners (local authorities, NHS, Integrated Care Board).

Leadership and Team

• Provide senior leadership for partnerships, networks, and income development, contributing to the senior leadership team and deputising for the CEO as required.

• Line manages relevant staff, providing supervision and development support.

Monitoring, Reporting and Governance

• Capture engagement, income, and outcomes, and contribute to internal and funder reporting.

• Ensure activity complies with relevant policies (safeguarding, GDPR, equality and diversity) and with fundraising good practice.

Person Specification

Essential

• Senior experience of developing partnerships, networks, or income in the VCSE, public, or social enterprise sector.

• Proven track record of securing corporate funding, sponsorship, or business partnerships.

• Experience in developing consortium or partnership bids and brokering collaboration.

• Experience of, or strong understanding of, place-based giving, community foundations, or philanthropy.

• Strong relationship-building, facilitation, and communication skills across sectors.

• Experience in managing staff and leading delivery.

• Commitment to the values of the voluntary and community sector and to equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the VCSE and funding environment in Ealing and Hounslow.

• Experience of developing or launching a place-based giving scheme or similar initiative.

• Familiarity with the London Giving network and London Funders.

• Experience working in a local infrastructure or second-tier organisation.

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive fundraiser who enjoys both bid writing and relationship building.

Working closely with the Fundraising Manager, you will play a key role in securing income from trusts and foundations, supporting donor stewardship, and helping to grow community fundraising activity. You will contribute directly to the financial sustainability of the charity while helping more children gain access to books of their own.

The role is ideally suited to someone who is highly organised, a strong writer, and confident managing multiple fundraising activities simultaneously.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the organisational lead for all of our operations at Open Door Charity. Sitting alongside the CEO, the COO ensures the charity runs smoothly, ethically and effectively, with the systems, people and processes in place to deliver high‑quality, creative and impactful mental health support for young people.

The COO leads and will directly line manage a small number of Directors and Managers, providing senior oversight, alignment and accountability across the organisation. They ensure Directors and Managers are empowered, supported and held to account for the performance of their areas.

The COO does not lead on business development, bidding, commercial partnerships or strategic growth - these remain the responsibility of the CEO and the Strategic Growth Department. Instead, the COO ensures that once opportunities are secured, the organisation is operationally ready to deliver them with excellence. They will however contribute towards income generation.

This is a new senior leadership role, created to strengthen the charity’s foundations as we enter a period of significant expansion, including the opening of Joy. The COO will bring clarity, structure and momentum to the charity’s operations. The COO will have direct influence over our long-term strategy, as part of a growth minded and ambitious Strategy Group.

In this role, you will play a vital role in enabling the smooth running of the organisation and its programmes through maintaining excellent programme administration, comms, governance, reporting systems and cross organisational project work. 

The role is a key part of the wider Core Team.  

The role is ideally suited to individuals with an interest in the core running of a charitable organisation.   

Good organisational and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to hold a multitude of tasks simultaneously. The role will provide support for the Senior Management Team and wider delivery team. This post offers an excellent opportunity to learn about communications, programme administration, programme set up and data management and reporting within the context of the voluntary sector.  

The role focuses on:

• Communications 
• Data Management and Reporting 
• Programme Administration

Communications 

• Prepare and maintain an annual comms timeline – including key celebratory or significant events for example mental health week, volunteer day etc ensuring that the Trust is maximising coverage across these key dates in the year;  

• Maintain the annual events calendar – work with programme leads to ensure events are being covered by comms; 

• Coordinate, collate and support with the preparation, completion and delivery of the ST newsletter – distribute via Mailchimp and oversee staff hard copy delivery;  

• Day to day social media, liaising with Programme leads for engaging content; 

• Monitor and ensure the website content is updated as needed; 

• Prepare Board report on Comms; 

• Be main contact for and oversee workstream with our Graphic Designer; 

• Write PR materials as needed; 

• Organise and oversee a regular Comms meeting with SLT – to include a focus on external and internal comms, the comms timeline and organisational events calendar 

Data Management and Reporting 

• Coordinating reporting deadlines and ensuring they are met by staff; 

• All reports to be saved into report folder and SLT notified to sign off; 

• Management of Plinth data management system, including managing supplier relationship, monitoring data is inputted correctly and staff training and support; 

• Oversight of data requirements per programme and extraction of headline data information for board reports and general funding bids and reports; 

• Attend quarterly Commissioner Meetings with colleagues. 

