Finance and operations director jobs

Venn Group is delighted to be supporting a leading international cultural and educational charity in their search for an experienced Group Financial Controller. In this pivotal role, the successful candidate will take responsibility for all aspects of financial accounting, statutory reporting, and finance policy, ensuring robust financial management across the organisation’s global operations.

Key responsibilities of the role:

• Lead statutory accounting, group consolidations, and UK Group financial reporting
• Manage month-end close processes and ensure accuracy in management information
• Oversee financial reporting and compliance for subsidiaries, branches, and other legal entities worldwide
• Develop and maintain robust financial policies, internal controls, and compliance frameworks
• Lead cash flow forecasting, working capital management, and intercompany arrangements
• Partner with the Director of Finance Transformation to manage ERP-based processes and the Managed Service Provider
• Drive continuous improvement in financial processes, reporting, and compliance metrics
• Support talent development and high-performance culture within the global finance community
• Act as a key change agent for finance transformation initiatives
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organisation, including auditors and company secretariat

Ideal candidate profile:

• CCAB-qualified accountant with extensive post-qualification experience in senior finance roles
• Proven experience leading multi-location finance teams in international, multicultural organisations
• Expertise in statutory reporting (UK GAAP, Charities SORP), financial control, and compliance
• Strong analytical, influencing, and stakeholder management skills
• Experience with ERP systems, particularly SAP, and shared service operations
• Strategic thinker with the ability to deliver large-scale change and improvements
• Flexible, proactive, and able to perform effectively in a rapidly changing environment

Agency reference number: J90912
Location: London
Duration: Permanent
Salary: £97,000 - £109,000 per annum
Working hours: Full time
Working pattern: Hybrid (3 days per week on-site)

This vacancy will be actively shortlisted so early applications are encouraged to avoid missing out.

Venn Group is an equal opportunities employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates.

Join Mersey Rivers Trust and Help Make a Real Impact for Rivers, Wildlife and Communities! 

Are you a skilled finance and governance professional looking to use your expertise for good? Mersey Rivers Trust is seeking a Finance and Governance Manager to join our Senior Leadership Team and help shape the future of our environmental charity. 

We’re a passionate team working to protect and restore rivers across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire — and we need someone like you to ensure our finances and governance are as strong as our mission. 

The Mersey Rivers Trust (MRT) is an environmental charity focussing on the protection and enhancement of rivers and waterbodies in the Mersey Catchment. It operates in an area covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. We have an annual turnover of c£1m and employ 19 staff delivering up to 30 projects per year. The Trust works with partners, local communities, and volunteers to deliver a wide range of projects including river restoration, reduction of flood risk by Natural Flood Management techniques, river monitoring, volunteer events (eg river clean-ups/invasive species control and citizen science), community engagement and education events, farm advice/plans and biodiversity net gain. The Trust continues to evolve to meet the increasing challenges of protecting and enhancing rivers and waterbodies in the catchment.

We are seeking a Finance and Governance Manager to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead the Trust’s finance, governance, and back-office functions. This is a pivotal role focused on ensuring financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and effective charity governance. While not involved in field-based project delivery, the Finance Manager plays a strategic role in supporting the organisation’s mission by enabling robust financial planning, reporting, and operational support. You will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Trustees, and project teams to ensure the Trust remains financially resilient and well-governed.

As the Finance and Governance Manager, you should possess expertise in financial control and reporting, allowing you to effectively handle delegated responsibilities. Your numerical skills and critical thinking abilities will enable you to proactively address challenges and streamline processes. 

The role holder will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The role will also include direct line management responsibilities of the Administration Officer. 

If you are a motivated financial professional with a passion for driving organisational success, we invite you to apply and contribute to our team’s growth. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the management of the back-office function and Charity governance of MRT.
• Act as the Company Secretary to ensure compliance with financial and legal requirements, as well as maintaining high standards of Charity governance.
• Work with the Chief Executive Officer to prepare and manage budgets, provide input to the Trust’s business plan and strategic initiatives.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the Trust as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Provide financial insight and analysis to support strategic decision-making and long-term planning.
• Support the development and implementation of organisational policies and procedures to ensure good governance.
• Act as a key liaison with the Board of Trustees, preparing and presenting financial and governance reports to inform oversight and decision-making.
• Lead on the development of internal controls and risk management strategies to safeguard the Trust’s assets and reputation.
• Oversee all payments, manage cash flow, income and claims.
• Support financial planning for grant funding applications to support delivery of our objectives.
• Line management of the Administration Officer.
• Renew the annual insurance policy ensuring adequate cover and value for money.
• Maintain, oversee, and update all project management reporting systems on time and to budget (including timesheets, expenses and monthly reports).
• Complete all necessary reports and keep suitable records in line with the funding requirements and document retention policy.
• Highlight any new risks and issues identified whilst carrying out duties, and work with the team to manage and resolve them.
• Fulfil duties as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer.
• Any other reasonable duties as required by MRT.

The post holder will be home based with travel throughout the Mersey catchment. The applicant will need to live within or close to the Mersey catchment to facilitate regular travel to meetings. Remote working from other parts of the country cannot be considered for this role due to the need for regular face-to-face interactions. 

Candidate profile

Essential

• A financial control and reporting background, qualification or qualified by experience. 
• Experience of organisational governance, ideally with knowledge of UK General Accounting Practice and Charities regulations.
• Experience of financial and management reporting within a small to medium-sized organisation.
• Experience of liaising with accountants to prepare annual accounts and reports required by the Charity Commission.
• Experience of cash flow forecasting.
• Familiarity with Xero financial and project management software (or similar).
• A confident and clear communicator with the ability to communicate financial information in an appropriate manner for non-financial trustees and staff.
• Aptitude in problem-solving.
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively from home with strong communication skills and with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work flexibly across the working week when necessary.
• Ability to prioritise and plan activities to meet strict deadlines.
• Excellent literacy, numeracy and report-writing skills.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Good computer literacy skills (e.g. with Excel, Word, PowerPoint and project reporting systems).
• A reliable team player with good attendance and work performance.
• Ability to set performance objectives and ensure these are achieved.
• Excellent organisational / admin skills and attention to detail.

Desirable

• Experience in financial planning for funding applications.
• Experience of working in the charity or not for profit sector.
• Understanding of small-scale charitable trading.
• Experience of commercial contract management.
• Experience of managing an IT service provider.
• Knowledge of the Mersey Catchment.
• Good network of contacts in the sector. 

