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BIND UK is a specialist team offering expert advice and guidance to organisations that are determined to deliver practical, positive and permanent impact to the UK’s Food Waste Challenge. We believe change is created not by a handful of people doing sustainability perfectly, but by everyone doing a little something. Find out more about our values and purpose here.
About Eat Smart
Eat Smart is a successful primary school educational programme born in the NE of England designed to inspire children and schools to reduce food waste and build sustainable food systems. We deliver engaging resources and learning experiences that empower schools and pupils to have more ownership of their kitchens/dinner halls, improve student wellbeing, and have increased environmental awareness.
Since 2018 Eat Smart has enabled 70 schools in North East England to rescue their food waste by over 25%, equivalent to saving 6,000 meals worth £13,000 per school, per year, and our expansion to other areas of the UK has already begun. With an ever-growing data set and credibility for school food waste prevention, we have increasing potential to affect school food policy and deliver food waste prevention interventions on a national level.
As we expand our delivery across the UK, we are seeking a dynamic and strategic Development Manager to lead the expansion via a franchise model, build partnerships, and oversee the operational excellence of our growing network.
This is a pivotal leadership role focused on scaling the Eat Smart model nationally. The postholder will drive growth by developing regional and national partnerships, securing funding streams, recruiting and onboarding delivery partners, and ensuring quality and impact across all Eat Smart schools and organisations.
You will combine strong operational management with strategic business development — ensuring Eat Smart continues to grow sustainably, aligning with Bind’s aims and values.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Growth & Project Development
- Co-develop and deliver a UK-wide expansion strategy for Eat Smart
- Develop and manage the franchise/licensing model for national delivery partners
- Lead on the recruitment, onboarding, and support of partner organisations to deliver the Eat Smart programme effectively
Funding & Partnership Development
- Identify, establish and nurture partnerships with national and local government agencies, policy makers, school bodies and funders
- Build strategic relationships with relevant education, environment and community organisations
- Research relevant funding opportunities for delivery partners and Bind
- Support delivery partners with the submission of funding applications
UK Network Management & Evaluation
- Co-design/develop the Eat Smart monitoring and evaluation system to monitor KPIs and the environmental and social impact of Eat Smart across the UK
- Lead on the management of the monitoring and evaluation system, supporting delivery partners where necessary
- Create local and national impact reports for Eat Smart and use insights to inform improvement and growth
- Manage the support network of UK delivery partners, ensuring they are able to deliver the programme effectively
- Assist delivery partners with meetings with Local Authorities and catering organisations
Marketing & Communications
- Co-design and lead on delivery of annual Eat Smart conferences
- Represent Eat Smart at events, conferences, and networking opportunities across the UK
- Manage Eat Smart UK social media channels
- Develop digital and print materials to support programme promotion and recruitment
Person Specification
Essential:
- Align with Bind’s values. If you are this, we can teach you the rest!
- Understanding of third sector grant funding landscape and experience in successful bid writing
- Strong project management and organisational skills
- Experience in partnership and stakeholder recruitment and management
- Ability to lead, inspire, and develop teams of partners remotely
- Experience with monitoring, evaluation, and reporting frameworks
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for improving environmental and education outcomes.
- Excellent written and verbal communicator and proficient in IT systems (shared documents, spreadsheets, Zoom/Teams/Meet, social media, website editing and emails)
Desirable:
- Interest in, and awareness of, food waste on a local and global level
- Experience in business development, franchise management, or operational leadership
- Experience working in education, environment or social impact sectors
- Knowledge of primary school systems
- Experience of community engagement in the UK
- Full driving license and access to own vehicle
** A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure Check will be required for the post, but a clean DBS certificate is not essential for the role - we will review employees with a criminal record on a case-by-case basis. **
What We Offer
- Opportunity to shape and lead the national growth of an amazing educational programme
- A collaborative, mission-driven environment with real social and environmental impact
- Flexible working arrangements and supportive leadership. Many of our Eat Smart staff choose to work term-time only
- Remote working, with an office in Newcastle's Ouseburn Valley
- Being part of a small and passionate team, who believe in a positive disruptive mission to change the food waste landscape across the UK.
Key Information
- Deadline for all applications is Mon 12th January 2026 at 9am – applications received after this date will not be considered.
- In-person interviews will take place on 21st January 2026 in Newcastle.
- Based in Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley but this role can be worked remotely/hybrid (some UK-wide travel required incl. a trip to Newcastle minimum monthly)
- Contract: 30-32 hours per week (with the option of increased hours during term-time and reduced hours in school holidays).
- The start date will be end of February 2026, but start dates will be discussed at interview.
- We will contact all applicants as soon as possible to inform them of the status of their application.
To apply, please refer to the attached Job Description and email a CV along with a supporting statement.
Your supporting statement should reflect what makes you a suitable candidate, how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and any other supporting information relevant to the role.
Jobs with Purpose will be in touch with you regarding your application and any next steps. To arrange a chat about the role, please include your availability and contact details and David Robinson will be in touch with suitable applicants to arrange this.
