Location: London, Hybrid – with 1-2 days per week in our Farringdon office plus regular travel to our office in Bristol and to meet with our amazing supporters.
Closing date: 25th January2026
W/C interview date: 2nd February 2026
Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.
Change lives in a life-changing career
When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.
The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.
We challenge the systems and policies that surround children and young people, we highlight gaps and campaign for change. Because we know what a better future could look like. And we know what we need to do to make that future a reality. We need to push harder, reach further and work smarter. And we need the right people on our team to help us get there. People like you.
About the role
We’re on the hunt for a bold, visionary and energetic Head of Trusts and Philanthropy to supercharge our high value fundraising and take our impact to the next level.
You’ll lead, coach and champion our Trusts, Philanthropy, and Fundraising Development teams—building a culture of ambition, innovation, and curiosity that delivers game-changing income growth and unforgettable donor experiences. This is a strategic leadership role where you’ll set the vision, drive collaboration, and champion operational excellence.
Managing three to four senior leads and a wider team of around ten, you’ll draw on your experience and track record in high value fundraising to inspire your people to secure transformational gifts, strengthen pipelines, and deliver best-in-class stewardship. Beyond team leadership, you’ll personally cultivate relationships at the highest level—turning prospects into long-term partners and unlocking gifts that change lives for young people with cancer.
We have a hugely passionate and ambitious Fundraising team here at Young Lives vs Cancer with bold goals and a determination to make a lasting difference. If you want to join us, get in touch!
This role is subject to a criminal record check. In the event of a successful application a basic criminal record check will be completed.
What will I be doing?
No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.
- Lead and inspire our Trusts, Philanthropy, and Fundraising Development teams—setting bold strategies and driving performance that makes a real difference.
- Identify and build powerful relationships with major supporters, turning connections into partnerships that deliver life-changing gifts and fuel our mission.
- Create and deliver ambitious, insight-led fundraising plans for major donors and trusts—grounded in market intelligence and designed to deliver against bold but realistic targets.
- Shape the pipeline for success by overseeing prospect research, compelling cases for support, and best in class stewardship that inspires and delights.
- Champion a culture of philanthropy by engaging trustees and senior volunteers, leveraging networks, and accelerating donor growth.
- Own the numbers—set and monitor income performance, forecasts, and KPIs while ensuring compliance and operational excellence.
- Drive innovation and collaboration to unlock new opportunities and maximise income growth.
What do I need?
Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't quite meet all the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.
The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:
- Proven expertise in high-value fundraising from major donors to trusts, with a track record of securing high value and transformational gifts.
- An entrepreneurial spark and the ability to spot opportunities, innovate, and drive ambitious growth.
- Strategic vision and delivery skills in building long-term fundraising strategies from the ground up and making them happen.
- Inspiring leadership experience, managing multi-disciplinary teams and engaging senior stakeholders with confidence.
- Relationship building brilliance and skilled in crafting compelling proposals, securing mul commitments and creating partnerships that last.
- Exceptional communication and influencing skills, able to connect with senior audiences inside and outside the organisation.
- Solid knowledge of fundraising regulations, compliance, and best practice, ensuring everything we do is ethical and effective.
What will I gain?
For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:
- Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
- Wellbeing, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
- Generous annual leave allowance
- Great family/caring leave entitlements
- Enhanced pension
- Access to our employee savings scheme
To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.
Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.
We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.
Accessibility
We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.
To arrange an informal chat, please contact Joanna Hancock.
#ShowTheSalary
About the Refugee Council
The Refugee Council is the nation’s refugee charity. Together with community groups, partners and volunteers, we help people who have escaped war and persecution to rebuild their lives, integrate into communities, and play their part in Britain. Born in the aftermath of World War II, our frontline services support over 14,000 refugees each year to find safety, get to know their neighbours, and enter education, training or work. We share our evidence and expertise with policymakers to help build integrated communities where everyone can contribute.
We have offices across the UK where our Services teams provide support to refugees at local level.
Inclusion and accessibility
Ensuring that the Refugee Council is an inclusive and accessible place to work is important to us. We want to enable people from different backgrounds to apply and thrive with us. We believe our recruitment process enables that and are also happy to make adjustments on request.
Our Values
Our values underpin everything we do:
- Inclusive: We are inclusive. We work with - not for - refugees and people seeking asylum, so they have an equal voice, co-producing projects and ensuring their expertise and experiences are at the heart of what we do.
- Collaborative: We are collaborative. Working with others is a priority in order to have the collective impact that is vital to achieve policy and practice reform.
- Courageous: We speak out when we see injustice, cruelty and unfairness. We always stand up for what we believe is the right thing to do to transform the experiences of those seeking protection in our country.
