Fundraising intern jobs

Job Profile

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will lead on the recruitment, retention, and value growth of Afghanaid’s supporter base by directing and implementing communications, fundraising and engagement strategies, aligned with broader organisation goals. Designing and managing a tight budget, you will direct the Communication and Giving unit to maximise their success.

You will provide strategic and supervisory oversight of fundraising income from individual giving, regular giving, major donors, trusts and foundations, corporates, community and student fundraising and events, managing annual fundraising appeals and driving organisational unrestricted income growth. 

You will lead on communications for Afghanaid, overseeing print, digital, and paid marketing activities and the growth of communications channels. You will execute Afghanaid’s organisational brand strategy which ensures the integrity of the brand and maximises awareness. You will manage all public relations including crisis communications, as well as the growth of strategic media placements and high profile relationships. You will drive the success of organisational impact storytelling and communications for both internal and external stakeholders. As a member of the executive department, you will collaborate and synergise with other departments to promote organisational success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive organisational strategy, culture and cross-department collaboration to advance Afghanaid’s mission and objectives.

• Lead development and delivery of Communications, Engagement and Fundraising strategies and work plans.

• Line manage and develop a high-performing team, including staff, volunteers and interns.

• Build and maintain relationships with consultants, agencies and pro bono partners.

• Oversee budgets, reporting and data-driven performance management to ensure efficiency and impact.

• Promote a positive and cohesive London team environment, coordinating hybrid working, inductions and HR support.

• Oversee public fundraising strategy across multiple income streams.

• Lead design and delivery of internal and external appeals, campaigns and donor stewardship.

• Identify new funding opportunities, partnerships and innovation in engagement.

• Oversee the full range of Afghanaid’s event portfolio, and attend relevant events to represent Afghanaid;

• Ensure effective CRM management, data integrity and financial reconciliation.

• Serve as brand guardian, ensuring consistency and evolution of Afghanaid’s identity.

• Oversee creation and execution of integrated communications and marketing plans.

• Direct production of engaging digital and print content, including newsletters, social media, and fundraising collateral.

• Manage website optimisation, SEO and analytics to drive engagement and conversions.

• Lead innovation in digital marketing, email campaigns and supporter journeys.

• Advise leadership on reputation management and crisis communications.

• Develop media policies and act as spokesperson when required.

• Manage proactive and reactive media relations, building relationships with journalists, influencers and advocates.

• Promote Afghanaid’s thought leadership through strategic storytelling and public commentary.

• Commission and direct multimedia content to strengthen organisational storytelling.

• Lead content planning, production and performance analysis.

• Champion participatory storytelling approaches and creative innovation.

Undertake any other duties as and when required by the line director.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

You will be an experienced and dynamic communicator with significant demonstrable experience in fundraising and/or communications at a senior level, coupled with an awareness and up to date knowledge and experience of the tools that would maximise the success of our communications and fundraising activities. In addition, you will have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders. Possessing strong management skills, you will have experience of managing small multi-disciplinary teams, providing direction and leadership to enable development and high performance, and the ability to role-model a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Education/ Training

Master’s Degree in communications, marketing, public fundraising or another relevant field (or at least 5-years’ experience).

Work Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, supporter engagement or communications, with at least 2 years’ experience directly managing staff.

• Experience developing and leading integrated multi-channel and multi-stakeholder communications, engagement and/or fundraising strategies.

• Experience in growing audiences, engagement and/or income streams.

• Experience communicating about and/or fundraising for and/or maintaining engagement with Afghanistan or a similar context.

• Experience using KPIs and data to make data-driven decisions to improve efficacy and efficiency.

• Experience managing and monitoring a tight budget.

• Experience conceptualising, producing and commissioning multimedia content, from marketing and fundraising collateral to audiovisual content.

• Experience running full-funnel, multi-channel marketing strategies including paid advertising.

• Understanding of risks associated with communications, public fundraising, and NGO operating contexts, and experience in mitigating those risks.

• Experience supervising, organising, motivating and developing staff.

• In depth knowledge of trends in storytelling, brand, PR, marketing and fundraising.

Professional Skills, Competencies, Values and Attitudes

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff is passionate about and proud of Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Specifically, the holder of this position should also demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Fluent in spoken and written English. 

• Track record of increasing audiences, fundraising totals and engagement metrics from multiple different sources, with a strong business development mindset.

