Funding jobs

Support Dog is a unique and innovative national charity that has been transforming the lives of families affected by autism, epilepsy and disability for over 30 years.

Support Dogs trains and provides specialist assistance dog to give 100% reliable advance warning of epileptic seizures; to help children with autism to stay safe and better engage with the world around them. Our disability assistance dogs bring independence and a better quality of life for those with physical disabilities including MS, Cerebral Palsy and Fibromyalgia.

Founded and entirely based in Sheffield our charity operates across the UK, growing significantly over recent years. The demand for our work is overwhelming, with requests for support increasing ten-fold over the past few years. Support Dogs provides all of its services free of charge and relies entirely on voluntary donations for funding.

We are looking for a dedicated and organised Trusts and Grants Fundraiser to join our friendly and supportive team. Reporting to the Trusts and Development Manager, you’ll help identify and research prospective funders, prepare compelling applications, and build strong relationships with donors.

You’ll manage your own workload and portfolio of donors, writing applications and corresponding with donors. Helping to maintain accurate CRM records. You’ll also collaborate with colleagues across the organisation to gather stories, data, and insight to support your work.

Senior Policy Research Manager

Permanent

Salary: £45,000 - £47,000 per annum, plus benefits

London N1

Full time – 37.5 hours a week 

We're a hybrid working employer, meaning you're required to come into the office at least 2 days per week currently Tuesday, and Wednesday or Thursday.

Closing date: 5pm, 5th October 2025

First Interviews: w/c 13th October 2025

Second Interviews: 21st and 22nd October 2025 

It’s an exciting time to join World Cancer Research Fund International’s policy team as we develop the next phase of our policy tools and resources. WCRF International leads and unites a global network of cancer prevention charities based in Europe and the Americas, providing the science, policy, and strategic direction that guides their work to prevent cancer worldwide.

We are recruiting a Senior Policy Research Manager to lead WCRF’s flagship policy tools, including NOURISHING, MOVING and the Blueprint for Cancer Prevention. You will translate the latest science into actionable policy recommendations, deliver high-quality research projects, and represent WCRF externally to maximise our national and international impact.

We are looking for a candidate with strong policy research expertise, experience in evidence-based advocacy, and the ability to turn complex science into clear policy solutions. You will bring an innovative approach, including exploring new methods such as AI, and be skilled at working across teams and with external stakeholders.

You will have a proven track record in managing policy tools or research projects, building collaborations and engaging senior decision-makers. Strong communication, leadership and stakeholder skills are essential to support WCRF’s strategy and enhance the influence of the Policy & Public Affairs team.

Application Details:
If you are interested in this role and feel you possess the necessary requirements, please submit a current CV and covering letter (maximum 2 pages) by the closing date. You must have current right to work in the UK.

Please note: Your cover letter should highlight how your skills and experience will benefit WCRF International and equip you for the role.Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are only able to provide feedback to shortlisted candidates. If you do not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. 

We are seeking a Funding Officer to join our passionate and friendly team in Northern Ireland.

This permanent position is part of our Southern Team, which covers the following Council areas: Ards and North Down, Mid Ulster, Newry Mourne and Down and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. Led by a Funding Manager and supported by four other Funding Officers, you will be responsible for the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon areas while also working flexibly across the wider local team to help meet the demands of our funding programmes.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dedicated team delivering over £30m annually to support communities and create real impact across Northern Ireland

Based primarily in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon areas, you will work from home and within local community settings. The role will also require travel to our Belfast office (around once every couple of weeks) as well as occasional visits to other parts of the Southern team area.

This is a varied and rewarding role and involves assessing funding applications across our programmes, managing grants and monitoring progress and building strong relationships with key stakeholders. You will use your local knowledge and experience to help ensure funding is directed where it can make the greatest difference to places, people and communities who experience poverty, disadvantage and discrimination. 

