Fundraising prospect researcher jobs in Bristol, city of bristol

We're FIRST UK, a EdTech charity using robots, role models and competitions to make STEM more approachable and inclusive – empowering young people with the technical knowledge and soft skills to engineer better futures. 

It’s an exciting time to join us as we move from startup into scaling mode. We’re backed by some of the world’s leading tech-enabled businesses including Arm, Purposeful Ventures, Smiths Group, Bloomberg, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and many more.

In summer 2026 we’ll publish a new 5-year strategy articulating how we will build more than robots in schools and community groups nationwide, alongside growing our annual income to £2m by 2027.

It’s easy to see why competitions like this really do help students develop the skills they’re going to need for the rest of their lives. Honestly, I wish I had something like this when I was at school.

Spencer Kelly, BBC Broadcaster

What we're looking for

A fundraiser, partnerships guru, and consummate relationship builder. Someone who can support the CEO to identify, go after, and convert opportunities which sustain and scale the charity’s impact. Broadly this means more money and greater participation. Through your ability to seek out and support the relationships which matter most you will ensure the charity secures:

• Income generating relationships with trusts, foundations, and philanthropists
• Corporate partnerships fuelling our programmes with funding and volunteers
• Collaborations with organisations supporting outreach and growth
• An ecosystem of proactive trustees, advisors, ambassadors and advocates

Working closely with the CEO you’ll get the charity in front of the right people, having the right conversations which grow investment and participation. Your tenacity will help build and steward a network to achieve our mission better and sooner.

Who this might suit

A people person. You love seeking out and building relationships, then maximising their impact. You might have worked in a charity fundraising position before. You understand what good looks like in terms of brokering strong partnerships – and relish the mix of research, prospecting, proposal development, pitching, and importantly onward stewardship of the relationships we win to ensure we amplify, leverage and retain them.

Whatever your background – the common, transferable skill set is being excellent at relationships. Understanding that it’s not just about the chat, it’s about the follow through. You do what you say you will – and do it well.

The experience you'll have

• Evidence of winning income (e.g corporate partnerships, sponsorship, grants etc)
• Evidence of driving growth (this might be in sales, membership, users, income etc)
• Experience stewarding relationships (partners, funders, trustees, volunteers, stakeholders)

You might also possess

• Passion for STEM, tech for good, inclusion

What you'll get

Responsibility, autonomy, sense of purpose. You’ll be working in a small organisation which is lean, agile and fast-paced. Unimpeded by hierarchy and bureaucracy you’ll have the freedom to experiment, fail fast and crack on. You’ll be presenting a compelling case for support against a validated impact model. Long before pandemics we were working flexibly and remotely – it’s embedded to our culture.

I'm in, what's next?

• Check out the full role profile on our HR platform
• Browse our website and get familiar with our mission
• Answer 3 short screening questions, upload CV and hang tight until Sun 08th Mar
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview by Thu 12th Mar

Safer recruitment

You must live in and have the right to work in the UK. In accordance with our Safer Recruitment Policy, all employees of the charity will be asked for two references which will be conducted by phone and are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks upon appointment. 

Family Education Trust is recruiting a Development Manager to turn evidence-led research into real-world impact for families across the UK. This is a rare opportunity to build a fundraising function from the ground up inside a respected policy organisation - with the autonomy to do it your way.

About the role

You will build and lead FET's income growth function, securing near-term unrestricted income while developing durable fundraising capacity. Your core focus is establishing a new major donor and mid-value programme and delivering a high-performing trusts and foundations pipeline.

We have streamlined administrative responsibilities so you can concentrate on what matters: income growth and donor relationships. You will work closely with our Communications Manager, who produces copy and assets for your fundraising brief.

What we are looking for

We need someone with recent, hands-on fundraising experience in a mission-led organisation who has built income, not just maintained it. Experience building a major donor pipeline is essential, along with trusts and foundations competence. You must have genuine personal alignment with FET's mission and established public positions on family policy.

The details

Salary: Up to £40,000, with flexibility for an exceptional candidate Location: Home-based, with UK travel as required Contract: Full-time, permanent Hours: 37.5 per week Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays Pension: 5% employer contribution via salary sacrifice Closing date: 9am Monday 16 March 2026 

How to apply

Please read the full job description and person specification (attached) and send a CV and covering letter by 9am Monday 16 March 2026. Your covering letter should explain how you meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification.

