Head of fundraising jobs in Lambeth, greater london

Head of Mass Supporter Fundraising

Bowel Cancer UK is 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 employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new 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 world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.

Are you an experienced fundraising leader who wants to be part of creating a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer? This could be the role for you!

Bowel Cancer UK is seeking an exceptional, growth-driven Head of Mass Supporter Fundraising to join our team. We have set a bold ambition to significantly increase income over the next five years, ensuring everyone diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK receives the support they need.

This is a rare opportunity to build and scale a data-led fundraising programme, increase our visibility in a competitive landscape, and develop a high-performing talented team capable of delivering sustained, multi-million-pound income growth. You will lead the development of transformational strategies and play a critical role in the management of the charities CRM to significantly scale revenue while ensuring digital innovation is at the heart of all strategic decision-making. You will take full ownership of mass supporter fundraising budgets and provide visionary leadership by directly managing team managers to foster a culture of professional growth.

The salary is £51,241, plus £2,000 London Weighting if applicable and a contributory pension scheme. The position is home-based UK-wide, with required travel to our London-based Hub space in Kennington. We offer 27 days of holiday, plus three discretionary days between Christmas and New Year in addition to statutory holidays, complimented by a range of brilliant staff benefits.

If you have a proven track record in digital acquisition, harnessing data to support decision-making, managing multi-million-pound budgets, and know what it takes to motivate and lead a brilliant team, we want to hear from you.

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.

About Sophie Hayes Foundation

Sophie Hayes Foundation is a small but mighty charity supporting women survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking as they rebuild their independent lives, free from re exploitation for the long-term.

We provide an employability programme which enables survivors to rediscover their skills, build their confidence and sense of purpose, develop workplace skills, and open up opportunities for work placements or volunteering. We also offer a conversational English course, a digital skills programme, and run a survivor network CREW (Creative Resilient Empowered Women).

We do all we can to meet survivors where they are in a complex system, flexing and adapting to need as it arises. We also do not accept a system which fails survivors, leaving them at risk of re-exploitation, and engage in policy and advocacy campaigns based on our lived and learnt experience.

In the words of our participants, “The Programme changed my life’s trajectory. We explored our purpose and discussed the idea of work and career as a central part. Sophie Hayes Foundation should not underestimate how much it plays a big role in people's lives.”

About the Role

We can’t do any of this work without brilliant and concerted fundraising efforts. SHF is independent and relies on funds from grant-making bodies, individuals, and businesses in our supporter community.

This role will be at the forefront of the realisation of SHF’s bold strategic ambitions. You will work alongside our small and dynamic executive team to unlock growth, develop new approaches and communicate our impact.

You will build a lead small, effective and positive fundraising and communications team.

You will develop deep and meaningful relationships with the individuals and organisations while support SHF’s work – and new supporters we have not met yet.

You will be hands on, getting stuck into grant applications, prospecting, communicating, and developing new engagement programmes.

We know small charity fundraising is no mean feat – you will get all the support and engagement you need from the SHF team and Board to do you very best work, in a hugely meaningful context.

You will have the opportunity to get involved in any and all parts of the organisation’s work, including policy advocacy, lived and learnt experience co-design, research and service delivery.

If you are an energetic, positive, collaborative and experienced fundraiser, we can’t wait to hear from you! You can find out more about the mission and values of Sophie Hayes Foundation our website: 

Objectives

FUNDRAISING

• Leadership of successful portfolio of grant funding, including stewardship of existing funders, and growth to new ones through high quality applications and proactive identification of opportunities.
• Development and implementation of income generation and diversification strategies, most particularly through major donors programme and corporate partnerships.
• Working alongside Executive team to develop programmes enabling new sources of funding to be opened up.
• Building close relationship with existing supporters and using network to significantly expand network and prospects, through supporter engagement journeys.
• Ensuring all fundraising activity is in line with the required legislative frameworks and complies with best practice.
• Funding to be opened up
• Building close relationship with existing supporters and using network to significantly expand network and prospects, through supporter engagement journeys.
• Ensuring all fundraising activity is in line with the required legislative frameworks and complies with best practice.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Developing the charity’s existing communications efforts into a coordinated, coherent, and impactful strategy, across all communications channels and traditional and social media.
• Developing and implement opportunities to raise the charity’s profile and engagement.
• Working alongside team members to develop and publicise the charity’s policy and advocacy activities, creating and leading innovative communications campaigns.
• Overseeing the production of all branded materials.
• Overseeing the charity’s duty of care to participants who share their stories, ensuring we approach this with due care and sensitivity, working with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