Key responsibilities may include:

• Assessing funding applications across our programmes
• Managing your own caseload of grants, including liaising with grant holders, visiting projects, identifying and managing risks, and supporting organisations to deliver and evaluate their work.
• Understanding and responding to the different needs of communities, applicants and grant holders
• Providing constructive advice and feedback, supporting applicants while being confident to have challenging conversations where needed
• Representing the Fund by engaging with key stakeholders, including applicants, support agencies, Council staff, and by attending funding fairs and external meetings.
• Sharing learning from your conversations, events, project visits, reports and evaluations to help maximize our impact as a grant maker.

You may come from a voluntary sector background - many of our colleagues do- but we are also very open to transferable skills from other sectors. What matters most is your ability to build relationships, use sound judgement and support communities to thrive.

Interview details:

• Date: 9th or 13th October
• Format: Face to Face
• Location: Our Belfast Office

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential Criteria:

• Communication skills: Strong listening, written and verbal communication with an emphasis on written communication for assessment purposes.
• Relational skills: Ability to build and maintain excellent relationships at different levels, with colleagues, community organisations and other external agencies with a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to absorb a wide range of information including ability to analyse accounts and numerical data and to make judgement-based decisions with confidence.
• Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector
• Values – Values driven and passionate about the Fund’s purpose, with a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• An ability to use your initiative, manage your own workload and work to deadlines and a can-do attitude.
• Demonstrable IT skills and the ability to learn detailed processes quickly and accurately

Desirable

• Be responsive to emerging issues and trends which impact on your work, the work of your team, or the Fund

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Harris Hill has an exciting opportunity for an interim Funding Manager, or Consultant to support a London based charity ASAP for 3 months, on a 3 day per week basis. 

The client is being open to how this could work, so we are considering a temp timesheet basis, paid hourly/daily at £146.10 per day plus holiday, as a direct employee at £38k, or as a freelance consultant at £200 per day, billed directly.

This is a list of what they are looking to cover however, this is for the permanent role, so unlikely you will cover everything in this list.

Funding
Set up funds on their CRM system, tracking opportunities, applications, outcomes, reporting requirements.
Support the development and delivery of a fundraising strategy, with specific focus on, grants, trusts and funds and service delivery contracts, while considering how to expand individual giving, online fundraising and developing corporate relations.
Income planning, including identifying, prioritising and scheduling funding opportunities.
Preparing and submitting proposals and tenders to donors, trusts and funds and government and local government contractors.
Exploring opportunities for commercial income stream development.
Preparing and submitting donor reports
Management of potential Funding Officer, allocating tasks, providing access to data as well as support and quality assurance for proposal and report preparation.

Impact
Use our data management system for analysis programme scale, reach, gender and ethnicity data for volunteers and service users.
Improving impact assessment, data analysis and communication of impact, specifically for three programme objectives (wellbeing, connectedness, and goal setting skills).
Supporting the development of a case study library in line with strategic objectives and target audience
Research and evaluation, looking at long term and wider impacts
Developing a structure for assessment and analysis of volunteer impact and experience
Annual report preparation.
Management of Social Media Consultant, overseeing monthly planning meetings with team, using Unfold data for output, signing off material, overseeing adherence to ToR

If you would like to find out a bit more about this role, please apply for more details.

To be part of the team responsible for the administration of the multi-million-pound response mode funding programme for discovery cancer research.

Reporting to the Research Funding Manager, to assist with the processing of funding applications, their review by external experts and the charity’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the administration and financial management of the resulting awards.

About the role and what we’re looking for

What will you be doing?

· Supporting applicants from all over the world to bring us their new ideas in cancer research by providing guidance in a timely manner. You’ll receive and process discovery cancer research funding applications, ensuring validity and completeness.  

· Leading on the expert peer review process. You’ll identify appropriate expert reviewers to ensure that the charity receives high quality, independent review advice to inform funding decisions.

· Managing funded grants. You’ll build relationships with grantholders and process change requests to best serve the science of our funded awards.

· Working with partner organisations.  You’ll collaborate with our research partners to manage co-funded projects as well as providing funding information for internal and external purposes. 

· Demonstrating our values. As a Curestarter, you’ll demonstrate our values every day - curious, united, real, entrepreneurial and spirited – as you help bring about our vision that no life is cut short by cancer.

