16 Head of fundraising jobs in Holborn, Greater London

Refugee Action is looking for a Head of Fundraising, Brand & Insight to lead a critical area of our work.

Salary: £59,777 starting salary (salary range will increase to max £63,456 via the length of service) plus £4,467 Inner London Weighting if based in London per annum. 

Contract: Permanent basis

Hours: Full-Time 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks)

Location: Any Refugee Action Office (London, Manchester or Bradford). We will consider UK-based hybrid working options.

About Refugee Action

We exist to defend the right of refugees, fighting the hostility that has a devastating, daily impact on refugees and our communities.  We do this with life changing support and system changing campaigns that bring us all closer to safety, dignity and hope.

Our vision is that every refugee seeking safety in the UK can thrive as part of a welcoming, anti-racist society.

It's an exciting time to be part of Refugee Action as we embark on a new Theory of Change as part of our seven-year strategy. At this critical moment, with anti-migrant sentiments on the rise, openly racist rhetoric and policies being espoused, we believe the best hope for real change will come from strong, connected movements that are skilled, united, and influential, with lived experience meaningfully at the centre. You can read more about what we do here.

About the role

You will lead Refugee Action's Fundraising, Brand and Insight department, building and delivering a sustainable programme that raises significant income from major partnerships and public fundraising.

The organisation has been through a period of change, and this role is central to leading the department through the transition by creating clarity, stability and shared purpose – restoring confidence, establishing clear ways of working, developing a compelling case for support and embedding a culture of proactive new business development.

You will take ownership of rebuilding the department’s foundations – setting direction, defining processes, and creating the conditions for high performance. The role will develop and promote a collaborative and inclusive team culture that builds resilience and celebrates success, with a focus on learning and well-being.

The role can be based in any of our offices: Manchester, London or Bradford, with extensive options for WFH.

About you

You are a self-starter and a builder – someone who takes pride in leaving teams stronger than you found them. You'll be energised rather than daunted by stepping into a department, with an organisational income profile of £4.5m - £5m per year.  You’ll be leading a department that needs strong leadership and direction , following a recent organisational restructure and change, as we move into delivering a new strategy.

You will bring significant  experience across a range of relevant areas of public fundraising and major partnerships, and you'll be comfortable influencing senior stakeholders internally and externally.

Whether you have experience of income generation for the refugee and migration cause or not, you will have a strong drive towards social justice, recognising how fundraising can be a tool for challenging oppression and injustice. You will have strong anti-racist values and a commitment to centring and empowering people with lived experience, rather than approaches that are extractive or dehumanising.

To succeed in the role, you will need to demonstrate: 

• Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it.
• Commitment to anti-racism and to working to remove the barriers to power facing people with lived experience.
• Commitment to the principles of confidentiality, impartiality and equality and equity of opportunity.
• Strong track record in developing significant income growth strategies and delivering results.
• Strong understanding of the fundraising and digital landscape.
• Knowledge and understanding of building programmes to acquire, retain, and upgrade donors through a range of channels and techniques.
• Proven ability to build, support and motivate high-performing teams to achieve results, including though times of organisational change.
• Experience of working collaboratively with a leadership team on strategic direction, risk management and governance.
• Knowledge and experience in identifying and cultivating high-value fundraising prospects.
• Understanding of brand development, with the ability to manage the effective and consistent use of an organisation’s visual and verbal identity.
• Experience in leading managing and developing staff, with strong people coaching, development and management skills.

Those with lived experience as a refugee are particularly encouraged to apply

Closing date: 23:59 on Thursday 19 November 2026

Interviews: W/c 30 November 2026 (on Zoom) 

Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.

This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List.  If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.

You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:

• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations 
• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education