General notes

• Some travel around the Mersey Catchment will be necessary therefore a current driving licence and access to a vehicle (insured for business use) is desirable or otherwise access to public transport networks. 
• This position will from time to time require work during some evenings, weekends and public holidays to meet the needs of the post. A time-off in lieu system is operated by the Trust.
• We will also require the successfully applicant to undergo a basic DBS check and provide satisfactory references from previous employers.

Finance Manager

We are seeking an experienced Finance Manager to oversee day-to-day financial operations and support strategic decision making.

Position: Finance Manager
Location: Hybrid – part office-based in Kennington, London SE11, with at least one day a week in the office
Salary: £33,000 – £35,000 pro rata (depending on experience)
Hours: Part time, 21 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: 5pm, Friday 10 October 2025
Interview dates: First round week commencing 27 October 2025, second round 4 November 2025

About the Role

As Finance Manager, you will play a key role in managing financial processes and ensuring smooth operations. You will:

• Manage the accounts receivable function ensuring that invoices are raised in a timely manner, receipts are recorded on the accounting system and in liaison with the relevant managers ensure that outstanding balances are followed up on a regular and frequent basis
• Manage the accounts payable function ensuring that invoices are paid in a timely manner and supporting line managers with coding and uploading via HubDoc as necessary. Monitor entries in HubDoc (the application used to upload invoices to Xero – the accounting system used) to ensure any failed or unpublished invoices are followed up and accurately processed
• Bank and other Balance Sheet account reconciliations
• Work closely with colleagues in the Programmes team to manage the receipt of income from charitable activities
• Liaise with the Development team and provide weekly breakdowns of grants and donations received to ensure that income can be properly recorded on the donor database
• Monitor and reconcile credit card and petty cash payments ensuring that all financial controls are adhered to
• Supporting the Finance Director with month and year end procedures and reporting

About You

We are looking for a proactive and organised individual who can work both independently and collaboratively. You will bring:

• Have a solid understanding and experience of core accounting functions, financial management and bookkeeping – ideally in the charity or not for profit sector – including managing both accounts receivable and accounts payable
• Have good Excel skills and demonstrable experience of using accounting systems (we currently use Xero)
• Have excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, accuracy and attention to detail
• Have a good understanding of the management of restricted and unrestricted funds in charities
• Possess good communication skills and the ability to work with both finance and non-finance colleagues
• Have experience of preparing schedules and documents for external audit
• Thrive in a small team and are happy to work collaboratively as well as alone on a wide range of finance tasks
• Hold an accountancy qualification (AAT or similar) or are working towards one and are committed to your own professional development through training, webinars or conferences as relevant

In Return

You will benefit from:

• 25 days annual leave (pro rata) plus public holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Contributory pension scheme with 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing support
• Ongoing in-house and external training opportunities
• A flexible approach to working to support work-life balance

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Finance Officer, Management Accountant, Accounts Manager, Charity Finance Lead, Financial Controller.

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

The Senior Accounts Technician plays a key role within the financial accounts team, working in partnership with the Director of Finance and Governace to ensure the smooth operation of financial systems and processes.

We are working with Andover Mind, a charity that supports people with mental ill health in Andover, Basingstoke and Aldershot and the wider community. They are seeking a Head of Finance and Resources to join the Senior Leadership team as they embark on a new three-year strategy for growth, sustainability and a wider range of support.

The Head of Finance and Resources will lead the financial strategy, operations and finance-related governance of the charity, ensuring financial sustainability and effective stewardship of resources to achieve organisational goals. This is a business-critical leadership role, involving working closely with the Treasurer, CEO and Senior Leadership Team. The successful candidate will be a member of the Senior Management Team and expect to participate in top level strategy for the organisation.

The role of Head of Finance and Resources is critical as it encompasses financial controls, reporting, analysis, budgeting and forecasting; business services: Human Resources, ICT and other systems optimisation, premises, contract oversight, supplier management and procurement as well as team management.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Financially qualified or significant QBE
• Proven experience in a senior finance role, ideally within the charity sector.
• Strong leadership and people management capabilities, ideally including people/HR functions
• Expertise in financial strategy, controls, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to interpret and manage complex financial data.
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Knowledge of charity-specific financial regulations is a plus.

This is a pivotal opportunity to lead a vital function in a values-driven organisation making a difference. If you’re passionate about using your financial expertise to create lasting impact, we would love to hear from you.

For more information, please contact Sandra Smith, Associate Director, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Your application should be submitted through the Charisma website and include your CV and supporting statement.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or other category protected by law.

Closing date: 01/10/25

Could this be your next role? We are looking for a new Head of Finance to lead financial strategy at scale and influence decisions at the highest level at one of the UK's most respected conservation charities.

Head of Finance
Reference: AUG20259208
Location: Flexible in UK – With regular Travel to HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £70,490.00 - £80,025.00 Per Annum
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance, 26 days annual leave

This is an exciting opportunity for a finance leader reporting to the Director of Finance, who can balance strategic vision with operational delivery, ensuring the finance function operates with agility and remains fit for purpose, providing well-informed financial decisions, transparency that are aligned with effective corporate governance. Striking this balance will be key to your success as Head of Finance.

What's the role about?

You will be accountable for a functional specialism covering the main RSPB charity, its subsidiary companies, and connected entities. This high-impact role is responsible for leading the development and coordination, of our financial controls and compliance across the RSPB, providing detailed, insightful financial analysis that supports the delivery of the RSPB’s strategic objectives.

With income and expenditure of around £200m annually, and a new finance system covering financial operations and systems integrations, you will bring proven expertise in managing large volumes of transactions, managing financial controls, running audits, and dealing with complex tax and contracts issues, leading the Financial Operations, Financial Control and Finance systems teams.

You will be a finance professional who not only brings strong technical expertise and experience but also demonstrates a clear commitment to our values and a collaborative approach to leadership. You will have the credibility and emotional intelligence to influence, engage and build trusted relationships both across the organisation and with external partners.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Qualified accountant, with at least 5 years post qualified experience.
• Outstanding analytical skills to understand complex financial performance, see the underlying major issues and strong communication skills to convey this in a simple and powerful
• Excellent knowledge of financial standards ,UK GAAP (FRS102), IFRS.
• Proven leadership and people management skills, able to develop team members for high performance and build a positive culture
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to present, influence and represent the functional specialism at all levels
• Collaboration skills to build partnerships, navigate politics and manage conflicts
• Business management skills to understand strategy, business functions and decision-making
• Ability to evaluate incomplete, complex and large volumes of financial information, to develop and consider a range of options and make a recommended course of action
• Proven ability to translate strategy into action, developing programmes, prioritising and leading change
• Highly competent user of Microsoft office in particular Excel

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the charity sector and the frameworks within which we work, including Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)

Additional Information:

• This role is home based with the requirement to regularly travel to our UKHQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire (expected to be once per month) plus occasional travel to other locations as required (overnight stays may be necessary).