What are we looking for?

· With a higher degree in a biomedical related field, you have excellent scientific understanding of molecular and cell biology as well as a broad knowledge of cancer research.

· You have a good understanding of research funding processes, particularly peer review and conflicts of interest.

· You’re a collaborative person who works respectfully in a diverse team of experts to deliver work that makes an impact.

· As a detailed planner and organiser, you thrive on deadlines and feel confident prioritising your time across multiple, concurrent projects.

Our client is a leading independent funder.

They aim to improve our natural world, secure a fairer future and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK.

The foundation provides c.£50 million annually in grants to organisations and initiatives with brilliant ideas who share our goals. We also provide social and impact investment for organisations with the aim of creating social and environmental impact.

Their strategy focuses on three interdependent aims: improving Our Natural World; tackling injustice to deliver A Fairer Future; and nurturing Creative, Confident Communities. They also want to play a more active role themselves using their range of tools to effect change. In addition to funding, this includes convening and brokering alliances, commissioning research, and using their influence to achieve their goals.

Prospectus is delighted to be working with the foundation to recruit a Funding Officer on a full-time (or 0.8) permanent basis to work on the Creative, Confident Communities (CCC) strategy as part of the team based in Kings Cross. Esmée operates on a hybrid basis, with a minimum requirement of two days in the office at Kings Cross (Tues & Weds). The role will also require UK travel on occasion. 

In Creative, Confident Communities, there are three focus areas:

• Communities working together for change
• Community driven enterprise and regeneration 
• Community led art and creativity

The role:
This role will provide vital support to the foundation’s assessment and management of funding applications, grants, and programme development. The Funding Officer will manage the key administrative functions for the team, as well as a broad portfolio of grants and funding relationships, ensuring strong engagement with partners throughout their funding journey. A key part of the role will involve gathering learning from funded work through reviewing reports, calls, and visits, and feeding this learning into the wider CCC strategy.

Working closely with senior members of the team, the postholder will assess new funding applications, draft recommendations, and contribute to CCC’s strategic development, such as research, convening events, and visits. They will play an active role in supporting the foundation’s decision-making processes, while also contributing to collaborative projects and sector networks.

The person:
The ideal candidate will be highly organised, analytical, and curious, with an interest in one or more of the CCC focus areas. Experience in grant-making, funding, or working in a related environment would be an advantage but is not essential. What matters most is a strong interest in the work of charities, voluntary organisations, and community groups, and an ability to understand the challenges they face.

You will be confident managing and interpreting complex information, including financial data and project plans, and able to communicate your findings clearly both in writing and verbally. Strong administrative skills and database experience are important, alongside the ability to prioritise effectively and meet deadlines.

Personally, you will be empathetic, practical, and collaborative and able to build relationships with a wide range of people in a professional and supportive way. You will show sound judgment, flexibility, and a proactive attitude, with a commitment to the organisation's values of equity, justice, and integrity.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for someone with the right skills and enthusiasm to support impactful work across the UK, while contributing to the goals of one of the country’s leading independent funders.

Job Description Summary

The Funding and Development  Manager plays a key role at DPI, working to ensure that income meets the organisation’s needs, and in support of achieving the strategic objectives through the development and management of fundraising and donor relations.

The Funding and Development Manager is responsible for identifying and pursuing diverse funding streams; writing applications, reporting back and progress letters to meet existing and future funders’ guidelines; monitoring the implementation of projects to ensure funders’ guidelines are met; and liaising with funders and other stakeholders.  The Funding and Development Manager works closely with the Finance Officer to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to donors.

They will also  collaborate with Programmes  Officers with regards to expenditure across budget lines to ensure compliance with grant contracts and grants periods. The Funding and Development Manager assists the Finance Manager with audit preparations of accounts at the end of the financial year and ensures the timely drafting of the Trustee report.