Join an amazing charity that makes a difference for the 110,000 adults and children in the UK with a muscle-wasting condition. This is a role where you can really make a difference.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with lived experience of conditions we represent. We believe that diversity strengthens our work and helps us better support our beneficiaries.

The Community Fundraising Officer is an exciting role at MDUK, that will sit within the Fundraising Team. 

In Community Fundraising we are the team that builds relationships with our supporters, families, and event participants to fundraise so that MDUK can continue to find treatments and ultimately cures through research, and to drive improvements in care and quality of life. 

About You: 

You'll be an integral member of the Events and Community Fundraising Team.

You'll work closely with a team of field-based colleagues providing support, ensuring the growth of income and development of long-term relationships with supporters.

You'll need to travel within the region. 

You'll be required to meet with our supporters, the wider team and assist at events throughout the year (this may include some evenings and weekends)

Values and behaviours:

​

• A positive attitude and approach that reflect the charity’s values.
• Seek opportunities to contribute to the development of the charity.
• A commitment to and an understanding of disability issues, equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Always demonstrate role model behaviour.

About us:

Muscular Dystrophy UK is the charity bringing individuals, families and professionals together to fight muscle-wasting conditions. We bring together more than 60 rare and very rare progressive muscle-weakening and wasting conditions, affecting around 110,000 children and adults in the UK. 

We share expert advice and support to live well now; fund ground-breaking research to understand the different conditions better and lead us to new treatments; work with the NHS towards universal access to specialist health; and together, campaign for people’s rights, better understanding, accessibility, and access to treatments.

Benefits:

We appreciate the range of skills and experience our staff have to offer. In return for your enthusiasm and commitment we commit to actively developing and supporting you. We also offer a range of benefits including pension, life assurance, cycle scheme, health cash plan, financial wellbeing and an employee assistance programme.

Location: This role is home based within the West Midlands, Wales and South West region and travel will be required across this region with occasional travel to Head Office based London, SE1

Closing date: 27th February 2026 

Please download the job description to see full role responsibilities

An ambitious humanitarian charity, established just two years ago, has already built an impressive £2.5m income base supported by an exceptional group of committed patrons. They are now seeking a Senior Fundraising Manager to refine, structure and scale their fundraising strategy for the next phase of growth.

Reporting to the Founder/Director, this is a strategic and hands-on leadership role with significant scope to shape direction and drive sustainable income growth.

• Remote (UK) | 1–3 days per month in London
• £2.5m annual income | Charity only 2 years old | Exceptional patron base
• Ideally available to start within 4 weeks

Key aspects of the role:

• Reviewing and refining the existing fundraising strategy and structure
• Leading multi-stream income generation (HNW, trusts & foundations, corporate, individual giving, community)
• Driving prospect research and developing tailored cultivation plans
• Strengthening stewardship and long-term donor retention
• Embedding fundraising within digital campaigns and advocacy activity
• Overseeing CRM selection/optimisation and improving data processes
• Managing a small team and volunteer fundraising support
• Delivering weekly reporting and performance analysis to senior leadership

They are looking for:

• Significant senior-level fundraising experience with a proven track record of income growth
• Experience across multiple income streams, particularly HNW and trusts
• Strong strategic planning combined with operational delivery
• CRM implementation or optimisation experience
• Confidence operating within an ambitious, founder-led organisation

Please note: CVs will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly encouraged.

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

The Wave Project is seeking a Trust & Grant Fundraiser to help secure the income that powers our life-changing Surf Therapy programme, supporting over 2,600 children and young people each year with their mental health and wellbeing.

As part of an ambitious fundraising team generating £1.7m annually, you will manage and grow a portfolio of charitable trusts and foundations, securing grants ranging from smaller awards to significant six-figure gifts. You will develop compelling, impact-driven applications and reports that clearly demonstrate how funders’ support transforms young lives.

Working closely with the Head of Fundraising, you will strengthen existing funder relationships while building a robust pipeline of new prospects. Using digital fundraising tools and research platforms, you will identify and qualify new trust opportunities, combining data-led insight with creative engagement approaches.

This role is ideal for someone who is a strong writer, confident relationship manager, and proactive prospect researcher — motivated by the opportunity to expand access to Surf Therapy for children and young people who need it most.

