Bid manager jobs in birmingham, west midlands
Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) is the national charity caring for historic churches at risk. As the operator of the third largest heritage estate in charitable ownership in the UK, our 356 historic churches include examples of irreplaceable architecture, archaeology and art from 1,000 years of English history.
CCT has an international award-winning reputation in heritage conservation and regeneration. All churches in our care are listed, mostly Grade I and II*, and some are Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
Without our care, these buildings might have disappeared entirely. Instead, they are enjoyed as social, tourism, educational and cultural resources, kept open, in use, and living once again in the heart of their communities.
Overall job purpose
This is a fundamental role within our South regional team, internally the role is known as Local Community Officer.
The future of CCT’s outstanding collection of historic churches depends on communities supporting their local CCT church with funds, events, inspiring interpretation, visitor services and preventive conservation. The Local Community Officer will engage and support communities and volunteers to care for 29 historic churches across Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, ensuring each site achieves agreed standards.
We have recently published our TRUST values, which outline the behaviours and expectations that act as our foundations at CCT. We have attached the pack, outlining each value, which we will also be using as part of our shortlisting and interview process to find the right candidates that align with our values.
If you would like to apply for this role, please visit our recruitment portal to begin your application. You will be asked to submit a CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining why you’d like to apply and how you fulfil the person specification for this post, so you’ll need to refer to the job description.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 9am on Monday 15th September 2025.
The interviews will take place in Northampton on Tuesday 23rd September 2025. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.
Please note: As part of our recruitment process, we undertake candidate psychometric testing, you will receive an email following your application submission asking you to complete a series of activities.
All successful applicants will be subject to a basic DBS, references and right to work checks.
We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.
If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.
We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) is the national charity caring for historic churches at risk. As the operator of the third largest heritage estate in charitable ownership in the UK, our 356 historic churches include examples of irreplaceable architecture, archaeology and art from 1,000 years of English history.
CCT has an international award-winning reputation in heritage conservation and regeneration. All churches in our care are listed, mostly Grade I and II*, and some are Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
Without our care, these buildings might have disappeared entirely. Instead, they are enjoyed as social, tourism, educational and cultural resources, kept open, in use, and living once again in the heart of their communities.
Overall job purpose
The future of CCT’s outstanding collection of historic churches depends on us supporting communities around our churches caring for, opening, using and raising money for them. The Lead Local Community Officer will play the prime role in ensuring that local people are engaged, recruited, trained and supported.
The Lead Local Community Officer will lead the regional team of Local Community Officers to support, recruit, liaise with and develop volunteer and community supporters to care, open, use and raise money for the CCT’s collection of historic churches.
They will head the Church Planning process for the region, ensuring every church maintains and develops their co-created Church Plan.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 9am on Friday 12th September 2025.
The interviews will take place in Northampton on Wednesday 24th September 2025. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.
As part of our recruitment process, we undertake candidate psychometric testing, you will receive an email following your application submission asking you to complete a series of activities.
All successful applicants will be subject to a basic DBS, references and right to work checks.
We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.
If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.
We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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!
About you
You’re entrepreneurial, independent, and driven. You treat your work like it’s your own business - spotting opportunities, testing ideas, and chasing results.
If you’re a traditional charity fundraiser, this probably isn’t for you. But if you’re excited by risk, growth, and pace - keep reading.
Over the past three years, we’ve bought and scaled swim events, turned others down, failed fast, and doubled our unrestricted income. We want someone who’s up for that kind of journey over the next three years too.
You’re as comfortable pitching to a corporate partner as you are writing fundraising copy, tweaking button text, or building a forecast. You can move between detail and vision, instinct and data, phone calls and spreadsheets.
You know how to deepen supporter journeys, grow fundraising per head, and develop new income streams. Bonus points if you like outdoor swimming.
About us
We’re a Founder-led charity working to solve learn-to-swim for disabled children - and we aim to do that in the next ten years.