The Funding and Development Manager works closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the Finance Manager in the preparation and presentation of the annual organisational budget.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising and Grants Administration

• Leads the development and delivery of short, medium and long-term fundraising strategies for DPI
  • Identifies and nurtures the successful implementation of appropriate grant funding and contracting
  • Researches and assesses DPI’s eligibility in line with DPI strategy and donor criteria
  • Produces and submits grants proposals, expressions of interest and donor reports
  • Oversees compliance with funding requirement to ensure that deadlines and criteria for donor reporting are met, including financial reporting in close collaboration with the Finance Manager

Donor Relations

• Manages and develops external relationships as a representative of DPI, attending meetings and public events where necessary
  • Follows up with potential donors to open up new funding opportunities
  • Conducts regular updates with current donors to maintain and strengthen relationships
  • Prepares and oversees the dissemination of external materials such as the Quarterly Update and Trustee Report to all relevant contacts
  • Prepares background information ahead of DPI meetings with donors and prospective donors
  • Oversees donor communication history, ensuring that notes and information are logged and shared accordingly

Project Development and Monitoring and Evaluation

• Leads process and system improvements/developments to ensure that all DPI material shared externally is of good quality, in line with the strategy and structure of the organisation
  • Reviews all programme activities in line with the external environment and donor requirements to ensure sustainability and identify growth opportunities
  • Assists the CEO and Programmes team to develop organisational work plan to ensure that all activities and research comply with grant applications and donor obligation
  • Develops M&E and risk assessment frameworks to carry out monitoring and evaluation of activities to measure outcomes and the impact in relation to our strategic aims, and acting to make improvements if required
  • Establishes close working relationships and develop efficient systems with key individuals in the programmes, research and finance functions, to access knowledge and information needed for funding propositions and reporting
  • Maintains close collaboration with DPI staff to ensure sound project management, including by ensuring regular M&E meetings with programmes team are conducted to ensure that donor requirements and output standards are met

Financial Management

• Helps to develop and implement the organisation’s financial planning, budgeting and reporting processes along with the Finance Manager and the CEO
  • Collaborates with Programmes Officers with regards to the allocation of expenditure across budget lines and donors, to ensure compliance with grant contracts.
  • Assists the Finance Manager in their work on audit preparations of accounts at the end of the financial year, and ensures the timely drafting of the Trustee report
  • Works closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the Finance Manager in the preparation and presentation of the annual organisational budget.
  • Ensures that the Chief Executive Officer, and all members of staff, are kept aware of their obligations and opportunities in relation to donors

Administrative Tasks

• Maintains an accurate record of donor information
  • Ensures an effective and clean S-drive structure for files relating to grants and fundraising, including financial reports

                                                                                Person Specification
Essential
• The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years experience  in grant administration, ideally with a focus on governmental and intergovernmental funding with strong numerical skills and some budgeting experience.

• A sound and current knowledge of funding streams via the UK, EU and UN or similar.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including evidence of structured thinking and the ability to inspire confidence and enthusiasm in others
• Self-starter with the ability to initiate projects and see them through to successful completion
• Ability to work independently, but also as part of a small team, on different projects
• Ability to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Strong time management and organisational skills, ability to prioritise, pay attention to detail and attend to multiple assignments
• The flexibility, creativity, judgment and humour needed to work effectively in cross cultural settings
• Good interpersonal abilities for networking and interaction with high level stakeholders at DPI events
• Fluency in English
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), plus Outlook
• Ability to manage working relationships remotely

                                                                            Desirable

• Experience or interest in trust and government fundraising in relation to human rights, peace building and conflict resolution or similar fields
  • Knowledge of the political situation in the areas of DPI’s current programmes
  • An interest in peacebuilding, conflict resolution and transitional justice

                                                                A

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with the final deadline set as the 25th of September 2025.

                                                          Equal Opportunities  

About Unfold

We are a bold, growing local charity powered by volunteers and dedicated staff who support young people and families to set and achieve goals that matter most to them. Through mentoring, peer groups, and specialist programmes for people seeking asylum and refugees, we are creating opportunities for growth, belonging, and brighter futures. Last year, we supported over 350 people, and we’re growing.

