Director of fundraising and communications jobs

Permanent,| Full Time | Circa £35,000 + Excellent Benefits

Location: London

Make a Difference Every Day

For more than 100 years, the RAF Benevolent Fund has been supporting the RAF Family. We are a key partner in the Royal Air Force’s mission to look after its people during and after service, ensuring that this service is valued, recognised, and people are supported even when uniforms are eventually shed. We are a national charity with international reach, delivering emotional, financial and practical support wherever and whenever it is needed. Each year, our vital services and support continued to help those serving, families, veterans, and the bereaved, in 30 other countries and in 2024 more than 64,000 people benefitted from the charity’s work.

As an organisation, we encourage learning and development and there will be ample opportunity to learn more about the Royal Air Force, the broad impact of the Fund’s work as well as developing your own skillset. 

About the Role
We’re looking for a proactive, highly organised Executive Assistant to support to the Director of Fundraising and Director of Strategy & Impact. You’ll manage complex schedules, coordinate meetings and committees, prepare key documents, and support strategic projects.

This is a role for someone who thrives on responsibility and variety. You’ll:

· Act as secretary for key committees, preparing agendas and taking minutes.

· Liaise with senior stakeholders internally and externally.

· Ensure smooth communication across the organisation.

· Have the opportunity to volunteer for events, meet with beneficiaries and visit RAF Stations.

What We’re Looking For

· Exceptional organisational and communication skills.

· Ability to take initiative whilst providing timely and consistent support to Directors.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities with discretion and professionalism.

· Confidence engaging with senior internal and external stakeholders.

Additional Information

· Standard DBS check required.

· Must have the right to work in the UK.

How to Apply
Click [here] to submit your CV and a cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect fit, including examples of how you meet the job profile.

Closing Date: Monday 12 January 2026, 5:00pm

A copy of the Fund’s Candidate Privacy Notice can be found on our website. As an equal opportunities employer, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. The Fund takes safeguarding seriously, and appropriate background checks will be completed. You can find out more about our commitment to safeguarding on our website.

The RAF Benevolent Fund follows Safer Recruitment practices as it strives to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with the Fund will be protected from harm. The successful candidate for this role will need to be Standard DBS checked and prove they have the right to work in the UK. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Fund.

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a Registered Charity (No. 1081009).

ABOUT BRIGHTPIP

BrightPIP (Brighton Parent/Infant Psychological Therapy) is a specialist infant mental health charity supporting babies aged 0–3 and their families across Brighton & Hove and Sussex. We provide early therapeutic intervention to strengthen relationships and prevent cycles of intergenerational trauma.

We are a small, friendly and growing charity, supported by a dedicated clinical team and Trustee Board. As we expand to support up to 250 families per year, we are strengthening our operational and coordination capacity.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking an enthusiastic, creative and highly organised Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator to grow BrightPIP’s visibility, income and community engagement. This role sits at the heart of BrightPIP’s external presence, working closely with clinicians, trustees and supporters to tell our story and build sustainable income.

This is a key role within the charity. You will lead our day-to-day marketing and communications, and support and deliver community fundraising campaigns and events. You will also build strong relationships with supporters, nurseries/schools, community groups and corporate partners.

This role is ideal for a confident self-starter who enjoys storytelling, connecting with people, and shaping a growing role within a values-driven organisation. The role will evolve as the charity grows, offering opportunities to develop new campaigns, partnerships and communications.

You will report to the Clinical Director and work closely with the clinical team, fundraiser and trustees.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead BrightPIP’s marketing, communications and brand presence across digital and print channels
• Create and schedule social media content, newsletters, blogs and website updates
• Support and deliver community fundraising campaigns, events and challenge activities
• Steward supporters, families, nurseries/schools, community groups and corporate partners
• Write case studies, supporter stories and communications materials (with safeguarding oversight)
• Support press activity and media engagement
• Work closely with clinicians, the fundraiser and trustees to support BrightPIP’s growth

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for someone who is creative, confident and people-focused, with a passion for telling meaningful stories and connecting communities with a cause they believe in.

Do you…?

• Enjoy creating engaging content and campaigns that bring a charity’s work to life
• Feel confident managing social media, newsletters and digital communications
• Like building relationships with supporters, community groups and partners
• Enjoy planning and delivering fundraising activities and events
• Have a good eye for brand, tone and consistency
• Use insight and engagement trends to shape future activity
• Take initiative, enjoy variety, and like seeing the impact of your work

Experience in marketing, fundraising, communications or community engagement is essential.