Location: Bristol (with flexible / hybrid working arrangements)

Salary: £25,469.60 pro rata (£31,837 FTE)

Are you passionate about social justice? Do you want to help women heal and thrive?

One25 is a Bristol charity supporting women to move from crisis and trauma towards independence in the community. We’re looking for a skilled and compassionate Philanthropy Officer to help secure the vital income that makes this life-changing work possible.

In this role you will work closely with the Philanthropy Manager to deepen existing relationships with supporters as well as implement approaches to attract new major donors.

In this role you will:

• Coordinate One25’s major donor programme.
• Be part of a passionate and supportive team committed to making a tangible difference to women’s lives.
• Get to know our fabulous supporters and help them feel the impact of their support.

Please see the job description and person specification for more information.

“When I first came through the doors, I remember being made to feel welcome, and I felt safe. At last, I knew I wasn’t alone. I wouldn’t have my flat without being supported when I was homeless. One25 has helped me throughout my addiction and what goes with it.“ – One25 Service User

At One25 we seek to imbed our values into the daily work and activities of One25 employees and volunteers. We are looking for candidates who understand, demonstrate and apply our workplace values:

• Compassion – we care
• Justice – we fight for change
• Learning – we grow together

These values reflect the way that we work with and for the women, each other, partners and within society and its systems.

One25 is committed to being an inclusive workplace that represents the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We particularly encourage applications from across the global majority, LGBTQ and disability groups, and those who have lived experience of multiple disadvantages as these groups are underrepresented within our workforce.

As part of our efforts to increase ethnic diversity in particular, we are taking positive action under the Equality Act 2010 (Section 159). We will guarantee an interview to applicants from global majority backgrounds who meet the essential criteria for the role.  Applicants are therefore asked to ensure they complete the Equalities Form when submitting their details in order that their application can be considered appropriately. Please refer to One25’s Recruitment Data Privacy Policy for more information.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require once in post, but also during the application and interview process to make it as inclusive as possible. This could include (but is not limited to) different ways of applying, sharing interview questions in advance, or allowing more time for tasks during the interview.

Benefits:     Generous leave allowances: 33 days holiday inc. bank holidays; additional holiday linked with length of service, 2 days wellness leave; up to 13 additional days’ time off in lieu; plus, additional time off on any working days that fall during the Christmas and New Year closure.

Enhanced company sick pay

Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity/partner pay

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Access to HSF Health Plan

Mental Health Champions

Reflective practice sessions

Cycle Scheme

Opt-out pension scheme.

One25 are currently trialing a 4 Day Week. This means that staff work 20% less for the same salary following a successful probation period. It is a pilot and a decision about its continuation will be taken in May. With this in mind, we are highlighting it as a potential benefit, but not guaranteed.

Hours: 30 hours a week. Available working days are Monday to Friday and work pattern will be agreed with the successful candidate. There is a requirement to be available for occasional evening and weekend commitments, which can be taken back as time off in lieu.

Salary: £25,469.60 per annum pro-rata (£31,837 FTE)

Contract: Permanent

Location: This role will be a mixture of office-based (St Paul’s, Bristol) and homeworking. We are open to options around this.

Applications by: 12th March at 09:00

Ask us anything session: 3rd March 2026 at 12:30

Interviews: 18th / 19th March 2026

Start Date: As soon as possible

We know sometimes the ‘perfect candidate’ doesn’t exist, and that people can be put off applying for job if they don’t tick every box. If you’re excited about working for us, and have most of the skills or experience we’re looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could just be what we’re looking for!

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they’re likely to die from.

We’re looking for a talented and ambitious Regional Partnership Lead to join our local fundraising Team. This is an exciting opportunity to grow local corporate income by identifying, securing, and developing high-value partnerships across a wide range of sectors helping us deliver meaningful impact for thousands of people receiving end-of-life care.

As Regional Partnership Lead, you’ll build a strong prospect pipeline, create compelling cases for support, and nurture relationships with key decision-makers. You’ll work collaboratively across fundraising teams, support colleagues in your region, and act as an ambassador for our charity within corporate and community networks.