MANAGEMENT 

• Managing and monitoring all parts of income generation and communications, especially high-quality impact reporting.
• Managing fundraising budget – setting budgets, reporting against them, managing funds, reporting to Board risk & finance committee on fundraising.
• Building a highly effective small team of 2-3 people – outcome-focused and empathetic line management of team members.
• Contributing as key member of Senior Executive Team to organisational strategy and decision-making.
• Acting as a senior leader and figurehead within the charity for all parts of development and fundraising.
• Working closely alongside the Board to unlock potential for income generation and communications.
• Undertaking any other duties as directed by the CEO which may be required. Experience & Skills
• Significant success and experience of impactful charitable fundraising from a diverse range of income streams, especially grants, major donors, and corporates. Or comparable experience of business development in another sector.
• Experience of communications campaigns, PR and marketing.
• Convincing and engaging written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build excellent collaborative working relationships across a wide range of people; colleagues, external partners and funders.
• Highly organised. Ability to prioritise workloads, project manage and deliver to deadlines, often with competing priorities.
• A knowledge of the Modern Slavery sector & trauma-informed practices is desired but not essential, but a commitment to the vision, purpose, and values of Sophie Hayes Foundation is important.
• Effective line management skills and ability to deliver alongside and through small team.
• Positive, creative, entrepreneurial, and solutions-focused.
• Proactive, dynamic, able to work effectively independently. 

Terrence Higgins Trust is looking for an inspiring Head of Philanthropy to lead a bold new chapter in high value fundraising. This is a rare opportunity to shape a best in class philanthropy function, driving transformational gifts that accelerate progress towards ending new HIV transmissions and tackling stigma. You’ll take the helm of our flagship initiatives — including the 2030 Club and the Norman Fowler HIV Fund — while crafting compelling cases for support that connect major donors to the heart of our mission. Working closely with our Chief Executive, trustees and senior leaders, you’ll unlock powerful networks, steward influential relationships and champion an exceptional donor experience that deepens engagement and fuels long term impact.

As a senior leader, you’ll set the strategic direction for high value giving, grow and manage a portfolio of high net worth supporters, and embed a culture of relationship driven fundraising across the organisation. You’ll motivate and develop a talented team, strengthen our pipeline and CRM led insight, and act as a confident external ambassador — elevating our profile with audiences who can help drive real change. If you’re energised by ambitious targets, inspired by mission driven work and ready to build something sector leading, this role offers the platform to make a lasting difference.

Head of Face to Face Fundraising
Reference: MAR20265489
Location: Home-based, Flexible in UK + Regular UK Travel
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £70,490.00 - £75,275.00 Per Annum
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance Scheme, 26 days' Annual Leave

The Head of Face-to-Face Fundraising provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of the RSPB’s face-to-face fundraising programme across the UK.

This role is responsible for delivering significant annual supporter acquisition volumes, ensuring an exceptional supporter experience, maintaining sector-leading compliance and safeguarding standards, and building high-performing in-house fundraising teams.

As a senior leader within Fundraising, you will shape the future of the RSPB’s acquisition strategy, drive innovation within the face-to-face channel, and ensure sustainable long-term growth in regular giving and lead generation to support our mission of creating a world richer in nature.