Experience with tools such as Canva, Mailchimp or WordPress is desirable.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Being part of a pioneering, highly specialist team who are passionate about our mission and supportive of each other
• Flexible, family-friendly working, with hybrid working
• Opportunity to shape and grow with the role as the charity expands
• CPD and development opportunities

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit:

· Your CV

· A short supporting statement explaining why you are interested in the role and how your experience meets the person specification

SAFEGUARDING

BrightPIP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of babies, children and families. All appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Head of Fundraising - Standing Voice

• Salary: £50,000 - £54,000
• Location: London (with remote working options)
• Contract: Full-time, Permanent
• Brilliant benefits package

Charity People is thrilled to be partnering with Standing Voice, a pioneering human rights organisation, to recruit a Head of Fundraising at an exciting and ambitious time for this incredible charity.

About Standing Voice

Standing Voice exists to advance the rights, well-being, and inclusion of people with albinism across Africa. With teams in the UK, Tanzania, and Malawi, they deliver holistic, community-led programmes spanning dermatology, eye care, education, psychosocial support, and livelihoods.

Holding Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Standing Voice has earned the trust of major donors including the European Union, United Nations, Wellcome Trust, and World Bank. Over the last 15 years, they have played a leading role in strengthening the global albinism movement.

The Role

The team are now looking for a dynamic, strategic, and results-driven Head of Fundraising to lead their income generation strategy and help scale impact. This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of a critical portfolio within a respected and growing human rights charity.

You'll work closely with the Executive Director and colleagues across the UK, Tanzania, and Malawi to develop and deliver Standing Voice's Fundraising Strategy. Your focus will be on diversifying income streams, writing compelling proposals, and building long-term donor relationships to secure sustainable funding for our life-changing programmes.

"We're seeking a creative, strategic fundraising leader to join our small but growing team at Standing Voice. This role offers the chance to shape our fundraising strategy, diversify income streams, and build lasting partnerships, turning bold, innovative ideas into tangible impact for those furthest behind."
Harry Freeland - Executive Director

What You'll Do

• Develop and deliver Standing Voice's Fundraising Strategy to achieve ambitious growth targets
• Secure diverse funding streams across trusts, foundations, institutional donors, corporate partners, and philanthropists
• Build and manage long-term donor relationships, representing Standing Voice at meetings and events
• Lead on proposals, pitches, and high-quality funder reports, ensuring compliance and impact
• Oversee strategic campaigns such as the Big Give Christmas Challenge and other appeals
• Provide leadership within a growing fundraising team, including recruitment and supervision

About You

If you're an ambitious fundraiser with a proven track record of securing significant multi-year income and you thrive on turning creative ideas into tangible impact, this role could be the perfect next move for you. We'd love to hear from people who are:

• Experienced in fundraising, ideally within the charity or human rights sector
• Proven in securing six- and seven-figure funding from major donors, trusts, or institutional funders
• A confident communicator with outstanding written and verbal skills
• Skilled in donor stewardship and relationship management
• Organised, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities under pressure
• Strategic and analytical, using data to inform decisions
• Passionate about human rights, social justice, and inclusion

Why Join Standing Voice?

• Be part of a passionate, international team working at the frontlines of disability rights and inclusion
• Help shape the global narrative around albinism and mobilise donors to create lasting change
• Opportunities for international travel to witness impact first-hand
• Flexible working arrangements and supportive work-life balance
• Access to training and professional development

To Apply

To register your interest in this brilliant role, please send your CV to Kevin Croasdale at Charity People. If your profile fits what we're looking for, we'll be in touch with more details and next steps.

Key Dates

• Closing Date: Thursday 15th January
• Interviews: Week commencing 19th and 26th January

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential. Please inform Kevin if you require any assistance or adjustment to help ensure the application process works for you.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and

deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations

thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by

matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective

of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender

identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and

maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we

believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work

with.

We are on the lookout for a passionate and proactive Senior Fundraising Officer to join our small but driven team at a pivotal moment in our journey.

Working closely with the Head of Charity, you will play a key role in bringing our bold three-year strategy to life, helping us grow income across multiple streams and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of a fast-moving, high-impact charity.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives on variety, loves building relationships, and is excited to help shape the future of a charity that punches well above its weight.

