Head of engagement jobs

Job Summary – Head of Income Generation & Engagement

About the role

We are recruiting a Head of Income Generation & Engagement, who will be an integral part of the Executive Team, working closely with colleagues to help shape the organisation’s direction, contribute to key decisions, and drive income generation, marketing and engagement.  You will be central to delivering our shared vision, values and mission, and will be fundamentally values-led in your approach.

The Head of Income Generation & Engagement is responsible for developing and delivering an ambitious, integrated strategy that maximises sustainable charitable income, strengthens Age UK Merton’s brand and reputation, and deepens engagement across the communities we serve.

This a commercially focused role, developing and expanding our current paid-for services, ensuring service processes, staffing structures and client pathways are robust and underpin Age UK Merton’s continued sustainability and good reputation. The role will be responsible for the startup of strategic fundraising activity across the borough, decreasing our reliance on our current income streams, and diversifying our avenues of income to support long-term service development & growth.

About you

We are looking for a compassionate, yet dynamic leader, with the credibility and gravitas to quickly gain the trust and respect of peers and colleagues, and who will be able to connect, inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, partners and the wider community.

You will come to the table with a deep expertise in strategic income generation, engagement and communications. You will have a strong commercial acumen, with a demonstrable track record and proven ability to develop and shape strategy and implement transformational change that drives sustainable growth in both income and audience engagement.

We are looking for someone innovative and ambitious, professional and personable; you will be an outstanding communicator, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.

You will be empathetic and passionate about the Age UK Merton mission, with the dynamism to inspire and unite diverse, multidisciplinary teams around clear, shared business objectives.

Job Description

We are an equal opportunities employer, aspiring to reflect the communities that we serve, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. We value diversity and believe our differences enrich the services we provide to local older adults. They also help us as colleagues by encouraging us to challenge ourselves, learn, innovate, and adapt.

Job title: Head of Income Generation & Engagement

Salary: £50k to £60k (dependant on experience)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (1.0 WTE)

Responsible to: CEO

Based at: Elmwood Centre, 277 London Road, Mitcham, CR4 3NT and hybrid working from home, frequent travel throughout the borough required

Contract: Permanent

Direct reports: Community Outreach Officer, Activity Centre Coordinator, At Home Manager

Key result areas:

Fundraising

· To set the strategic direction for income generation at Age UK Merton, developing and delivering a sustainable portfolio of future-focused fundraising that grows income and optimises the supporter journey over the long term.

· To lead the diversification of income, reducing reliance on any single partner or

activity and building a resilient, balanced fundraising portfolio that represent a high return on investment and grows our supporter base. This will be via individuals, corporates, trusts & foundations, statutory bodies and the community; cultivating long-term, meaningful partnerships, enhancing Age UK Merton’s reach, influence and income-generating potential.

· To strengthen and grow the legacy pipeline, overseeing effective stewardship and marketing, and will oversee the external lottery, ensuring regulatory compliance and annual growth.

· To maintain an agile, insight-driven approach to stay ahead of sector trends and competitor activity.

· To develop sound business cases for investment in new income generation posts or activity.

· To build organisational resource capability and resilience to facilitate future growth.

Commercial Services

· To develop and expand our paid-for services, with a focus on outreach activity to widen reach and access to services, and to increase client numbers and those in underrepresented and underserved populations.

· To develop and expand our paid-for services, to increase client numbers to create a step change in sustainable income and delivery of services across the borough.

· To ensure our paid-for services represent a strong return on investment and to ensure the business model is regularly reviewed for cost efficiencies and potential for growth.

· To ensure service processes, staffing structures and client pathways are robust and underpin Age UK Merton’s good reputation.

· Where appropriate, to seek out funding via grants, trusts and foundations to bolster paid-for service activity, overseeing bid development processes, ensuring quality, competitiveness, transparency and appropriate risk assessment.

· To continuously evaluate the potential for partnership working and collaboration to increase impact and improve performance.

Engagement

· To shape and deliver an engagement strategy that spans all Age UK Merton audiences, growing brand awareness and deepening engagement, understanding motivations and behaviours, and ensuring we focus our efforts where they can make the greatest difference.

· To identify underrepresentation and underserved groups within our borough, building relationships with communities and community leaders to create two-way dialogues to understand unmet need and inform future service development.

· To champion digital, data-led ways of working across engagement activity, working to strengthen our digital presence, and using insights to create relevant, compelling and personalised experiences across all channels.

· As custodian of the Age UK Merton brand, to ensure consistency, clarity and strength of messaging across the organisation.

· To lead the development and delivery of integrated marketing, communications and public relations strategies, ensuring a seamless omni-channel approach.

· To ensure that external communications are accurate, values-led, and reflective of organisational impact, maintaining confidence among funders, partners, and the wider public.

Communications & Marketing

· To lead the development and delivery of a communications strategy that maximises opportunities to increase Age UK Merton’s profile locally and nationally.

· To oversee the development and delivery of our digital channels, in particular social media and the website.

· To oversee the editorial direction, design, production, distribution and quality of the organisation’s publications.

Strategy and Partnerships

· To work as part of the Executive Team, shaping the organisational strategy, culture and cross departmental ways of working.

· To lead the development and delivery of seamless income generation and engagement strategies and annual operating plans aligned to organisational priorities.

· To set, manage and monitor budgets, ensuring clear targets, KPIs and accountability across teams.

· To provide high-quality analysis, reporting and insight to inform strategic decision-making, Board reporting and accountability to funders.

· To ensure robust management of restricted and contractual funding, setting financial controls, to comply with internal policies and regulatory requirements.

· To act as an ambassador and spokesperson for Age UK Merton, representing with

Professionalism, confidence and compassion.

· To build and maintain strategic partnerships, networks and relationships to strengthen visibility, influence and community engagement.

Governance, Compliance & Risk

· Ensure compliance with the Charity Commission, Fundraising Regulator, the Gambling Commission, advertising standards and GDPR/data-protection legislation.

· To contribute to strong risk-management frameworks, ensuring early identification, mitigation, and appropriate investigation of risks.

· Oversee policy development as applicable for the department.

People

· To grow and develop a high-performing team, and to make the case for further resource investment where appropriate, in order to recruit and develop a multi-disciplinary team covering income generation, marketing, communications and engagement, with a view to develop a culture of creativity and professionalism across the entire team.

· To ensure effective performance management, with regular 1:1s, appraisal, individual and team development and succession planning.

· To embed, review and optimise new team structures and systems to maximise efficiency, impact and income.

· To ensure volunteers are effectively integrated, supported and aligned to organisational priorities.

General

· To establish good working relationships with all relevant stakeholders and liaise as required

· To comply at all times with the policies and procedures of Age UK Merton. 

· To ensure that Age UK Merton’s Equal Opportunities policies, principles and practices are observed and implemented throughout service delivery.

· To carry out any other relevant tasks as required, to ensure the effective development of the organisation and the delivery of its services, this may include supporting weekend and out of hours events for time off in lieu.

· To attend staff meetings, 1:1s, and appraisal meetings.

· To be aware of own training needs and participate in training/education to improve performance considered relevant to the post and to achieve agreed targets.

· To act as a representative of the values, beliefs and principles of AUKM at all times.

· To undertake any other duties that are requested and commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Deadline for applications will be Friday 10th April 2026.

Interviews will take place w/c 20th April 2026.

If you have not heard from us within three weeks of submitting an application, you can assume that you have not been shortlisted.