Key Duties:

• Develop and implement an ambitious multi-year Face-to-Face strategy that drives sustainable acquisition growth and contributes to long-term supporter value.
• Lead budgeting, investment planning and forecasting for all F2F channels, ensuring accountability for ROI, cost-effectiveness, and delivery against income and acquisition targets.
• Lead the evolution of F2F propositions, messaging and materials to ensure they are insight-led, compliant, and aligned with the RSPB’s brand and fundraising strategies.
• Champion innovation across the programme, introducing new approaches to optimise ROI and reach new audiences.
• Monitor market trends, regulatory changes and competitor activity to ensure the programme remains compliant, competitive and forward-thinking.
• Act as the organisational lead for face-to-face fundraising compliance, ensuring all activity adheres to the Fundraising Regulator Code, Charity Commission guidelines and data protection legislation.
• Lead, develop and inspire a multi-disciplinary F2F team by fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, continuous improvement and supporter-centred behaviour.
• Work closely with insight teams to analyse performance data, supporter quality, attrition levels and long-term value across channels.
• Develop KPIs and reporting frameworks to provide senior leadership with clear visibility of performance, risks and opportunities.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders including fundraising, digital, data and technology, communications, brand, marketing and marketing operations, finance and UK country teams to deliver integrated acquisition strategies.
• Champion the role of Face-to-Face fundraising within the RSPB, working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to increase its prominence and ensure strategic alignment.
• Work closely with the Head of Membership Marketing & Retention to ensure seamless integration between acquisition, onboarding and stewardship journeys.
• Oversee procurement, contract management and ongoing performance of external delivery partners to ensure alignment with organisational goals.
• Lead relationships with external partners, suppliers and agencies, ensuring high-quality delivery, strong return on investment and value for money.

Essential Criteria:

• Able to design and deliver a UK-wide face-to-face or high-volume acquisition programme that achieves agreed supporter and income targets.
• Able to lead and develop regionally dispersed, field-based teams, including setting objectives, monitoring performance and holding managers accountable for results.
• Able to analyse performance data (e.g. conversion, attrition, ROI and quality metrics) and use insight to optimise programme performance.
• Able to manage and monitor programme budgets, including forecasting expenditure and assessing return on investment.
• Able to communicate strategic plans, performance outcomes and risk clearly in written reports and verbal presentations to senior stakeholders.
• Able to work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to align acquisition activity with organisational strategy.
• Able to travel regularly across the UK to support field operations (by public transport or other means)
• Knowledge of Fundraising Regulator guidance, safeguarding requirements and quality assurance processes relevant to face-to-face fundraising.
• Experience of leading large-scale, multi-site face-to-face fundraising or high-volume acquisition activity in a charity or commercial environment.
• Experience of managing external agencies or suppliers and implementing operational processes that improve performance, compliance and supporter experience.

Additional Information

• This is a home-based role with regular travel across the UK to support teams, partners and operational activity.
• This is a Permanent role for 37.5 hours per week.
• A full, valid UK driving licence is required as the role involves frequent travel to remote locations across all four countries.

Closing date: 23:59, Sunday 29th March 2026
We reserve the right to close this advert once sufficient applications have been received.
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 6th April.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our recruitment partner's website to complete your application for this position.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

No agencies please.

Head of philanthropy

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional Head of Philanthropy to lead and transform our major donor programme. This role is full time, based at our King’s Cross office in London, with hybrid working in place. The successful candidate will work 2–3 days per week on site and meeting donors, with the remainder worked remotely.

This is a critical senior leadership role responsible for developing and delivering an ambitious philanthropy strategy that builds a sustainable pipeline of five, six and seven-figure, multi-year gifts from high-net-worth individuals.

You will shape and grow a sector-leading major donor programme – strengthening stewardship, building influential networks and inspiring transformational support for people with complex disabilities.

What You’ll Lead

Strategic Income Growth

• Develop and deliver an ambitious philanthropy strategy.
• Build and manage a sustainable, multi-year pipeline of five, six and seven-figure gifts.
• Review and enhance stewardship journeys and relationship management standards.
• Expand and develop mid-level giving programmes to grow supporter volume and value.
• Identify, engage and steward key ambassadors and networks.
• Deliver high-impact events that generate strong return on investment.
• Develop compelling, emotionally engaging proposals and presentations.

Leadership & Culture

• Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing philanthropy team.
• Coach and empower managers to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Model inclusive, values-led leadership.
• Partner with senior leaders across the organisation to align strategy and propositions.
• Embed collaboration and co-production across fundraising activity.

