Development manager jobs in Cambridge, cambridgeshire
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At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe everyone should be able to live a fulfilling life, regardless of how severely mental illness affects them. Our services are growing — and so is our ambition. That’s why we’re looking for a passionate and skilled Business Development Manager to help us shape the future of our charity and the support we provide.
About the role
As our Business Development Manager, you’ll play a key role in sustaining and expanding the services that make a real difference to people severely affected by mental illness. You’ll bring teams together, write with clarity and purpose, and lead the end‑to‑end bid development process — ensuring we continue to deliver high‑quality, impactful support where it’s needed most.
You’ll champion collaboration, draw on the expertise of colleagues across the charity, and craft compelling, evidence‑based proposals that reflect who we are and what we stand for. From early development to final submission, you’ll help us win and retain contracts that directly improve lives.
What you’ll be doing
- Leading the end‑to‑end development of bids, retenders, and proposals in line with internal quality standards.
- Working collaboratively with teams across Rethink Mental Illness, building strong relationships and creating connected ways of working.
- Supporting and managing Bid Development Officers.
- Contributing to regional business development plans and helping shape sustainable, innovative service models.
- Writing high‑quality, insightful submissions that articulate our strengths, capabilities, and lived‑experience approach.
- Developing early-stage budget models and working with Finance and HR to finalise financials ahead of submission.
- Generating insight through data, evidence, and internal expertise to create winning proposals.
- Researching competitors and identifying what makes Rethink Mental Illness stand out.
- Supporting successful bids through structured handovers and mobilisation.
- Contributing to continuous improvement through feedback, learning, and maintaining our Bid Library.
What you’ll bring
Essential
- A strong track record of writing successful competitive bids or proposals.
- Excellent writing, critical thinking, and communication skills.
- The ability to interpret complex tender documents and understand commissioner expectations.
- Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to unite diverse teams.
- Knowledge of commissioning, current legislation, and best practice in mental health and social care.
- Experience constructing budgets and modelling service assumptions.
- Strong organisational and project‑management abilities, with flexibility to meet deadlines.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and excellent general IT skills.
- A values‑driven approach consistent with Rethink Mental Illness’ ethos.
Desirable
- Experience working within mental health, health, or social care sectors.
- Lived or professional experience related to mental health and wellbeing.
Why Rethink Mental Illness?
When you join us, you’re not just taking on a role — you’re becoming part of a movement.
A movement committed to improving the lives of people severely affected by mental illness through high‑quality services, innovation, and compassionate support.
You’ll be part of a collaborative, supportive team where your growth and wellbeing matter, and where your work has a clear, direct impact.
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
We’re Rethink Mental Illness and no matter how bad things are, we can help people severely affected by mental illness to improve their lives.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Our focus is on creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today.
We want all children and young people to feel at home at the library, to be understood, empowered and inspired. Our collaborative network is made up of member, partners and supporters. We believe in the need for safe spaces and real-life connections to support the demands of modern life. Together, we’re creating change, and you can be a part of it.
This is a pivotal moment of growth and development for Libraries Rising as a young charity. We’re seeking a passionate, skilled manager to join our team. We’re looking for someone to bring the energy and expertise to help us develop and grow over the next 12 months.
We’re looking for:
An experienced project manager who enjoys a flexible and iterative approach.
A proactive leader who is energised by variety, and able to work effectively across diverse topics and themes.
A values led bid writer who has experience of co-creating successful grant funding bids.
A creative thinker who enjoys a productive and responsive environment.
An enthusiastic collaborator who will build strong relationships with our team, members and partners.
We’re looking for someone who lives our values - progressive, collaborative, kind, aspirational and inclusive.
What’s important to us needs to be important to you too. We want to focus on impact, to work openly, to collaborate with and learn from others, to take the time to care for ourselves and each other, and to have fun together. We want to build an environmentally sustainable charity, and we want to be celebrated as an inclusion changemaker in the sector.
About the work
We are an Arts Council England Investment Principles Support Organisation. Our members are leaders in children and young people’s public libraries and schools library services (SLS).
The Development and Delivery Manager (Projects) is a new role for the charity. You will work with a small and growing team, who are passionate about our mission and vision. You will also work with our members (leaders of children’s public library and School Library Service leaders) and sector partners.
We are in the final stages of creating our strategy for the future. You’ll be supporting us with organisational and sector development across all pillars, with a particular focus on our Thriving Charity goals.
Job purpose
To lead and deliver a range priority projects and funding bids for the charity.
The purpose of the role includes:
- To scope and deliver a range of projects to support both organisational and sector developments.
- To convene members and young people to participate in events and workshops, ensuring projects and developments are co-created with stakeholders.
- To compile reviews, reports and options appraisals to aid effective decision making.
- To lead the development and submission of grant and trust funding opportunities.
- To support the shaping, and delivery, of a funding plan to enable delivery of our new charity strategy.
- To ensure creative and flexible use of resources.
What you’ll bring to the role
- Strong project management skills, with experience delivering complex, multi-stakeholder work.
- Track record of delivering to achieve strategic goals and outcomes.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise, plan and manage risk.
- Ability to negotiate and influence.
- Experience of identifying funding opportunities and successfully bidding for grant funding.
- Able to work on own initiative and collaborate within a team.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Excellent listening skills with the ability to take diverse opinions into account.