If you’re motivated, tenacious, and skilled at crafting persuasive, commercially focused proposals that generate significant income, this role offers the chance to make a real difference.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and manage a robust prospect pipeline across multiple sectors.
• Develop creative, tailored cultivation and stewardship plans for top prospects.
• Conduct prospect research to identify target companies, brands, and key contacts.
• Stay informed on market trends, campaigns, and partnership opportunities.
• Manage a multi-year income generation budget.
• Develop and steward relationships with senior decision-makers to maximise partnership value.
• Collaborate with national corporate partnerships and wider fundraising teams.
• Represent the charity externally, raising awareness of our mission and services.
• Meet and exceed financial targets through securing new and future-year partnerships.
• Lead on writing compelling, commercially focused proposals and pitches.
• Create and deliver imaginative employee-engagement and public-vote strategies.

Skills & Experience Needed

• Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Confident communicator able to influence and negotiate at all levels.
• Proven ability to build and manage relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Creative thinker with a strategic, methodical approach.
• Experience in business development, fundraising, partnerships, or a similar field.
• Ability to craft compelling, persuasive cases for support.
• Motivated, resilient, and target-driven.
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively.

The full job description is available .

Application & Interview Process

• As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV. Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.
• Close date for applications: Sunday 1st March 2026

Salary: £36,900 - £41,000 (pro rata)

Contract: Permanent part-time role working 21 hours per week, typically across 3 days, with flexibility to spread hours over 5 days if preferred.

Based: Homebased role based in Midlands

Benefits you’ll LOVE:

• Flexible working. We’re happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage.
• 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
• Continuous professional development opportunities.
• Industry-leading training programmes
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
• Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
• Access to Blue Light Card membership
• Subsidised Eye Care

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work.  We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We're happy to accommodate any requests for reasonable adjustments

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding.  We provide care for all, and that commitment extends beyond the people we serve. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings.  We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at .

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.

Are you passionate about bringing art to everyone? Do you believe in the power of digital to engage people with the arts? We’re looking for an enthusiastic Philanthropy Manager to join our friendly and dedicated team.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries, particularly individuals who experience physical, mental or social barriers to accessing the arts.

About Art UK

Art UK is an art education charity and the online home for every public collection of art in the United Kingdom. It is making the UK’s national collection of art accessible to everyone online – for enjoyment, learning and research. Art UK brings together art from almost 3,500 British institutions in one of the UK's largest ever arts partnerships and showcases this art to a global audience of 5.5m users per annum. Approaching 60% of this audience is overseas.

Art UK provides significant support to museums and galleries in the UK, by providing them with a shared digital platform to showcase their art collections, reach new audiences, and generate income. Most of these collections would not be able to show their art online without Art UK. The Art UK platform is rich in story content, learning resources for teachers and students, and public engagement opportunities. A shared e-commerce infrastructure helps collections generate much needed commercial income. 

About You

As the Philanthropy Manager, you will be a confident and persuasive communicator, comfortable engaging with supporters and stakeholders at all levels. You will have a solid knowledge of philanthropic giving and a deep appreciation of the value of high-quality donor stewardship. Highly organised and detail-focused, you will enjoy working with data and be skilled at producing compelling content both on and offline. You will bring initiative, creativity and the ability to work independently, while also being a collaborative team player.

The Philanthropy Manager is a new donor-facing role, which will focus on expanding and strengthening a major donor portfolio to increase five and six figure income from individual donors and family trusts for Art UK. You will lead on managing and growing Art UK’s philanthropic giving programme, which includes the Patrons and supporter events programme and our major donor activity. Working within an ambitious team, you will have the support of a freelance Prospect Researcher to identify new prospects, and the Development Manager and CRM Officer to develop donor journeys and relationship management systems. You will report to the Head of Development, work closely with the CEO and Chair of the Philanthropy Board, and collaborate with colleagues across the organisation.

You will actively promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of your work, reflecting your commitment to our organisational values and contributing to a positive workplace culture.