• Experience securing five or six figure gifts from funders;

• Solutions and results orientated; energised by thinking outside the box, and by finding and pursuing novel or innovative approaches and solutions.

• Experience using Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud

• Skilled at spotting and prioritising opportunities and synergies, and effective in securing wide-ranging forms of engagement and partnership.

• Excellent listening, speaking and writing skills; strong capabilities of persuasion and a proven track record of uniting people around a common goal.

• Multimedia skills, with knowledge, experience and enthusiasm in driving digital innovation.

• Highly organised with strong leadership and project management skills, able to collaboratively manage competing priorities with senior and junior colleagues.

• Demonstrably skilled brand custodian, able to mitigate risks, anticipate and capitalise upon opportunities, and strengthen reputation.

• Capable of working independently as well as collaboratively, both in leading a team and as part of the team.

• Passionate about driving change, and inspiring individuals and groups to support a cause to deliver that change.

Desirable

• Experience working within an international development or humanitarian context, particularly with causes related to Afghanistan

• Strategic understanding of UK and global fundraising landscapes and emerging giving trends.

• Proven ability to represent an organisation publicly with confidence, professionalism and credibility.

• Experience guiding senior leaders or trustees on media, communications and reputational matters.

• Skilled in crisis communications and reputation management.

• Understanding of inclusive and ethical storytelling practices, with sensitivity to safeguarding considerations.

• Experience developing high-value corporate or media partnerships.

• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, resource-limited environment and adapting to changing external circumstances.

The Organisation

Afghanaid is a British humanitarian and development organisation. For over forty years, our dedicated personnel have worked with millions of families in some of the poorest and most remote communities in Afghanistan. We build basic services, improve livelihoods, strengthen the rights of women and children, help communities protect against natural disasters and adapt to climate change, and respond to humanitarian emergencies. We are headquartered in Kabul, and operate provincial and district offices across Afghanistan, as well as a Marketing and Fundraising office in London. We employ around 500 personnel, 97% of whom are Afghans.

Other Information

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff are passionate about and proud to work at Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Our remuneration and benefits package is competitive with other similar organisations. 

This position presents an excellent opportunity for someone who has the ambition and determination to move up in their career.

The Organisation

Together We Learn is a charity registered in England and Wales, working in close partnership with Together We Learn Ethiopia, a registered NGO in Ethiopia. Operating as two distinct legal entities, the organisations work as sister charities with a shared mission and vision: to enable disadvantaged children to access high-quality education.

While Together We Learn in the UK leads fundraising, governance and international engagement, Together We Learn Ethiopia is responsible for implementing and delivering programmes on the ground.

Our approach focuses on improving both access to education and the quality of education systems, while supporting the wider wellbeing of students, families and communities. We work in partnership with state education systems to deliver sustainable, long-term impact.

By addressing educational needs both in and beyond the classroom, Together We Learn aims to create lasting change for children and communities across Ethiopia.

The Role

As CEO, you will lead the UK team of Together We Learn and work in close partnership with the Ethiopian team, providing guidance and support to enable them to deliver programmes to a high standard. You will provide overall leadership for the charity, with responsibility for fundraising and stakeholder engagement, oversight of programmes, and management of finance and operations.

The annual turnover of Together We Learn is £350,000, and you will be responsible for line managing two staff in the UK and occasional interns, as well as supporting our Ethiopian partner, who has 15 programme and 8 support staff working across two regional offices: Gondar in the Amhara region and Addis Ababa in the Oromia region. The charity is managed by an experienced board of 5 trustees who meet quarterly and provide ad hoc support in their professional areas of expertise.

The charity is in a stable position with funds secured for the current year and a fundraising plan in place for the year ahead. You will have a detailed handover to enable you to carry out the varied functions required by the role and will be supported in these by the Programmes Manager and Sponsorship Coordinator. You will report to the board on a quarterly basis.

Our current three-year strategy focuses on building the capacity of our Ethiopian partner so that they can take a greater role in leading the organisation. This runs through our approach in all aspects of our work, and specific targets have been identified to help us achieve this goal over the strategic period. You will have the opportunity to advance our strategy using your unique skills.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Line manage the Programmes Manager, Sponsorship Coordinator and interns.
• Collaborate with the Ethiopia Country Director and the staff or Together We Learn-
• Ethiopia on programme delivery.
• Deliver the organisational strategy.

