Fundraising director jobs in City of london, england

Harris Hill is seeking an interim Director of Fundraising for around 10 weeks, working 3 days per week, with one in the office, based in London.

The role can either be paid via the agency on a day rate of £257.69 (£67k), on contract via the charity, or potential consultancy day rate where you charge the client direct.

About the Role:
As Interim Director of Fundraising, you will provide strategic direction and hands-on leadership across all fundraising activities, ensuring income targets are met and future growth is supported. You will oversee major gifts, corporate partnerships, grants, and individual giving, using data-driven insight to optimise performance. Operating on a hybrid basis, you will maintain continuity, enhance donor relationships, and prepare the function for a smooth handover to the incoming permanent Director.

Key Responsibilities:
* Lead the development and implementation of a short-term strategic fundraising plan to maintain and grow income during the interim period.
* Oversee major gifts and philanthropy programmes, including managing key donor relationships and supporting high-value cultivation and stewardship.
* Direct corporate fundraising activity, including pipeline management, proposal development, and relationship building with corporate partners.
* Provide line management and leadership to the fundraising team, setting clear priorities, offering guidance, and ensuring accountability for targets.
* Review and optimise fundraising data, reporting, and performance dashboards to inform decision-making and improve campaign effectiveness.
* Oversee grant fundraising and management, including identifying opportunities, approving high-quality applications, and ensuring compliance with funder requirements.
* Strengthen donor relationship management processes and systems to enhance retention, upgrade opportunities, and supporter engagement.
* Prepare and deliver clear, timely income and activity reports to senior leadership, highlighting risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.

Key Requirements:
* Proven track record in senior fundraising leadership, ideally at Head of Fundraising or Director level, within the charity or non-profit sector.
* Demonstrable experience in strategic fundraising planning and delivering against ambitious income targets across multiple income streams.
* Strong expertise in major gifts and philanthropy, including managing high-value donor relationships and securing significant gifts.
* Experience in corporate fundraising, including developing and managing partnerships and sponsorships.
* Solid background in grant fundraising and management, including oversight of applications, reporting, and compliance.
* Confident user of fundraising data and CRM systems, with the ability to interpret data and produce clear, actionable reports.
* Proven team leadership and line management experience, including performance management and staff development.
* Ability to operate effectively in a hybrid working environment, with at least one day per week in the London office and two days remote.

Desirable Skills:
* Experience of leading fundraising functions through periods of transition or organisational change.
* Familiarity with UK charity fundraising regulations and best practice frameworks.
* Experience in developing or refining donor journeys and supporter engagement strategies.
* Background in integrating data insights into campaign planning and segmentation.
* Previous experience working with boards or fundraising committees.

If you are an experienced fundraising leader available to start quickly and ready to provide strategic stability and impact through to the end of November, we encourage you to apply.

Prospectus is delighted to be partnering with an international development organisation in the search for a new Director of Philanthropy. 

Director of Philanthropy 

£80,000 to £90,000

London hybrid (minimum three times per month)

This organisation is a global leader in pioneering and scaling proven poverty solutions. Founded in 1972 in post-war Bangladesh as a small relief effort, this organisation is now the world's largest Global South-led development organisation. They equip vulnerable people with the tools, opportunities, and skills to lift themselves out of poverty and reach their potential. Their holistic, entrepreneurial approaches operate across Asia and Africa, and have reached over 145 million people. The organisation's European presence was established in 2006 in London to represent the organisation in Europe, and build relationships with current and potential European donors.

This new Director of Philanthropy role will lead and guide the organisation to build philanthropic fundraising in Europe. This will involve developing a philanthropic fundraising strategy, working to build a pipeline of high-value donors, and securing five-, six-, and seven-figure gifts. This role will be responsible for delivering annual income targets rising to unrestricted or lightly restricted donations totalling £1 million per annum within four years. It will also support the Director, of their International Fund (based in the USA) in the development of an ambitious global catalytic unrestricted fund targeting $1 billion in commitments over the next five years.

To be successful in this role, this person will have proven significant experience in major gift fundraising and a proven track record of securing high-value, multi-year philanthropic commitments from individuals, family offices and/or foundations. This person will have knowledge and experience of UK and ideally European philanthropic markets. They will also need to have sensitivity to being a Global South-led organisation and an entrepreneurial mindset to achieve income growth. They will have previously developed and launched dynamic fundraising strategies that achieved income generation growth. 

At Prospectus, we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process, then please contact Rhiannon Mehta at Prospectus.

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter (maximum 2 pages) in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will arrange for a meeting to brief you on the role. 

