Freedom project regional manager jobs

Part-funded by a generous donation from Backstage Trust, this is a new and pivotal role designed to transform Theatre Centre's fundraising capacity by strengthening systems, increasing income diversity, and building long-term financial resilience. The postholder will play a key role in helping the organisation capitalise on its artistic impact and case for support, while building momentum towards its 75th anniversary in 2028.

This role will keep us focused on our development strategy and will have support from across the whole company: the Board, Executive and the core TC team. We have been steadily building our foundations and have some good funding relationships in place, committed individual givers, a strong, evidenced case for support, some incredible stats and feedback and above all an inspiring and exciting programme of work to offer for young people, artists and teachers across the country.

Our Development Manager will help us to bring in resources so that we can continue share our high-quality, specialist work as far as we can. We see development as a collaborative effort and we understand the need for the whole team to support development, that effective fundraising needs to be resourced with realistic timelines and expectations.

About the Role

Contract type: Fixed term to March 2028

Hours: 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE) - we're happy to discuss flexible working patterns that work best for you.

Salary: £24,000 per year (based on £30,000 per year pro rata)

Location: This role can be hybrid or predominantly home based, with some time spent working with colleagues in the office. Theatre Centre is based near Three Bridges station at Unit 4 Crawley Business Centre, Stevenson Way, Crawley, RH10 1TN.

Job Requirements

• A strong affinity with Theatre Centre's mission and a passion for creating opportunities for young people through the arts.
• A values-driven approach, with commitment to equity, inclusion, social justice and environmental responsibility.
• Collaborative, open and transparent working style.
• Comfortable working in a changing environment.
• Proven experience of fundraising within an arts organisation.
• Strong strategic thinking skills.
• Good written communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling cases for support and reports.
• Good understanding of the financial context of this work.
• Experience of building and managing relationships with funders, donors and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including data management.
• Experience of monitoring and reporting to demonstrate impact.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work flexibly under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Job Responsibilities

The Development Manager will lead delivery of a phased fundraising strategy:

Phase 1 - Foundation: Build on our strong systems and processes and give us consistency in fundraising delivery, including building a robust pipeline of Trusts & Foundations and developing place-based income in Crawley and the Gatwick area.

Phase 2 - Private Phase: Expand individual giving by deepening relationships, developing major donors, and securing multi-year funding partnerships.

Phase 3 - Public Bring together all strategic and fundraising priorities in our 75th year, amplifying them into a public campaign that advocates for our change-making work.

If you'd like more information you're welcome to visit our website and download the job pack.

Acorns Children’s Hospice provides specialist care and support for babies, children and young people who are life limited or life threatened. Supporting over 750 children and nearly 1,000 families annually, Acorns is a vital lifeline for families across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire during unimaginably difficult times.

Individual Giving is a key pillar of Acorns’ fundraising strategy, delivering sustainable income through supporter retention, stewardship and meaningful donor engagement. Following a recent team restructure and significant investment in the function, Acorns is now looking for an Individual Giving Manager to help shape and grow its retention programme.

Reporting to the Senior Individual Giving Manager, you will manage the delivery of warm fundraising campaigns across a range of channels, including appeals, newsletters, telemarketing, email and regular giving. Contributing to a team income target of c.£1.5m, you will focus on retaining and developing supporters, using data and insight to maximise performance and supporter lifetime value.

This is an exciting opportunity for a driven fundraiser who enjoys testing new ideas, using data to inform decisions and taking ownership of campaign delivery. With strong support from senior leadership and the freedom to put your own stamp on the role, you will play a key role in the future growth of Individual Giving at Acorns.

Hybrid, 2 days per week at preferred location (Birmingham, Worcester or Walsall).

As Individual Giving Manager, you will:

• Deliver multi-channel retention campaigns including appeals, newsletters, telemarketing, email and regular giving activity
• Support a team income target of c.£1.5m by maximising supporter retention and increasing lifetime value
• Develop and grow the mid-value programme for donors giving between £200 and £5,000 annually
• Create tailored supporter journeys, stewardship plans and small-scale events that bring supporters closer to Acorns’ work
• Develop engaging fundraising concepts and write compelling copy across print and digital channels
• Work closely with colleagues across Data, Marcomms and Fundraising to deliver excellent supporter experiences
• Identify opportunities to test new approaches, challenge existing activity and drive continuous improvement

Essential skills and experience: 

• Campaign delivery experience within individual giving, direct marketing or supporter engagement
• Experience using data and insight to improve campaign performance and supporter retention
• Copywriting skills and the confidence to develop fundraising concepts
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts and campaign reporting
• A curious, analytical and test-and-learn mindset
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach and the confidence to work independently
• Experience working across a range of fundraising or marketing channels

Desirable, but not essential:

• Experience working across more than one organisation
• Experience delivering supporter retention programmes
• Confidence working independently and taking ownership of campaign delivery

This role could suit an experienced Individual Giving Officer looking to take the next step in their career. As the team grows line management opportunities may become available.

Benefits include:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 5 days holiday buyback scheme
• 5% employer pension contribution
• Life assurance scheme (2 x annual salary)
• Retail discounts (including the Blue Light card)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted gym membership
• Access to expert financial health and wellbeing support

Head of Fundraising & Philanthropy

Permanent | Full-time (37.5 hours per week) - Flexible working arrangements considered.
Salary: £45,056–£49,417 (dependent on experience)
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Bristol (Hybrid working)

Help Transform the Future of Rivers Across the Bristol Avon

This is a rare opportunity to build something that will have a lasting impact.