Programme Administration 

• Maintain and update contracts and grants master spreadsheet; 

• Preparing paperwork for new contracts and grants agreements; 

• Prepare and issue contract invoices using Xero accounting system; 

• Monitor payment schedule using Xero and update SLT; 

• Coordinate with accountants when contract invoicing is linked to monthly payroll; 

• Planning and set up of new programmes. Supporting staff to launch programmes according to contract funding; 

• Management of core support across delivery programmes including but not limited to advice and assistance, baby buddies, group programmes etc; 

• Supporting SLT with preparation and submission of bid applications 

• Supporting the Core Team with planning and delivering ad hoc organisational projects in line with Organisational Annual Strategy. 

Job Requirements 

Our work is place-based, and people focused. To be responsive to the community and to be able to support Shoreditch Trust activities, we do not offer remote working contracts. You will need to be flexible, working some evenings and weekends. Hours will be agreed on a mutually beneficial basis in line with planned activities. You will be expected to attend organisational meetings, events and clinical supervision. 

Person Specification   

Educational achievements, Qualifications, Training and Knowledge:   

Essential   

• Degree or equivalent qualification  

Experience:  

Essential    

• Work experience as an Administrative Officer, Administrator, or similar role  

• Familiarity with data management procedures and principles  

• Experience using social media platforms and website CMS  

• Experience of using Microsoft products including Word, Excel, and Outlook    

Desirable   

• Experience using e-marketing software e.g., Mailchimp  

• Experience using data management and evaluation software 

• Experience of processing financial claims/transactions   

• Supporting managers to meet deadlines   

Job related aptitude and skills:  

• Ability to communicate effectively by telephone, in writing, by e-mail and in person   

• Strong organisational and communications skills  

• Methodical and organised approach to tasks, with an eye for detail   

• Ability to work calmly under pressure prioritising competing demands effectively   

• Initiative, flexibility, and ability to handle change   

• Ability to produce accurate summaries of meetings, events, and conversations   

• Ability to attend work regularly and on time   

• Good problem-solving skills   

• Good influencing and negotiating skills with the ability to positively engage others and secure commitment and time   

Personal qualities:   

• A problem solver who enjoys translating complex information into practical applications 

• Commitment to continuous personal development  

• Ability to work alone, as well as working co-operatively as a team member   

• Willingness to learn about new initiatives   

• Specialist knowledge related to the area of appointment   

Part-funded by a generous donation from Backstage Trust, this is a new and pivotal role designed to transform Theatre Centre's fundraising capacity by strengthening systems, increasing income diversity, and building long-term financial resilience. The postholder will play a key role in helping the organisation capitalise on its artistic impact and case for support, while building momentum towards its 75th anniversary in 2028.

This role will keep us focused on our development strategy and will have support from across the whole company: the Board, Executive and the core TC team. We have been steadily building our foundations and have some good funding relationships in place, committed individual givers, a strong, evidenced case for support, some incredible stats and feedback and above all an inspiring and exciting programme of work to offer for young people, artists and teachers across the country.

Our Development Manager will help us to bring in resources so that we can continue share our high-quality, specialist work as far as we can. We see development as a collaborative effort and we understand the need for the whole team to support development, that effective fundraising needs to be resourced with realistic timelines and expectations.

About the Role

Contract type: Fixed term to March 2028

Hours: 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE) - we're happy to discuss flexible working patterns that work best for you.

Salary: £24,000 per year (based on £30,000 per year pro rata)

Location: This role can be hybrid or predominantly home based, with some time spent working with colleagues in the office. Theatre Centre is based near Three Bridges station at Unit 4 Crawley Business Centre, Stevenson Way, Crawley, RH10 1TN.