Deliver High Quality Programmes

• Monitor delivery of activity plans related to projects, sponsorship and school linking.
• Track programme finances against budgets.
• Support the UK staff in their programme roles.

Finance and Operations Management

• Steward Together We Learn’s finances, including reconciling accounts, managing the finance database and tracking performance against the forecast and fundraising plan.
• Due diligence checks on Ethiopian partner finances.
• Prepare annual accounts for examination and develop the annual report for Charity Commission submission.
• Governance duties and other finance admin.

Fundraising

• Reporting and applications to trusts and foundations.
• Stewardship of donors and fundraisers.
• Oversight of the annual online fundraising campaign.

Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

• Quarterly supporter newsletters.
• Posting regular updates on our social media platforms.
• Maintaining the website content, including blog updates and basic SEO management.

The job of a CEO is hard to define, especially in a small charity, so the list above covers the key areas but is not exhaustive, and other duties may be required.

Person Specification

This role requires someone with excellent time management and interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate will have experience managing teams in a development or small charity environment, as well as significant experience managing finance systems, fundraising and having oversight of multiple programmes.

Essential Experience & Competencies

• Energetic and self-motivated individual who shares our mission.
• 3+ years of team leadership or experience in a senior management role directly responsible for staff and high-level reporting. Ability to provide positive, hands-on leadership to a small team of experienced and motivated individuals.
• 3+ years of financial management, including full-cost budgeting, tracking and reconciling finances, and reporting against forecasts and spending plans.
• 3+ years of proven experience in fundraising, a successful track record of securing and reporting on significant grants as well as maintaining positive funder relations.
• Experience working overseas in an international development or education context or working closely with overseas partners in the same sectors.
• A practical, collaborative and adaptable approach with good problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Strong and adaptable communication skills, both written and verbal, to support sensitive cross-cultural working and inspire funders and supporters.
• Fluency with MS Office programs, gmail and shared drives.

Desirable Experience & Competencies

• Lived experience of Ethiopia, or of a comparable context, such as the Horn of Africa or East Africa, or a strong personal or professional connection to Habesha or other African cultures.
• Degree or master’s in international development, or similar field of study.
• Office management experience.
• Project delivery or programme management experience, especially in a small charity, international development or education context.
• Experience reporting directly to board level.
• Experience increasing online engagement or driving new donor recruitment.
• Familiarity with a CRM system (e.g. Salesforce).

Equal Opportunities

We value the benefits of a diverse team and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the Ethiopian context, or from the African diaspora, for the knowledge and cultural insight they can bring to our work.

Flexible Working

Together We Learn operates a hybrid working style, where you will spend at least one day a week in the office. We find this regular face-to-face time beneficial as a small team, enabling positive collaboration, peer support and engagement with all areas of the organisation’s work. Other hours can be worked remotely or in the office according to individual preference.

You will be responsible for your own time management but must complete the majority of your work within office hours to ensure consistent management and collaboration with colleagues. This includes staff from our partner charity in Ethiopia (time zone GMT+3/ BST+2).

Ideally, we are looking for a candidate to work full-time; however we will consider an 80% part-time role or job share applications, for the right candidate. If you are applying for a job share, please clarify which responsibilities are best aligned with your abilities.

Please note that this post is subject to a satisfactory DBS check, and the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK.

Application Process

To apply for this role, please submit a cover letter and CV by midnight on 8 March 2026.

The cover letter should explain how your experience and skills meet the criteria required for the role.

First-stage interviews will be held online during the week commencing 16th March, with second-stage in-person interviews at our London office during the week commencing 23rd March.

Role to start date from 13th April 2026.

We regret that we are not able to provide feedback on applications that are not shortlisted for interview.

Use of AI

We understand that AI may sometimes be useful in helping you clarify your ideas or check grammar. However, we want to learn about your voice and approach, so please ensure that the application submitted is written by you and a true reflection of your professional experience.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Opportunity   

As a key team member within our Partnerships and Income Development team, you will play a vital role in supporting the management and growth of our corporate partnerships, with a focus on partnerships that enable and enhance our Aspiring Professionals Programme.

1. Account Management: 

• Ownership and management of the direction, growth and success of key strategic partnerships with Freshfields and Linklaters, providing excellent stewardship and effective communications to ensure long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.
• Manage, renew and develop a select portfolio of smaller existing partnerships in the legal sector, identifying new opportunities to deliver greater impact and income growth.
• Support internal account management structure across corporate programme partnerships, ensuring relationship management and programme delivery is delivered to a high standard, processes are consistently upheld, and partnerships are renewed where required.