Performance & Governance

• Take full accountability for budgets, KPIs and income targets.
• Monitor and forecast income performance, taking corrective action where needed.
• Lead cross-team strategic initiatives that strengthen capability and shared learning.
• Ensure compliance with the Fundraising Regulator Code of Conduct, GDPR and data protection requirements.

About You

We are looking for a strategic, relationship-led fundraising leader with a proven track record of securing transformational support from high-net-worth individuals.

You will bring:

• Demonstrable experience of transforming a major donor programme.
• Proven success securing and stewarding multi-year, five and six-figure gifts (and above).
• Significant leadership experience within the not-for-profit sector.
• Strong financial acumen including budgeting, forecasting and performance analysis.
• Data-driven decision-making skills (ideally with experience of Power BI, MS Dynamics or similar).
• Exceptional communication, negotiation and presentation skills.
• A values-led approach that authentically includes people with lived experience.
• The ability to operate confidently within a large and complex organisation.

You will also be willing to travel within the UK and attend occasional evening and weekend events.

About Sense

We believe that every disabled person should have the opportunity to connect with others and be included in the world. We use our knowledge and expertise to deliver personalised, creative and flexible support at every stage of life. Sense is proud to be a disability confident leader.

Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.

To apply

Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly.We would recommend that you read the candidate guidelines, job description and person specification (found at the base of this advert) before applying.

Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.

For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.

No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.

About Young Roots

At Young Roots, we want to see a compassionate and welcoming society for young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. We work alongside young people seeking safety in the UK, building trusted relationships, providing practical and emotional support and promoting young people’s rights and power.

Our youth clubs and casework are transformative for young refugees, allowing young people who have fled danger, had traumatic journeys and who are often here alone, to find community and connection, have a space to be a young person and access support in addressing a whole range of practical challenges they face. We also draw on our evidence from working every day with young refugees and asylum seekers to call for change to the laws and policies which are harming young people. 

About the role

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of an influential charity at a pivotal point in its development.

Young Roots has a strong track record of impact, trusted relationships with funders, and is a respected voice in work with young refugees. We are now ready to significantly increase our visibility and influence — and this role is central to making that happen.

As Head of Fundraising and Communications, you will bring together fundraising, communications and impact to tell a powerful, credible story about Young Roots’ work and to unlock new, high-value funding. You will work closely with the CEO and trustees to position the organisation strategically, grow our profile, and build relationships with major donors and other senior partners.

This is a role for someone who enjoys both setting direction and making things happen. You will personally lead high-value fundraising and strategic communications, while enabling and supporting a skilled team to deliver across trusts, individual giving, engagement and impact reporting. As a member of the Leadership Group, you will help shape organisational strategy, culture and long-term sustainability.

If you’re excited by building influence, diversifying income, and using communications and evidence to drive change for young refugees, this role offers scope, autonomy and purpose in equal measure.

About you

You will bring senior experience in fundraising and/or communications within a charity or mission-driven organisation, with a strong track record of raising profile, engagement or income. You’ll be a strategic thinker who is comfortable being hands-on, credible with senior stakeholders, and motivated by working for social justice.

We’re particularly interested in people who bring:

• Experience leading fundraising and/or communications teams
• A strong understanding of high-value fundraising (e.g. major donors)
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to tailor messages for different audiences
• Experience managing people, budgets and complex priorities
• A commitment to equity, empowering young people and safeguarding

Why join Young Roots

• A senior role with real influence in a respected, impactful organisation
• The opportunity to shape income, profile and strategy at a key stage of growth
• A collaborative leadership team and values-led culture
• Flexible, hybrid working

To Apply:

To apply, please submit your CV alongside a personal statement by the closing date outlining how you would be a great fit for the role.

Your personal statement should be no more than 800 words, answering the following questions:

1. What is your motivation for working with Young Roots? (100 words)
2. What is your motivation for applying for this role specifically? (200 words)
3. What skills and experience would you bring that will enable you to be successful in this role?  Please ensure you refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and provide examples to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria. (500 words)

Please submit your application via Charity Jobs.

No agencies, please.