We’ve grown our impact 5x in the past three years and now raise over £1m in unrestricted income annually through our swim events. Our events attract 5,000 swimmers and 3,000 fundraisers, and we own and operate some of the UK’s most iconic outdoor swims - including the Dart10k and Bantham Swoosh - alongside a growing series of 24-hour relays in lakes and lidos.
We’re small, ambitious, and fast-moving. Strategy and delivery happen side by side. We work on multiple projects, test constantly, and keep things flexible and responsive. You’ll need to thrive in that environment to enjoy the role.
The role
We’re all driven, and you’ll need to be too - this is a fast-paced, ambitious environment with lots of learning and change.
We’re looking for a strategic, creative Head of Fundraising to lead our next phase of growth.
Your first focus will be stewarding our 3,000 fundraisers - overseeing segmented email journeys, managing a £40k prizing fund, and improving supporter care through deeper, more personal touchpoints. That might mean calls, events, or just finding ways to help people feel more connected to their impact.
Beyond that, you'll help us develop and test new income streams - from matched giving and regular giving, to sponsorships, repeat fundraising, and post-event conversion. You'll also play a key role in evolving our Challenge Events portfolio across in-person, virtual, and blended formats.
This role requires someone with a strong track record in fundraising growth, a test-and-learn mindset, and the ambition to build something big.
Core Responsibilities
- Strategy Development and Implementation
- Develop and execute a fundraising strategy aligned with the charity's objectives.
- Identify and cultivate new fundraising opportunities to diversify income streams.
- Defining our fundraising growth strategies, specifically around our event series.
Community and Events Fundraising
- Oversee the planning and execution of community fundraising initiatives, specifically with our event fundraisers.
- Engage and mobilise volunteers and supporters for fundraising activities.
Fundraiser Care
- Customer Lifetime value / retention / regular giving.
- Build and maintain relationships with donors, ensuring effective stewardship.
- Develop and implement donor retention strategies to increase long-term support and regular giving.
Trusts and Foundations
- Working closely with our Head of Programmes to oversee our bids process, working with specialists and utilising learnings from previous years.
- Deepen strong relationships with grant-making bodies and ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Corporate Partnerships
- Manage and develop corporate partnerships and event sponsorships.
- Develop tailored proposals and pitches to attract corporate support.
Team Leadership
- Lead, inspire, and manage a small fundraising team, fostering a culture of high performance and collaboration.
- Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for team members for both fundraising and marketing.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Track and report on fundraising performance against targets.
- Provide regular updates to the Senior Leadership Team.
Qualifications and Experience
- Proven experience in a senior fundraising role.
- Proven experience working on fundraising events and event fundraising.
- Demonstrable success in developing and implementing successful fundraising strategies.
- Strong track record of securing major gifts, grant funding and/or corporate partnerships.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire a wide range of stakeholders.
- Experience in digital fundraising and leveraging social media platforms.
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
Optional / Ideal Responsibilities
Marketing & Comms
- Developing Level Water’s marketing and communications strategy
- Leading strategy implementation and ensuring that we’re representing our Programmes work and impact work in the best possible way to our different groups of stakeholders.
Digital Fundraising
- Leverage digital platforms, advertising and social media to enhance fundraising.
- Implement innovative online fundraising campaigns and initiatives.
Event growth and innovation
- Understanding the mass participation event landscape and its opportunities, ideally within the swimming sector but other sports experience very welcome.
Personal Attributes
- Passionate about the mission and values of Level Water.
- Strategic thinker with a results-oriented approach.
- Creative and innovative mindset.
- Resilient and adaptable, with a positive attitude.
- High level of integrity and commitment to ethical fundraising practices.
Please send a CV and Cover Letter (which can be a 2-3 minute video) to apply.
We equip pools and leisure providers across the UK to deliver specialist swimming lessons for children with disabilities.





The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.