- Respectful: We are respectful of all those we interact with. We treat everyone – our staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, partners and people we disagree with – with the same respect, professionalism and understanding.
About the role
The Executive Director of Fundraising & Digital is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, accountable for ensuring the Refugee Council’s financial growth, supporter engagement, and digital transformation. The role provides strategic leadership across fundraising, digital platforms, brand guardianship, and supporter experience, ensuring these functions deliver ambitious income targets, expand public reach, and align with the organisation’s mission and values.
As the executive lead for income generation and digital innovation, the postholder drives improvements in fundraising strategy, supporter acquisition, donor stewardship, and digital content delivery. They embed a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement, ensuring fundraising and digital activity is ethical, compliant, and maximises long-term sustainability. They provide authoritative advice to the Chief Executive, Board, and Committees, ensuring robust income planning, brand positioning, and digital resilience.
The Executive Director builds and leads a high performing Fundraising & Digital directorate, fostering a culture of empowerment, innovation, equity, diversity, and inclusion. They act as joint guardian of the Refugee Council brand, ensuring consistency and impact across all channels, and model the organisation’s values, enabling staff and volunteers to deliver outstanding fundraising performance and dynamic digital engagement that strengthens public support for refugees and people seeking asylum.
Staff benefits
To reward our staff for the value they bring, we offer a variety of enhanced terms and conditions and a wide range of benefits, including:
- Training & Development
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Pension Scheme
- Work Life Balance Policies
- Employer-Sponsored Volunteering
- And more.
Let’s work together to improve the lives of refugees in the UK - apply on our website today.
Closing date: 26 January 2026.
Ensuring that the Refugee Council is an inclusive and accessible place to work is important to us. We want to enable people from different backgrounds to apply and thrive with us. We believe our recruitment process enables that and are also happy to make adjustments on request.
Director of Funding & Communications
Salary: £85, 694
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer
Contract: 35 hours per week (1.0 FTE)
Location: Flexible (UK) with regular travel into London at least once per quarter
About Us
Unlimit Health is an international organisation working to end parasitic disease. We work closely with affected countries, sharing evidence and expertise to eliminate preventable infections. Our purpose is to support people to live healthy lives, free from limiting disease.
Our vision is for resilient systems that sustain good health, so everyone everywhere can reach their full potential. We achieve this by working across multiple sectors in numerous countries to deliver effective and robust health programmes that have a lasting impact.
We were founded in 2002 with a £20m grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and started life as a research group, the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, within Imperial College London. Consistently ranked globally as one of the most cost-effective nonprofit initiatives, we have received significant funding since our inception including from the UK Department of International Development (DFID), USAID and philanthropic investors.
What we do
Our work includes:
- Evidence-based disease elimination support
- Cross-sectoral health systems strengthening
- Building collaborative partnerships
Our main area of focus is the elimination of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases (intestinal worms). Endemic infections of these parasitic worms are found in some of the world’s most marginalised communities, and they can have a hugely detrimental effect on individuals, including:
- Reduced productivity
- Internal organ damage
- Impaired child development
- Reduced school attendance
- Increased risk of HIV in women
- Infertility
The Role
The purpose of the Director of Funding and Communication role is to secure sustainable financial resources and build a strong, trusted brand that amplifies the organisation’s mission to share evidence and expertise to end parasitic infections in affected communities.
This is a unique opportunity for an exceptional leader in innovative income generation in the international development sector to lead Unlimit Health’s income generation strategy. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing and leading the implementation of comprehensive fundraising strategies to secure diversified income streams, while overseeing compelling storytelling and brand visibility to align fundraising efforts and impactful communications with our strategic priorities.
The Person
The Director of Funding and Communications will be a self-starter with energy and integrity, and a compelling leader in the charity or social enterprise sector, with a track record in raising funds to underpin life-changing work on an international scale. They will thrive on the challenge of creating a new, innovative funding strategy to match our ambition and values.
Closing date: 4th January 2026 at 23:59
1st stage Interview dates: 2nd – 3rd February 2026
2nd stage interview dates: 5th – 6th February 2026
Please ensure you are available to attend an interview on these dates.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
Applicants are required to have the right to work in the UK, and documentary evidence will be requested at the interview stage.
Diversity Statement
We particularly welcome applications from candidates from under-represented groups to better reflect our mission and work to improve health equity. Research has shown that women and people from marginalised groups are less likely to apply for a role if they do not meet 100% of the job criteria. Please consider applying even if you do not fully meet our essential criteria. We are happy to schedule an informal chat to discuss the role further prior to submitting an application.
Unlimit Health is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and celebrate differences in age, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, religious beliefs, and socio-economic background. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where every team member is valued, respected, and has equal opportunities to thrive.
No agencies please.