The Role

We are seeking a Funding and Impact Manager to help us achieve our ambitious growth plans. This is a pivotal role where you’ll blend strategic fundraising with impact storytelling, ensuring our programmes remain high-quality, sustainable, and far-reaching.

You’ll be working closely with our CEO, Deputy CEO, and Programme Managers to:

• Secure sustainable income streams through grants, trusts, corporate partnerships, and individual giving.
• Strengthen our impact measurement, analysing programme data to tell powerful stories of change.
• Support our fundraising strategy, from opportunity spotting to proposal writing and reporting.
• Build and maintain relationships with funders, partners, and supporters.
• Use and improve our CRM (Beacon) to manage funding pipelines and track programme outcomes.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is proactive, innovative, and passionate about making a measurable difference.

About You

To be successful in this role, you'll be:

• Experienced in third-sector fundraising and income generation.
• Skilled in monitoring and evaluation with the ability to turn data into insights and impact stories.
• A strong communicator with the ability to write compelling bids and reports.
• Collaborative, yet confident working independently.
• Aligned with our values of trust, compassion, and empowerment.

Experience with CRM systems and/or data visualisation (e.g. Power BI) would be an advantage.

Why Join Us?

• Holidays: 25 working days (along with additional Christmas closedown days)
• Pension: We offer a generous pension provision. New staff are automatically enrolled for a pension after three months, and after six months, we will match your contribution up to a maximum of 8%.
• Team working: We are a small but brilliant team: we're supportive, diverse, and we help each other out. There are always opportunities to get involved in different aspects of the organisation, or lead on new initiatives.
• Training opportunities: We want to ensure that our team is continuously learning and building expertise in their field. For this reason, we offer each team member two days per year dedicated to professional development and training opportunities.
• Wellbeing - How we feel matters: Staff have access to a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, and our staff Wellbeing Champions are leading on the design and delivery of our wellbeing strategy, including the review of our quarterly wellbeing survey. Staff have regular supervision sessions to encourage reflection and discussion on our work and wellbeing. Additionally, we’re excited to introduce three days a year dedicated to team-building activities. These days are an opportunity to build skills, foster connections, and recharge as a team!
• Flexible working: We're happy to consider flexible working arrangements in line with the requirements of the role.
• Working Environment: We work in a beautiful, accessible, eco-friendly co-working space with a number of other charities, with plants, a leafy roof terrace and free hot and cold drinks. With comfortable spaces to read quietly or talk in a group, our workspace is somewhere you'll want to be. 

Join Our Mission – Drive Impact Through Financial Excellence 

We’re looking for a skilled and passionate Financial & Funding Accountant to play a pivotal role in our mission to change the lives of our young people. This role leads our financial accounting team and is central to ensuring our financial processes are effective, accurate, and aligned with charity governance standards. 

From owning the balance sheet and managing audits to preparing statutory accounts and regulatory returns, you'll play a key part in maintaining the integrity and transparency of our finances. You’ll work closely with colleagues across the organisation to ensure we maximise every pound of charitable funding in support of our work. 

This is more than just numbers, this is about making a real difference. If you're a qualified accountant (or working towards it), with a strong understanding of charity fund accounting, with excellent communication skills, we’d love to hear from you. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences. 

Corporate Fundraising Manager

Permanent

Salary: £42,000 to £47,000 per annum, plus benefits

Full time – 37.5 hours a week 

London N1

We're a hybrid working employer, meaning you're currently required to come into the office a minimum of 2 days per week, currently Tuesday and Wednesday or Thursday.

The role is being advertised as full-time, but we would consider someone working 4 days per week pro-rata.

Closing date: 5pm, Monday 22nd September 2025

First Interviews: w/c 29th September 2025

Second interviews (optional): w/c 6th October 2025

An exciting opportunity for an experienced Corporate Fundraising Manager has arisen at World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF); the UK’s leading cancer prevention charity focusing on the link between cancer and risk factors such as diet, body weight and physical activity. 

