Funding development officer jobs

This is an exciting opportunity to join Cause4’s Development Team as a Development Manager, supporting a varied portfolio of charities and social purpose organisations with fundraising, strategy and organisational development.

This opportunity provides a fantastic opportunity for someone to work as part of a passionate and hard working team to hone their consultancy skills to fast track into more senior positions within the organisation.

The role offers the chance to work across multiple sectors including arts, heritage, education, health, sport and community organisations, helping clients to develop fundraising strategies, secure funding and build sustainable income streams. Alongside client work, you will play an active role within the wider Cause4 Development Team, contributing to research, organisational planning, training delivery and business development activity.

This position offers broad exposure across a wide range of organisations, fundraising disciplines and consultancy projects, making it an excellent opportunity for someone looking to accelerate their career within the charity or consultancy sectors.

THE OPPORTUNITY WHO THIS ROLE MAY SUIT

• This role could particularly suit: Someone looking to step into their first consultancy or Development Manager role.
• A fundraiser wanting broader experience across multiple organisations and income streams. Someone currently working in the charity, arts, education or cultural sectors looking to transition into consultancy.
• An ambitious individual seeking a fast-paced role with clear progression and development opportunities.
• An existing manager looking to build their consultancy skills to fast track into more senior positions in the sector.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising & Client Support

• Supporting a portfolio of clients with fundraising strategy development and delivery.
• Writing compelling funding applications, Cases for Support and donor-facing materials.
• Supporting funding approaches to Trusts & Foundations, statutory funders, corporates and individual donors.
• Conducting research into prospective funders, partners and opportunities.
• Supporting the development and delivery of fundraising events and engagement activities. Building positive relationships with clients, funders and wider stakeholders.
• Supporting the delivery of fundraising training and wider Cause4 programmes.

Research & Consultancy

• Producing high-quality research, reports and briefing papers.
• Supporting the development of programme ideas, evaluation frameworks and measurable outcomes.
• Contributing strategic thinking to fundraising campaigns and organisational development projects.
• Supporting wider consultancy and innovation work across the organisation.

Team & Organisational Development

• Contributing to Cause4’s business development and growth activity.
• Sharing knowledge, expertise and fundraising insight across the team.
• Supporting the wider strategic and operational needs of the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Cause4 is a fast-paced consultancy environment offering significant opportunities for learning and career development.

Skills & Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates who are ambitious, adaptable and keen to grow within a consultancy environment. You may already have experience in fundraising, charity operations, programme delivery, arts administration, partnerships, research or strategy work.

We are looking for:

• Strong written communication skills and the ability to produce compelling, engaging and high-quality written material.
• Strong research and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to interpret and synthesise large and complex amounts of information and data from a range of sources.
• Experience within a charity, fundraising, arts, education or consultancy environment.
• An interest in fundraising, philanthropy and organisational development.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Confidence working with a range of stakeholders and building professional relationships.
• Strategic thinking, creative and problem-solving skills. Strong organisational and coordination skills.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience using online platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
• Alignment with our company values.

Experience across fundraising or income generation is desirable, but we are equally interested in candidates with strong transferable skills and the ambition to develop into a client-facing consultancy role.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV together with either: a Cover Letter (maximum two pages), or a Cover Video (maximum three minutes) to Ben Wilson, Director of Development and Enterprise.

The deadline for applying is 5pm on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

Please also include a completed Equal Opportunities Form downloadable from the Cause4 website.

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.

Help us ensure that no amputee needs to cope alone.

Fixed term contract for 2 years starting from the contract start date with the possibility of extending subject to funding.

The Limbless Association is looking for an experienced and passionate Regional Development Manager (one in the North including Northern Ireland and one in the South including Wales) to help expand our reach and strengthen support for amputees and their families across the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing national charity and play a key role in developing partnerships, increasing engagement and ensuring more people can access life-changing support services.

You’ll work with rehabilitation centres, healthcare professionals, service users, volunteers, supports and sponsorship partners to strengthen referral pathways, grow regional outreach and ensure amputees feel informed, connected and supported throughout their journey.

We are looking for someone who:

• Builds strong relationships quickly 
• Is passionate about community engagement and inclusion 
• Understands partnership working 
• Can work strategically whilst remaining hands-on 
• Wants to make a meaningful difference 

In return, we offer flexibility, autonomy, supportive leadership and the opportunity to shape services that have real impact.