Closing date: 10th March

Interview date: 17th March

Young Roots recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who can face disadvantage in employment, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities. As an organisation that supports refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, we particularly welcome applications from people within these communities. We offer a guaranteed interview for those with lived experience of the asylum system and those with disabilities, where they meet the essential elements of the person specification. If aspects of the application process create barriers to you applying and you’d like any adjustment to the process or you’d like an informal discussion or advice on your application, please get in touch. We would also like to alert you to the existence of organisations which support people from under-represented groups to access employment, who can advise you on applying for this role. For example, Scope, Young Women’s Trust and Experts by Experience.

Young Roots is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. We take this duty very seriously.

Our work is underpinned by policies and procedures which promote safe working practices. We have a framework of training and supervision which everyone is expected to comply with and systems for monitoring, quality assurance and gaining service user feedback. On joining you will be expected to be part of this approach to safeguard our service users.

We are looking for an inspiring and experienced Head of Fundraising and Development to join our team at Dalgarno Trust. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone passionate about fundraising, communications, and making a real difference in the community.

Key Details:

• Salary: £38,500 for FTE (note this is a four-day role)
• Contract: Permanent
• Location: Dalgarno Trust Community Centre,(hybrid TBC)  North Kensington (with occasional off-site meetings)
• Hours: 4 days per week (28 hours), flexible by agreement
• Line management: Reports to the Chief Executive
• Deadline: 15th March
• Interviews: Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis, and shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly to arrange an interview

Based in North Kensington, Dalgarno Trust is a vibrant community centre supporting local residents of all ages through health, wellbeing, education, training, and youth programmes. As the only community centre in this part of the borough, we play a vital role in bringing people together, tackling inequality, and strengthening community resilience.

As Head of Fundraising and Development, you will be a key member of our Core Team, working closely with the Chief Executive to secure and manage the resources that enable our work. This is a varied and hands-on role combining fundraising, CRM management, marketing and communications, and organisational administration, offering the opportunity to make a visible and lasting impact.

You will lead on researching and writing funding bids, managing relationships with funders, and ensuring that monitoring, evaluation, and reporting requirements are met. You will oversee and develop our CRM system (Salesforce), ensuring high-quality data, producing reports, and supporting colleagues through training. You will also play a central role in diversifying income through donations, sponsorships, commercial activity, and use of our assets.

Alongside fundraising, you will lead our marketing, communications, and promotion, keeping our website, social media, and noticeboards up to date, and ensuring our work is clearly and effectively communicated to the wider community. The role also includes administrative and HR support, such as assisting with recruitment processes, timesheets, training coordination, and ensuring compliance with fundraising regulations and best practice.

We are looking for someone highly organised, administratively confident, and comfortable working independently, while also enjoying collaboration with colleagues, partners, and community members. You will bring experience of community-based work, strong written and verbal communication skills, and a genuine commitment to equality, inclusion, and positive social change. 

This role offers flexibility in working hours and a supportive team environment, with the chance to shape and grow the organisation’s income and profile at an exciting time for Dalgarno Trust. 

Ad close date: Sunday 15 March

Interviews: 24 March 

Note: Previous applicants need not apply

Salary: £53,000
Contract: Permanent
Location: London office – 2 days per week
Closing date: 8th March
Benefits: 12% pension, cycle-to-work scheme, training and development budget

We have a great opportunity for an Assistant Head of Community Fundraising at one of the UK’s leading social welfare charities. Reporting to the Head of Community Fundraising, this is an exciting opportunity to step into a senior leadership role, shape strategy, and lead a high-performing team while driving innovation and growth in community and events fundraising.

As part of this role, you will lead the development and delivery of a national fundraising programme, broaden reach to new audiences, and inspire long-term supporter engagement. You’ll manage a team of three and oversee six-figure income and expenditure budgets, ensuring excellent supporter experiences and data-driven decision-making to maximise impact.

To be successful as the Assistant Head of Community Fundraising, you will need:

• Extensive experience in community and events fundraising, including strategic planning and delivery.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and lead high-performing teams to achieve income targets.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with experience building collaborative relationships at all levels.

If you would like to have an informal discussion, please call Emma on 02030 062787 or email your interest along with your CV to [email protected].