Closing date: 23:59, Friday 19th September 2025
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from week commencing 29th September 2025.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

This role will require completion of the standard pre-employment checks.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

As part of this application you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete a short form. In the cover letter section of the form you will have the opportunity to explain how you meet the criteria set above. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

No agencies please.

About the role

We’re recruiting for a Head of Retail Operations for our Northern Division. In this role, you’ll be at the heart of driving success within six regions, leading a team of dedicated Regional Managers across 85 shops with around 270 colleagues.

This isn’t just about overseeing operations – it’s about owning them. You’ll have the freedom and autonomy to shape the strategy for your division, making key decisions on everything from financial performance to people development. You’ll build a values-led, inclusive culture – one where our people feel appreciated, respected and supported.

As part of the senior leadership team, you’ll play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of Mind Retail, bringing fresh ideas and driving initiatives that make a real impact. And because every pound we make in our shops helps support Mind’s mission, the work you do will have a lasting and meaningful impact.

This is a role for an ambitious leader – someone ready to take ownership, think strategically and inspire a team to do great things.

We’re looking for someone who:

· Is a natural leader, passionate about creating high-performing teams and building an inclusive culture

· Has senior-level experience leading multi-site, large-scale retail operations and knows how to drive commercial success

· Understands retail finances inside out, from managing P&L’s, to spotting opportunities for growth

· Thinks strategically, but isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and make things happen

· Embodies our values and behaviours

Ready to make a difference?

Join Mind Retail. Join the fight for mental health.

Due to our commitment to work/life balance, you must live within reasonable travelling distance of the division. The geography of the division covers the North West, Yorkshire & Humber, North East, East & West Midlands and North Wales.

Mind Retail reserve the right to close the vacancy to applications earlier, should we receive a high volume of strong candidates. Therefore we encourage an early application.

About our benefits

As Head of Operations, you’ll receive:

· A competitive salary of £59,753 per year

· A company car

· A strong commitment to work-life balance with a working pattern that supports this, with the occasional weekend working

· 25 days’ paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays

· Development workshops & courses, to help build your career

· Comprehensive, personalised induction programmes, tailored to your role when you join us

· A huge variety of additional qualifications & development programmes for anyone looking to grow their skills

· Family friendly policies & enhanced pay

· A competitive pension scheme & life assurance, available to all our employees

· 25% staff discount in all Mind shops

· Access to exclusive discounts at over 160 retailers through our employee savings app

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Interest free season ticket loan

About Mind Retail

Mind Retail are a network of almost 200 shops across England and Wales, generating an income of around £25 million per year. We have ambitious plans to grow over the next few years and we’re going to be fighting for mental health in a way we never have before. We won't stop until everyone with a mental health problem gets the support and respect they deserve. There’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We value the power of diversity. We embrace the different perspectives that each of us bring. We are creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is appreciated for being authentic and bringing their whole selves to work.

Safer Recruitment at Mind Retail

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our employees and volunteers and we expect anyone working with us to share this commitment. In line with our Safer Recruitment policy, the successful candidate will be required to provide references and will be expected to undertake an enhanced DBS check with a check of the Children's Barred List and/or ‘Work with Adults' workforce check based on their role and responsibilities. A DBS check is a process to check someone's criminal record (if they have any). A Barred List is a list of people who are barred from working with children. To enable you to predetermine what might be disclosed in your DBS check, please use this disclosure calculator.

Mind Retail is an equal opportunities employer, welcoming applicants from all communities. We are committed to the fair treatment of our staff, potential staff and volunteers, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.

This job vacancy is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. 

More details

For more information and a full person specification, please check on the Job Description button below.

At Makani, we are passionate about working with women seeking sanctuary to overcome trauma, fight for rights, and to transform lives and the world around us. Our vision is a world of freedom, equality and dignity for all refugee women and girls. 

WHAT WE DO

We work in Lebanon with Syrian and Palestinian women, and in the UK with women from all over the world. 

Our arts projects include theatre and craft therapy, filmmaking and feminist embroidery. We also facilitate access to training, education and income generation opportunities, and run workshops on parenting support and on women’s rights in a context of rights for all. 

Our flagship Oshana project provides refugee women in Lebanon with a dignified income, a supportive community, and a creative outlet for trauma through embroidery and crochet - and has built a reputation for beautiful design and impeccable craftsmanship. 

We are a young but ambitious organisation that is transforming the lives of hundreds of refugee women and their families in Lebanon, and dozens in the UK. We have rapidly grown over the past three years, with an accompanying increase in income. 

WHO WE ARE

Makani was founded in 2022 and officially registered as a charity in June 2024. One of our co-founders has her own lived experience of displacement; both have worked for many years supporting women who have been forced to leave their homes. 

We now have two staff in the UK and four in Lebanon. We work from home with occasional meetings in London for UK-based staff. As Finance and Administration Manager, you will join us as our seventh staff member, a key member of the team.

As a charity with a strong emphasis on mental health, we foster a supportive and inclusive working environment. We are friendly and flexible. Our team members enjoy working with Makani because we care about each other and are passionate about what we do.

Makani means ‘my place’ in Arabic. We gave this name to our charity as we want to create a space which women who have been forced to leave their homes, or who have felt dispossessed by society, can call their own. Could Makani be your place too?

THE ROLE

We are looking for an experienced and dedicated Finance and Administration Manager to lead on developing and maintaining our financial and organisational systems, enabling Makani to increase our impact on the lives of refugee women. 

Position: Finance and Administration Manager

Contract type: Permanent - but also open to applications on a consultant basis

Responsible to: Director of Operations

Location: Home-based, with occasional meetings in London (transport costs covered)

Hours: 20 hours per week, core hours to be agreed upon appointment, flexitime-friendly

Salary: £35,000 per annum pro rata (£20,000 for the 20 hour week)

Annual leave and benefits:

28 days annual leave pro rata (not including bank holidays)

Company pension with matched contributions of at least 3% after probation passed.

