Job summary
Job title - Fundraising and Membership Officer
Responsible to - Fundraising Operations Manager
Salary - £24,645 - £26,275 FTE per annum (pro rata)
(£19,716 - £21,020 actual) Exact salary dependent on experience
Hours of work - Part time - 28 hours per week (0.8 FTE). We consider part-time/job-share and flexible working requests
Annual leave - 30 days + 8 bank holidays per year pro rata
Location - This role is hybrid - split between home working and our Bristol office. You will be required to work a minimum of 50% of your hours from the office each week.
Job purpose
This role will underpin the operation of our fundraising and membership programmes, with a mixture of public facing interactions and focused operational, database work.
Our long-standing membership scheme is an integral part of our fundraising at Action for ME, and we are fortunate to have a generous membership base of over 3,000 loyal supporters. You will be the main point of contact for our members, ensuring they feel valued and connected to our work, as well as supporting efforts to increase our current membership.
You will also be responsible for the smooth running of crucial operational processes for our membership, trading and individual giving income streams, both during fundraising campaigns and day to day. With a commitment to continuous improvement of these systems, you will help us to increase the efficiency and quality of our stewardship, retain our donors and bring in new supporters.
Key duties
Membership
- Be the main point of contact for our members and provide high quality stewardship over the phone, by email and by letter, always ensuring consistent and high-quality communication.
- Be responsible for delivering operational tasks relating to the membership scheme and improving their efficiency. Including, but not limited to, gift importing and processing, data administration, thanking members, processing renewals and sending out renewal reminders.
- Work with the Fundraising Operations Manager and our Senior Supporter Engagement Officer to monitor the performance of the membership programme and support its growth.
- Maintenance and creation of the mailing lists for our membership magazine, InterAction. Assist with the distribution of the magazine across all channels (post, email, audio).
Individual Giving & Trading
- Ensure that gifts are processed, recorded and thanked appropriately in a timely manner; and that database records are kept up to date, in line with fundraising data regulations.
- Assisting with the administration of our Winter and Spring raffles and Lottery programme.
- Work with the Fundraising Operations Manager and the wider team to maximise fundraising potential using data and donor insights/feedback.
- Maintain a high standard of data quality and record keeping on our database, ensuring our fundraising processes and procedures are applied in line with all regulatory and governance requirements including GDPR and those of the Fundraising Regulator.
- Processing all outgoing post for the Fundraising team, including online shop orders, from our Bristol office. Complete other office-based tasks as required. You will be required to work at least 50% of your hours from the office.
- Work alongside the fundraising team to deliver our strategy and workplans, including involvement in projects and fundraising campaigns as required.
Other duties
- To attend and contribute constructively to team meetings and other meetings as required
- To positively promote the work and activities of Action for ME at all times
- To contribute to the team’s overall strategy delivery, annual planning and budgeting.
- To undertake any other reasonable activity in line with the responsibilities of the post as requested by the Fundraising Operations Manager, Director of Fundraising & Development or the Chief Executive.
- Act as an advocate for the Charity and its work.
Person Specification
Experience and knowledge
- Demonstrable experience in building relationships with customers or stewarding supporters and donors.
- Experience using Microsoft Excel for work, including basic excel functions, basic formulas and list tools.
- Experience of using a CRM database, preferably Raiser’s Edge
- Minimum 2 years previous fundraising experience (desirable)
Skills and Behaviours
- A confident multitasker who is comfortable dealing with a variety of enquiries and managing a varied workload.
- Excellent verbal communicator, skilled in engagement, empathy and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent written communication skills including creating reports to measure progress.
- Ability to use own initiative, solve problems, work independently and to work well in a team.
- An understanding of data protection including UKGDPR
- Strong IT skills, including the ability to use Microsoft Office, databases and web-related programmes and software.
- An understanding of ME and the impact on people affected by it (desirable).
Attitudes and values
- Enthusiasm
- Integrity
- Resilient
Key competencies
- Effective communicator
- Results driven
- Attention to detail
Our mission is to improve the lives of people affected by ME. Better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Development Officer - Major Gifts
Location: Kingston upon Thames (Hybrid working - minimum 2-3 days on campus)
Salary: £39,407 per annum
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Closing Date: Mon 26 Jan 2026
Interviews in person: 9 February 2026
Help to shape the future of philanthropy and alumni engagement at Kingston University.
Kingston University is an incredible place to work. For over 125 years, we've been shaping student futures through academic excellence and forward-thinking teaching. Our recent TEF Gold rating reflects our commitment to delivering outstanding education and research. Through our ambitious Town House Strategy, we're embedding a progressive new model of education and driving innovation through partnerships with businesses, communities, and organisations.
The Development, Alumni Relations and Engagement (DARE) team plays a vital role in delivering these ambitions. With a global alumni community of over 270,000, we foster meaningful relationships that drive philanthropic support, unlock partnerships, and enhance the University's reputation and reach.
About the role
We are now seeking a Development Officer - Major Gifts, you will be a key member of the DARE team, responsible for generating philanthropic income and supporting the pipeline for transformational gifts. This is a dynamic, relationship-driven role and we're looking for someone who thrives on creativity and can spot potential and transform it into meaningful opportunities.
Reporting to the Head of Major Gifts, you will:
* Manage a portfolio of mid-level donors, personally soliciting gifts at the four- and five-figure level.
* Support the cultivation of ultra-high-net-worth prospects for transformative gifts.
* Deliver against KPIs and income targets, contributing to our ambitious fundraising growth strategy.
* Assist with compelling proposals, donor engagement activities, and major gift events.
* Work collaboratively across the University to embed philanthropy and alumni engagement into Kingston's culture.
About You
An ambitious, curious and motivated fundraiser with:
* Demonstrable experience in development or fundraising, ideally in higher education or charity.
* Excellent communication skills.
* A proven track record of securing and stewarding donations.
* Strong influencing and relationship-building skills, with confidence engaging donors.
* Excellent organisational and project management abilities.
* A collaborative approach and enthusiasm for Kingston's mission.
* Passion for the impact they can have through fundraising in the higher education sector
What We Offer
* A dynamic, ambitious team environment
* Hybrid working with a strong sense of campus community
* Opportunities to make a real impact on student success and the University's future
Benefits include:
* Generous holiday entitlement of 35 days (from entry at all levels), in addition to bank holidays
* Three 'meeting free' weeks each year to create space for reflection and time to plan for the period ahead
* Flexible working - we can consider and accommodate various work patterns
* Family-friendly policies that support the needs of our employees
* Exceptional professional development opportunities
Key Details
- Location: Kingston upon Thames (Hybrid working, 2-3 days/week on campus)
- Closing Date: Mon 26 Jan 2026
- Interview Date: Monday 9 Feb 2026
How to apply?
The application process is CV and Supporting Statement. In the first instance, please send your up-to-date CV to Philippa at Charity People for further details about next steps.
We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential. Please inform us if you require any assistance or adjustment to help ensure the application process works for you.
Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.