BACKGROUND
Over the past 90 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster.
The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.
IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England.
In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm.
The Purpose of the Role
Reporting to the Associate Director of Philanthropy, UK, the Philanthropy Manager will support the implementation of the UK Philanthropy team’s strategy, with a focus to identify, establish and develop new and existing high value relationships with individuals who have the capacity to support IRC at a five and six figure level. This is an exciting role working with senior stakeholders across IRC, in the UK and internationally, to cultivate and steward relationships with philanthropists to effectively solicit multi-year gifts to fund high-impact programmes that will deliver transformative change for IRC clients across the world.
As part of this, the Philanthropy Manager will:
· Develop and implement initiatives to identify, cultivate and solicit gifts from donors in the major gift range of £10,000 and above, both in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy and through account management of a discreet prospect portfolio
· Work closely with the Director of Philanthropy and the research function to identify and cultivate positive relationships with existing donors and new prospects to significantly grow our major donor pipeline
· Manage a portfolio of major donors through various personalised approaches, including face-to-face meetings, phone calls, events and written and verbal communications
· Develop personalised donor stewardship plans with the aim of increasing their engagement and uplifting their support to achieve the revenue target for the UK Philanthropy team and the overall revenue target for the International Philanthropy team
· Lead on gift management, reporting and proposal development for new prospects and existing donors, ensuring timely and accurate communications that match the individual’s requirements
· Identify and deliver unique stewardship and cultivation opportunities for donors
· Maintain thorough and up to date files and records relating to major donors
· Maintain strong knowledge and understanding of IRC’s work in the UK and around the world
· Collaborate proactively with a network of internal and external senior stakeholders, garnering their support and influence in the development of relationships with philanthropists
· Contribute to profile raising of the IRC’s Philanthropy programme and the IRC more widely through proactive networking and external engagement with potential donors and their advisors
· Proactively collaborate with other members of the Philanthropy team, supporting the delivery of the wider Philanthropy strategy as required
· Carry out administrative activities and other duties, as required, to maximise fundraising.
Scope and Authority
Authority: This position is responsible for supporting the delivery of Philanthropy and contributing to the identification, cultivation and stewardship of £10,000 and above gifts from HNWIs.
Key Working Relationships
· HNWI donors and prospects
· Third party philanthropy advisors
· Key contacts across IRC in UK and internationally:
o International Philanthropy Team
o USA Philanthropy
o Engagement with the UK and International Board
o Global Partnerships and Philanthropic Services
o Communications team
o Policy and Advocacy team
o UK Finance team
o Country Programme and regional teams, the Awards Management Unit as well as IRC’s Technical Units
o President’s Office and Executive Director of IRC- UK
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Partnership identification, cultivation and stewardship (65%)
· Manage a portfolio of HNWI prospects and donors, working closely with the Director of Philanthropy to cultivate successful, high-impact relationships
· Collaborate with colleagues to develop transformative funding opportunities, create tailored plans for the cultivation of donors, deliver unique stewardship and cultivation opportunities, and coordinate internal and external meetings to drive donor relationships forward.
Partnership Management (25%)
· Lead on the creation of inspiring and engaging impact reports and proposals for donors, ensuring timely and accurate communications that are matched to the requirements of donors.
· Use Salesforce and IRC’s internal grant management system, OTIS, to keep clear and accurate records of donor communications and interactions related to all donor relationships
Team collaboration (10%)
· Contribute to the wider ambitions and shared objectives of the Philanthropy team as part of the HNWI Pillar
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications
· Knowledge and understanding of the principles and methods of philanthropy fundraising**
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and enthuse, through the delivery of strong external and internal communications**
· Ability to establish and build relationships with donors, colleagues and senior stakeholders at all levels and from a variety of backgrounds, both externally and within IRC**
· Ability to identify potential donors, produce donor stewardship plans and be able to implement and execute them
· Ability to influence and negotiate with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ensuring best possible outcomes for the IRC
· Excellent attention to detail
· Excellent Microsoft Office software skills including Excel
· Demonstrable ability to prioritise and organise own workload and meet conflicting deadlines
· Ability to understand and demonstrate commitment to IRC’s Equal Opportunities Policy and to ensure all activities are consistent with Equal Opportunities
· Ability to work collaboratively with members of a fundraising team and across departments, whilst managing conflicting priorities and deadlines in a busy working environment
Experience
· Demonstrable experience of securing gifts from high net-worth individuals**
· Demonstrable experience of writing persuasive and creative proposals and correspondence in a range of relevant styles
· Demonstrable experience of managing a portfolio of high net-worth individuals and relationships with senior stakeholders in a fundraising or corporate context**
· Demonstrable experience of supporting the implementation of events with wealthy individuals and influential contacts
· Demonstrable experience of managing information on a fundraising database e.g. Salesforce
· Demonstrable experience of compiling information from various global stakeholders in order to create compelling tailored proposals and reports
· Demonstrable experience of supporting a team and implementing new administrative systems and processes
The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster.



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!
Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research?
Brain Tumour Research is seeking an experienced and game changing Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships.
Do you have the experience, drive and determination to thrive in this role?
Job Purpose:
To lead delivery of our fundraising in five key income lines: Trusts & Foundations, Corporate Partnerships, Legacies, Other Charities, and Lottery; oversee our Special Events programme and assist the Director of Income Generation and Development with our Major Donor programme.
You’ll enjoy being part of and contributing to a busy, experienced, fast-working, and dedicated team while working cross-functionally with other departments such as PR, marketing and Research, Policy and Innovation.
Brain Tumour Research is an exciting, innovative, and ambitious charity. We are passionate about finding a cure for brain tumours through the establishment of dedicated Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence around the UK.
Key Requirements:
- Proven experience and success in securing, managing, and growing high value fundraising income, including corporate partnerships, trusts & foundations, legacies and major donors.
- Demonstratable strong strategic planning skills and the ability to develop and implement long-term strategies to achieve fundraising targets and enhance the charity's mission
- Proven leadership and people management skills, with experience in overseeing multi-disciplinary teams. Essential experience includes team leadership, staff motivation, setting clear objectives, and fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management abilities.
- Track record of developing and implementing successful fundraising strategies.
- Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels and an excellent standard of written English.
- Analysis of data and trends to inform fundraising strategies and success measurement is an important aspect of the role. This includes using CRM systems and other fundraising tools
If you are looking for a fulfilling and impactful role and have the level of experience and skill we are looking for, we welcome your application.
We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.
The closing date for applications is: 18th January 2026
We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process. Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.