2. Stewardship and Reporting: 

• Track deadlines, deliverables and reporting requirements for own portfolio of corporate partnerships.
• Create reports, updates and support with the creation of case studies to demonstrate the value and impact of partnerships.
• Find creative ways to share updates and engage partners with our mission and work 
• Work closely with the Head of Partnerships & Income Development, Partnerships Manager and finance team to build budgets, track secured income accurately, report on risk and opportunities, and ensure that income is banked.

3. New Business and Partnership Development

• Work closely with the Programme Delivery team to understand programme needs and gaps in provision, in order to improve the quality, depth and breadth of programme partnerships.
• Use your expertise and creativity to design and shape strategic programme partnerships that align partner objectives with student and programme outcomes. 
• Write, build and create compelling and innovative partnership proposals, budgets and presentations to secure new business and develop existing partnerships.
• Deliver a smooth onboarding process for transitioning new partners into account management structure.

4. Line Management

• Outline outcomes to be achieved, considering individual skills, capabilities, and workload to ensure a balanced distribution of work.
• Review work outputs, monitor and quality assure work.
• Identify training and development needs; employ a coaching approach, and clarify opportunities for skill enhancement and career growth.

See attached job description for more detail on the key responsibilities in the role

Person Specification:

We need someone who will demonstrate our organisational skills-based competencies - as listed below: 

1.  Leadership
2.  Communication
3.  Adaptability
4.  Professionalism 
5.  Decision-making

Technical knowledge, understanding and experience required:

• Demonstrable experience of working in a partnership role in a charity or similar non-profit organisation.
• Demonstrable experience of building, maintaining and developing outstanding and mutually beneficial corporate partnerships. 
• Knowledge of programme design and planning with corporate partners, including setting and managing complex budgets.
• Understanding of good practice in fundraising including data protection and partner stewardship. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel. 
• A basic level of understanding of Salesforce CRM 

See attached job description for more detail on the person specification

Ways of working:

• Most of our work is office based, but you will spend a lot of time collaborating with other teams and clients via email, telephone and other communications channels such as Teams or Zoom. 
• Some travel will be required as part of this role to other offices and locations, as needed for events, work placements and meetings. 

Benefits

• 36/37 days' annual leave (England & Wales and Scotland respectively - includes bank and public holidays), with 3 of these days reserved for the annual end of year office closure.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• 5% Salary sacrifice pension scheme with enhanced matching employer contributions
• Employee Assistance Programme available to staff and their family
• Flexible work options such as hybrid working, flexitime, part-time
• Regular staff team building and business planning “away days”

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please head over to our website by 23:59, Sunday 22nd February and answer the following questions:

1) Why would you like to work at the Social Mobility Foundation? (250 words max.)

2) What makes you a suitable candidate for this role, including specific examples from your experience and skills? (500 words max.)

3) Tell us about a time when you managed an important relationship with a corporate partner, client or external stakeholder. What was your role in maintaining the relationship, and what did you learn about effective account management from the experience? (500 words max.)

We are looking for a committed individual with strong experience of working with vulnerable women to provide essential, tailored casework support for residents living in Ella’s’ safe house accommodation. You’ll need to be caring and professional, passionate about the vision and mission of Ella’s, and able to maintain and develop strong partnerships with other community organisations and groups, both locally within boroughs and London-wide. The ideal candidate will be welcomed into a small but dynamic organisation, supporting and empowering women to recover from the trauma they’ve been through, and build lives that are safe and free.

Special conditions
● You will be asked to provide an enhanced DBS check.
● Due to the nature of this work, this role is for women only.
● The postholder is expected to take part in the out of hours on-call service.
● Ability and willingness to work flexibly, and at other Ella’s locations.

Two reasons why you should join Ella’s
1. You will make a difference: Ella’s is a London-based organisation working with women who have survived trafficking and sexual exploitation. Join us, and be a crucial part of ensuring survivors have all they need to recover and build lives that are safe and free.
2. You will work in a great place: We are a passionate, growing organisation. Of our staff, 100% say they would recommend Ella’s as a place to work. As a team, we are strong, women-led, authentic, professional, fun and supportive of one another.