You will work hand-in-hand with the Head of Charity to drive income across a diverse mix of fundraising steams, from community, events and individual giving to corporate partnerships and trusts. You will also be the friendly, first point of contact for many of our supporters, offering thoughtful stewardship, responding to enquiries, and making sure every donor feels appreciated and connected to the impact they are making.

As a key member of the team, you will work closely and collaboratively with colleagues including those in charity finance, our fund advisors and key stakeholders within the hospital senior leadership team. You’ll stay on top of budgets to inform your fundraising decisions and grow a culture of income awareness across the Charity and Trust.

Director of Communications – EMMS International (Remote, Scotland-based)

EMMS International is creating a new Director of Communications role following an organisational review, separating fundraising and communications into two Director posts. Reporting to and working closely with the CEO, the Director of Communications will lead all internal and external communications, raise the charity’s profile and influence, and provide strong strategic support to income-generating functions, especially fundraising. You will develop and deliver a multi-layered communications and external affairs strategy, lead a small Communications Team (including a new Head of Communications), and play a key role on the Executive Leadership Team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Designing and implementing an organisational communications and external affairs strategy

• Leading EMMS’ rebrand in partnership with an external agency

• Growing and engaging core and new audiences across multiple channels

• Supporting fundraising colleagues with compelling campaigns

• Managing a small team, setting objectives/KPIs and overseeing performance and development

• Budget planning and financial oversight for the Communications function

• Representing EMMS at senior level, including Board meetings and sector bodies such as SIDA

What they’re looking for:
An experienced communications leader with a strong track record in strategic comms, audience growth, media engagement and campaign delivery. You’ll bring creative thinking, excellent written and verbal skills, experience managing and developing teams, and confidence operating at both strategic and hands-on levels. Familiarity with the Scottish charity, political and social landscape is essential, as is the ability to communicate effectively with both Christian and secular audiences in line with EMMS’ faith-based origins and healthcare mission. Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience is required.

Terms and benefits:

• Salary: £63,313 – £70,347 (depending on experience), with annual inflationary rise

• Remote role with monthly meetings in central Edinburgh (more frequent in first three months)

• 25–30 days annual leave depending on length of service + 10 public holidays

• 8% employer pension contribution (with salary sacrifice)

• Salary sacrifice scheme for electric vehicle lease

• Flexible working, travel expenses to office, access to Edinburgh office, some international travel

• Life assurance (three times annual salary) and Aviva Digi-Care app

Application:
Apply by CV and covering letter (each up to 2 pages) by Monday 12 January 2026. Interviews will be held in Edinburgh, with two stages. You must live in Scotland and have the right to work in the UK.

The Brain & Spine Foundation is seeking a Fundraising-Focused CEO to take the helm of our charity at a moment of growth and opportunity. This is a rare chance to shape the future of a national charity, driving income, influence and impact for the 1 in 6 people in the UK affected by neurological conditions.

As Fundraising Focused CEO, you will combine leadership with personal fundraising delivery, building high-value relationships, diversifying income streams, and raising the charity’s profile. Working closely with a committed Board and a passionate team, you will lead a trusted organisation into its next chapter to ensure more people than ever can access vital information, support and hope when they need it most.

Deadline for applications

Sunday 11th January

Interviews with Brain & Spine Foundation

w/c 19th January

If you share our vision that ‘every young person should be supported to gain the confidence, independence and skills they need for a better and brighter future’ we might have the perfect role for you!

ThinkForward is recruiting a Fundraising Manager to advance the strategic growth of our programme supporting young people into further education and employment. If you are….

· Able to demonstrate significant success in high value fundraising, including trust and foundation income generation

· A brilliant communicator, with a flair for writing and a high level of attention to detail

· Experienced in working to, and achieving targets, and able to work at pace under a healthy level of pressure, whilst maintaining the highest standard of work

· Skilled in collaboration and relationship building with both internal and external stakeholders

· Resilient, driven and able to work flexibly as required across multiple funding streams

· Passionate for delivering social impact and committed to equity, diversity, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice

…then please click on the attached job pack for our role description and information pack for more details about ThinkForward and the role you could play, then apply via CharityJob with your CV and cover letter.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Located in the historic town of St Andrews, St Leonards is one of Scotland’s leading independent schools, recently named Scottish Independent Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026 by The Sunday Times. It is a vibrant, co-educational boarding and day community with a true international outlook.