Job Requirements

• A strong affinity with Theatre Centre's mission and a passion for creating opportunities for young people through the arts.
• A values-driven approach, with commitment to equity, inclusion, social justice and environmental responsibility.
• Collaborative, open and transparent working style.
• Comfortable working in a changing environment.
• Proven experience of fundraising within an arts organisation.
• Strong strategic thinking skills.
• Good written communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling cases for support and reports.
• Good understanding of the financial context of this work.
• Experience of building and managing relationships with funders, donors and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including data management.
• Experience of monitoring and reporting to demonstrate impact.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work flexibly under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Job Responsibilities

The Development Manager will lead delivery of a phased fundraising strategy:

Phase 1 - Foundation: Build on our strong systems and processes and give us consistency in fundraising delivery, including building a robust pipeline of Trusts & Foundations and developing place-based income in Crawley and the Gatwick area.

Phase 2 - Private Phase: Expand individual giving by deepening relationships, developing major donors, and securing multi-year funding partnerships.

Phase 3 - Public Bring together all strategic and fundraising priorities in our 75th year, amplifying them into a public campaign that advocates for our change-making work.

If you'd like more information you're welcome to visit our website and download the job pack.

Fundraising Officer – 4‑day week, hybrid, high‑impact charity based in Oxford

If you want a fundraising role where you can see the direct impact of every partnership, pitch and campaign this could be the right move.

About the role:
We’re looking for a Fundraising Officer to join Aspire’s small, agile and supportive Fundraising & Communications team. You’ll be an all‑round fundraiser, working across corporate partnerships, trusts and foundations, and community, events and individual giving. You’ll help grow and diversify our voluntary income so that more people across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley can move out of homelessness, poverty and long‑term unemployment into secure work and housing. 

This is a hands‑on role with real variety: one week you might be crafting a pitch for a new corporate partner, the next you could be pulling together a trust report, planning a community fundraising event or writing supporter communications. You’ll have room to shape the role around your strengths while learning from experienced colleagues.

About Aspire:
Aspire is a multi‑award‑winning employment charity and social enterprise. We support people who have faced serious barriers – including homelessness, offending histories, substance misuse, mental ill health and long‑term unemployment – to build confidence, skills and ultimately secure housing and work. In the last year alone, we supported over 1,800 people experiencing disadvantage to move closer to employment and housing and achieve lasting change. 

We are guided by our values: Ambitious, Supportive, Participatory, Inspiring, Reliable and Enterprising. You will see these lived out day to day – in how we work with participants, partners and each other. 

What you’ll be doing:

• Helping to grow and steward corporate partnerships across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley, from prospect research and pitches to volunteering and sponsorship. 
• Supporting a strong pipeline of trust and foundation applications and reports, telling Aspire’s story with clarity and evidence. 
• Leading on community fundraising and events, building relationships with local groups, schools, faith communities, businesses and individual fundraisers. 
• Maintaining and developing individual giving through engaging, well‑timed communications. 
• Using our CRM (Salesforce) to keep supporter data, pipelines and reporting accurate and up to date. 
• Playing a full part in a collaborative team where ideas are welcomed and everyone pitches in at busy times. 

About you:

You don’t need to tick every box, but you will bring:

• Experience in at least one of: corporate fundraising, trusts and foundations, community/events or individual giving, plus enthusiasm to grow across all three. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt your tone for different audiences. 
• Confidence building and managing relationships with supporters, customers or partners. 
• Good organisational skills and comfort working to deadlines and targets. 
• A genuine commitment to tackling homelessness, poverty and disadvantage, and alignment with Aspire’s values. 

Experience with Salesforce or AI tools would be helpful, but we’re more interested in your mindset: curious, proactive, organised and keen to learn. 

What we offer:

• A 4‑day working week (0.8 FTE). 
• Salary: £29,234 - £35,305 per annum (FTE), depending on experience (0.8 = £23,387 - £28,244) . 
• Hybrid / remote‑first working, with at least two in‑person team days per month in Oxford and occasional events and meetings. 
• The chance to shape and grow a varied fundraising role in a small, supportive team. 
• A values‑driven culture and the opportunity to see the tangible impact of your work. 