Over the past several years, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) has become one of the UK's fastest-growing Rivers Trusts, securing investment to restore rivers, reconnect habitats, reduce flooding and engage communities across the Bristol Avon catchment.

Now we're ready for the next stage of our journey.

We are looking for an ambitious and experienced fundraising leader to build and lead an entirely new area of our organisation - developing sustainable voluntary income that enables us to do more than project funding alone can achieve.

This is an opportunity to create something from the ground up. You will shape our fundraising strategy, diversify our income, build long-term relationships with supporters and partners, and unlock investment that will directly improve rivers, wildlife and communities across our region.

If you're motivated by building successful fundraising programmes with genuine environmental impact, we'd love to hear from you.

About Bristol Avon Rivers Trust

Founded in 2012, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust works across the Bristol Avon catchment to restore rivers for wildlife, people and the local economy.

Everything we do is guided by the best available science and a catchment based approach, working across entire catchments to improve biodiversity, climate resilience, water quality and flood resilience.

Since 2023, the Trust has experienced significant growth. We now employ around 20 staff, deliver approximately £1.3 million of projects annually, and work alongside local partnerships, farmers, landowners, communities, local authorities, businesses and government agencies.

Our ambition over the next five years is even greater.

To deliver our Strategy 2025–2030, we need to complement our strong track record in project funding with a sustainable programme of unrestricted and philanthropic income.

About the Role

Help shape the future Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART).

This is much more than a fundraising role.

You'll have the opportunity to design and lead BART's long-term fundraising strategy, creating entirely new income streams that will support restoration of rivers, education, community engagement, project development and organisational resilience.

Our immediate priority is to diversify our income beyond project grants by growing:

• Individual giving
• Philanthropic and charitable foundation support
• Corporate partnerships
• Major donors
• Legacy giving
• Unrestricted income opportunities

While these priorities have been identified strategically, we are looking for someone with the experience and creativity to refine the approach, test new ideas and build a sustainable fundraising programme for the future.

Success during your first 12 months will include:

• Developing and launching BART's fundraising strategy
• Building a compelling case for supporting the Trust’s work
• Establishing a strong pipeline of unrestricted income opportunities
• Growing relationships and excellent communications with supporters and funders
• Embedding fundraising across the organisation
• Creating clear KPIs and reporting frameworks with the CEO and Trustees

This is a highly strategic position reporting directly to the Chief Executive.

The successful candidate will work closely with an engaged Leadership Team and supportive Board of Trustees, who recognise fundraising as a strategic priority for the organisation's future growth.

Our CEO has extensive experience securing major grant funding and developing partnerships, and will work closely alongside you to help establish and grow this new function.

As with any investment in fundraising, success will be measured against mutually agreed objectives and long-term growth rather than immediate financial return. We recognise that developing sustainable fundraising takes time, and we are committed to supporting the successful candidate to build a lasting programme.

What You'll Be Doing

You will:

• Develop and implement BART's Fundraising and Philanthropy Strategy.
• Diversify unrestricted income from individuals, trusts and foundations, philanthropy, corporate partnerships, legacies and other voluntary income streams.
• Develop a compelling organisational Case for Support aligned to BART's Five-Year Strategy.
• Work with the CEO and Leadership Team to establish fundraising priorities and KPIs.
• Lead fundraising campaigns, communications, and supporter engagement initiatives.
• Manage and develop BART's supporter journey using our Beacon CRM system.
• Work closely with our Trust Administrator, who provides administrative support to the organisation, including support for CRM administration and fundraising processes.
• Coordinate fundraising activity across the Trust and ensure opportunities are maximised.
• Build strong relationships with major donors, funders and strategic partners.
• Ensure compliance with the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice.
• Report regularly to the Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.

Why This Role is Different

This is an opportunity to build a fundraising programme with exceptional foundations already in place.

You will benefit from:

• A highly respected and growing environmental charity.
• Strong project delivery with proven environmental impact.
• An experienced CEO with a successful track record of securing significant funding and developing strategic partnerships.
• A supportive Board committed to growing fundraising.
• A database managed through Beacon CRM.
• A recognised and trusted regional brand with significant opportunities for growth.

You'll have genuine freedom to shape the future direction of fundraising at BART.

About You

We're looking for someone who is ambitious, entrepreneurial and excited by creating something new.

You'll ideally have:

• At least five years' experience in fundraising or philanthropy.
• Experience developing fundraising strategies and delivering income growth.
• Knowledge of trusts, foundations, philanthropy, individual giving or corporate fundraising.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills.
• Strong planning and project management skills.
• Experience using CRM systems (Beacon experience welcomed but not essential).
• Excellent written communication, storytelling and bid-writing skills.
• The ability to translate complex environmental work into compelling fundraising propositions.
• A passion for rivers and their recovery and creating meaningful impact.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and Christmas closure.
• Holiday increases with length of service.
• 9% employer pension contribution.
• Life Assurance.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• A supportive and collaborative team culture.
• Professional development opportunities.

Why Join BART?

Healthy rivers are fundamental to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, flood resilience and community wellbeing.

Joining BART means becoming part of a passionate, ambitious organisation that delivers measurable environmental change every day.

Most importantly, this role gives you the opportunity to build something with lasting impact.

The fundraising programme you create will enable thousands more people to connect with and restore rivers across the Bristol Avon catchment for generations to come.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Bristol Avon Rivers Trust is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported.

We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and communities, particularly those underrepresented within the environmental sector.

How to Apply

Please send a CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role before 11:59pm on Friday 17th July 

Further Information

To learn more about our work, visit:

Bristol Avon Rivers Trust