Head of engagement jobs

We are looking for a Head of Income Generation & Engagement to lead the creation and delivery of a new, integrated Income Generation and Engagement Strategy, with scope to innovate across individual and major giving, retail, digital engagement and emerging approaches.

The Charity
An incredible animal welfare charity based in Surrey looking for full time office working.

The Role
Working with the Chief Executive and others, to design, recruit and develop a multi-disciplinary team covering income generation, marketing, communications and engagement.

Review income generation, marketing and communications trends, approaches and evaluation frameworks. Conduct further research and evaluation as required and set against sector comparators.

Conduct initial, then regular, analysis of the charitys audiences, both existing and potential, with a view to maximising opportunities for engagement, influence, giving, volunteering and homing.

Create an integrated brand, marketing and income generation strategy, with clear delivery plans and evaluation frameworks.

Review and lead development of the individual giving programme, both traditional and digital, including membership and friends schemes.

The Candidate
Track record at senior level with demonstrable experience across income generation, marketing and communications disciplines.

Demonstrable experience of building, implementing and evaluating income generation and engagement strategies.

Demonstrable experience of integrating brand, marketing and income generation strategies and the teams delivering them to achieve both financial and wider organisational targets.

Budgetary understanding and experience; able to understand corporate budgets and management accounts, build and manage annual budgets and accurately forecast both income and expenditure.

Significant experience of line management and team development, setting objectives and goals and holding regular supervision and one to-one meetings.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Our aim is to respond to all successful applications within 5 days. If you havent been contacted within 5 days your application has been unsuccessful, but we positively encourage you to apply for any other positions that you may see in the future.

We apologise that we cannot contact everybody in person but thank you in advance for your interest.

Third Solutions encourages applications from individuals of all ages & backgrounds. Appointment will be made on merit alone but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK. Third Solutions acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment & an employment business for temporary recruitment as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies & Employment Business Regulations 2003.

This is a new role to stabilise, diversify and grow income in a financially constrained environment, reducing reliance on statutory funding, increasing unrestricted income, and strengthening Catalyst Support’s credibility with all sources of non statutory funding, including trusts, foundations, corporates, individuals and communities. The postholder holds clear accountability for income performance, return on investment and risk management, and plays a critical role in the organisation’s financial recovery and long-term sustainability. The role is designed as a strategic investment, with the expectation that income generated will move the function towards break-even and net contribution over time, supported by clear targets and Board oversight.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Income Delivery

• Lead and deliver a multi-year income and engagement strategy covering trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, major donors, community fundraising and individual giving.
• Take ownership of income targets, pipelines and forecasts, including break-even requirements and risk exposure.
• Actively manage income risk, developing scenario plans and mitigation actions where delivery falls below expectation.
• Work with the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams to align income activity with organisational strategy and service priorities.

Funding Applications & Grant Management

• Provide strategic oversight, delivery and quality assurance of all high-value bids, tenders and funding applications.
• Ensure bids are evidence-led, outcome-focused, accurately costed and aligned to service capacity.
• Taking direct responsibility for bid and tender preparation and submission.
• Maintain strong relationships with funders, and foundations, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements and effective stewardship.
• Maintain strong relationships with funders, and foundations, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements and effective stewardship.
• Contribute approximately 20% of working time towards partner applications and collaborative projects with key partners, supporting joint funding and shared objectives.

Communications, Marketing & Engagement

• Lead communications and engagement functions to directly support income generation, funder confidence and organisational reputation.
• Ensure all external messaging demonstrates impact, value for money and strategic coherence.
• Grow individual giving, community fundraising and supporter engagement where there is clear return on investment.
• Oversee brand consistency and visibility across digital and offline channels.

Internal Collaboration & Income Culture

• Work closely with service and enabling teams to strengthen funding evidence, case studies and impact data.
• Build organisational understanding that income generation is a shared responsibility.
• Working with services and enabling teams to develop compelling cases for support.
• Equip teams with clarity on how funding, impact and delivery are connected.