How to apply:

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter directly to by noon on Friday 17th July 2026. In your covering letter, please ensure you tell us how you meet the Person Specification and share examples of relevant achievements. 

We are interviewing on a rolling basis and may close the advert early if we appoint, so we encourage early applications. 

Create is seeking a dynamic, ambitious, driven, fundraiser (grants/major gifts) with strong strategic skills, an exemplary income generation track record, and a passion for the power of the creative arts. This Senior Leadership Team position reports directly to the Chief Executive and manages a small team.

Do you believe in the power of the creative arts to connect, empower and upskill isolated and vulnerable children and adults? Are you passionate about relationship building, storytelling, meeting targets and changing lives? Are you excited to use your extensive senior-level fundraising experience, knowledge and contacts to lead Create’s income generation from Trusts & Foundations (T&F), public sector and High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI)? 

The Green House is the only service across BNSSG and BANES supporting children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse. Through our whole family approach, we also support their families and non-abusing parents and carers.

The Green House is looking for an ambitious and passionate Interim Senior Fundraising & Communications Lead to join us at an exciting point in our journey. Initially offered as a six-month contract, this role will take the lead on income generation and shape the future of our fundraising landscape during a period of organisational development and review.

You will play a crucial role in delivering the charity’s ambitious fundraising strategy, driving its successful implementation and helping to shape the future of our income generation. Working across trusts and foundations, statutory funding, Major Giving and wider fundraising opportunities you will identify, develop and secure sustainable income that enables our services to grow and thrive.

 As Interim Senior Fundraising & Communications Lead you will enjoy writing exceptional quality bids, with the ability to understand and present complex information and data in a wide range of formats to funders with very different needs. This includes one-page summaries to lengthy (20,000+ word) bids, working with local funders as well asthose interested in the national picture.

Across all activities, you’ll lead on building strong relationships with funders and partners, proactively identifying new opportunities to diversify income. Working alongside the CEO and widerteam, you’ll use your experience, expertise, creativity, and strategic thinking to maximise fundraising potential and help ensure the charity can continue making a lasting difference to the communities we serve. 

Alongside this you will lead on delivering our communications strategy creating engaging and impactful content across digital channels. You’ll help strengthen our brand, raise awareness of our work and bring our impact to life through compelling storytelling that inspires supporters, funders and communities. 

About Saferworld

Saferworld is an independent international organisation working in partnership with civil society to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. We work in solidarity with people affected by conflict to improve their safety and sense of security, and we build conditions for peace and justice. We also support analysis and learning to influence local, national and international policies and practices that help foster lasting peace and justice. Our priority is people – we believe in a world where everyone can lead peaceful, fulfilling lives free from fear and insecurity. We operate on a not-for-profit basis with partners in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with nine offices across those regions and offices in the UK, USA and Belgium.

Saferworld is committed to providing a safe, trusted environment that safeguards our staff, partners and communities. Our organisational integrity is derived from the values and principles that underpin and guide our work.

We are seeking a strategic and inspiring Head of Funding and Programme Development with a proven ability to lead, motivate, and mobilise resources in a values-driven environment. This role calls for a leader who is deeply committed to equitable partnerships with communities and organisations in conflict-affected settings, guiding teams to raise resources effectively while advancing peace and justice outcomes. Grounded in a people-centred vision of change, you will foster collaboration, champion locally-led approaches, and steer efforts toward resourcing sustainable, community-driven, and collective visions of peace.

About the role

• The Head of Funding and Programme Development will shape Saferworld’s income profile in alignment with our organisational strategy and change process. The post-holder will lead the development and implementation of Saferworld’s funding strategy, ensuring it supports our strategic, programmatic and operational priorities.
• The role will focus on strengthening the quality, flexibility and diversity of Saferworld’s funding base, nurturing relationships with strategic institutional donors, growing philanthropic funding, and identifying new income opportunities.
• This is an exciting opportunity to influence Saferworld’s fundraising and programme development approach during a pivotal period for the organisation. The role will line-manage a small team across programme development, philanthropy and funding.