Key Responsibilities

- Build and maintain a robust prospect pipeline through identification, research, cultivation and relationship-building to secure five-figure gifts and long-term support

- Manage a portfolio of mid-level individual donors, converting one-off supporters into deeper donor relationships

- Manage and grow Art UK’s mid-level regular giving programme, strengthening donor relationships through face-to face meetings, events and personalised communication

- Develop donor development strategies, using CRM to analysis and identify higher gift prospects from existing donor pool and maximise giving potential

- Lead on major gifts for annual Big Give campaigns, identifying and securing keystone pledge donors, and leveraging networks to reach giving targets

- Create and implement, effectively and in a timely manner, development plans for each donor to retain and upgrade donors and document all activities in CRM Beacon

- Prepare and personalise correspondence and fundraising materials, including donor stewardship and reports, funding proposals and acknowledgement letters as appropriate

- Work closely with the Marketing team and other colleagues to showcase Art UK’s work and enhance donor engagement

- Organise and deliver events for major donors and prospects (with support from the Development team), including attending events where appropriate

- Support management of the American Friends of Art UK (launching 2026), including donor stewarding and events programming

- Support senior leadership and board members in the preparation and delivery of high-quality donor pitches to secure new philanthropic gifts

- Monitor progress against targets and maintain accurate reporting, including updates to Art UK’s Board of Trustees and the Philanthropy Board

- Ensure pledges and donations are processed efficiently and that donors are thanked promptly and personally

- Work closely with all members of the Development team to ensure prospecting and cultivation activity is aligned and complementary

- Ensure all philanthropic fundraising activity is conducted in line with legal, regulatory and ethical best practice e.g. GDPR and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Code of Practice

Necessary Skills

- Essential: Experience managing a pipeline of philanthropic supporter prospects, including researching and devising bespoke cultivation plans

- Essential: Proven experience as a major donor fundraiser with a track record of securing five-figure gifts.

- Essential: Proven experience creating, implementing and evaluating philanthropic fundraising strategies

- Essential: Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to identify and shape innovative partnership opportunities

- Essential: Outstanding relationship-building and networking skills, including digital engagement

- Essential: In-depth understanding of the philanthropic fundraising environment

- Essential: First-class written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to engage with a wide range of stakeholders

- Essential: Experience analysing and using supporter data to inform campaigns

- Essential: Strong copywriting, proofing and editing skills

- Essential: Experience using CRM databases with a high level of accuracy

- Essential: Thorough knowledge of fundraising best practice and legislation

- Essential: Self-motivated, reliable and exceptionally organized

- Desirable: Experience planning and managing fundraising events

- Desirable: Experience in donor acquisition through online giving platforms, direct marketing by email and social media campaigns

- Desirable: Active interest in the visual arts and awareness of UK art collections

- Desirable: Experience working with a diverse range of audiences

- Desirable: Experience working on projects with a broad range of partners

- Desirable: Experience of US fundraising and philanthropic giving

Contract terms

- Full-time

- Permanent contract

- Salary £38,000 per annum

- Three-month probationary period

- One-month termination clause

- Work from home, within 2-hour travel time to central London (once monthly travel to London for evening events and meetings required)

Benefits

- 25 days annual leave plus regional Bank Holidays

- Paid Christmas closure period (Christmas Day to New Year’s Day)

- Flexible working hours

- Workplace pension scheme

- Training and development opportunities

- Mental health and wellbeing support

- Above statutory paid sick leave

- Enhanced paid parental leave

- Employee Assistance Programme

- Monthly wellbeing hour

- Trained Mental Health First Aider’s

- Regular staff socials, both virtual and in-person

- Eye tests paid for up to £35, glasses subsidised up to £30

About Us

We’re the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.  

We currently have around 95 staff based in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to grow our staff team to deliver our ambitious strategy, On a mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer. 

Senior Early Diagnosis Programme Manager

The Senior Early Diagnosis Programme Manager is a key role as we develop and evolve our early diagnosis programmes at Bowel Cancer UK. The role will provide strategic and operational leadership across the charity’s awareness and engagement programmes and the new Bowel Towns programme. This role will manage a multi-disciplinary team delivering programmes that improve cancer awareness, empower communities, and drive earlier diagnosis.

In addition, as the charity’s services lead for Northern Ireland (NI), the post holder will build high-impact partnerships and develop a regional plan to enhance awareness, early detection, and support for people affected by cancer. You’ll work closely with the Head of Services and Support to ensure our early diagnosis services are impactful, inclusive, and evidence-based.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

JOIN OUR WORK TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE

We are looking for an ambitious and Wellbeing and Learning Development Manager to lead two of our flagship wellbeing and employment projects, aimed at supporting purposeful activity, health and wellbeing. You will provide expert leadership and support to a small team, creating a culture that best supports our friendly community-based services. You’ll have an excellent eye for systems and structure, understand the importance of person-centred services and be able to spot and capitalise on development opportunities, from partnerships to funding. You’ll be passionate about reducing health inequalities and community work. You’ll believe in the power of partnership working to deliver the best outcomes for our community. 