- Digitally literate and technologically curious, with experience of Microsoft Office and project software.
- Experience managing and monitoring budgets.
- Experience of facilitating events and workshops.
- Committed to engaging and co-creating with children, young people and families.
- Understanding of the role of libraries within communities.
- Experience of managing partnerships, subcontractors or commissioned work.
- Awareness of GDPR implications and requirements.
Personal qualities
- Empathetic, able to understand a variety of viewpoints that are different to their own.
- Calm under pressure and able to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality.
- Confident in building relationships and constructively challenging where needed.
- Thrives when working collaboratively and taking responsibility for delivery.
- Trusts others and inspires trust.
- Ambitious for our charity, the library sector and for children and young people.
- Strategic thinker who can also absorb and analyse detailed information.
- Entrepreneurial, with the ability to spot opportunities and develop them.
- Asks for feedback and is able to accept and act on it to improve their own performance.
- Understanding of inclusion and its importance within a diverse society.
- Commitment to own continued professional development.
Our application process is open to everyone and anyone with the experience we’re looking for. We have a diverse board of trustees, but we know our staff team is not as diverse as we need for the future, as we grow. We particularly welcome applications from people from racialised communities, men, trans or non-binary individuals, and those with hidden or visible disabilities.
Employee benefits include:
25 days annual leave (pro rata) plus Bank Holidays
5% employer pension contribution
Employee Assist Programme – including 24/7 counselling, health support and legal helpline.
A range of discounts on retail, entertainment, travel and wellbeing.
If you have any questions about the role, or want to chat Tabitha, Chief Executive before applying, please get in touch.
All applicants must have an existing Right to Work in the UK. Please also note that appointment will be made subject to collection of two references and a satisfactory DBS check or evidence of a current DBS certificate.
Please submit your CV and a covering letter OR answer the questions by clicking on Apply Now.
If you would prefer to submit a video (up to five minutes), outlining your experience and what you’ll bring to the role please get in touch.
• Applications close: Wednesday 8th April (9am)
• Interviews: Tuesday 21st April (online)
• Start date: as soon as possible, to be agreed with the successful candidate
Registered Charity
1 - 5
Creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Role: Community Development Manager
Salary: £37,296 (pro rata)
Hours: 28 hours per week (0.8 FTE)
Location: Remote, with frequent travel across the West of England region
Managed by: Chief Executive
Term: Fixed term, 16 months
Deadline for applications: Noon 23 Monday 23 March
Following the appointment of our current Chief Executive in 2025, we are embarking on an exciting new chapter and developing a strategy that aims to extend our impact by addressing key rural issues facing communities locally, namely; access to jobs and services, affordable housing, and health and wellbeing.
Over the next 18 months, and thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we will be undertaking research, engaging stakeholders from across the region, and working with several rural communities to pilot local initiatives. We are confident this activity will catalyse interest in the challenges faced by people in rural communities, demonstrate the value of community-led responses, and lever in longer-term support and resource.
To help us take this ambitious programme of work forward, we are looking to recruit a Community Development Manager.
Reporting to our Chief Executive, key responsibilities will include project management, stakeholder engagement, and drawing on best practice to inspire, facilitate and offer support to groups to help them get going with projects that address local needs.
We are looking for a dynamic and highly motivated individual who’s passion for community development will cut through and help us demonstrate the potential of supporting people locally to have greater agency over the circumstances that affect their lives.
For more information and details how to apply, please download a copy of the Job Description and Person Specification available from our website.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
Supporting sustainable, resilient and inclusive rural communities across Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Community Zakat Development Manager (UK Islamic Charity)
Location / Salary / Contract
UK-wide (home-based) | £30,000 - £35,000 | Fixed term (24 months, with a view to permanent) | Travel required across the UK.
The Opportunity
Civitas Charity recruitment is delighted to be working with UK-wide Muslim charity expanding a localised Zakat distribution model nationwide. In this role, you will build and support a network of Community Zakat Partners, primarily masjids and faith-based community centres/groups, ensuring each partnership is values-led, compliant and effective.
Key Responsibilities
Identify, engage and support prospective Community Zakat Partners, with a focus on masjids and faith-based community organisations.
Lead partner onboarding, agreements and due diligence, working closely with Quality Assurance and Finance colleagues.
Act as the primary point of contact for partners, providing guidance, problem-solving support and clear, timely communication.
Maintain oversight of partnership performance, compliance and risk, coordinating reviews, monitoring and any required audits.
Oversee partner reporting to capture outcomes, data and case studies, contributing to internal learning and impact reporting.
Line manage the Community Zakat Grants Officer, setting objectives and supporting development across the network.
The Candidate
Minimum three years’ experience in partnership or stakeholder management, ideally within the charity, community or public sector.
Proven ability to manage agreements and deliver against objectives, with strong governance, compliance and reporting discipline.
Excellent relationship-building, communication and negotiation skills; confident engaging senior volunteers and faith leaders.
Experience supervising or line managing staff, with a collaborative and accountable approach.
Desirable: experience working with Muslim communities and an understanding of Zakat in a UK context.
Applicants can be based anywhere in England; a full UK driving licence and willingness to travel nationally (car driver) are essential.
How to Apply
If you are keen, please apply directly or contact Syed at Civitas for further info. Deadline is the 20th March 2026. Interviews expected: week commencing 2 April 2026. A DBS application will be required for the successful candidate.