About Us

For over 21 years, The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre has offered free, holistic support to anyone in our community affected by cancer through complementary therapies, talking therapies, art, and our supportive community.

In 2025 alone, we had 1,911 individual visits and 1,021 therapy sessions - entirely through the dedication of our volunteer team. We are currently renovating our new centre, and we want to use it to reach further into our community than ever before. This is the first paid role in our history.

About the Role

As our first Executive Director, you will be the single point of accountability between our Board of Trustees and the day-to-day operation of the Centre - working alongside our (voluntary) Centre Manager and (voluntary) Volunteer Manager to support their roles, not duplicate them. You'll lead our strategy delivery, guide the charity's move into its new home, and oversee a service redesign informed by a fresh programme of visitor, volunteer and community research.

About You

You already know how to do this job - you've held a senior, accountable position in a charity or comparable organisation and can bring that experience from day one. You're confident reporting to a board of trustees, comfortable getting things done, and able to win the trust of a highly experienced, long-standing volunteer team through competence and credibility, not authority alone.

Key Activity Areas

• Financial management – budgeting, financial controls, and reporting to the Board and Treasurer

• Governance & best practice – supporting trustees to discharge their statutory duties; maintaining the policy suite and risk register

• HR & people leadership – supporting our entire volunteer and therapist team; communication is key to our volunteers

• Fundraising – write and lead on a fundraising strategy, implement new funding streams and be the ‘face of Pickering’ – local networking will be essential

• Change management – leading the transition to our new centre and evolving service model with care and consultation

• Compliance – safeguarding, health and safety, GDPR, and other regulatory requirements

Qualifications - Desirable

All the below are not necessary qualifications but would assist with this role:

• CIPD qualification, or equivalent hands-on HR experience

• A recognised governance qualification (e.g. Chartered Governance Institute) or completion of a charity leadership programme or similar

• Financial management experience – a qualification would be useful but not essential

• Safeguarding lead training

Experience and Competencies — Essential

• Senior leadership experience with genuine authority and accountability in a charity or comparable mission-led organisation

• A track record of reporting to and working with a board of trustees or non-executive directors

• A track record of leading organisational change, with evidence it was genuinely adopted

• Sound financial literacy - budgets, management accounts, financial controls, dealing with auditors

• Working knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including board-level reporting as well as the ability to speak in public

• Experience making a leadership role pay for itself, through income generation, cost savings, or both

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to Pickering's mission

Experience and Competencies — Desirable

• Fundraising experience across grants, trusts, community fundraising and corporate partnerships

• Experience within the cancer support, wider healthcare, or hospice sector

• Lived experience of cancer, personally or through supporting someone close to you

• Experience leading a refresh of a brand or a rebrand, service redesign, or physical relocation of services

• Familiarity with Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding local community

Safeguarding

This role involves working with adults who may be vulnerable by virtue of serious illness. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory reference checks before appointment, and will act as, or oversee, the charity's designated safeguarding lead.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Pickering is committed to equal opportunity for all and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. A copy of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy is available on request.

How to Apply

Please apply by Sunday 6 September 2026. Interviews are expected to take place w/c 14 September 2026.

Join the award-winning Independent Society of Musicians
Central London – Senior Communications Officer Full time – £35k to £40k DOE

The ISM is now looking for an experienced and talented Senior Communications Officer to join our team, reporting to the Head of Sales & Marketing. This is an exciting opportunity for an outstanding writer and communications professional to help raise the profile of the ISM, promote the value of membership and engage professional musicians through high-quality content and campaigns.
You will lead on the planning, writing, editing and publication of content across a wide range of channels, including the ISM website, newsletters, publications, marketing materials and external media. You will be responsible for developing compelling and persuasive content that supports membership growth, strengthens the ISM brand and communicates the organisation's work effectively to members and the wider music sector.
You will also play a key role in managing the ISM's content strategy and SEO activity, working closely with the Website and Marketing Manager to improve content performance, increase visibility and attract new audiences through search. This will include content planning, keyword research, link-building activity and reporting on performance and engagement.
Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will identify opportunities to showcase the work of the ISM Group, including its campaigns, events, resources, legal services and thought leadership. You will also work closely with the Chief Executive on the production of Music Journal, secure profile-raising opportunities for senior representatives and support the development of speeches, presentations and briefing materials.
You will have significant experience in a communications, content, copywriting or marketing role and be able to demonstrate exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills. You will have experience of producing engaging content for a variety of audiences and channels, alongside a strong understanding of content marketing, brand management and SEO best practice. If possible, you should have a music background. 
You will be joining a professional and committed staff team based in Bayswater, London. This is an excellent opportunity for a creative and proactive communications professional who wants to make a real impact in a leading organisation supporting musicians across the UK.