We are seeking an outstanding corporate fundraising professional to join our Fundraising Development team. This is a key role for the organisation, proactively leading on new business; delivering mid and high-value partnerships and maintaining a healthy and active pipeline of new prospects to support the long-term sustainability of our work. The successful candidate will develop compelling proposals and pitches to build new relationships and provide excellent stewardship for existing corporate partners. They will manage and deliver the Corporate Partnerships strategy, annual operational plan, and income forecasting and develop accurate annual budgets and forecasts, monitoring performance against plan and setting KPIs and targets.

 We are looking for an individual able to demonstrate a significant track record of success in achieving and exceeding set income targets in corporate fundraising as well as developing and delivering a corporate fundraising strategy, annual budgets, and delivery plans. Excellent written and creative skills, with experience in developing engaging proposals and applications for funding is crucial as is the ability to organise, prioritise, and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines. Strong networking skills with the ability to manage high-profile relationships professionally and tactfully are essential.

Application Details:

If you are interested in this role and feel you possess the necessary requirements, please submit a current CV and covering letter (maximum 2 pages) by the closing date. 

You must have current right to work in the UK.

Please note: Your cover letter should highlight how your skills and experience will benefit WCRF and equip you for the role.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are only able to provide feedback to shortlisted candidates. If you do not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. 

The Freedom Fund

The Freedom Fund is a global non-profit dedicated to ending modern slavery. Since 2014, we’ve invested over $100 million into frontline organisations and coalitions, helping to shift power to local actors and create lasting systems change. Our new strategy doubles down on this commitment, investing in anti-slavery movements, fostering collaboration, and working as a trusted partner to the incredible people and organisations driving this work forward. 

Research and Impact Data

This is a key role in the Freedom Fund’s Research & Evaluation team, playing a key role in measuring the real-world impact of anti-slavery initiatives across the globe. You’ll also contribute to research and evaluation projects that deepen understanding and improve the ways we work to prevent and address modern slavery.

In this role, you’ll manage the digital backbone of our data systems, ensuring that impact is measured consistently and meaningfully. You’ll provide colleagues and partners with the tools and training they need to monitor progress and address challenges. Through engaging dashboards and innovative visualisations, you’ll turn complex data into accessible insights for a wide range of audiences: from grassroots partners to the Freedom Fund’s senior leadership.

You’ll report to the Head of Research & Evaluation and work alongside Research & Evaluation team members based globally. The role will involve one to two international trips per year. This position offers excellent opportunities to advance your professional skills and the chance to influence how impact is measured and communicated across the anti-slavery movement.

Interview process:

2 stage interview process: week commencing 29th September 2025.

Please see the job description for all details.

The new role, Corporate Partnerships and Grants Officer is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys combining focused bid writing and research with building strong, lasting corporate relationships.

As a key member of the PLANETS Cancer Charity team, you will identify and secure new funding opportunities from corporate donors, foundations, and grant-making bodies.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Corporate Fundraising and Engagement: Establish and maintain strong relationships with corporate partners and key stakeholders with regular contact, to foster long-term support for PLANETS.  Develop and deliver impactful presentations, attend events, and secure donations through engagement activities.
• Grant Management: Establish and maintain strong relationships with charitable trusts and foundations, and their key stakeholders with regular contact, to foster long-term support for PLANETS.  Manage the grant application process from start to finish, including creating high-quality, persuasive and tailored proposals and applications, tracking deadlines, ensuring compliance with requirements, and delivering progress reports.
• New Business Development: Proactively seek out and secure new corporate partnerships and funding opportunities to expand PLANETS' income streams.
• Stewardship & Reporting: Develop stewardship plans and contact strategies for corporate supporters, ensuring timely updates on project impact and outcomes.
• Celebrating our partners by making sure that they are thanked for any support and receive updates and reports on the charity’s work.
• CRM Management: Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, applications, and reporting timelines in the charity’s CRM system to ensure that we develop longer term relationships and can report fully on corporate and activity.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the Director of Strategy & Finance and wider charity team to ensure fundraising initiatives align with PLANETS' strategic goals.

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.   

The Youth Endowment Fund 

Head of Change – Children’s Services  

Reports to: Assistant Director for Change – Children’s Services, Neighbourhoods & the Youth Sector

Salary: £67,900

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

Location: Central London, Hybrid*  

Closing date:12pm on Wednesday 24th September 2025

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.