Role outline and purpose
The Development Manager – Trusts & Foundations is responsible for delivering new relationships with a wide spectrum of Trusts and Foundations to grow our portfolio of high value funding partners. Responsible for developing compelling propositions and applications that drive transformational funding for our strategic programmes of work, maximising income generation, though prospecting, cultivating and securing funding to deliver against our strategic objectives and ambitious income targets.
This role is part of the Together with Trussell programme, the goal of which is to build stronger connections with our supporters, partners and donors in order to increase funding, campaigning, and other forms of support for our work. As a member of an enabling programme, this role is focused on the successful delivery of the Together with Trussell programme outcomes, which underpin and enable the outcomes of our 5 external programmes - together contributing to the fulfilment of our long term vision of a UK without the need for food banks.
Role responsibilities
· Work with the Programme Funding team to deliver our income generation strategy, meeting income targets based on long term financial forecasts, by proactively developing new opportunities, propositions and relationships with a wide variety of Trusts and Foundations – including corporate foundations, family trusts and institutional trusts.
· Proactively identify, develop and nurture relationships with potential funders to maximise fundraising potential.
· Work alongside the High Value Partnerships team to ensure new funders are onboarded and handed over to account management and supporting with compelling propositions to uplift and retain their support.
· Provide line management support to the Development Officer – Trusts.
· Collaborate with our marketing and content teams to ensure we can communicate the impact of our high value supporters on our mission.
Person Specification
Technical skills and minimum knowledge:
· High value fundraising experience, preferably including raising funds from Trusts and Foundations, delivering strategic partnerships, or applicable commercial background.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to analyse data and budgets and use CRM software.
· Ability to establish credibility quickly with a range of stakeholders, with the influencing and clear communication skills.
· Able to manage multiple projects and relationships, communicate priorities and identify and resolve conflict.
Behaviours and competencies:
· Exemplify Trussell values and demonstrate a commitment to inclusive behaviour and leadership.
· Able to think strategically to identify synergies, linking programmatic activity with funder motivations.
· Comfortable working in a fast paced, high performing and highly relational organisation, combining problem solving with collaborative interpersonal skills.
· A confident communicator and presenter, diplomatic, effective at building rapport, and able to approach challenges with positivity and high energy.
Key Stakeholders
· Head of Programme Funding and team
· Partnership Development Team
· Potential Partners and Funders
· Programme Teams
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The charity is rapidly scaling up, recently doubling its annual support to £6 million. Degrees has partnered with leading climate change funders and research partners including the Quadrature Climate Foundation, Open Philanthropy, Crankstart, Navigation Fund, Outlier Projects, LAD Climate Fund and UK Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). Transparency of funding is essential to our work. We do not accept support from anonymous donors or funding from the fossil fuel industry. Fundraising for the organisation has been led by the Founder and CEO, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief of Staff, and the Chair of the Trustees with the support of an experienced Senior Philanthropy Advisor.
We now seek a full-time team member to build on this base. Reporting to the COO, and working closely with senior staff and the Chair, the Development Manager will support high‑performing fundraising that secures multi‑year, diversified funding. He / she will also introduce robust processes for pipeline management and donor stewardship and manage the complete donor lifecycle (from identification to cultivation to solicitation and stewardship) of a portfolio of top prospects. The post holder will receive initial onboarding support from the Senior Philanthropy Advisor. As fundraising grows, the team may expand in the future.
Initial priorities include expansion beyond the current donor pool, with a strong push to identify and engage new funders, and putting in place the systems (CRM, reporting cadence, key performance indicators) to support growth at scale.
As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items will include:
Strategy & planning
- Work with the CEO, Chief of Staff, COO, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, programme staff and the Chair of the Trustees to help develop and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organisational objectives;
Pipeline development & new opportunities
- Manage the fundraising pipeline, guiding the ongoing fundraising activities of senior staff and the Chair;
- Research and identify new funding opportunities from trusts and foundations, government funders, and multilateral donors in the development and climate sectors on an ongoing basis;
- Reach out to networks of donor advisors and established relationships for referrals;
- Initiate and manage contact with funding opportunities;
Grant writing
- Draft and coordinate the preparation and submission of grant proposals;
Donor stewardship & reporting
- Maintain excellent relations with existing funders by keeping them informed on charity and sector updates, inviting them to events, and ensuring the delivery of annual reports and notices;
- Ensure and manage ongoing formal grant reporting on behalf of the organisation;
Events & engagement
- Often working with partners, plan and deliver fundraising events for existing and potential funders, particularly in the UK and US;
- Manage invitation lists, track attendance and ensure bespoke follow–up to attendees;
- Assist in the design of events that will inspire and engage funders while involving Southern experts in the Degrees research community;
- Coordinate all fundraising outreach and related programming for the Degrees Global Forum (a conference to be held in 2027);
Processes, systems & administration
- Create and implement structured processes across the entire fundraising and donor lifecycle;
- Develop and track KPIs, providing regular reports to senior staff and the Trustees;
- Be responsible for fundraising data, contacts and administrative records.
A dynamic charity working on climate change and global development



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.