For a full job description for this role please visit our website. 

To apply please send a CV and covering letter saying why you are right the person for the job 

Closing date is Tuesday 1st September at 8.30am. First interviews will take place face-to-face on Tuesday 8th September. Applications generated by AI will not be considered.

Asylum Link Merseyside is looking for an experienced fundraiser to lead our fundraising activity and coordinate our external communications at an important stage in the charity’s development.

Based at St Anne’s Centre in Liverpool, we provide practical support, specialist advice and opportunities for connection and participation to people seeking asylum in Liverpool and others who access our services from across Merseyside.

The role will focus on developing high-quality funding applications and maintaining relationships with funders. It will also involve developing selected income streams and coordinating communications across our website, social media and supporter channels.

We are looking for someone with a successful track record in fundraising, excellent writing and relationship-building skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities. Communications experience is desirable.

We are seeking a motivated Income Generation Support Officer specialising in fundraising to support the Management Committe and CEO. In this vital role, you will play a key part in supporting our organisation’s efforts to increase income.

Primary Objectives of the Post:

The role of the Income Generation Support Officer involves a variety of responsibilities aimed at increasing the organisation's income from various sources.

Purpose of the Job:

This post plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organisation's fundraising efforts are relevant, successful and aligned with our financial objectives.

To ensure that the quality of the Network’s work is maintained and developed in line with Network’s Values and Philosophy.

To contribute to the maintenance and development of effective communication throughout the organisation.

The postholder will support the Management Committee, CEO and Office Manager by conducting initial research, maintaining fundraising data, and handling administrative duties related to grant applications and other fundraising activities.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

1. Research and apply for grants: Research trusts, foundations and other funding streams - identifying specific grant criteria, deadlines, and alignment with our work.

2. Build relationships with funders: Cultivate and nurture relationships with donors, foundations, and funding bodies.

3. Write and manage applications: Assist in drafting grant applications and collating necessary documents (financials, safeguarding policies, etc.) ensuring they are high quality, clear, concise, and impactful.

4. Develop and support fundraising activities: Assist with community-based fundraising activities, including event planning and stewardship.

5. Collaborate with WSUN staff: Work closely with our team to gather insights and data for creating compelling proposals/applications.

6. Data Management: keep accurate, up-to-date records of donor/grant contact information, application stages, and reporting dates.

7. Develop and maintain our “Case for Support: analysing need, interpreting results and using evaluation reports to inform future fundraising strategies and content.

8. Maintaining quality and integrity - ensuring that all income generation activities are conducted in a transparent and responsible manner.

In addition:

The post-holder may be requested by the CEO from time to time to carry out work not included in the above job description, in line with the needs of the Network and the level of responsibility of the post.

Role Purpose 

The Chief Executive Officer will provide strategic, operational and values-led leadership for Home-Start Norfolk, ensuring the charity delivers its mission, supports its families effectively and remains financially sustainable. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead the organisation’s strategy, people, services, partnerships, governance, income generation and volunteer strategy, while acting as an ambassador for the charity and its work. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Leadership 

• Lead the development and delivery of the charity’s strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Trustees. 

• Translate the charity’s vision, mission and values into clear priorities, measurable objectives and effective operational plans. 

• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation, collaboration and improved impact. 

• Ensure services and activities remain responsive to beneficiary needs and changing external circumstances. 

Governance, Compliance and Risk 

• Support the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance responsibilities through clear reporting, sound advice and timely information. 

• Ensure the charity complies with charity law, company law where applicable, employment law, fundraising regulation, data protection requirements, safeguarding duties and all relevant regulatory obligations. 

• Maintain a robust approach to risk management, internal controls, policies and procedures. 

• Promote transparency, accountability and ethical decision-making across the organisation. 

Financial Leadership and Income Generation 

• Provide overall leadership for financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and long-term sustainability. 

• Work with trustees and senior colleagues to ensure resources are used effectively and in line with charitable objectives. 

• Lead the development of a diverse and resilient income strategy, including grants, trusts and foundations, individual giving, corporate partnerships, contracts and other appropriate income streams. 