Key Responsibilities 

We build demand and interest in evidence across the Children’s Services sector 

This will include: 

• Running events, speaking at conferences and curating webinars to bring evidence to life for practitioners 
• We have great relationships with the people who can make change happen.  

This will include:

• Developing great relationships with senior policy makers, sector leaders and experts, including representing YEF in external meetings and speaking at events.
• Managing a Strategic Advisory Board of leading experts across the children’s services sector and keep members onside and excited about our work.

We deliver our children’s services system recommendations. 

This will include:

• Helping to identify the right recommendations at a system level (such as changes in policy, regulation, inspection, funding, or guidance) that make it more likely highly vulnerable children get access to the right support at the right time. 
• Work out the best way to make our system recommendations happen (due for publication in December 2026) and then do it – persuading the key people to make changes that make a difference.
• Tracking progress carefully, being thoughtful and creative about when and how to change the plan.

We work out the most effective ways to connect people with the evidence, then make those things happen. 

This will include:

• Helping children’s services leaders change how they plan or provide services to better protect children from violence, based on the YEF Children’s Services Practice Guidance – due for publication in May 2026. 
• Creating a plan to get people to follow our guidance, using what we know about how they think and behave. 
• Creating practical tools and resources that help leaders put evidence into action 
• Continuously testing and improving our approach to get better results. 

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

• Build a culture where it is natural to perform well and support colleagues brilliantly.
• 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 know how to make change happen. You combine analytical sharpness with emotional intelligence and real-world experience. You understand why people resist change – and how to move them through it. You’re curious about human behaviour and what drives decision-making. 

• You bring deep experience of the children’s services system. You’ve worked at a senior level in or with children’s services – potentially commissioning support for young people at risk of or involved in violence. You understand how Directors of Children’s Services and other senior leaders think and know how to navigate and influence within the system. 

• You communicate complex ideas clearly. 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 get things done. You’re organised, delivery-focused, and produce high-quality work, even under pressure. You work independently and to a high standard. 

• You build trust and connect with people. From government ministers to social workers, CEOs to 15-year-olds – you know how to listen, build rapport, and make people feel heard. You’ve led meetings, made strong introductions, and bring people with you. 

• You think big and adapt fast. You’re a strategic thinker who can see the big picture without losing sight of the detail. You’re logical, creative, and open to challenge – always testing and refining your ideas.  

• You understand young people. You get what life can be like for vulnerable young people and you understand the systems and organisations around them. Ideally, you’ve seen this first-hand, whether professionally or personally. 

• 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. 

You must have this sort of experience. 

• Delivering concrete change in practice or systems that improved children’s lives. You have significant experience in leading behaviour, practice or policy changes within a children’s services setting. You can show how these have been effective in delivering tangible change.  
• Leadership experience in the children’s services system. You’ve worked at a senior level in or with children’s services - especially local authority children's services, commissioning and/or children's social care policy, and you understand how to navigate and influence within these complex systems.

• Firsthand knowledge of the system that supports highly vulnerable children, particularly those at risk of or involved in violence. You understand the barriers these children face and what it takes to get them the right support.

While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence.   

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.   

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, your answers to the three questions below and complete the monitoring form by clicking on "Apply for this" button by 12pm on Wednesday 24th September 2025.

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:   

Improving practice or systems 
1. Can you describe a time when you successfully supported children’s services leaders to improve practice or systems? Please include the scale and context of your experience. (maximum 500 words) 

 Developing strategy 
2. Please provide an example of a strategy you developed from scratch and implemented independently. What did you do, what was the impact, what did you learn? (maximum 500 words) 

 Personal and professional experiences in violence prevention 
3. What personal and professional experiences have shaped your understanding of the children’s services sector’s role in preventing violence? (maximum 500 words) 

Interview Process 

This will be a 2-stage interview process. The first stage interview will take place on 9 and 10 October 2025

The second stage interviews are currently scheduled for the week commencing 13 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 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.