About the team

The Philanthropy Team raises income for Impetus and for Impetus partner charities. The team consists of 15 staff. Impetus has an annual income of c.£11 million which we are looking to grow significantly within the next few years. The team is led by two Directors of Philanthropy and Partnerships. 

The Philanthropy Team works with major donors, corporates and grant making trusts, as well as collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to ensure we make a compelling case to generate new financial commitments and wider support for our work. The team also deliver a high-quality engagement programme of volunteering and pro bono for Impetus’s corporate supporters.   

Impetus is driven by a shared belief in tackling the barriers that hold back young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in education and employment. Alongside investing extensive financial and non-financial support in our charity partners through our Investment Team we also seek to influence decision makers to design and implement evidence led policy and direct new resources to get young people the support they need through our Public Affairs team. We are resolutely focused on outcomes, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, ambitious, determined and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our charity partners and the young people we serve. 

About this role

The Development Director (Philanthropy) provides strategic leadership across Impetus’ philanthropy and stewardship portfolio, with responsibility for relationship management, renewal, growth and selected new business activity. The postholder will work with high-value funders, including corporate partners, trusts and foundations, and high-net-worth individuals.

In 25/26, the Philanthropy and Partnerships team generated £11m in philanthropic income, alongside £2.8m in pro bono contributions. The Development Director will play a key role in delivering Impetus’ growth ambitions, supporting the increase in philanthropic income to £14m by 2029. 

Working closely with the Directors of Philanthropy and Partnerships, the role will translate the fundraising strategy into clear stewardship, renewal, relationship-growth and selected new business plans, ensuring strong donor retention, high-quality engagement and sustainable growth in high-value income.

Working closely with the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, the postholder will oversee the donor lifecycle across the philanthropy portfolio, with particular focus on strategic stewardship, renewal, relationship growth and the effective transition of selected prospects into long-term donor relationships. They will personally lead and support significant six and seven-figure donor relationships and selected funding opportunities, while working with colleagues to ensure the philanthropy pipeline, stewardship plans and account management disciplines are strong.

Working collaboratively across the Philanthropy and Partnerships team and with colleagues across the organisation, the Development Director will ensure a joined-up approach to donor stewardship, renewal, relationship growth and selected donor acquisition, maximising income, partnership value and long-term impact within the agreed fundraising strategy.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Relationship Management & Growth

• Own and oversee strategically significant donor and partner relationships at six and seven-figure levels, ensuring high levels of retention, satisfaction, trust, income growth and long-term value.
• Set and embed best practice stewardship standards, ensuring donors receive timely, consistent, high-quality and relevant engagement and communications throughout their relationship with Impetus.
• Work closely with the wider team to ensure a smooth transition between new business, and long-term stewardship.
• Ensure account plans for priority donors and partners include clear renewal and growth pathways; engagement and risk-management plans.
• Act as senior relationship owner where required, modelling strong stewardship and coaching the Head of Philanthropy and other colleagues to navigate complex or sensitive relationships.

New Business: Pipeline & Conversion 

• Personally lead on select six and seven-figure level priority prospects and strategic funding opportunities, managing the full fundraising cycle from qualification to close.
• Work with trustees, senior volunteers and networks to support warm introductions, relationship development and follow-up, in line with agreed new business and stewardship priorities.
• Work with colleagues to translate Impetus’ impact, evidence base and venture philanthropy model into compelling propositions for donors, prospects and priority audiences.

Performance and KPI Reporting

• Accountable for ensuring effective implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement of fundraising performance frameworks, KPIs and reporting disciplines.
• Use performance data and insight to improve team effectiveness, inform portfolio planning and resource recommendations, and identify opportunities for retention, renewal and growth.
• Oversee philanthropy portfolio data quality, reporting and forecasting, ensuring robust systems and processes.
• Ensure robust systems, processes and performance disciplines are in place to support delivery of agreed philanthropy portfolio objectives and wider fundraising goals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and evidence-led decision-making across the philanthropy portfolio and direct team.

Donor Communications

• Provide strategic oversight of donor communications for the philanthropy portfolio, ensuring messaging is clear, compelling, timely and aligned to Impetus’ voice, values and evidence base.
• Work with Communications and Philanthropy colleagues to design and continuously improve philanthropic communications, including cases for support, proposals, pitches, stewardship materials and donor updates.