• Maintain strong relationships with funders, commissioners, donors and supporters, ensuring excellent stewardship and reporting. 

Service Delivery, Quality and Impact 

• Ensure the charity delivers high-quality, safe and effective services that achieve positive outcomes for families. 

• Embed continuous improvement, evidence-based practice and meaningful beneficiary involvement. 

• Oversee monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the charity’s work. 

• Champion safeguarding, inclusion, accessibility and dignity in all areas of service delivery. 

• Comply with Home-Start UK’s Quality Audit Policies and Process, to ensure the charity maintains a high standard of quality assurance. 

People, Culture and Organisational Development 

• Lead, support and develop the senior leadership team and staff, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture. 

• Ensure the charity has the right structures, systems, skills and capacity to deliver its strategy. 

• Promote wellbeing, learning, accountability and collaboration across the organisation. 

• Ensure effective HR, performance management and recruitment practices are in place. 

Volunteer Leadership 

• Provide strategic leadership for the development and delivery of the charity’s volunteer strategy, ensuring it supports organisational priorities and beneficiary needs. 

• Oversee effective volunteer recruitment, induction, training, supervision, support, retention and recognition. 

• Ensure volunteers are valued, well-supported, appropriately deployed and able to contribute safely and confidently to the charity’s work. 

• Develop a sustainable volunteer workforce plan, identifying current and future volunteer capacity, skills and support requirements. 

• Promote a positive volunteering culture that reflects the charity’s values and strengthens engagement, inclusion and community connection. 

External Relations, Partnerships and Advocacy 

• Act as the public face and senior ambassador for the charity, representing it with credibility and confidence. 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with beneficiaries, partners, funders, commissioners, local communities, statutory bodies and sector networks. 

• Raise the charity’s profile and influence through effective communications, thought leadership and advocacy. 

• Promote collaboration and partnership working to extend reach, improve outcomes and strengthen sustainability. 

The Belay Foundation supports adoptive, kinship and special guardianship families raising children who have experienced early developmental trauma, often alongside neurodiversity. Founded in 2020 from lived experience, Belay offers something many families struggle to find elsewhere: practical, in-home support and expert guidance that’s genuinely trauma-responsive, delivered by people who understand what these families are living through.

Why now? - Belay has just spent a year strengthening its foundations - redesigning services, building organisational capacity and setting an ambitious growth plan. The groundwork is done. What we need now is a permanent CEO with the vision to take a small, high-impact charity and turn real momentum into lasting change - for families and for how the sector understands and responds to developmental trauma.

About the role - You’ll provide strategic and financial leadership across a small team, working closely with an exceptional Board and Belay’s Founder, who remains closely involved as Services Director. You’ll lead fundraising and income diversification, shape Belay’s public voice and ensure the organisation’s trauma-responsive, DDP-informed model continues to deliver real impact as it scales.

This is a rare chance to take the helm of an organisation with an innovative model, a loyal community and genuine room to grow - and to leave your mark on how the UK supports some of its most vulnerable children and families.

This is a home‑based role, but applicants must be permanently based, and have the right to work, in the United Kingdom. For legal, tax, and operational reasons, we cannot consider applications from outside the UK.

Please see the CEO Application Pack for further details, including the full job description and the application/ interview process.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated Chief Executive to assume overall responsibility for the management of HMC. The purpose of this senior leadership role is to lead the organisation in fulfilling its purpose of supporting migrants in Hackney and the wider London community, ensuring they can access their rights and overcome injustices in the immigration and social welfare system.

Job Title: Fundraising Manager

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £40,000

Hours per week: 28 hours 4 days per week

Annual Leave: 25 days plus bank holidays (Pro Rota)

Role Description

The Senior Fundraising Manager will play a key strategic role in supporting the mission and ministry of St Edmundsbury Cathedral by developing and delivering a diverse range of fundraising activities, with a particular focus on Trusts and Foundations, major funding opportunities, donor stewardship and the growth of sustainable income.

Working closely with the senior leadership team, the role will identify and develop new funding opportunities, build strong relationships with Trusts and Foundations, and lead the preparation and submission of high-quality funding applications and reports. The postholder will also oversee the Cathedral’s Patron and donor relationships, legacy and regular giving activity, and provide strategic oversight of major fundraising events and initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Legacy and Appeals

• Support and develop the Cathedral’s legacy giving strategy, helping to encourage and secure gifts in wills.
• Work with colleagues and volunteers to develop appropriate legacy communications and stewardship activity.
• Provide strategic support for the delivery of fundraising appeals, including the biennial ‘Gift Day’.
• Review and evaluate fundraising appeals, identifying opportunities to improve engagement and income.