Job description 
The purpose of this role is to provide essential, tailored casework support for residents living in Ella’s’ safe house accommodation. The main responsibilities of this role are:

● Provide one-to-one support for safe house residents This includes ensuring that survivors understand their rights and that these are met, coaching survivors to identify and work towards their personal goals, supporting survivors to access appropriate services/treatment providers and ultimately be supported into independence.
● Manage social work students, placements and interns.
● Maintain and develop borough related relationships.

We are looking for a passionate individual who has strong experience of working with vulnerable women, is aligned with the vision and mission of Ella’s and can maintain and develop strong partnerships with other community organisations and groups, both locally within boroughs and London-wide. The ideal candidate will be welcomed into a small but dynamic organisation, supporting and empowering women to recover from the trauma they’ve been through, and build lives that are safe and free. The role also offers opportunities to contribute to the direction and vision of Ella’s.

Key tasks
Casework provision
● Provide high quality casework support to residents (housing, financial, legal, mental health, and physical wellbeing support)
● Support survivor empowerment to speak out and self-advocate
● Carry out regular risk assessment with survivors and respond to any safeguarding concerns as per Ella’s’ safeguarding procedures
● Provide day-to-day support and build trusting relationships with the service users
● Be sensitive to the rapidly changing emotional and physical needs of the service users and respond accordingly
● Manage all paperwork, processing any personal data in accordance with Ella’s’ policies and procedures
● Ensure casenote records are recorded within 24 hours of each service user contact using Ella’s’ case management system
● Assist service users with administrative tasks as required: reaching out to supporting agencies, booking appointments, form-filling, and attending appointments
● Assume an advocacy role during external appointments, if required
● Assist in writing covering letters and support letters to compliment service users’ application forms, advocate for the service user in specific needs, or to keep other organisations updated as required
● Research the requirements for benefit applications and assisting service users to complete (as required)
● Liaise effectively with other agencies involved in the care or support of service users to ensure their needs are sufficiently met
● Manage referrals and new intakes
● Help create survivor led support plans
● Work collaboratively with other accommodation caseworkers
● Encourage and supporting survivors to attend sessions and activities inside and outside of Ella's

Volunteer coordination
● Oversee social work students and/or interns placed within the safe house, with support from the service manager
● Ensure relevant policies and procedures are upheld by self, all volunteers and visitors who come into contact with survivors
● Adhere to and ensure all students and interns have a good knowledge of Ella’s’ casework management forms and recording systems and oversee the consistent use of these
● Provide regular supervision to students and interns Safeguarding, and health and safety
● Work in collaboration with the Safehousee and Facilities Manager
● Ensure all major incidents, accidents, safeguarding concerns or potential hazards are managed, reported and recorded according to Ella’s’ policies and procedures
● Participate in the identification and assessment of risks and implement agreed working procedures to minimise their impact; writing risk assessments as required
● Promote awareness of health and safety amongst service users, including those who use emergency/on call systems, fire prevention and control systems as necessary
● Ensure the location confidentiality of Ella’s’ premises to protect survivors and safeguard staff and volunteers
● Participate in any relevant Safeguarding training and keep up to date with any changes to Ella’s’ safeguarding policies and procedures

Accommodation and risk management
● Run regular house meetings and house outings for residents
● Support residents with housing benefit and service charges
● Manage all paperwork in the premises, processing any personal data in accordance with Ella’s’ Data Protection Policy and procedures
● Handle emergency situations calmly and professionally
● Ensure all safety and security procedures are followed to keep self and others safe
● Maintain a safe and secure working environment
● Ensure the location confidentiality of Ella’s’ premises to protect survivors and safeguard staff and volunteers

Other/general duties
● Develop strategic partnerships with local agencies working within the Violence Against Women and Girls sector and other local organisations or businesses that could enrich the work of Ella’s
● Take part in the out of hours on-call service
● Attend any training required for the role, keeping up to date with any developments and changes within the sector
● Represent the work at Ella’s with integrity at all times
● Adhere to all of Ella's policies and procedures at all times
● Be an active member of the organisation, attending any team meetings that are required and contribute to Ella's’ strategic goals and input into its direction of growth
● Attend monthly supervision with the service manager and keep in regular contact
● Manage all paperwork, processing any personal data in accordance with Ella’s’ policies and procedures
● Support Ella’s’ fundraising and external communications by assisting with the gathering of stories, data and so on
● Complete any other duties as directed by the service manager which are within the scope of the role

See attachments for Person Specification and how to apply.