Approaching its 150th Anniversary in 2027, the School is preparing to launch the most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history. This is a career-defining opportunity for an exceptional professional to drive this initiative, instilling a culture of philanthropy that will secure the future of St Leonards for generations to come.

Reporting directly to the Head, this post will be targeted with generating £500k+ of revenue and will demand both exceptional relationship building skills and technical fundraising expertise. The successful candidate will have freedom to innovate and make a tangible difference and be able to engage prospective donors and the wider highly supportive Seniors (Alumni) community. You will protect the School’s reputation by conducting thorough due diligence on donors and ensuring full compliance with OSCR regulations.

You will be responsible for the School’s capital and strategic fundraising initiatives supported by the Alumni and Development Officer and will work with the supportive, mission-driven Executive Team and Board of Governors to develop and implement these.

To be successful you will be educated to degree level and have knowledge and experience in previous roles where you have developed a demonstrable track record of devising and implementing multi-year fundraising strategies which have allowed you to personally secure 5 and 6 figure gifts from individuals, trusts or foundations. You will possess the financial and legal expertise to structure complex gifts and bring them to completion.

More information on the responsibilities of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required of candidates can be found in the Candidate Pack.

St Leonards is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to a satisfactory PVG check.

Interviews are expected to commence in St Andrews week beginning 26th January 2026

Dancers’ Career Development (DCD), the national charity that enables and empowers dancers to thrive professionally and personally leading up to and beyond their performance careers, seek a Fundraiser.

DCD’s Fundraiser will work closely with the Executive Director and be instrumental in increasing fundraised and revenue income. 

Our ideal candidate will be a creative thinker with an open mindset to propose and explore new avenues of fundraising and income streams.

This role is ideally suited to a self-starter with a passion for the performing arts, who is motivated to make a tangible difference to the quality of dancers’ lives.

If you are excited by this opportunity and resonate with DCD’s values, please get in touch; we would love to hear from you.

Contract: Full-time permanent role

Salary: £35,000 per annum, pro-rata

Start date: As early as possible

Location: This is a remote working role, with monthly in-person team meetings which take place in London or Birmingham. Due to additional in-person events and meetings, as appropriate to the role and usually in London, the Fundraiser should be either based in London or within commutable distance.

Benefits: 23 days holiday pro-rata plus Bank Holidays (increasing to 28 days with length of service), 5% Employers contribution to pension scheme, Health & Wellbeing package, Professional Development opportunities.

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by 9am, Thursday 22 January 2026

Info: Download job application pack from our website for full job spec and how to apply.

Job summary

Job title - Fundraising and Membership Officer

Responsible to - Fundraising Operations Manager

Salary - £24,645 - £26,275 FTE per annum (pro rata) 

(£19,716 - £21,020 actual)  Exact salary dependent on experience

Hours of work - Part time - 28 hours per week (0.8 FTE).  We consider part-time/job-share and flexible working requests

Annual leave - 30 days + 8 bank holidays per year pro rata

Location - This role is hybrid - split between home working and our Bristol office.  You will be required to work a minimum of 50% of your hours from the office each week.

Job purpose

This role will underpin the operation of our fundraising and membership programmes, with a mixture of public facing interactions and focused operational, database work.

Our long-standing membership scheme is an integral part of our fundraising at Action for ME, and we are fortunate to have a generous membership base of over 3,000 loyal supporters. You will be the main point of contact for our members, ensuring they feel valued and connected to our work, as well as supporting efforts to increase our current membership.

You will also be responsible for the smooth running of crucial operational processes for our membership, trading and individual giving income streams, both during fundraising campaigns and day to day. With a commitment to continuous improvement of these systems, you will help us to increase the efficiency and quality of our stewardship, retain our donors and bring in new supporters.

Key duties

Membership

• Be the main point of contact for our members and provide high quality stewardship over the phone, by email and by letter, always ensuring consistent and high-quality communication.
• Be responsible for delivering operational tasks relating to the membership scheme and improving their efficiency. Including, but not limited to, gift importing and processing, data administration, thanking members, processing renewals and sending out renewal reminders.
• Work with the Fundraising Operations Manager and our Senior Supporter Engagement Officer to monitor the performance of the membership programme and support its growth.
• Maintenance and creation of the mailing lists for our membership magazine, InterAction.  Assist with the distribution of the magazine across all channels (post, email, audio).