Leadership and Team Performance

• Line manage and develop the Head of Philanthropy, providing direction, coaching and performance oversight within agreed strategy and priorities.
• Develop the Head of Philanthropy as the operational lead for stewardship, ensuring capability, succession and high performance across their team.
• Set clear objectives and success measures for stewardship, renewal, relationship growth and portfolio delivery, aligned to Impetus’ wider income strategy.
• Build and sustain an inclusive, evidence-led and high-performing culture across the philanthropy portfolio, balancing pace and ambition with quality, learning and collaboration.
• Build fundraising and stewardship capability across the team through coaching and consistent, fair and high-quality performance management, including objective-setting, feedback and development planning.

Pro Bono, Events, Volunteering & Partnership Value

• Ensure engagement opportunities, including volunteering, pro bono and events, strengthen donor relationships, partnership value and long-term income growth through strong collaboration with colleagues.

Operational Excellence, Governance & Risk

• Ensure philanthropy and selected new business activity complies with due diligence, gift acceptance and risk management requirements.
• Oversee accurate philanthropy pipeline reporting, forecasting and performance tracking, using Salesforce and other systems to ensure insight informs portfolio planning and decision-making.
• Work with Finance and Operations to ensure income is contracted, invoiced, and reported accurately and on time in line with financial controls.
• Identify and escalate strategic, financial or reputational risks associated with donors, prospects and partnerships.

Cross-Organisational Leadership & Representation

• Act as a senior ambassador for Impetus, representing the organisation credibly with new donors, partners, and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to organisational strategy, income planning, and senior leadership discussions.
• Lead philanthropic work on Impetus funds including identifying funding opportunities and risks; shaping prospect pipelines; contributing to cases for support and donor presentations; and develop fund stewardship.
• Champion collaboration across the Philanthropy team, ensuring opportunities are shared, relationships are well managed and expertise is used to maximise income and impact.
• Model Impetus’ values, evidence-led approach and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion across the philanthropy portfolio.

Strategic Leadership

• Work in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships to contribute to the fundraising strategy.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear operational plans, objectives and delivery, ensuring stewardship, renewal and relationship growth contribute to organisational priorities, income targets and long-term growth ambitions.
• Provide strategic oversight of philanthropy portfolio forecasting, budgeting input, pipeline performance and resource recommendations, ensuring risks and opportunities are identified and escalated proactively.
• Maximise the contribution of trustees, committees, senior volunteers and wider networks to support donor stewardship, relationship growth and selected new business development.
• Act as a trusted senior adviser to the Directors of Philanthropy and Partnerships, providing insight, challenge and solutions to strengthen philanthropy portfolio performance and wider fundraising capability.
• Deputise for the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships where appropriate, within agreed delegations and priorities.
• Build a positive, collaborative and high-performing culture across the philanthropy portfolio, modelling Impetus’ values and supporting continuous improvement.

Person specification

Essential:

Fundraising & new business leadership

• Significant experience in major donor and/or corporate fundraising at six and seven-figure gift level, with a strong track record of securing new income and managing complex partnerships.
• Ability to lead and personally deliver the full fundraising cycle, from prospecting and cultivation through to solicitation, negotiation, and close.
• Proven experience of building, managing, and converting a new business pipeline, balancing ambition with delivery.
• Strong ability to leverage internal and external networks, including trustees, senior volunteers, and professional contacts.

Senior stakeholder engagement

• Experience of operating at a senior level and leading high value or complex stakeholder relationships (trustees, board members, senior external partners).
• Ability to influence and build credibility with senior audiences through clear, confident and evidence led communication.
• Excellent negotiation skills, with the ability to secure mutually beneficial outcomes while protecting organisational values and reputation.

Leadership & people management

• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams, including developing senior colleagues and building leadership capability.
• A strong track record as a collaborative senior team member, contributing beyond own area of responsibility and supporting wider organisational success
• Ability to build a high-trust, high-challenge culture that supports excellence, inclusion, and learning.
• Strong performance management capability and ability to handle complex people issues, giving strategic feedback, and addressing underperformance constructively.
• Ability to deputise for the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships when appropriate.

Strategic & intellectual capability

• Strong strategic thinker with the ability to translate agreed strategy and insight into clear plans and execute them effectively.
• Ability to grasp, interpret apply and communicate complex information and ideas, including Impetus’ venture philanthropy and impact-led funding models.
• Evidence of an innovative and creative approach, with the ability to adapt in changing contexts.

Financial, operational & delivery capability

• Solid financial management, with experience contributing to budget-setting, managing agreed budgets, supporting forecasting and identifying efficiencies.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to delivery, with the ability to manage multiple priorities to a high standard
• Able to use insight and data (including CRM systems such as Salesforce) to inform decisions and strengthen performance.
• Sound judgement in identifying, managing, and escalating risk, particularly in relation to donor relationships and reputation.