KEY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Finance

• Work with the Executive team to set and monitor annual budgets

• Record all financial transactions using accounting software (Xero)

• Record and track multiple restricted and unrestricted grants from a range of donors

• Prepare and present quarterly management accounts for the Board

• Prepare end-of-year accounts 

• Oversee payroll and ensure timely invoice payments

• Ensure the charity complies with the financial requirements of the Charity Commission, HMRC and other bodies

• Develop and maintain financial procedures and internal controls

• Liaise with external accountants or auditors for the preparation of annual accounts and statutory reporting

• Monitor cash flow and support the Director of Operations in maintaining financial sustainability

• Work with colleagues to prepare budgets and financial reports for funders

• Contribute to development of funding bids, with Executive Team.
   

Administration & HR

• Support the board and senior staff to maintain and update charity policies (safeguarding, finance, HR, etc.)

• Support the board to develop HR processes to ensure legal compliance 

• Organise and minute quarterly trustee meetings

• Book travel and support with other logistics as needed

• Other administrative tasks as relevant and appropriate
   

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

You will have:

• Proven experience in charity financial management, including restricted/unrestricted funding

• Familiarity with or willingness to learn Xero accounting software

• Familiarity with UK charity accounting and reporting standards

• Strong organisational and administrative skills

• Ability to work independently and remotely and to communicate well in a small team

• Understanding of good HR policies and practice for small charities 

• Understanding of or willingness to learn about other key areas of compliance such as data protection 

• Commitment to Makani’s mission and our feminist and anti-racist values

And it's desirable but not essential that you have:

• Experience of preparing funding bids and financial reporting to funders 

• Experience of working in a charity with some overseas operations

TO APPLY

To apply, click the CharityJob Apply button below.

You’ll be asked to submit a CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role.

• CV - no more than two sides A4.
• Cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role - no more than two sides A4.

First-round interviews will take place in the week commencing 29 September; final interviews may take place after that if required.

Closing date: 18:00 on 19 September 2025

Makani is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.

The Youth Endowment Fund

Assistant Director of Public Affairs and Partnerships

Reports to: Director of Change, with significant engagement with Director of Public Affairs and Comms and CEO

Salary: £75,500 per annum

Location:  Central London or Hybrid

Contract: 2-year fixed term – potential to extend. Open to 0.8 FTE for the right candidate

Closing date: Friday 26th September by 12pm

About the Youth Endowment Fund

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.

Last year, 244 people in England and Wales tragically died after being assaulted with a knife. Of these, 32 were children. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. Even when violence doesn’t strike directly, we know that the fear of violence has a terrible effect on children’s lives.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives.

We can’t do this alone, we have to build and maintain brilliant partnerships across government, with other funders and with wider society. We are looking for an exceptional individual to lead on this work. We also need to have an eye for the future. Our present endowment must be spent down by April 2029. We need someone who can lead on planning for the future.

Key responsibilities

You ensure that we:

· Are ready for the future: Born with a ten-year endowment, the YEF has become the leading authoritative voice on how to reduce violence affecting children. We must spend down this endowment by April 2029, so need to start thinking about after this date. You will lead on ensuring we have a great plan for post 2029. You will spot the best opportunities, assess them and, over time, take them. This includes both building great external relationships and also ensuring there’s a clearly articulated, inspiring narrative – filled with facts, examples and case studies - of what has been delivered to date and what needs to happen between 2029 and 2039 to double down on our mission. To do this, you will orchestrate the expertise and knowledge of colleagues across the organisation – ensuring that what you need comes together perfectly.

· Build and maintain great relationships across government: We have an increasingly large number of relationships across government – providing advice and support on what works to prevent violence. You will be ready to offer advice to colleagues on those relationships where needed. You will build new relationships and maintain them where they are needed so we are ready for the future. You will be really well organised too ensuring that internal colleagues know which relationships they own and making sure that key regular meetings are in place. We have a simple process that tracks these relationships; you will make this process work well for us – with minimum bureaucracy and maximum effectiveness. You will also provide help and advice and coaching as YEF colleagues think through how best to get system changes to happen that will ultimately reduce violence.

· Build great relationships with other organisations that will be key to the future: As the lead organisation on reducing violence affecting young people, we increasingly receive and see a host of opportunities to partner with other organisations including funders on projects, co-funding and research. You will support this work – leading on relationships that are essential in making us ready for the future. You will spot the opportunity, build relationships, bring in other YEF colleagues, pull together key information, write brilliant documents where needed, win others over. In short, you will make great things happen.

As a senior member of staff in the organisation you also:

• Lead on culture: Build and maintain a culture where it is natural to perform well and support colleagues brilliantly.
• Deliver on strategy: Contribute to setting the strategy, delivering results, and building and modelling the culture that we need to succeed.

About you

You are this sort of person:

· You make things happen. You’re organised, delivery-focused, and produce high-quality work, even under pressure. You work independently and to a high standard. You are quick at really understanding something so you can make good decisions quite fast. You put plans together and make them happen. Wherever you work, people think of you as someone who makes things happen. You do it in a generous, kind way that means people are feel delighted to see you succeeding, never trampled upon.

· You like bringing order and clarity to a big project that involves lots of people. You are at home bringing order to a big project: working out who is going to do what by when, having a regular steering group to ensure progress, keeping everyone on side and delivering a great result at the end.

· You understand how government works – as in really understand. You understand the nuance of how decisions are made within government. You understand that there is no such thing as ‘the department’s position’ (instead there are different views competing) and that while some decisions are very rational, some are more about personalities and politics. You find the process of how decisions get made within government departments, and with Number 10 and the Treasury, fascinating.

· You are fantastic at spotting how to get something done in Whitehall or Westminster. You are really good at thinking about how to make change happen. To some, Westminster and Whitehall can seem like a blob but you are brilliant at spotting how to make change happen there. You can think through the intricacies of who to get onside, who to get advice from, who to persuade and how to get the job done. You have a track record of doing this.

· You write really well. The idea of writing one or two pivotally important longer documents (30-40 pages) for the organisation that makes the case for something and pulls in content from lots of colleagues, synthesising and making it all fit together sounds interesting. You know – from experience – that you would be good at it.

· You win people over. People tend to warm to you and respect you. You easily build good relationships with both very senior and very junior people. You can be at ease talking to a senior politician or a 15 year old. It is important to you to be humble. You acknowledge how much you don't know as well as how much you do.

· You are great at building lasting partnerships with other organisations. You have experience of building partnerships or collaborations with other organisations, winning them over, doing conflict well when you need to, communicating clearly so that the work gets done and people feel as good as possible about it.

· You are a team player. You work brilliantly in a team. You are not motivated by being the individual winner. You want the team as a whole to succeed. You enjoy coaching other people so that they perform excellently in a meeting. You are not possessive of your contacts. You don’t care who gets the credit as long as things get done. You like the idea of being part of a small, well-motivated team and are ok with the downside of this – that we don’t have a lot of junior admin staff to do the jobs we like less.