Trusts and Foundations

• Develop and implement a Trusts and Foundations fundraising strategy to increase income and diversify the Cathedral’s funding base.
• Research and identify new Trusts, Foundations and other institutional funding opportunities aligned with the Cathedral’s mission, ministry and strategic priorities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective Trusts and Foundations, ensuring effective stewardship and ongoing engagement.
• Lead the development and submission of high-quality funding applications, working with colleagues across the Cathedral to gather relevant information, budgets, impact measures and supporting evidence.
• Maintain a comprehensive pipeline of funding opportunities, applications, deadlines and outcomes.
• Ensure funders receive timely, accurate and engaging updates on the impact of their support.
• Develop compelling cases for support and funding proposals for a range of projects and priorities.
• Support colleagues with grant applications where appropriate, providing guidance on funder requirements, application development and reporting.
• Monitor changes in the funding landscape and identify emerging opportunities for the Cathedral.

Donor Acknowledgement and CRM Management

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in the fundraising CRM database, Donorfy, including donation history, communications and engagement activity.
• Ensure appropriate systems and processes are in place for effective donor stewardship and relationship management.
• Produce reports and analysis from Donorfy to support fundraising planning, decision-making and income monitoring.
• Ensure donors and Patrons are thanked and acknowledged appropriately and in a timely manner, including personal correspondence and letters from the Dean where appropriate.
• Use donor data and insight to identify opportunities for increased engagement, retention and income.

Planned and Regular Giving

• Work with the Planned Giving Committee to develop and implement a strategy for increasing regular giving.
• Develop communications that encourage supporters to become regular givers.

Patrons and Donors

• Manage and develop relationships with existing Patrons and key donors, ensuring high standards of engagement through regular communications, including e-newsletters, invitations and other appropriate engagement activities.
• Oversee the delivery of the Cathedral’s Patron events, including the Patrons’ Carol Service, Spring Trip and Summer Garden Party, working with colleagues to ensure events are delivered to a high standard.
• Monitor Patron membership, renewal dates and income, ensuring effective processes are in place for timely renewal communications.
• Work closely with the Finance Department to ensure Patron income and donations are accurately recorded and reconciled.
• Develop and implement strategies to grow the Cathedral’s Patron network and strengthen relationships with existing supporters.
• Identify opportunities to deepen donor engagement and develop supporters towards increased giving and longterm involvement with the Cathedral.

Major Fundraising Initiatives and Events

• Provide fundraising leadership and strategic oversight for major Cathedral fundraising initiatives and projects as required.
• Support the delivery team of the Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn Project, providing fundraising expertise and advice as required.
• Oversee the fundraising strategy and income generation associated with major fundraising events, including the Grand Nave Autumn Ball, ensuring that events have clear fundraising objectives and deliver against agreed targets.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues responsible for event planning and delivery, providing strategic fundraising direction, supporter engagement and stewardship.
• Ensure that income and expenditure associated with fundraising events and initiatives are accurately recorded and monitored.
• Evaluate fundraising activity and provide recommendations to maximise future income and supporter engagement.

Strategy, Planning and Reporting

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Cathedral’s overall fundraising strategy and annual fundraising plans.
• Set and monitor fundraising targets across relevant income streams, providing regular updates to senior colleagues and relevant committees.
• Use fundraising data, research and analysis to identify opportunities for growth and inform strategic decisionmaking.
• Prepare reports for senior leadership, Trustees and relevant committees as required. Work collaboratively across the Cathedral to ensure fundraising opportunities are identified and developed effectively.
• Ensure all fundraising activity reflects the mission, values and ethos of St Edmundsbury Cathedral and is undertaken with the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
• Ensure compliance with relevant fundraising regulations, GDPR and data protection requirements, and best practice in donor stewardship.
• Support and develop a culture of fundraising across the Cathedral, encouraging colleagues to recognise and maximise opportunities for philanthropic support.

Person Specification

Essential Qualities

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development in fundraising or a related field.