Communication, values & ways of working

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate clearly, persuasively, and with impact.
• Excellent relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish, maintain, and leverage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• A strong commitment to Impetus’ mission and to improving outcomes for young people.
• A clear commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, demonstrated through inclusive leadership and professional practice.

Desirable 

• Experience working within venture philanthropy, impact investing, or systems-change funding models.
• Familiarity with private equity, professional services.
• Experience contributing to income growth, donor strategy or portfolio development within an agreed organisational fundraising strategy.
• Knowledge of the UK charity or social impact sector, particularly education, employment, or youth-focused work.
• Experience using CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce) to manage pipelines, performance, and forecasting.

About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.

We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today:

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.

Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life.

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

Our Values

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are brave and curious

We are bold and brave in our pursuit of better outcomes for young people. We lead with curiosity and stay open to new perspectives. We support one another to take considered risks and learn together.

We bring high trust, high challenge

We build strong, long-term relationships through honesty, kindness, integrity, and respect. We create the space for open, constructive challenge, where colleagues, partners and supporters feel safe to speak up, hold each other to account, and bring their best in pursuit of our mission.

We are evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

We thrive through diversity

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

We always seek collaboration

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnerships with others to achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Our employee benefits

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button.

You will need to:

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form).
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement.

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.

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 interview stage.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 20th September 2026, 11:59pm.

Interviews:

1st Interviews will take place on w/c 5th October 2026.

2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 12th October 2026.

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

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.

Prospectus is supporting a London-focused organisation to recruit their new Director of Philanthropy. This organisation improves the lives of the most disadvantaged people in London by working with donors to invest in small, local charities and community groups.

Director of Philanthropy

Permanent

£80,000

Closing: Thursday 10 th September 2026

This is a senior, externally focused role for an experience philanthropy leader who can strengthen the organisation's profile, open doors and secure significant new philanthropic income across London's philanthropic landscape. The postholder will lead new business development activity with a particular focus on high-net-worth individuals, corporates, professional advisers and intermediaries and will manage the pipeline of new donor opportunities. Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Philanthropy will provide senior leadership for an ambitious, confident and disciplined approach to business development and income growth.

The selected candidate will have significant experience in philanthropy and fundraising with a proven track record of cultivating, pitching to and securing high-value relationships with audiences such as high-net-worth individuals, corporates, professional advisers, or wealth managers. You will be able to demonstrate experience and knowledge of philanthropy, donor advised funds, corporate giving and charitable giving routes and will be an impressive relationship builder and networker. Crucially, you will be able to develop compelling propositions for busy audiences that draw attention to the work of London's most impactful charities and community groups, and how philanthropy can strengthen that impact.

At Prospectus, we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process then please contact Ryan Burdock at Prospectus.

If you feel you meet some of the criteria but not all, we really hope you'll enquire and learn more. Prospectus can advise and support on each part of the role and hopefully your application, so we look forward to hearing from you.

In order to apply, please submit an up-to-date CV and cover letter (max 2 pages) in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will arrange for a meeting to brief you on the role. You'll then have all the information you need to formally apply. 

Director of Principal Giving & International 
Advancement Department
University College London
London, UK
Grade 10 role with a salary of £100,000-£120,000 pa (inclusive of London Allowance). Plus excellent benefits, including a sector-leading relocation package.

An exceptional leadership opportunity to play a significant role in the success of one of the biggest fundraising and engagement campaigns in the higher education sector in Europe.

UCL is a radically different university. Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, we were the first university in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to welcome women on equal terms with men. Today, UCL has over 51,000 students, 14,000 staff and over 470,000 alumni, and is one of the world’s top 10 universities.

We will launch our largest ever fundraising and engagement campaign that will leverage the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that our bicentennial anniversary in 2026 presents.  Since our last campaign, we have increased our ambitions and are building further capacity and expertise across our Advancement division.  As part of this step-change, we have re-imagined our Principal Gifts & International team and are now seeking an experienced practitioner to drive this area forward.  There has never been a more exciting time to join the Advancement office.

As the Director of Principal Giving & International, you will lead a newly combined team that cultivates meaningful relationships with donors and prospective supporters who have the potential to transform the future and impact of UCL.  You and your team of experts will secure philanthropic gifts at the 7 and 8-figure level and drive our international fundraising activity forward.  You will work with key colleagues and stakeholders across Advancement and the wider University, as well as with a mission-critical senior volunteer network around the world.  It’ll therefore be critical that you are a highly experienced and ambitious fundraiser and leader, with vision, creativity and the ability to make things happen while taking others on the journey with you. 