Key responsibilities

• As part of Saferworld’s senior leadership, you will support organisation-wide initiatives and contribute to strategic decision-making. You will monitor funding trends, identify emerging issues relevant to Saferworld’s work and partnership approaches, and develop appropriate strategies to respond.
• Working closely with the Senior Operations Team, you will ensure funding plans are developed across business units and thematic/regional areas, and that income pipelines are maintained while quality assurance and active cost recovery are proactively pursued. You will oversee the funding and prospects pipeline, produce data and analysis to support decision-making, and provide regular reporting to senior leaders and the Board.
• Externally, you will represent Saferworld with key donors, partners and networks, building strategic relationships and identifying funding opportunities.
• You will lead the development, implementation and monitoring of Saferworld’s funding strategy, ensuring a balanced, ethical and diverse portfolio of restricted and unrestricted income streams. This will include securing quality funding against agreed targets and supporting income diversification through trusts and foundations, commercial funding, and other sources.
• You will work closely with Saferworld’s Grant Management Team to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to donor relationship management and cultivation. You will also lead the design of multi-country and thematic proposals, as well as consortia bid development, to strengthen partnerships and support new ways of resourcing Saferworld’s strategy.
• The post-holder will set standards for collaborative and participatory programme design, manage proposal development processes from opportunity notice to contract signing, and ensure learning from donor feedback is used to strengthen our fundraising approach.
• You will lead the Funding Leadership Team to ensure cross-organisational ownership of fundraising efforts, and work closely with regional, thematic, policy and grant management colleagues throughout the funding cycle.

People and leadership

• You will line-manage the Funding and Programme Development Team and foster an environment where staff feel empowered, take responsibility and are accountable for achieving organisational objectives.
• You will ensure the team facilitates strong participatory programme design and proposal development with partners and staff, embedding Saferworld’s organisational values and principles. You will also support the team to work closely with colleagues across the organisation, grounding proposals in learning, evidence and evaluation findings.

About you

• You will bring proven senior leadership experience in funding, with a track record of developing and implementing funding strategies and raising income through a range of donors, including individuals, institutions, trusts and foundations. You will also have experience securing high-value contracts and grants of seven figures.
• You will have strong experience of leading complex participatory programme design, including developing budgets, monitoring frameworks and proposals. You will be confident coordinating programme development processes with multiple teams and partners to ensure a collaborative and inclusive approach.
• You will have a proven track record of motivating, mentoring and managing a team, and supporting that team to think creatively about fundraising. You will also be confident developing networks, building alliances, and nurturing relationships with individuals, collaborators and funders.
• You will bring a strong understanding of key political, development and humanitarian trends and debates, particularly linked to peacebuilding, development, human rights, governance, and security and justice. You will also have sound knowledge of UK civil society and charity regulatory requirements, and an understanding of the current international aid, peacebuilding and human rights funding environment.
• Experience of working and/or living in conflict-affected contexts, and understanding of peacebuilding and conflict prevention, are desirable.

Skills and qualities

• You will have excellent leadership and management skills, including strategic planning and business development. You will be able to provide sound financial and compliance advice, demonstrate good financial stewardship, and bring a creative, proactive approach to your work.
• You will be able to set priorities while working under pressure, adjust to multiple demands and shifting priorities, and move between hands-on involvement in proposal writing and strategic oversight.
• You will bring strong communication skills, including experience of communicating across cultures and with diverse audiences. You will understand the power imbalances that may be reflected in programme design and budgeting, and bring a strong commitment to inclusive processes and to shifting power and resources to partners.
• You will be committed to Saferworld’s vision, mission and values, including equality, diversity and safeguarding. You will be able to lead by example and create a safe and respectful environment for all staff.

Application process

• Please apply through our vacancy portal on the Saferworld Jobs website.
• Upload your CV and a covering letter addressing the person specification and explaining why your experience matches the requirements of the role.

Deadline for applications: 3 August 2026
Interviews planned: Week commencing 10 August 2026