Experience

• Significant experience in fundraising or income generation roles, with a proven track record of securing income and meeting or exceeding fundraising targets.
• Proven experience of developing and managing relationships with Trusts and Foundations and other institutional funders.
• Demonstrable experience of researching funding opportunities and developing successful grant and funding applications.
• Experience of managing donor relationships and delivering effective stewardship and engagement programmes.
• Experience of developing and delivering fundraising strategies across a range of income streams.
• Experience of managing or overseeing fundraising campaigns, appeals or events.
• Experience of using fundraising data and CRM systems to support donor management, reporting and strategic decisionmaking.
• Experience of monitoring and reporting on restricted and unrestricted funding.
• Experience of preparing funding reports and ensuring compliance with funder requirements.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of Trusts and Foundations fundraising and the wider fundraising landscape.
• Good understanding of a range of fundraising income streams, including individual giving, Trusts and Foundations, major donors, corporate and community fundraising.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations, GDPR, data protection and ethical fundraising practices.
• Understanding of budgeting, financial planning and monitoring in relation to fundraising.
• Understanding of effective donor stewardship, cultivation and relationship management.
• Knowledge of the principles and importance of legacy and regular giving.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling funding proposals, cases for support, reports and donor communications.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build credibility and maintain positive relationships with funders, donors, Patrons and colleagues.
• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to identify and assess new funding opportunities.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and funding applications effectively.
• Ability to use data and insight to inform fundraising decisions, monitor performance and measure impact.
• Ability to manage and maintain accurate records using a CRM system such as Donorfy.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and influence colleagues to support fundraising objectives.
• Ability to oversee and provide strategic direction to fundraising activities and initiatives.

Personal Qualities

• Highly motivated, proactive and results-driven.
• Strategic and creative thinker, with the ability to identify and develop new fundraising opportunities.
• Excellent attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative and take responsibility for delivering agreed objectives.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and build effective relationships across the organisation.
• Resilient, flexible and able to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Professional, trustworthy and committed to the highest standards of integrity and ethical fundraising.
• Commitment to the values and mission of St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
• Sensitive to the Cathedral’s core mission as a place of worship, outreach, welcome and care.
• Willingness to work varying hours for fundraising activities and functions, including occasional evenings and weekends, as required.

Desirable

Qualities Qualifications

• Relevant professional fundraising qualification, such as a qualification from the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.

Experience

• Experience of working with high-net-worth individuals, major donors or philanthropic supporters.
• Experience of securing significant gifts or grants from Trusts and Foundations.
• Experience of fundraising within the Church of England or another faith-based organisation.
• Experience of working in a heritage, cultural, charitable or not-for-profit organisation.
• Experience of overseeing fundraising events or major fundraising initiatives.

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of the funding landscape relevant to heritage, faith, community or charitable organisations.
• Experience of public speaking and presenting to donors, funders, committees or other stakeholders.
• Knowledge of legacy fundraising and planned giving.
• Experience of using Donorfy or a similar fundraising CRM system.

About DadVocates

DadVocates is a new four-year project, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, that will train, mentor and supervise young dads with lived experience of young fatherhood to act as volunteer peer advocates for young fathers going through children’s social care (CSC) proceedings, including Child Protection, Child in Need and Public Law Outline.

The project responds to evidence from our work with over 800 young dads, which shows that the majority felt negatively about CSC proceedings from the outset: many hold fatalistic expectations about losing contact with their children and are reluctant to engage. By matching young dads with a trained volunteer DadVocate at the earliest possible stage, the project aims to build agency, improve engagement and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Over four years, the project will train 40 volunteer DadVocates, support 100 young dads through CSC proceedings, and deliver father-inclusive practice training to 160 social workers and other professionals across five local authorities. It will also co-design clear guidance on what good father-inclusive practice looks like within children’s social care teams.

This is a genuinely ambitious project, working at the intersection of lived experience, peer advocacy, social care practice and systems change. It was conceived by a young dad who is now a NEYDL trustee and qualified social worker and has been co-designed with 174 young dads over three years.

The role

The DadVocate Programme Manager will lead this project from the outset. You will recruit, train, mentor and supervise our volunteer DadVocates; chair and manage the project Steering Committee; lead the development and delivery of professional training for social workers; oversee monitoring, evaluation and funder reporting; and manage the project budget.

This is a programme management role, not a casework role. Cases are held by NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers; the DadVocates you manage provide peer support within those cases. You will have direct relationships with young dad beneficiaries through steering committee meetings, evaluation sessions and learning events, but your primary responsibility is managing and supporting the DadVocates and the systems around them.

