Head of development jobs in Bristol, city of bristol
Want more results?
Add job titles:
How's your job search on our site?
Helpforce is on a mission to revolutionise health volunteering, and we’re looking for a dynamic, strategic, and results-driven Head of Business Development & Fundraising to lead this work. This is your chance to shape the future of a award-winning national charity at the intersection of innovation, impact, and social good.
You will develop and deliver an integrated strategy across philanthropic fundraising (grants, trusts, high-net-worth donors) and revenue-generating business development. Reporting to the CEO/SMT and working closely with Communications, Finance, and Programme teams, you’ll ensure strong prioritisation, clear pipeline management, and robust forecasting to support decision-making.
You’ll also play a visible external role, representing Helpforce at events, building strategic relationships, and identifying new opportunities through proactive networking.
Since our launch in 2017, we’ve championed a vision where volunteering is integral to healthcare at its best. We work with NHS Trusts and healthcare organisations to co-create volunteering models that address key challenges, while building evidence of their impact. Our insights help health leaders invest in solutions that improve patient experience, ease pressure on staff, and deliver meaningful benefits for the volunteers who give their time and talents.
This is not just any job, this is a chance to make a tangible difference to the lives of millions who receive and deliver healthcare.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Leadership
- Lead the development and delivery of an integrated income-generation strategy.
- Identifyand assess new fundraising and business development opportunities.
- Work with the CEO and SMT to set annual revenue targets, KPIs and income projections, ensuringaccurateandtimelyforecasting.
- Utilise your senior level networks toidentifynew areas Helpforce canoperatein.
- Ensure all income-generating activities align withHelpforce’sfinancial strategy andcomply withinternal governance and approval processes.
Fundraising
- Develop and manage a healthy pipeline of funding prospects including trusts, foundations, institutional funders, and HNWIs.
- Shape and oversee compelling value propositions, funding proposals, donor reports, and stewardship plans – incorporating storytelling into high-calibre content.
- Manage relationships with existing funders, ensuring high-quality communication and reporting.
- Ensure full compliance with restricted fund terms and grant agreements, working with Finance tomonitorallocation and utilisation of funding.
- Uphold ethical fundraising standards and ensure alignment with the Fundraising Regulator Code of Practice.
- Deliveryearonyeargrowth in fundraising income against agreed targets.
Business Development
- Identifyand develop new markets, partnershipmodelsand products offerings.
- Leverage the excellenttrack recordand reputation of Helpforce, using our sector-leading evidence of impact to generate new opportunities. Lead the preparation of bids, tenders, proposals, and commercial negotiations, ensuring all opportunities are assessed for fit, feasibility, pricing, and margin.
- Collaborate with programme managers to package services for sale or partnership.
- Conduct due diligence on prospective partners and commercial clients to ensure values alignment and manage reputational risk.
Relationship Management
- Build andmaintainrelationships with donors, funders, corporate partners, and public sector stakeholders.
- Represent the organisation at external events, conferences, and networking opportunities to raise visibility and strengthen the organisation’s profile.
- Support senior-level relationship-building with strategic funders and institutional partners, working alongside the CEO and Trustees whereappropriate.
- Maintain a focused approach to cultivatinga number ofhighpotentialrelationships positioned forlongtermor multiyear support.
Finance & Reporting
- Set, monitor, and report on income targets, pipeline health,ROIand overall income performance against agreed KPIs.
- Develop budgets and financial forecasts for all income streams ensuring accuracy, transparency, andtimelyupdates for senior decision-making. .
- Liaise with the Finance team to ensureaccuratetracking, reporting and audit-readiness.
- Collaborate with Finance to ensureaccuratefunder-specific financial reporting, including restricted/unrestricted income reporting and grant reconciliations.
- Monitor income and expenditure related to income generation activities, support financial planning, and advise on funding risks and sustainability.
- Provideclear insights into income confidence levels, timelines, risks, and mitigation actions.
Person Specification
Essential
- 5 years of senior-level experience in fundraising, business development, or strategic partnerships.
- Proventrack recordof raising significant funding (6–7 figure).
- Demonstrated experience developing and delivering successful income-generation strategies.
- Above excellent written communication and document design skills (grant writing, proposals, reporting).
- Strong negotiation, commercialawarenessand contract management skills.
- Highly confident in face-to-face relationship building, networking and able torepresentHelpforce effectively at external meetings, events, and conferences.
- Proven ability toidentifyand build new strategic relationships across diverse sectors, including government agencies, NHS, philanthropy, and corporate partners.
- Ability to work with resilience,maintainmomentum under pressure, and adapt quickly to evolving opportunities.
Desirable
- Experience in a non-profit, NGO, social enterprise, or impact-driven business.
- Knowledge of CRM systems and fundraising databases.
- Sector knowledge: [e.g. healthcare].
Equality and Diversity
Helpforce encourages applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We're committed to having a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. We actively encourage BAME and disabled applicants and value the positive impact that difference has on our organisation. We are committed to equality and diversity within our workforce and all opportunities provided by Helpforce.
Location
Remote, but travel to the London office will be required, as will UK wide client meetings.
Closing date for applications is 9th April 2026. Please use the application link to send us your CV and a covering letter to support your application. Applications submitted without a covering letter may not be considered.
REF-227 559
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Please Note: You will not be eligible to apply unless you hold the L2 Award in Instructing Cycle Training and have worked for 5 years in cycle training. If you do not hold this qualification your application will automatically rejected.
- Lead the Trust’s strategic development work supporting our 2025–2035 strategic ambitions.
- Drive innovation across the Bikeability programme — including training guidance, evidence-based pilots, and digital learning products.
- Use your expertise as a qualified cycle training instructor to shape improvements to national training delivery.
- Support research, evaluation and evidence generation to ensure the programme remains future-focused and impactful.
- Represent the Trust at national forums, government meetings, conferences, and sector events.
- Manage development budgets, oversee project governance, and contribute to strategic decision-making.
- Ideal for someone with quality assurance experience, a strong background in qualification design and evaluation, and a proven track record of delivering innovative, high-impact projects.
We expect to hold interviews on either 10th or 13th April but we may do rolling interviews.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
Equipping more than five million children with the skills and confidence to cycle on today’s roads
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Prospectus is delighted to be supporting a national forest organisation in the search for a new Head of Development to join their growing and ambitious organisation.
Western Forest is a new national forest within Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and the West of England. As the UK faces uncertainty across the intertwining of economic, social, and climate issues, the Western Forest aims to be an opportunity to reset our relationship with nature. Connecting woodlands, farming, and communities, the Western Forest will work to improve livelihoods, health, and nature.
The Head of Development is a new role joining the organisation's leadership and focusing on leading and developing the organisation's future income-generation strategy. With some current funding support, this role will build relationships to secure income and build the future income pipeline with donors, including corporate partners, local authorities, individuals, grants, and other avenues. Overseeing a small team, this role will ensure there is a consistent pipeline of fundable propositions aligned with Forest Creation and Forest Action.
To be successful as the Head of Development, you will be an experienced fundraiser who has developed and delivered an income generation strategy and achieved income growth across multiple income streams, including grants and high-value. You will also be an experienced team leader and ideally have a passion or knowledge of the nature, forestry, farming, or environmental sectors.
If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application then please contact Rhiannon Mehta 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.
At Prospectus, we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application. In order to apply please submit your CV in the first instance and begin to prepare your supporting statement. You'll then have all the information you need to formally apply.