Individual Giving & Trading

• Ensure that gifts are processed, recorded and thanked appropriately in a timely manner; and that database records are kept up to date, in line with fundraising data regulations.
• Assisting with the administration of our Winter and Spring raffles and Lottery programme.
• Work with the Fundraising Operations Manager and the wider team to maximise fundraising potential using data and donor insights/feedback.
• Maintain a high standard of data quality and record keeping on our database, ensuring our fundraising processes and procedures are applied in line with all regulatory and governance requirements including GDPR and those of the Fundraising Regulator.
• Processing all outgoing post for the Fundraising team, including online shop orders, from our Bristol office. Complete other office-based tasks as required.  You will be required to work at least 50% of your hours from the office.
• Work alongside the fundraising team to deliver our strategy and workplans, including involvement in projects and fundraising campaigns as required.

Other duties

• To attend and contribute constructively to team meetings and other meetings as required
• To positively promote the work and activities of Action for ME at all times
• To contribute to the team’s overall strategy delivery, annual planning and budgeting.
• To undertake any other reasonable activity in line with the responsibilities of the post as requested by the Fundraising Operations Manager, Director of Fundraising & Development or the Chief Executive.
• Act as an advocate for the Charity and its work.

Person Specification

Experience and knowledge

• Demonstrable experience in building relationships with customers or stewarding supporters and donors.
• Experience using Microsoft Excel for work, including basic excel functions, basic formulas and list tools.
• Experience of using a CRM database, preferably Raiser’s Edge
• Minimum 2 years previous fundraising experience (desirable)

Skills and Behaviours

• A confident multitasker who is comfortable dealing with a variety of enquiries and managing a varied workload.
• Excellent verbal communicator, skilled in engagement, empathy and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written communication skills including creating reports to measure progress.
• Ability to use own initiative, solve problems, work independently and to work well in a team.
•  An understanding of data protection including UKGDPR
• Strong IT skills, including the ability to use Microsoft Office, databases and web-related programmes and software.
• An understanding of ME and the impact on people affected by it (desirable).

Attitudes and values

• Enthusiasm
• Integrity
• Resilient

Key competencies

• Effective communicator
• Results driven
• Attention to detail

Head of Fundraising

We are seeking an experienced fundraising professional with a strong track record of securing major gifts to lead and deliver a high value global fundraising strategy that supports ambitious scientific and conservation programmes.

Position: Head of Fundraising

Salary: £70,000 plus, depending on experience

Location: Hybrid, with weekly Oxford presence and some international travel

Hours: Full time

Contract: Initial 2 year fixed term, full time employment (with extension opportunities)

Closing date: 19 January 2026, with early applications recommended

About the Role

This is a senior post responsible for designing and delivering a multi-year fundraising strategy focused on major donors, high net worth individuals and philanthropic foundations. You will play a central part in securing significant multi-year commitments that enable large scale expedition, research, and public engagement programmes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the development and execution of a major giving and philanthropic strategy
• Building and managing a robust income pipeline with clear revenue targets
• Identifying, cultivating and stewarding prospects capable of six and seven figure gifts
• Developing compelling proposals, cases for support and tailored donor materials
• Providing strategic support and briefing for senior leadership fundraising activity
• Maintaining strong donor stewardship through high quality communication and reporting
• Working collaboratively with scientific, operations and finance teams to align funding needs

About You

You will be a confident and credible fundraiser with a strong understanding of major gifts and donor relations. You’ll bring:

• A proven track record of securing six and seven figure gifts
• Experience managing international donor relationships
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to translate complex information into compelling narratives
• A strategic mindset with the drive and initiative to lead and deliver income growth
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally as required
• Experience in conservation, scientific research or biodiversity fundraising is welcomed, along with a wider understanding of global philanthropic networks.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Director of Development, Major Donor Lead, Philanthropy Manager, Head of Partnerships, Senior Development Manager, Foundation Relations Lead, Global Giving Manager. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organization.

Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy

Salary- £40,940 per annum

Location- Remote working in the UK, with regular travel to London and other parts of the UK.

Reporting to- Director of Fundraising

Contract- Full-time, permanent

Closing Date- 11th January 2026 at Midnight

Who we are?

Futures For All is the largest social mobility charity in the UK. We help to level the playing field between state and independent schools by giving all young people access to the same prestigious networks available to the top fee-paying schools. 