The DadVocates are young dads with lived experience of young fatherhood, not professional practitioners. They will need significant support, encouragement and professional development to operate effectively in what can be a challenging environment. The quality of that management and support is central to the success of this project.

You will work alongside training and research providers, closely with NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers as the case holders and be supported day-to-day by the CEO.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone with substantial experience, knowledge and competency working within the children’s social care and social work arena, alongside a track record of managing projects in the voluntary sector. The ideal candidate will bring both: professional grounding in children’s social care/social work and the programme management experience to lead a complex, multi-strand project over four years.

You will possess a deep understand of the children’s social care and social work system, be able to design and deliver training that changes professional culture and have the people management skills to support a team of volunteer young dads who are developing professional skills alongside their advocacy role. You will also need to build trusted relationships with young dad beneficiaries, social workers, academic partners and a range of local statutory and voluntary organisations.

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of young fatherhood or young parenthood, from people with personal or professional experience of children’s social care proceedings (including professionally qualified social workers) and people from minoritised backgrounds.

What we offer

NEYDL is a close, inclusive and supportive team that actively invests in the development of its staff. We are a non-judgmental organisation built on mutual trust, respect and honesty. If you join us, you will be part of a team that genuinely believes in what it does.

In addition, we offer:

• 7.2 weeks’ annual leave per year, inclusive of statutory and public holidays
• 5% employer pension contribution
• A flexible hybrid working arrangement
• Regular supervision and fortnightly team meetings
• Funded professional development and training
• Mileage paid at 55p per mile for business travel
• The opportunity to lead a nationally significant project at the forefront of father-inclusive practice

Job purpose

To lead and manage the DadVocates project, a four-year National Lottery-funded programme training volunteer young dads as peer advocates for young fathers in children’s social care proceedings; delivering professional training to social workers; and working towards the embedding of father-inclusive practice across children’s social care teams in five local authorities.

Key responsibilities

1. Project management

• Take day-to-day responsibility for the management and delivery of the DadVocates project across all strands of activity
• Manage the project budget, monitor expenditure and liaise with the CEO and Finance Officer
• Update and maintain NEYDL’s Evaluation Framework with DadVocates-specific indicators and methodologies within the first two months of the project start date
• Ensure the project meets its funder milestones and KPIs, maintaining accurate records of outputs and outcomes
• Produce quarterly progress reports for internal review and contribute to annual funder reports
• Commission and manage the external evaluator for the four-year evaluation
• Identify and escalate risks and challenges to the CEO, recommending solutions

2. Steering Committee

• Chair and manage the project Steering Committee, which meets every two months and comprises young dads, NEYDL frontline staff, the safeguarding lead, social work professionals, related experts and academic partners
• Induct Steering Committee members, including young dads, into their roles, providing tailored support to ensure they can contribute confidently alongside professionals
• Use Steering Committee meetings to review progress, identify challenges and agree recommendations for the next period of delivery

3. Co-creating the DadVocate training programme

• Work with training and research providers, young dads and Steering Committee members to co-create a 100-hour peer advocacy training programme for volunteer DadVocates
• Deliver the DadVocate training programme alongside NEYDL staff and delivery partners
• Lead annual reviews of the training programme and update content in response to learning and feedback

4. Managing and supporting volunteer DadVocates

• Recruit and train 10 young dad volunteers per year (40 over four years), all with lived experience of young fatherhood
• Provide ongoing mentoring, supervision and wellbeing support to all active DadVocate volunteers: at least 50 hours per volunteer per year
• Set clear objectives for each volunteer, conduct regular appraisals and team meetings, and support their professional development and progression
• Recognise that DadVocates are young dads with lived experience rather than professional backgrounds, and provide the high level of structured support this requires, including supporting them to navigate professional environments with confidence
• Support the progression of volunteers into employment, further training and community leadership roles

5. Matching DadVocates with young dads in CSC proceedings

• Build and maintain referral pathways with social services, midwifery, Family Nurse Partnerships, Family Hubs and other local networks across target local authorities
• Match 100 young dads over four years with a volunteer DadVocate (10 in year 1, rising to 40 in year 4)
• Work closely with NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers, who hold cases, to coordinate peer advocacy support within CSC proceedings
• Maintain oversight of active advocacy arrangements, ensuring DadVocates are appropriately supported and that safeguarding obligations are met at all times
• Engage directly with young dad beneficiaries through steering committee meetings, evaluation sessions and project learning events