ABOUT US

Southmead Development Trust is a Bristol-based charity made up of staff, volunteers, and residents working together to keep power in our community. We work alongside local people and partners to improve health, wellbeing, employment, and local pride — while tackling social isolation and bringing investment into the area.

Guided by residents, our vision is a thriving and healthy community. We provide the support, spaces, and services our community needs through our two well-loved sites: the Greenway Centre and Southmead Adventure Playground (The Ranch). These venues host a wide range of activities including wellbeing services, youth and play sessions, fitness classes, community groups, and local celebrations.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident employer and welcome applications from everyone. We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process or in the workplace, just let us know — we’ll do our best to support you.

ABOUT YOU

· 3+ years experience in a role supporting holistic wellbeing, employability or health

· Experience leading a team

· Experience developing cross sector partnerships for joint aims including facilitating meetings and information sharing

· Experience contributing to fundraising applications or business cases

· Understanding of the importance of employability and the connection with health and wellbeing

· Interested in health system change to support prevention and community-based models of working

· Project management experience, including programming, reporting, budgeting, evaluation

· Excellent working knowledge and understanding of managing safeguarding issues and ensuring best practice for service delivery

· Proactive and creative, with an aptitude for building relationships and problem solving

· Understanding of equalities and health inequalities

· An understanding of the complexity that may affect the participants of our services

· Good inter-personal skills with the ability to relate to others and build strong relationships

· Most importantly, you embody our values of:

· Positivity – Integrity – Excellence – Welcoming – Entrepreneurial

ABOUT THE ROLE

You will be key part of our Wellbeing and Communities directorate, offering vital support and strategic direction to our Learning and Wellbeing team to achieve our vision and meet funder requirements and coordinating the development of a new partnership aimed at improving health and wellbeing for people across North and West Bristol. You will lead a team that combines wellbeing and health and employment support, as well as offering support and synergy to other teams in the directorate. This role will ensure support for wider social issues, such as debt, housing, family and health barriers faced to engage with employment and learning opportunities.

You will work closely with our Senior Wellbeing and Learning Coach to develop interventions to improve confidence, physical and mental health and employment prospects.

You will work closely with our Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager to ensure synergy between our wellbeing teams and develop our service offer.

DETAILS:

Location: Greenway Centre, Bristol, BS10

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £35, 455 - £36, 887 (with pending cost of living rise in April 2026)

Hours: fulltime, 37 hours per week

Reports to: Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager

Holiday: 33 days annual leave pro rata (inclusive of Bank Holidays), occupational pension, free membership to Greenway Gym and classes.

Sick Pay: 4 weeks over rolling year, pro rata

Training & Development Opportunities: All mandatory training and job specific training offered, e.g. First Aid, Safeguarding, Motivational Interviewing, Management and Leadership, Trauma Informed Practice and Reflective Practice.

Pension Contribution: Nest Pension Scheme, combined 7% (employer 3%, employee 4% as standard)

Benefits: free membership to Greenway Gym and classes, cycle to work scheme, cafe discount.

Sick Pay: 4 weeks at full pay over rolling year, pro rata

Pension Contribution: Nest Pension Scheme, combined 7% (employer 3%, employee 4% as standard)

Interview process: if you are successful in the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to an in person interview. This will consist of a series of questions, short presentation on your vision for the role and an admin task.

Deadline: 9am, Wednesday 4th March

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Partnerships

· To develop and contribute to forums and partnerships that support the growth of our work in North Bristol, including working closely with health partners (community health, Primary Care and acute services) and the learning and employment sectors to develop collaborative services.

· To oversee the Learning and Wellbeing Service and activities, ensuring they meet funder requirements, targets, and quality standards, and are safe, effective and well-managed, including oversight of reporting and budgets and providing leadership and guidance to the Senior Coach.

· To support the development and delivery of the Healthy Ageing Research Project and Community Consortium, working closely with the CEO and Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager.