· You think and communicate really well from the big picture to practical reality. You’re a strategic thinker who can see the big picture without losing sight of the detail.  You find it quite easy to summarise in a few sentences, a few pages or a few words a complex argument or case. Whether speaking or writing, you break down complicated concepts in ways that make sense to different audiences – without oversimplifying. You bring clarity where others bring jargon.

· You care about our mission. You can be easily motivated to do work to prevent violence. This is something that matters to you. You believe in getting people to do things that are most likely to save lives, rather than just things that sound good.

· You’re committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Not just in theory – but in how you work, who you listen to, and what you prioritise.

While it’s not a criterion, we are especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of violence affecting young people.

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. 

Secondments

We are open to candidates that would prefer to join us on a 2-year secondment or career break. Secondment candidate should ensure that their current organisation is in support of this in principle, all candidates will go through the full interview process. Candidates should state clearly in their covering letter if they would like to join us as secondee.

Hybrid Working Details

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage.

To Apply

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" button by Friday 26th September 2025.

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words (there is no need to be this long though) the following questions:

1. Tell us in two paragraphs about something you made happen. We are keen to find someone who is good at be a self-starter, organised and finding the way to make something happen. Tell us what you were trying to get done, how you organised the task and how you made it happen.

2. Summarise in one or two paragraphs your experience of working with or in central government. We are keen to find someone who knows how decisions are made in government and has seen them being made.

3. Tell in two paragraphs about someone or an organisation you won over or built a good relationship with.Tell us how you went about it. We are keen to find someone who quite easily builds good relationships with other organisations.

Interview Process

This will be a two-stage interview process. The first stage interviews will take place in the week commencing 13th October 2025. Second stage interviews are currently scheduled for the week commencing 20th October 2025

PLEASE NOTE: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Benefits Include

· £1,000 professional development budget annually

· 28 days holiday – 3 of which are taken between Christmas and New Years - plus Bank Holidays

· Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support

· Volunteering days - 4 half days per year

· Death in service - 4 times annual salary

· Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

· Financial support including travel and hardship loans

· Employer contributed pension of 5%.

Personal Data 

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.   

Join Operation Smile UK as our new Communications & Content Officer, where you’ll craft powerful stories that elevate our mission, spark fundraising, and shape our brand across digital and print channels. If you’re passionate about storytelling, campaign coordination, and making a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Job Purpose

The Communications and Content Officer supports the delivery of engaging and effective communications across Operation Smile UK’s channels. The postholder will create and coordinate content that raises awareness, supports fundraising, and strengthens the organisation’s profile in the UK.

Key Responsibilities

Content creation and content management

• Working with the Senior Communications Manager, research, draft, and edit compelling content for the UK website, newsletters, and print materials.
• Support the reimagining of existing content to ensure messaging is fresh, relevant, and audience-led.
• Collate and maintain a library of case studies, stories, and assets for use across teams.
• Ensure brand voice and tone are consistently applied across all communications.

Digital and organic social media

• Develop and maintain a social media content calendar which supports our Communications Strategy and liaise with our Social Media Freelancer to plan and approve posts.
• Contribute to the delivery of multi-channel campaigns, liaising with internal stakeholders and suppliers to create assets and meet deadlines.
• Assist with monitoring and reporting on content performance, identifying opportunities for growth and engagement.

Campaign coordination

• Support the planning and scheduling of communications campaigns like World Smile Day and advertising events like our annual carols concert.
• Manage feedback processes to ensure the timely delivery of content and materials.
• Act as the first point of contact for all content requests from across the organisation.

Administration and finance

• Collate quotes for expenditure and liaise with suppliers as required.
• Track invoices, ensuring coding is accurate and amounts match agreed quotes.
• Maintain organised systems for content workflows, approvals, and campaign schedules.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Gather engagement and performance metrics from all channels.
• Provide regular reports to the Senior Communications Manager.
• Suggest improvements to optimise performance and impact.

Recruitment

We are actively interviewing for this role on a rolling basis as suitable applicants apply. If you're interested in this role, it is advisable to apply as soon as possible.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We're a Disability Confident Committed employer, so we guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirements for the job.

At Operation Smile UK, we value individuals based on their performance and potential. We're dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that supports everyone's needs. We're happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the application and employment process, and we particularly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds.

If you need this document in a different format, require any adjustments, or need help with your application, please contact us (further details contained within the job description).

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Operation Smile UK knows fundraising could better reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the people the charity sector supports. If you don’t meet every requirement but believe your transferable skills align with the role, we encourage you to contact us for a conversation. 

We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We celebrate diversity and encourage you to bring your authentic self to Operation Smile UK. We are committed to supporting all applicants and ensuring a fair hiring process. All appointments will be made solely on merit, and we are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. 

Role: | Finance & CRM Administrator
Reporting to: | Financial Controller, with a dotted line to the Directors/Fundraising team
Purpose of job: | To work with the Finance and Fundraising teams to provide excellent finance, CRM & other systems administration. This will support income generation, research, data capture and information security throughout the Museum. Responsibilities include maintaining financial records, managing and maintaining a CRM database of contacts, supporting other digital systems, and some general administrative duties including IT support.
Working pattern: | 35 hours per week, usually worked from 10 – 6pm. Flexible/hybrid working offered for up 40% of hours to be worked from home.
Contract: | Permanent
Salary: | £28,000-£30,000pa depending on experience

Who we are looking for
Are you fascinated by data with an excellent grasp on finance, IT and digital systems? Are you interested in the role financial, CRM & other digital systems play in how arts organisations and cultural projects are managed? Are you looking to take the next step in your arts finance, administration or fundraising career? 
The Foundling Museum is transforming how digital systems underpin the foundations of this small but mighty Museum and charity. The position of Finance & CRM Administrator sits at the heart of this continued transition, following the successful implementation and migration to Shopify, Xero & Beacon CRM which began in 2023. 
This new role is essential to the success of the Finance & Fundraising teams, in providing effective finance and CRM administration support. The Finance and CRM Administrator will support income generation activities including fundraising and venue hire, as well as playing a vital role in keeping the Museum’s accounting systems working effectively. 
This includes processing all types of financial transactions on Xero and maintaining records on Beacon. You will work as a key part of both teams supporting the Museum’s strategy through the provision of high quality financial & other data, and the maintenance of the underlying systems.
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly organised individual with strong financial skills, an attention to detail, and a flair for collaborative working and information management. You will be looking to expand your skillset and make a tangible impact on our work, through the effective use & development of the main systems underpining our financial strategy & income generation.