We believe that by inspiring young people to explore their ambitions through our speaker programme, facilitating access to multi-day experiences of the world of work, and supporting young people to successfully seize opportunities available to them, then we can make a profound difference to the lives of young people, their future happiness and prosperity. 

By 2028, our ambition is that every young person in the UK has access to high quality work experience. Yet today, less than half of young people leave secondary school having had any work experience whatsoever.

Role Summary:

Whilst Futures For All has been fundraising for all of our 15 year history, we are now at a point in which increasing voluntary income and diversifying our charitable income streams is vital to the charity’s long-term success.  The new role of Director of Fundraising took up management of the team in 2024, and is now in the process of building a bigger and brighter team to support increasing income over the next few years.

The Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy will play a pivotal role in raising funds from grantmaking trusts and HNWIs (philanthropists) towards the work of Futures For All.  They will go beyond simply writing applications and reports, to build relationships with prospects and donors, ensuring that each are guided through the solicitation cycle towards maximising their grant to the charity.  They will work closely with colleagues, volunteers and leadership to ensure each prospect/donor is engaged appropriately and accurate information is provided in a timely manner.  They will also support the overall function of the Fundraising team, supporting other forms of fundraising. They will build relationships with prospects and donors, ensuring that each are guided through the solicitation cycle towards making major donations. 

Futures for All (formerly Speakers for Schools) seeks an individual with experience working with high-value supporters and strong relationship-building skills to become our new Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy.  With an exceptional network of senior stakeholders and volunteers, the potential for growth in fundraising is great.

As the UK’s leading social mobility charity, we’re on a mission to help state-educated students nationwide to reach their potential by providing work experience placements and inspirational talks. 

If you’re an enthusiastic, self-motivated, team-player with experience of major donor fundraising, then this is the role for you.  You’d join the team at a time of progression, with a new, focussed plan for the organisation targeting growth in our work experience and inspirational school talks. For this to be successful, we need to grow and diversify our income, particularly from grants and gifts, and are growing the fundraising team from 3.5 to 5+ members to support this increase.

Your role as Senior Fundraising Manager will be to help identify, cultivate, ask and steward philanthropists and grantmaking trusts, working with the Director of Fundraising, Fundraising team, wider colleagues and volunteers to ensure they are solicited to the highest possible standards. The team will support you and there’ll be training on offer to help you succeed.

If you are an expert communicator and relationship-builder, you could join an ambitious, collaborative team, passionate about raising funds to increase the richness of state education and level the playing field for children across the UK.

Key Duties / Responsibilities

Strategic Purpose

• Fundraising from grantmaking trusts and foundations – build and maintain a pipeline of trust prospects and donors with potential to give £10k+ per annum.
• Fundraising from major donor individuals – building relationships with prospects and donors leading to gifts of £5k or more.
• Collaboration – working with colleagues, Ambassadors and Trustees to engage potential supporters, attend events and solicit donations.
• Proposals and reports – develop and deliver accurate and inspiring fundraising applications and reports meeting and surpassing donor and prospect expectations.

Engagement

• Stewardship – work closely with the Donor Relations Manager to ensure all trust donors are stewarded effectively.
• Collaborate with staff, volunteers and leadership – ensuring you have an expert knowledge of the work of Speakers for Schools and can communicate it passionately and accurately to prospects and donors.

Delivery

• Events – utilise and support fundraising events to create a culture of giving and fundraising within Futures For All. Working alongside the Events Co-ordinator to identify attendees and shape engagement events.
• Data and reporting – ensure information on donors is correctly recorded in Salesforce, and supporting KPI and other reports created by the Director of Fundraising.
• Other duties – supporting the work of the Fundraising team and wider organisation as required.

Education / Experience / Knowledge

Essential

Experience of making the direct asks for funds from prospective donors.

Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to cultivate and steward philanthropic relationships effectively.

Experience of compelling proposal and report writing for a grantmaking and philanthropy audience.

Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Enthusiastic and a self-motivated team player.

Desirable

Proven ability to raise income from grantmaking trusts, manage a portfolio of established and new trust donors, achieve targets as part of a fundraising business plan.

Experience working in a social mobility or education-focused charity.

Proven ability to engage philanthropists and senior volunteers and speakers who support these approaches.

Futures for All Values:

Passion: 

We are committed to levelling the playing field for young people across the UK, creating social mobility and tackling disadvantages.