Performance, Impact & Governance

• Establish and monitor KPIs covering income performance, ROI, cost-per-£ raised, engagement metrics and pipeline health.
• Report regularly to the Executive team and Trustees, providing transparent assessment of progress, risks and corrective action.
• Support Board assurance through disciplined performance monitoring and review points.

Team Leadership

• Provide line management, development and performance oversight for income generation and communications staff. Head of Income Generation Feb 2026
• Recruit, develop and retain high-quality team capability aligned to organisational needs.

Leadership Contribution

• Contribute as a senior operational leader to organisational planning, change and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the Director of Services on future service design, positioning and sustainability.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the seniority of the role and Catalyst Support’s mission.
• Strengthen partnership development with Mary Frances Trust to enhance county-wide support, with particular emphasis on provision for mental health services across both East and West regions.

Person Specification

Essential Experience

• Proven experience securing trust, grant and philanthropic income at scale, with clear evidence of income conversion and delivery.
• Track record of leading income strategies that generate net financial contribution, including roles where income targets were explicitly expected to cover or exceed post costs or programme investment.
• Experience operating in financially constrained, recovery-focused or turnaround environments, with responsibility for balancing income ambition against organisational risk.
• Experience of Board-level reporting, accountability and scrutiny, including transparent reporting of income performance against targets.
• Demonstrated ability to build senior relationships with funders, partners and individuals that translate into sustained or repeat income.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in mental health, wellbeing or community services.
• Experience overseeing communications and marketing functions.
• Experience operating within multi-stream or system-based service environments.

Skills & Competencies

• Commercially and financially astute.
• Strong analytical, forecasting and risk-management capability, including income pipeline assessment and contribution modelling.
• Confident influencer with credibility at senior and external levels. • Strategic thinker with a strong bias towards delivery, outcomes and financial impact.
• Resilient, solutions-focused and adaptable in high-pressure, performance-driven environments.

Values & Behaviours

• Commitment to Catalyst Support’s values: Kindness, Integrity and Commitment.
• Collaborative, inclusive and trauma-informed approach.
• Commitment to equality, diversity and lived-experience leadership

Equal Opportunities Statement

We acknowledge the unique contribution that all Catalyst employees, volunteers and clients can bring to our organisation in terms of their culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, age, religion or belief and any physical disability or history of mental health or additional problems.

Head of Development and Engagement

Do you have senior leadership experience in a charitable organisation?

We are seeking an exceptional Head of Development and Engagement to lead growth and influence, and to develop the income strategy at a defining moment in the organisations history.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior leadership role where your expertise, ambition, and creativity will have a direct and lasting impact on people’s lives. Shape a legacy. Grow impact. Lead with purpose.

Position: Head of Development and Engagement

Location: Gloucestershire/Hybrid

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 per week (flexible working)

Salary: £57,000 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Benefits include: 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, rising by up to 5 extra days with service, wellbeing days, retailer discounts and rewards, company pension and sick pay, life assurance, onsite sports facilities and a supportive, passionate and high-performing team environment.

Closing Date: 25th May 2026

About the Role

This role sits at the heart of the organisation’s future, shaping how it is seen, how it is supported, and how it can sustainably deliver life‑changing services for children, adults, and families across Gloucestershire

You will set the strategic direction for brand, engagement, partnerships, and income generation and ensure the mission is powerfully articulated, widely championed, and sustainably funded.

As Head of Development & Engagement, you will:

· Lead the development and delivery of a long term strategy that diversifies income and strengthens financial resilience.

· Drive the acquisition of new contracts and commissioned services.

· Build and maintain high value partnerships with funders, commissioners, and corporate partners.

· Grow and nurture a loyal donor base through innovative engagement and retention strategies.

· Oversee all marketing, PR, and brand activity to raise our profile locally and regionally.

· Build a Development and Engagement Team.

About You

This role offers the chance to do work that truly matters, to use your skills and leadership to strengthen communities, transform lives, and steward an organisation with an exceptional past into an even stronger future.