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, passionate about improving equality across the sector. You can read more about our commitment to diversity here.

If enough applications are received, the charity reserves the right to end the application period sooner.

If you wish to discuss this role with us, please quote reference 2812EI.
 

Job Title: Head of Public Fundraising & Engagement

Reporting To: Executive Director of Fundraising

Salary Range: Up to £60,000

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Hybrid, across London sites. Old Street, Canary Wharf & Poplar.

Working days/hours per week: 35 per week, 9am – 5pm

Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”. 

The Felix Project and FareShare have recently merged to form the UK's largest food redistribution charity. Its vision is a UK where good food is never wasted, and nobody goes hungry.

The organisation rescues high quality edible surplus food, from across the food industry and gets it to over 8,000 organisations across the UK who are working to strengthen communities and improve lives.

The charity manages seven depots across London, Suffolk, Merseyside and Hampshire and works with 16 network partners who operate a further 26 regional depots across the UK.

Over the next year our ambition is to rescue enough food nationally to provide nearly 200 million meals, turning an environmental problem into social good with measurable impact for people, planet, and the economy.

Why this role and why now?

This is a hugely exciting time to join our organisation.

We have recently brought together two £20m organisations – FareShare UK, a national food redistribution charity, and The Felix Project, our London network partner who has made waves across the capital in recent years. We are in the early stages of shaping our future together, while at the same time, developing our fundraising strategy for the next three years – setting the direction for how we grow income, engage supporters and deliver even more impact across the UK.

Public fundraising and engagement will be central to that strategy, and as Head of Public Fundraising & Engagement, you will play a leading role in shaping it.

We already have strong foundations to build on. Recent testing of private site fundraising for both organisations has exceeded KPIs, showing strong public appetite to support our work. We also have the opportunity to learn from The Felix Project’s success in London and explore how proven approaches can be adapted and scaled nationally.

Alongside this, we have a clear ambition to become a destination directorate for fundraisers across the sector – a place where talented people want to build their careers, test new ideas and do their best work.

This newly created role offers a rare opportunity to build on that momentum: helping to shape our three-year fundraising strategy, embedding a new brand, working creatively with network partners, developing new products and propositions, scaling what works nationally, growing mass-market and legacy fundraising, modernising systems and supporter journeys, and bringing together newly merged teams around a shared direction and culture.

This is a role for someone who enjoys building, experimenting, learning from what works and creating something genuinely transformational. If you’re excited by the idea of leading through change and helping create new ways for people to support our cause, we’d love to hear from you.

About the role

The Head of Public Fundraising & Engagement will lead our public fundraising portfolio. This newly created role will oversee Individual Giving and Legacies, Community Fundraising, Mass Participation and Challenge Events, and Fundraising Operations, with five direct reports.

You will be accountable for public fundraising income and performance, whilst also helping to bring together teams, systems and ways of working following the merger. You’ll sit on both the Fundraising Senior Management Team and the organisation’s Senior Management Team, contributing to organisation-wide strategy, decision-making and culture.

You will play a key role in shaping our three-year public fundraising strategy, ensuring it is ambitious, realistic and rooted in audience insight.

Whilst much of the portfolio is delivered through Senior Managers, there is particular scope and opportunity, to shape the future of Community and Mass Fundraising – where we’ve deliberately protected delivery while leaving space for the new Head to define long-term strategy, growth and resource.

You’ll also play a leading role in embedding a new organisational brand once agreed.

What you’ll be responsible for

•Setting direction and growing income

•Champion the growth of long-term sustainable income that supports the organisation’s 3–5-year income ambitions.

•Strengthen our regular giving proposition and performance, embedding a clear strategy for acquisition, retention and lifetime value growth.

•Shape and deliver the organisation’s three-year public fundraising strategy.

•Set the overall direction for public fundraising and lead its delivery.

•Be accountable for public fundraising income, including planning, budgets, forecasting and performance working alongside your Senior Managers and Managers to achieve this.

•Build on strong early signals of public support, including the face-to-face fundraising pilots.