Agility: 

We challenge our ideas of what is possible in order to better meet the needs of those we support. We are human, make mistakes, learn, evolve and adapt.

Integrity: 

We act with empathy and bring our authentic selves to work every day. We value and respect the talent, time and intentions of those we work with.

Collaboration: 

We are one team with one mission and only by working together can we deliver better outcomes for young people. We support each other unconditionally and feel motivation in shared success as well as individual progress.

Diversity: 

We know it takes people with different ideas, strengths, identities, interests, and cultural backgrounds to make our organisation succeed. We encourage constructive debate and critical friendship.

Diversity at our core

Futures for All is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating discrimination.

About You:

• Have the ability to raise income from HNWIs , manage a philanthropy portfolio of established and new donors, building strong relationships and confidently making the ask.
• Experience in creating inspiring and informative bids to grantmakers, utilising your written communication skills.
• Comfort in working with, and engaging HNWIs and business leaders who will donate and help the organisation to succeed.
• Be able to develop strong relationships with the charities senior stakeholders and staff, identifying opportunities for growth and innovative engagement.

Location: Reading, Hybrid (at least once per a week to Reading Office)
Hours: 37 per week 
Salary: 28,532.46 per annum
Contract Type: Permanent
Campaign Closes: 5th January 2026

The Public Fundraising Executive supports the whole Public Fundraising team to achieve its aims and objectives by undertaking key administrative tasks, stewarding supporters across a range of fundraising activities, and assisting with the delivery of the team’s projects, which might include managing marketing campaigns, attending events or conducting research. They are also responsible for the acquisition, engagement and retention of supporters across all our public fundraising income streams. These include individual giving (cash, regular giving, lottery, payroll giving), legacies, in-memory, third-party challenge events, community fundraising, owned products and events, and innovation and new product development. The Public Fundraising Team play a vital role in contributing to our organisational strategic goal of developing sustainable sources of income and have received significant long-term investment from the Board to accelerate growth of fundraising income in this area.

What we're building

Every year, 3,000+ swimmers take on some of the UK's most iconic open water challenges, including the Dart10k, Bantham Swoosh and The Hurly Burly along with our growing series of 24-hour Wild Swim Relays. They swim so that disabled kids who need it most can get life-changing swimming lessons.

Last year, these swimmers raised over £1m. This year, we want to double it. And we need someone who can help us get there.

We're Level Water, a founder-led charity solving learn-to-swim for disabled children. We're not your typical charity. We own the events and run them like a business.  We move fast, test everything, and we're building something that doesn't exist anywhere else.

We've just brought in a new Fundraising Director, and this role is a cornerstone of the team we're building. If you want to help define how a modern charity does supporter care, this is your chance.

The opportunity

This isn't a "send some emails and answer some queries" role. This is a "build something and make it brilliant" role.

You'll own the entire experience for our 3,000 swimmers from the moment they sign up, through their training and fundraising journey, to the event itself (yes, you'll be there), and beyond. You'll design the journey, execute it, measure it, improve it, and scale it.

You'll have the freedom to experiment. Want to test a new communication sequence? Build a WhatsApp community? Launch a training programme? Run in-person meet ups? Create a membership product? Brilliant, build the business case and let's do it.

You'll work with real people who are doing something remarkable. You'll get to know them, thank them, support them, and help them raise more money than they thought possible. And you'll do it in a way that makes them want to come back year after year.

You'll also work closely with our Fundraising Director, Events and Marketing teams to turn our swimmers into our best marketing channel, because the people who've experienced our events are the ones who'll bring their friends next year.

And you'll grow with us. We're scaling fast, and we need people who can scale with us, whether that's into senior leadership, building out new teams, or launching new products.

This is a mission-critical role in driving Level Water’s income growth. Every strong supporter relationship you build helps unlock more funded swimming lessons, bringing us closer to a future where every disabled child can have a great swimming lesson with a confident, qualified teacher.

This is the most exciting job in the charity sector for the right person.

What you'll actually do

This role owns the supporter experience as a growth engine. You’ll set strategy, drive innovation, and be accountable for how supporter care translates into income, retention and long-term loyalty. You’ll work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to shape priorities, influence decisions, and build something that scales - not just for this year’s events, but for the future of Level Water.

Build relationships that matter

• Get to know our swimmers. Design the experience. Call them. Thank them. Make them feel valued.