What You’ll Bring

Qualifications

· Degree level education or equivalent experience in fundraising, marketing, business development, or a related field

· Evidence of ongoing professional development

Experience

· Senior Leadership in a charitable organisation

· Raising significant sums (min of £2m)

· Strong bid writing and tendering experience

· Ability to build strategic partnerships with funders, commissioners, and corporate partners

· Experience managing brand development, media relations, and marketing campaigns

· Digital marketing and social media expertise

· Experience leading and motivating teams

· Budget management and financial forecasting skills

· Proven success delivering significant income growth across diverse fundraising streams

· Experience developing and implementing effective fundraising strategies

· Track record of securing contracts and commissioned services

If you are driven by impact, energised by influence, and motivated by the opportunity to leave a meaningful legacy that changes lives for the better, we would love to hear from you. Please note that we can only consider candidates with the right to work in the UK.

Employees are not required to adhere to the Christian faith, nor any faith, and no such consideration is made by the organisation in employment choices nor in delivering its services, however, all employees are expected to demonstrate the organisations values.

About the Organisation

Founded in 1855, this registered charity and has become a leading provider of supported housing for the most vulnerable in Cheltenham and Gloucester, alongside other works including early-years provision, sports facilities, community engagement and other charitable activities.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their age, gender, disability, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or faith.

You may have experience in other roles such as Deputy Head of Development and Engagement, Head of Development and Engagement, Head of Engagement, Head of Impact and Engagement, Director of Development and Engagement, Development and Engagement Manager.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

Summary:

The Head of Engagement & Fundraising will play a pivotal role in driving the charity's mission forward by developing and implementing innovative fundraising strategies. This position is essential for enhancing community engagement and building lasting relationships with donors, ensuring the sustainability and growth of our initiatives in North Leeds, Yorkshire. The successful candidate will lead a dedicated team, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence in fundraising efforts.

Why This Role Matters

As Head of Engagement & Fundraising, you’ll be the strategic force behind the charity’s mission — developing and delivering an ambitious engagement and income‑generation strategy that strengthens long‑term sustainability.

You’ll lead a passionate team, champion the charity’s voice across all channels, and build meaningful relationships with funders, partners, community groups and local networks.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior role where your ideas, leadership and creativity will directly shape impact across the region.

What You Will Do:

• Strategic fundraising growth — Create and deliver a forward‑thinking fundraising strategy that increases and diversifies annual income.
• Marketing & engagement leadership — Oversee all marketing activity across digital, social, PR, campaigns and events.
• Team development — Coach, inspire and develop a high‑performing team across marketing and fundraising.
• Funding applications — Lead and project‑manage compelling bids to trusts, foundations and grant‑making bodies.
• Stakeholder relationships — Build trusted partnerships with funders, community groups, local networks and internal teams..

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for an experienced, values‑driven professional who combines strategic thinking with the ability to deliver in practice.

You’ll be:

• An experienced fundraising and engagement manager from the UK charity, social care or community sector
• A confident, inclusive leader with a coaching mindset and proven experience of managing and developing teams
• A strong grant writer with a successful track record of securing funding from trusts, foundations and grant‑making bodies
• A digitally savvy marketer with hands‑on experience across social media, email, CRM systems and online fundraising platforms
• A natural communicator and relationship‑builder who thrives in community‑focused environments
• A creative storyteller able to craft compelling campaigns and messages that inspire action
• Someone with a proactive, can‑do attitude, excellent time‑management skills and the ability to get things done in a fast‑paced setting
• A values‑driven professional who wants their work to make a genuine and lasting difference

Why join us?

• Salary up to £55,000, depending on experience
• Early finish every Friday at 2pm
• Supportive, values‑driven and collaborative culture
• Senior leadership role with real influence and autonomy
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives

How to apply

To apply, please submit your CV along with a supporting statement outlining how your experience, skills, and values align with this role.

We actively welcome applications from people with lived experience and from under‑represented communities.

Closing date: 26 May 2026 at midday
We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Please note: no recruitment agencies or third‑party applications, thank you.

Our values

• Collaboration- Working closely with our residents, customers, locality and service users to understand and respond to their needs
• Caring- Caring for others and the environment
• Respectful- Treating people with respect
• Efficiency -Using resources effectively and efficiently