6. Professional training for social workers

• Co-create professional training content with social workers and young dads on the Steering Committee, drawing on national research and NEYDL’s practice experience
• Deliver half-day induction training to 15-20 social workers per local authority at the outset of each area’s involvement, co-facilitated by young dads or DadVocate volunteers
• Deliver annual refresher training in each local authority
• Facilitate quarterly case review and learning meetings with social workers in each local authority, involving DadVocate volunteers
• Co-design guidance on what father-inclusive practice looks like within children’s social care teams, with social workers and young dads (first version in year 2; updated version in year 4)
• Organise and host two information-sharing events for social care professionals in years 2 and 4 (approximately 100 professionals per event)

7. Monitoring, evaluation and learning

• Coordinate data collection with young dads, DadVocate volunteers and social workers using NEYDL’s evaluation tools and new instruments co-designed for this project
• Produce annual evaluation reports and disseminate learning through NEYDL’s wider networks, events and conferences
• Share learning through stakeholder events, professional networks and NEYDL’s regular sector-facing activity

8. Safeguarding

• Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements are in place for all project activity, particularly for DadVocate volunteers operating within CSC proceedings
• Work closely with NEYDL’s Safeguarding Lead to ensure policies and protocols relevant to the project are current, understood and followed by volunteers and partners
• Act as first point of contact for safeguarding concerns arising within the DadVocates project

9. Collaboration and partnerships

• Work closely with NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers as case holders, ensuring a joined-up and consistent approach to supporting young dads involved in the project
• Build and maintain relationships with academic, statutory and voluntary sector partners
• Work with the Business Development Manager to help secure longer-term Local Authority funding for DadVocates, using evidence of impact from the project to support conversations with Local Authorities and expand the project’s reach beyond the areas and targets in the original funding bid
• Represent NEYDL and the DadVocates project at external meetings, networks and conferences
• Contribute to NEYDL’s wider communications and engagement activity

10. Other

• Deputise for the CEO as required
• Report to the Board of Trustees in person or in writing on a quarterly basis as required

11. Standard clauses

• The post holder must carry out their responsibilities at all times with due regard to NEYDL’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, policy and statement, and Safeguarding Policy
• The post holder is responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures relating to health and safety in the workplace are adhered to at all times
• The post holder must respect the confidentiality of data stored electronically and by other means, in line with NEYDL’s Data Protection Policy
• This role requires satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance prior to appointment
• This job description is not exhaustive. NEYDL reserves the right to reasonably add to or revise it at any time in agreement with the post holder.

Earliest Start Date: 1st December 2026

About the Role

We are looking for a Chief Operations Officer to lead the operations team, join the management team and support the CEO. Your priorities will be to oversee all fundraising, including campaigns, major donors and grant applications. You will oversee the HR of the organisation, including recruitment and disciplinaries. In partnership with the CEO and finance officer you will be jointly responsible for finance within the organisation. You will manage the facilities manager and administrator, ensuring that processes are followed appropriately and the building is maintained in good condition, ensuring we fulfil all legal requirements.

About You

You will be a senior manager who has energy and drive as well as sound judgement. On top of a strong track record in an operational position, you will have the breadth of experience to lead HR and systems, finance, monitoring and evaluation and fundraising. You will have experience in fundraising and funder management and be able to lead on making funding applications and reporting to funders. You will be a clear, analytical thinker who will strengthen the leadership of our charity. You will be an excellent manager of people. Finally, you will be excited about working in an organisation with a unique mission that strives to make a difference in the lives of some of the most disadvantaged young people in London.

Plumstead Community Law Centre is a specialist legal advice charity providing free legal advice and representation in immigration, welfare benefits and employment law. Based in the heart of Woolwich, we support local people through our office and community outreach services.

We are seeking an Interim Chief Executive / Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day running of the Law Centre. Working closely with our Board of Trustees, you will manage staff, office operations, finance and administration, funded projects and organisational compliance, ensuring our services continue to deliver high-quality support to the community.

This flexible role could suit an experienced Chief Executive, Charity Manager, Operations Manager, Office Manager or Practice Manager. Experience of the legal advice or charity sector would be advantageous but is not essential.

To apply, please send your CV together with a supporting statement explaining how you meet the requirements of the Job Description and Person Specification..

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and the vacancy will remain open until the post is filled.

Plumstead Community Law Centre is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.