· To deputise for the Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager at relevant meetings and support the ongoing development of the Communities and Wellbeing team to meet Southmead Development Trust’s strategic objectives.

· To embed community development principles across all work, including strength-based approaches, participant involvement, engagement, and the nurturing of volunteers to help build a resilient community.

· To ensure the safe and effective delivery of activities, interventions and services, including oversight of risk assessments, safeguarding processes, data recording and quality assurance, in collaboration with the Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager.

· To work alongside research partners to develop effective methods for evidencing the impact and effectiveness of interventions, activities and services.

Team Leadership and Line Management

· To lead and inspire the team to create a positive and collaborative culture.

· Coordinate, manage and supervise our Learning and Wellbeing team, and other practitioners as appropriate.

· To provide proactive performance management of staff via the Trusts’ processes, to include but not limited to, holding monthly one-to-one meetings, establishing development opportunities and training.

· To lead team meetings and ensure all practitioners have access to reflective practice and appropriate training

Systems and Marketing

· To work with SDT colleagues and others to improve systems and processes to best support services and other contractual obligations

· To be a key advocate for Beacon database

· To work alongside SDTs Communications Manager to ensure that our services and activities are known and understood by residents of Southmead and North Bristol

Relationship Development, Fundraising New Opportunities 

· Build relationships with external agencies, organisations and stakeholders to best support staff and participants and develop new opportunities for delivery and collaborative working. 

· Coordinate the Learning and Wellbeing steering group meeting, gathering feedback, advice and ideas to continually improve the service

· Work with teams across Southmead Development Trust to develop engagement and volunteering opportunities for participants.

· Produce content, with the support of the communications team, for social media, mail shots and other channels, to promote and celebrate our wellbeing and learning work

· To develop external funding bids and proposals to sustain and expand our programmes, working with colleagues from the Senior Leadership Team and across the Trust; supporting other income generating activities including supporting the development of tender responses to sustain health and wellbeing initiatives

General Responsibilities

All staff at Southmead Development Trust are expected to:

· Follow all Trust policies, procedures, and safeguarding requirements.

· Model our values: Positivity, Integrity, Excellence, Welcoming, Entrepreneurial.

· Work proactively, use initiative, and collaborate well with colleagues and the community.

· Maintain confidentiality, data protection standards, and a safe, inclusive environment.

· Take part in training, development, staff meetings and occasional evening/weekend work when required.

· Carry out any other reasonable duties to support the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

· Passion, empathy and desire to support residents to lead healthier and happier lives through holistic, person‑centred, community‑based models.

· Experience of successfully developing and delivering community‑based wellbeing, health or employment services/interventions.

· Track record of developing proposals and securing funding for new wellbeing or health interventions.

· Experience implementing project plans, managing budgets, producing reports and meeting deadlines, and performance managing contracts or projects

· Experience of implementing systems and processes to improve service delivery and evidence.

· Experience of outreach, engagement and working directly with residents to shape and inform services.

· Excellent people management skills with proven experience of supporting, motivating and managing staff and volunteers.

· Experience implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and reporting to funders/stakeholders.

· Experience working holistically with people in 1‑2‑1 or group settings and achieving change.

· Excellent interpersonal, relationship‑building and communication skills with a range of stakeholders and diverse communities.

· Excellent IT skills including Word, Excel, email, web research and presentations.

· Understanding of health inequalities, complexity and barriers to employment/learning, and knowledge of community‑based interventions.

· Highly motivated with the ability to creatively problem‑solve.

· Capacity to work under pressure and adapt to changing workloads.

· Commitment to continual professional development and a personal drive for excellence.

· A flexible team player able to work collaboratively and adapt to changing needs.

· Ability to act as a positive role model and remain calm under pressure.

· Commitment to the charitable objectives and values of Southmead Development Trust.

· Willingness and ability to work outside normal office hours and across multiple sites when required.

· Flexibility to travel locally and work outside core hours as part of service delivery.

DESIRABLE

· Relevant employment, health or wellbeing qualification.

· Management and/or leadership qualification.

· Proven track record of working successfully with partner agencies (health, employment, GPs, NHS, VCSE partners) to deliver measurable outcomes.

· Up‑to‑date knowledge of public health, NHS service developments and funding sources.

· Knowledge of Southmead, North Bristol or similar communities and the issues facing residents.