Development manager jobs in London, greater london

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.

Job Purpose:

EMERGENCY ONG ETS (‘EMERGENCY’) is an independent non-governmental organisation. Headquartered in Italy, it provides free, high-quality medical and surgical treatment to victims of war, landmines and poverty. At the same time, it promotes a culture of peace, solidarity and respect for human rights.

Since its founding in 1994, EMERGENCY has worked in 21 countries around the world, providing free medical care in accordance with its core principles of equality, quality and social responsibility. We do this in a sustainable way: by building healthcare facilities, training local personnel, and conducting search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea.

As an affiliate, EMERGENCY UK has set out an exciting ambition to build on its success over the last three years. This includes a substantial growth in its income, with a particular focus on high value giving from philanthropists, trusts and other private donors. The aim is to implement the newly developed high value fundraising strategy, with a view to tripling current income levels from this source by securing high five and six figure gifts of both unrestricted and restricted income.

The purpose of the Development Manager is to build and maintain a portfolio of high value donors and prospects through proactive networking, identifying cultivation opportunities and thoughtful stewardship. With a focus range of £100,000 and above, the position will develop long-term, strategic partnerships with existing and potential high value supporters, where relationships and their impact will be measured from both a financial and non-financial perspective. 

The postholder must be able to work independently with minimal supervision and demonstrate a high degree of lateral thinking within a small but hard-working team.

Main activities:

1) To raise funds in the form of high value gifts (focusing on £100,000 and above) through a variety of methods, including regular face-to-face meetings, attending conferences and participating in other activities by implementing a comprehensive programme to identify, research, cultivate and solicit high value donors who have the potential for significant, multi-year giving.

In this context, the postholder will be required to spend a considerable amount of the working week out of the office travelling and meeting in person with potential donors and their representatives.   

2) To manage and develop meaningful donor relationships, including with existing donors, by utilising a wide range of methods, including stewardship events and networking amongst existing donors and their contacts.

3) To actively participate in the implementation of the current high value fundraising strategy, leading change and adjusting plans based on experience and realistic assessments in order to meet pre-agreed targets. This includes supporting the ongoing development of all aspects of the strategy, such as the case for support, prospect research, donor recognition opportunities and individual donor development plans for high value donors and prospects.

4) To contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the team, taking a lead role in the annual planning and reporting process for high value donors, providing regular progress reports against income targets and ensuring high standards of accountability. This also includes ensuring written and electronic records of donors are maintained, in compliance with data protection legislation.

5) To represent, and act as an ambassador, for EMERGENCY UK at external events, promoting its work and values where and when possible.

Person specification:

• Senior level experience working with foundations, corporates, high and ultra-high net worth individuals, leading them from identification to giving annual and multi-year gifts at the high five and six-figure level
• Experience of working independently to identify and cultivate prospects and influencers who have the ability to make personal introductions to high and ultra-high net worth individuals
• Experience in implementing high value giving strategies and annual plans for high and ultra-high net worth individuals, including reporting on targets and KPIs
• Experience of identifying potential high value donors, qualifying prospects and managing/growing a high-level prospect pipeline
• Experience of working with restricted grant funding: submitting proposals, completing monitoring forms and reporting to donors
• Experience of working within the humanitarian and development sector is preferable
• Experience of working with multiple stakeholders in a complex, multi-cultural environment
• Experience of creating high-quality, high-level donor events and bespoke engagements
• Experience of using Salesforce or similar CRM products/fundraising databases

Essential skills:

• Excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills
• Ability to communicate complex themes and subjects in a compelling and engaging way in writing and verbally
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with an ability to motivate and engage high value donors and prospects in the work of EMERGENCY
• Strong understanding of restricted grant funding processes, including proposal development, monitoring, and reporting
• Knowledge and understanding of how to use influencers and connectors in the most effective way for the benefit of EMERGENCY UK and the wider organisation
• Ability to be flexible and work in a fast-moving environment, leading on a wide range of tasks and projects simultaneously
• A strong team player who treats colleagues with respect and courtesy at all times
• Knowledge of tax efficient giving in the UK, current data privacy legislation and other regulatory compliance issues
• Proficient in Microsoft Office. Experience using Salesforce is desirable.