• Be there at events throughout the summer meeting people, creating unforgettable experiences, and giving them reasons to come back.

• Deliver the personal touches that deepen connections: handwritten cards, phone calls, training tips, impact updates, recognition, celebration.

Design and optimise the supporter journey

• Own the end-to-end experience: from sign-up emails to post-event stewardship.

• Map out communications across our events portfolio throughout the year and execute them brilliantly.

• Use data to spot opportunities; where are people dropping off? Where can we increase average fundraising? What messages work best?

• Test everything. Buttons, subject lines, timing, tone obsess over the details that drive results.

Identify and unlock growth opportunities

• Spot the swimmers who could become major donors, corporate partners, or monthly givers and move them along that journey.

• Cross-sell and upsell: if someone's just completed their first challenge, how do we make them another offer that they can’t refuse? 

Track, report, and improve

• Keep our CRM up to date and use it intelligently.

• Report regularly on what's working and what's not: fundraising targets, engagement metrics, retention rates.

• Stay ahead of the curve: what are the best organisations doing? What can we learn and adapt?

Who we're looking for

We care much more about how you work than what you've done. You don't need fundraising experience. You don't need charity sector experience. You don't even need customer success experience though if you have it, great.

What you do need:

• Hustle and drive. You take ownership. You spot opportunities and go after them. You don't wait to be told what to do. You’re looking for opportunities. 

• A knack for building relationships. You genuinely care about people and you're good at making them feel it whether that's over email, on the phone, or in person.

• A data brain. You can look at numbers and spot the story. You know that "engagement is up 12%" means something, and you know how to act on it.

• A bias for action. You test things. You move fast. You're comfortable with uncertainty and you learn by doing.

• An entrepreneurial mindset. You think like an owner. If this were your business, how would you grow it?

• Ambition. You want to grow. You want to get better. You want to build something you're proud of.

• Organisation: Strong attention to detail, with the ability to juggle multiple projects and stay calm under pressure.

Bonus points if:

• You love being outdoors (swimming, hiking, wild camping, anything that gets you outside).

• You've worked in a startup, scale-up, or high-growth environment.

• You've designed customer journeys, retention strategies, or growth loops.

• You've worked in sales, account management, hospitality, retail management, or anything that required you to build relationships and hit targets.

Why Level Water?

Our values - Bold, Driven, Personal, and Joyful - are at the heart of this role. You’ll be expected to bring ambition, move with purpose, care deeply about people, and help create experiences that feel genuinely joyful to be part of. 

• Bold. This isn't a "follow the playbook" role. We want your ideas. We want you to challenge us. We want you to help us build something better.

• Driven. We're growing fast and we need people who can scale with us. If you're ambitious, there's a huge opportunity here.

• Personal. We're a small, founder-led team. We move fast, we debate hard, we test everything, and we care deeply about what we do.

• Joyful. You'll work on some of the most iconic outdoor swims in the UK. You'll be part of creating experiences that people remember forever.

Practical details:

• Flexible working: remote, hybrid, or (even better) office-based in Tunbridge Wells or Exeter, your choice.

• You'll attend weekend events throughout the summer (with time off in lieu).

• Salary: £30k-£45k depending on experience. 

How to apply

We want to hear from you in whatever way best shows us who you are and how you think.

Get creative. We really want to get a feel for your personality and style. A traditional CV and cover letter? Absolutely fine. A video introduction? Great. A presentation deck? Bring it on. Whatever format helps you shine and show us who you are. 

Here's what we'd love to know:

1. How you think about supporter experience:
   Imagine one of our swimmers has just signed up for the Dart10k but hasn't started fundraising yet. Walk us through how you'd engage them over the next 8 weeks to help them raise as much as possible and feel brilliant about it.

2. What excites you about this role:
   Tell us why this opportunity appeals to you specifically.

3. Something you're proud of:
   Share one thing you've built, grown, or improved. Doesn't have to be in charity or even at work, it could be anything that shows your drive and ability to make things happen.

Before you apply:

If you've got questions about the role, the team, or whether this might be right for you, please reach out. I'm Andy Punter, Fundraising Director at Level Water, and I'd genuinely love to chat.

Deadline: 

We're reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will close this advert once we've found the right person. So if this excites you, don't wait, but do take the time to show us who you really are. 

We'd rather see your best work than a rushed application. If you need a bit of time to put that together, talk to us.

We're excited to meet you. Let's build something brilliant together.