Key objectives
·         Supporting the Finance team with accurate & timely processing & reconciling of all types of Museum transactions & ledgers including sales, purchases, banking & cash.
·         Continue ongoing migration of supporter and customer data to Beacon CRM, working with all teams
·         Support all staff with SharePoint migration project ensuring effective record management
·         Continue seeking opportunities to improve the use of our digital systems to increase organisational efficiencies & income generation

Key responsibilities
Finance
·         Raise sales invoices
·         Process credit card transactions
·         Credit control & reconciliation of the sales ledger
·         Financial management of shop takings
·         Process bank & cash transactions
·         Bank reconciliations
·         Produce financial reports & other ad hoc duties as required by the Financial Controller
·         Gift Aid Claims support
·         Training in and promoting use of XERO to staff
CRM Administration
·         Maintain and update Beacon with all fundraising transactions including applications, prospects, & funding receipts 
·         Process donations, pledges and ticket payments from individuals, organisations, trusts and foundations

·         Day-to-day administration of the Museum’s Friends & other membership schemes

·         Maintain up-to-date and accurate records of contacts ensuring that strict confidentiality and GDPR legislation and guidance is adhered to

·         Monitor data quality by regularly creating and executing processes to cleanse and standardise data in the CRM

·         Lead on development of improving existing CRM systems within Beacon CRM 

·         Assist in data capture and gathering to support fundraising compliance & applications

·         Training in and promoting use of CRM to staff including building reports.
Admin support
·         Basic IT support working with outsourced IT contractors and the Operations team
·         Manage the ordering of office items
·         Facilitate the use, internal awareness and confidence with digital systems, creating and managing logins
·         Supporting the Director’s Office Project Manager with governance & meetings
Other
·         To perform any other tasks as reasonably requested by the Directors, Financial Controller and Fundraising team 

Person specification
Essential :
·         Excellent financial, administration & analytical skills
·         Experience of financial systems such as Xero, Sage or QuickBooks

•       Good understanding and experience of Excel

·         Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively in writing, over the phone, and face-to-face with the Museum’s different stakeholders

·         Solid experience working with not-for-profit databases, such as Beacon CRM

·         The ability to also work independently and take initiative within a small team

·         Proven, excellent organisational skills, with close attention to detail, the ability to multi-task and prioritise responsibilities

·         Excellent IT skills including in depth knowledge of financial systems, CRM, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and other cloud based digital systems 

·         An enjoyment of and willingness to engage with a wide variety of people and organisations
Able to act with discretion and maintain professional confidentiality at all times

·         Appreciation of and support for the aims, values and ethos of The Foundling Museum
Desirable:
·         An interest in and engagement with the work and ethos of the Museum

·         An interest in and engagement with the arts, heritage and/or music

·         Experience of working in a finance or fundraising environment

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata) + bank holidays (pro rata)+ Birthday leave + Volunteering leave
• You will be eligible to join a group contributory pension scheme (3 months after your start date)
• Discount from the Foundling Museum Shop and local partner businesses
• Access to season ticket , rental deposit and cycle to work scheme loans (3 months from your start date)
• Free and discounted access to partner museums and galleries
• Free access to our fully funded Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing – WISDOM
• Training support from our on line learning platform

Interview timetable:
Closing date: 5pm 1 Oct 2025
First interview date: 7 and 8 Oct  2025 (NB interview will include a job related task)
Second interview date for shortlisted candidates: 13 or 14 Oct 2025

How to apply:
 To apply please follow the link to our application portal where you will be asked to upload a completed copy of our standard application form. 
On this application form you need to provide: 

• Your contact details 
• Details of relevant achievements in recent posts, as well as any relevant education and professional qualifications that are appropriate to the post 
• What makes you a good fit for the role, for example, giving evidence of your ability to match the criteria outlined in the Person Specification 
• An explanation of  why you wish to work for us 
• Details of your notice period and names of 2 referees, together with the capacity in which they have known you, and an indication of when in the process they can be contacted (please note we will not contact your referees without your express permission) 

 PLEASE NOTE: the application portal will request a CV. This is not necessary and can be ignored. Where it requests a CV please only upload the completed application form, and the optional Equal Opportunities form (if you wish to submit one).

Please get in touch with us details found on our website if you have any access requirements, for example if you would prefer to send your application via video.

Please note that any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references and  proof of right to work in the UK and also may be subject to a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. 
 
Please also note that this job description will not form part of your contract or your terms and conditions of employment. Duties and requirements of the role may vary from time to time in accordance with the needs of Foundling Museum, its strategy and the directions from its Director.

 About the Foundling Museum:
A seaman, a composer and a painter, and the moving story of the charity they started 270 years ago. The Foundling Museum is a recipe of art and care, which still looks after kids today. Coram, Handel, Hogarth, what’s not to love? Grayson Perry CBE, Foundling Museum Trustee
The Foundling Museum explores compelling stories of love, loss and care through art, music, writing and emotive objects.
 The Museum is the UK’s only arts and heritage institution dedicated to the public understanding of lived experiences of care.  Inspired by three great 18th-century activists - campaigner Thomas Coram, artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel - our mission is to inspire change and transform lives through the power of the arts. We believe in creative action that brings past and present together, to stimulate imaginations and enrich lives. 
 The Foundling is also the birthplace of creative philanthropy – combining art and fundraising to publicly support lived experiences of care. At the Foundling, the term ‘care’ refers to children’s social care, including foster care, adoption, kinship care, local authority care and children’s homes. Central to our work is well-being through exhibitions, events, collections, research and arts programmes with care leavers, looked-after children, and early years (birth to five years old).  
 Examples of our work include:  

• Art projects which explore how our historic story of care still resonates today by addressing stigma and supporting mental health. We do this by working in a connected way, establishing collaborations with local health and community partners. 
• ‘Tracing Our Tales’, our flagship training programme for care-experienced young people which was named Learning Programme of the Year at the 2022 Museums and Heritage Awards. Supported by our Learning Team, trainees learn art or creative writing skills in weekly sessions led by dynamic artists and poets, to build a creative portfolio.  
• Exhibitions, collections and displays, ranging from tiny, touching identifying tokens left by mothers with their babies, to composer George Frideric Handel’s will. Around the Museum, you’ll find works of art by contemporary artists like Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, Tracey Emin and Michael Craig-Martin, as well as 18th-century artists William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. 

For an overview of our charitable activities, and relationships with funders, please view the Foundling Museum Annual Report 2024/2025 on this link. 