To be successful, you must bring well-rounded knowledge and experience of best-in-class principal gifts fundraising, and a demonstrable track record of securing 7-figure philanthropic gifts, alongside an awareness of global fundraising trends. Your approachable and collaborative manner, along with your ability to work at pace and with gravitas, inspires confidence from those around you.  Being enterprising and solutions-focussed, people enjoy working with you and actively seek you out as a thought partner.  You must be equally comfortable in playing a front-facing role, as well as operating behind the scenes and supporting others in making the ask, as it’s the transformational outcomes and impact that truly drives you.

In return, you will join a team of passionate individuals who work together to achieve remarkable things with a global impact.  Our people really are our greatest asset, and we invest in them so that they can fulfil their potential.  Equity, diversity and inclusion is important to us and we are committed to creating an environment where everyone is encouraged to give their best in a place where their unique experiences, perspectives and skills are seen as valuable assets. We also prioritise work-life balance and offer hybrid and agile working as well as flexibility around working hours.  We are happy to receive part-time applications for all of our job opportunities, and can consider a 0.8FTE working pattern for this role. And we particularly welcome applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.

If you’re interested in hearing more, please contact our recruitment partners at Richmond Associates and you can download a detailed information pack from their website by following the application link.

Please tell Richmond Associates if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to help you in your application or with our recruitment process. 

International candidates who are interested in relocating to the UK will be considered as visa support is available for this position.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS midnight GMT on THURSDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026

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.

The Talent Set is delighted to be partnering with The Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) to recruit an Assistant Director of Community Fundraising & Engagement, a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving the next phase of growth across the charity’s national and regional community fundraising programmes. 

Assistant Director of Community Fundraising & Engagement
Salary: £69,852 (non-negotiable)
Location: London with hybrid working and regular UK-wide travel

ABF is the Army’s national charity, providing a lifetime of support to soldiers, veterans and their families. With an established regional fundraising network, a loyal volunteer base and ambitious plans for growth, they are now seeking an experienced community fundraising leader to build on strong foundations and enhance fundraising performance across the organisation.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a team of nine Regional Directors, providing strategic fundraising leadership while helping ABF evolve its approach to community and events fundraising. The organisation has a long history of successful regional fundraising activity, supported by passionate teams and volunteers who care deeply about the charity’s mission. The successful candidate will bring fresh thinking and external expertise while respecting and building upon the strengths that already exist.

The Assistant Director will play a key role in shaping the community fundraising and engagement strategy, improving ROI across fundraising activities and strengthening collaboration between regional teams and head office. They will help drive an exciting and scalable programme of activity, ensuring that national initiatives, fundraising opportunities and best practice are effectively shared and implemented consistently across the country.

Alongside leading regional fundraising performance, the postholder will oversee the development of a new volunteer strategy, helping the organisation maximise the impact of its volunteer committees and ensuring volunteers remain at the heart of future fundraising success.

As Assistant Director of Community Fundraising & Engagement, you will:

• Lead, coach and inspire a team of nine Regional Directors, providing clear fundraising leadership and strategic direction.
• Drive the ongoing development and implementation of ABF’s community and events fundraising strategy.
• Identify opportunities to increase income, improve ROI and enhance fundraising performance across the regional network.
• Support the rollout of national fundraising initiatives and campaigns across the UK.
• Strengthen collaboration between regional fundraising teams and head office functions.
• Work closely with colleagues across fundraising, including High Value and Individual Giving teams, to maximise supporter engagement opportunities.
• Lead the development and implementation of a new volunteer strategy, ensuring effective operational delivery.
• Contribute to strengthening ABF’s case for support and fundraising proposition.
• Build strong relationships with regional teams, volunteers and senior stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and alignment around organisational priorities.

The role would best suit:

• An experienced fundraising leader with a strong background in community, regional or mass participation fundraising.
• Someone who has led geographically dispersed teams and understands the opportunities and challenges of regional fundraising models.
• A strategic thinker with the ability to assess existing activity, identify opportunities for improvement and deliver sustainable income growth.
• An individual who is diplomatic, emotionally intelligent and skilled at building relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Someone who can bring innovation and fresh ideas while respecting established cultures and ways of working.
• An individual with knowledge of fundraising regulation, governance and volunteer best practice.

A military background is not required. What matters most is the ability to lead people, bring fundraising expertise and successfully navigate a complex stakeholder environment while supporting ABF’s unique culture and values.

How to Apply
The deadline for this role is Wednesday 2nd September, with 1st stage interviews to take place on 9th September. To express an initial interest, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set is committed to inclusive recruitment practices and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We actively encourage applications from people with diverse experiences and are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments required throughout the recruitment process.