LUX is seeking an exceptional Deputy Director to help lead its next chapter. This new senior role, created to strengthen internal capacity, operational resilience, and strategic delivery, will work closely with the recently appointed Director, Ali Roche, to shape and implement a vision for the organisation’s future. Overseeing operational and financial management, the Deputy Director will bring a broad skillset across finance, operations, HR, fundraising, legal, and governance to ensure LUX’s long-term success.

About Us

LUX is a publicly funded arts organisation and accredited museum that supports and promotes visual artists working with the moving image. Based in London and Glasgow, it delivers a range of activities including exhibitions, screenings, educational projects, commissioning and research.

It also manages Europe’s largest collection of films and videos made by artists and distributes them to museums, galleries and festivals around the world. We are a small organisation with offices in London and Glasgow. LUX’s collection is based at its London location in Waterlow Park, Highgate, North London, a beautiful location in a public park with its own gardens. LUX Scotland is based in Glasgow and delivers a public programme of activity in Scotland dedicated to supporting, developing and promoting artists’ moving image practices across the country. 

This is a rare opportunity to join LUX at a moment of renewal. Together with the Board and our dedicated team, you will help guide strategic growth, seize new opportunities, and uphold our artist-centred mission—building on LUXs rich history and commitment to championing artists’ moving image in the UK. The Deputy Director will lead on income generation, develop forward-thinking strategies, and help maintain and continue to build a vibrant, sustainable organisation for artists, collaborators and audiences.

Key Information:

Job Title: Deputy Director
Hours: 5 days a week (35 hours)
Salary: £45,000 pro-rata
Benefits Include: 25 days per year plus statutory holidays with an increase of 1 day per year worked up to a maximum of 30 days in total.
Location: This role is based at the LUX London office. This position will require at least 3 days per week working at the LUX office. Hybrid working options available.

The Deputy Director main responsibilities will include:

• Develop and maintain operational policies, procedures, and risk management aligned with organisational values and Arts Council Investment Principles.
• Co-lead the business plan and long-term strategy with the Director, translating goals into operational delivery.
• Oversee financial management, including budgeting, audits, payroll, procurement, cash flow, statutory reporting, and fundraising and income generation strategies, ensuring compliance and value for money.
• Prepare and submit quarterly and annual reports to public funders, ensuring data accuracy and compliance.
• Ensure legal and governance compliance across charity, company, employment, safeguarding, health & safety, and data protection; support the Board of Trustees with reports and governance documentation.
• Manage operations, including admin systems, IT, building maintenance, insurance, accessibility, sustainability, and lease compliance.
• Lead HR processes: recruitment, contracts, onboarding, appraisals, staff development, and fostering a positive, inclusive workplace with HR consultant support.
• Contribute to LUX’s success and culture, upholding our values and supporting an inclusive environment.

We are seeking an inspiring and strategic leader to join us as our Director of Service Delivery. This is a pivotal role leading the design and delivery of our frontline services, ensuring they are high quality, person centred and making a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and communities across Surrey and surrounding areas.

Location: Woking / Hybrid

Salary: £60,000 - £70,000 DOE

Permanent | Full Time (35 hours/week)

Benefits: 26 days annual leave (rising with service) + bank holidays + 1 extra days leave on your birthday, Pension, Access to Simply Health, Blended working, Employee discount programme and more…..

About Us

Catalyst Support, is a respected non-profit organisation in Surrey that’s been supporting people facing mental health challenges, substance use, and wellbeing needs for over 35 years. Operating with values at the heart of everything they do, Catalyst empowers communities through responsive, high-quality services and compassionate care.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the CEO and as part of the senior leadership team, you will provide compassionate and strategic leadership across all operational areas – including mental health, substance use, and outreach – the Director of Service Delivery ensures services are safe, inclusive, and trauma-informed, and that they reflect the diversity and lived experience of the communities we support.

You will hold accountability for service performance, safeguarding, quality assurance, and system partnerships. They work closely with the CEO, the Director of Operations (internal systems and transformation), and the Head of Finance and Resources to ensure operational delivery is effectively supported by infrastructure, systems, and financial stewardship.

Who We’re Looking For

Proven track record of delivering high quality, person led and socially impactful services and managing internal functions

Senior operational leadership experience in health, care, VCSE or related sectors

Experience in managing service compliance and staff wellbeing

Demonstrated success in leading performance improvement and impact measurement

Strong partnership working experience across statutory, VCSE and community systems

Budget management, including responsibility for service level budget setting, monitoring and decision making

Deep understanding of safeguarding frameworks, regulation and operational risk

Strong leadership and coaching skills rooted in empathy, empowerment and inclusion

Applications are open until 29th September, though we may close earlier if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply soon. Please note, we are not working with recruitment agencies for this vacancy.

This post is subject to the DBS check. Please note past drug and/or alcohol or criminality history will not necessarily discount you from undertaking this role.

Join us at the Foundling Museum at a pivotal moment in its story. We are seeking an experienced, conscientious and collaborative Director of Development to lead our fundraising and strategic growth. 

With passion, creativity and realism, you will drive philanthropic support, nurture key relationships and be a key contributor to shaping the Museum’s future as we build on its unique heritage and national profile.

You will bring proven leadership, deep understanding of cultural fundraising and the ability to inspire colleagues, supporters and stakeholders to achieve income targets. This is a rare opportunity to make a dynamic impact on a museum with history, relevance and ambition.

Role Overview 

The Director of Development at the Foundling Museum will lead the Museum’s fundraising strategy, driving income generation to support its mission and programmes. This senior leadership role oversees all aspects of fundraising, including corporate sponsorship, individual giving, trusts and foundations, membership schemes, philanthropic campaigns and communications.  

The Director of Development works closely with the Museum's Director (CEO & Artistic Director), Trustees and key stakeholders to cultivate relationships with high-value donors, build strategic partnerships and secure sustainable financial support. As part of the Senior Management Team, this new role will work in collaboration with the Director of Finance (PT) and Director of Commercial and Operations (FT). 

Reporting directly to the Museum Director, the role involves managing a small development team (2FTE) and communications team, setting ambitious targets and achieving actual income goals, ensuring alignment with the Museum’s values and strategic priorities.

The Director of Development will play a critical role in shaping the Museum’s long-term financial resilience, leveraging the Museum’s reputation and impact to inspire and engage supporters from diverse sectors.  

Key duties 

Strategic Leadership 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising, membership and partnership strategy to support the Museum’s short and long-term goals 
• Work closely with senior leadership and the Board to align fundraising priorities with the Museum’s mission and strategic objectives
• Fundraising 
• Lead efforts to secure major gifts and corporate sponsorships, with a particular focus on individuals, trust and foundations, and corporates 
• Oversee the development of compelling proposals, pitches, and presentations to corporate and individual supporters, including negotiation of corporate and philanthropic agreements   
• Work with trusts, foundations, and statutory funding bodies to secure grants that support the Museum’s exhibitions, programmes and capital projects, ensuring timely and accurate reporting on all grant-funded activities
• Ensure that proper due diligence around potential donors is conducted in line with the organisation’s policies and compliant with the Fundraising Code of Practice of the Fundraising Regulator and other national bodies with which the Museum is registered
• Donor and Partnership Development 
• Identify, cultivate and secure new high-value donors of all types, including individuals, corporate partners, trusts and foundations and statutory funders
• Develop strong professional relationships with the Museum’s existing donors in a warm and personal atmosphere and in alignment with the Museum’s values
• Strengthen existing relationships with key stakeholders, including internal colleagues and board and committee members, to harness their relationships and foster a culture of philanthropy and understanding of fundraising across the organisation
• With the Director of Commercial and Operations, plan and deliver all major Museum events for key stakeholders 
• Lead the team to cultivate the membership base of the Museum
• Leadership & Team Management 
• Manage the fundraising team, providing guidance and support to ensure success in meeting income targets
• Manage the communications team to oversee the brand, marketing, media communications and related budgets
• Oversee digital communications, including website and social media, to increase income generation, philanthropy and partnerships
• Foster a collaborative and results-driven culture within the team, and with SMT across the staff
• Financial & Administrative Oversight 
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising activities, ensuring that targets are met and that funds are raised in line with the Museum's mission
• Oversee the fundraising budget and ensure efficient use of resources
• Liaise with the Director of Finance to ensure fundraising revenues are accurately tracked and accounted for 
• Ensure complete, accurate and timely processes are conducted around all fundraising activity, including gift administration and acknowledgement, Gift Aid, GDPR compliance, etc.
• Provide regular reports to the Museum Director and Board of Trustees on the Museum’s progress on key projects and targets as articulated in the Museum’s strategic plan
• Public Relations & Advocacy 
• Serve as a key ambassador for the Museum, deputising for the Director where appropriate regarding income generation, enhancing its public profile and strengthening its reputation in the philanthropic and corporate sectors 
• Represent the Foundling Museum at events, donor meetings and public forums 
• Keep up to date on best practice in cultural fundraising and charity sector fundraising and communications, and bring this knowledge back for institutional benefit 
   

Person Specification  

Experience (required) 

• Proven leadership, ideally at least 5 years, in a similar role where philanthropic and grant income is central to the success of the organisation
• Extensive experience of shaping and implementing fundraising strategies that have delivered a step change increase in actual income
• A substantial fundraising track record in securing income from diverse constituencies and across funding types, including personal experience in securing major gifts and managing teams to do the same
• A demonstrable history of innovation and entrepreneurial approaches to identifying income generation opportunities and pushing organisations forward to increase income
• Proven experience of nurturing long and short-term funding opportunities and being the key point of contact for both
• Significant team leadership experience of creating, leading, inspiring and motivating a high performing team and collaborating with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders
• Strong performance management skills with a proven ability to develop, articulate and champion funding opportunities and gain buy-in among staff and key stakeholders, including board and committee members
• In-depth understanding of relevant UK charity and tax legislation, due diligence processes and policies relating to fundraising

Experience (desirable) 

• Extensive experience of fundraising in arts and / or heritage, preferably in the UK
• Knowledge of effective fundraising in Europe and the US, including tax-effective giving
• Thorough understanding of Data Protection legislation as it relates to fundraising, marketing and communications
• Experience of effective endowment and legacy fundraising strategies
• Personal characteristics and skills (required) 
• Ability to lead, motivate and inspire a fundraising and communications team 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills 
• Highly developed negotiation, influencing and persuasion skills  
• A natural networker who builds confidence and trust and can represent the Foundling Museum at the highest levels and garner respect within peer networks 
• Project management skills and ability to remove any organisational roadblocks that exist in relation to development 
• Resilient, diplomatic and resourceful in solving problems 
• Ability to prioritise and focus on the areas of greatest impact 
• Commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards  
• Strongly numerate with the ability to be entrepreneurial and take measured risks 
• Alignment to the Foundling Museum’s values, communicating clearly, transparently and consistently; having accountability and working as part of a collaborative team towards a common purpose 
• Enthusiasm and passion for the mission of the Foundling Museum and for the importance of increasing engagement with and access to the arts 

Conditions of Work and Benefits 

• £65,000-70,000 full-time salary, depending on experience. We are open to 0.8 FTE at a pro-rata salary.  
• Probation period of 6 months, and notice period of 3 months (1 month during probation)  
• This job will be based onsite at the Foundling Museum. For all our employees, there are opportunities for partial hybrid working if desired; we have an agreed minimum of 60% of working hours that must be onsite at the Museum. 
• Normal working hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm. This role requires some flexibility, including some mornings, evenings and weekends. 
• 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata) + bank holidays (pro rata) + Birthday leave (one day) 
• You will be eligible to join a group contributory pension scheme (3 months after your start date) 
• Free access to our fully-funded Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing – WISDOM 
• Training support from our online learning platform 
• Discount from the Foundling Museum Shop and local partner businesses 
• Free or reduced-price access to partner museums 
• Access to season ticket, rental deposit and cycle to work scheme loans (3 months from your start date) 
• Please also note that this job description will not form part of your contract or your terms and conditions of employment. Duties and requirements of the role may vary from time to time in accordance with the needs of Foundling Museum, its strategy and the directions from the Museum Director. 

  Application timetable   

• Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Monday 20th October 2025 
• First interview date:  Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th November 2025 
• Second interview date for shortlisted candidates: Monday 10th November 2025 
   

How to apply  

To apply please follow the link to our application portal where you will be asked to upload a completed copy of our standard application form you may also attach your CV if you wish. Please note that the job is being advertsised via CharityJob until the 10th October and after this date you will need to go directly to our website to apply where you will have until the 20th October to submit your application.

PLEASE NOTE: On the application portal, where it requests a CV, please ensure to upload your completed Application Form (required), your CV (optional) the Equal Opportunities Form (optional).  

Please get in touch with us if you have any access requirements or queries related to the application process details of how to do this are in the Job description.

If you wish to book a time to have a short informal conversation (phone or video) prior to application with the Museum Director her contact details are in the job description.

Please also note that any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references and  proof of right to work in the UK and also may be subject to a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.