•Learn from proven success from both legacy organisations, including The Felix Project’s fundraising in London, and explore how this can be scaled nationally.

•Drive sustainable growth across the portfolio, balancing short-term delivery with the need to maximise supporter lifetime value.

•Make clear, confident decisions about priorities, investment and risk.

Leading the public fundraising portfolio

•Lead and support Senior Managers and Managers across Individual Giving, Community and Mass, Legacies and Fundraising Operations.

•Bring different income streams together under a joined-up, supporter-centered approach.

•Encourage collaboration, testing and learning across teams.

•Step in where needed to resolve issues, reset direction or move things forward.

A focus on Fundraising Operations

•Provide strategic oversight of Fundraising Operations, ensuring excellent supporter care, compliant processes and efficient income processing across the portfolio.

•Integrate a ‘best in class’ approach to thanking and supporter stewardship across the portfolio.

•Ensure robust fundraising compliance in line with regulation and sector best practice.

•Champion operational excellence, embedding processes and systems that enable sustainable growth.

•Work closely with the Senior Fundraising Operations Manager to ensure visibility and value of the function across the directorate and wider organisation.

Innovation and new product development

•Work collaboratively with colleagues to shape and embed the organisation’s innovation framework within public fundraising, ensuring disciplined testing, learning and scaling.

•Contribute a public fundraising perspective to cross-organisational and directorate innovation priorities, ensuring opportunities are commercially viable and audience-led.

•Lead the development of new fundraising products, propositions and approaches, from ideas through to testing and scale.

•Explore new ways for people to engage and give – particularly in acquisition-led activity such as face-to-face, digital and mass fundraising.

•Use insight, data and supporter feedback to shape and refine new ideas.

•Balance creativity with a commercial mindset i.e. Stopping what doesn’t work and scaling what does.

Shaping Community and Mass Fundraising

•    Make a hands-on strategic lead in shaping the future direction of Community and Mass Fundraising.

•Build on recent business planning that has protected delivery whilst leaving space for longer-term strategic choices.

•    Identify growth opportunities and test new approaches to help define future operating models.

•Build momentum and organisational confidence in areas with significant untapped potential.

•Increase partnerships with small and medium-sized corporates within Community Fundraising, developing scalable propositions that can grow nationally, working in partnership with network partners.

Working with our network partners

•Play a leading role in shaping how we fundraise with, for and alongside our network partners in the public fundraising space, working closely with the Senior Network Fundraising Manager.

•Work collaboratively to explore ideas, test approaches and unlock opportunities that benefit both the network and the organisation.

•Ensure public fundraising activity reflects the stories and impact of our network partners in a respectful and sensitive way.

Developing high-potential partnerships

•Lead the strategic development of high-profile partnerships including our newly launched three-year partnership with Nectar.

•Work closely with internal teams and external partners to grow reach, impact and value over time.

•Develop and embed a robust a partnership strategy for within public fundraising, to ensure we are maximising opportunities with third party providers.

Shaping our legacy fundraising proposition

•Take a strategic lead in developing our legacy fundraising approach, working closely with the Senior IG & Legacy Manager.

•Shape a compelling legacy proposition linked to our impact, values and volunteer workforce – an area of untapped potential.

•Ensure legacy fundraising asks are integrated into wider supporter journeys and long term planning.

•Build organisational confidence, capability and momentum in this area over time.

Brand embedding and supporter acquisition

•Play a leading role in embedding the new organisational brand across all public fundraising activity once agreed.

•Work closely with colleagues in Marketing & Communications to ensure fundraising needs are reflected in the new brand as it develops over time.

•Support your team to translate brand strategy into practical, high-performing fundraising activity.

Merger transition and CRM

•Play a senior role in the organisation’s merger transition, with particular focus on the Fundraising Transition, working closely with the Fundraising Transition Lead, ensuring that public fundraising’s priorities are reflected in change planning.

•Act as the senior fundraising lead for the implementation of a combined CRM, ensuring public fundraising needs shape system design, data structure, reporting and supporter journeys.

•Work closely with colleagues in digital, data and IT, as well as external partners, to ensure systems support future growth and great supporter experiences.

•Balance business-as-usual income delivery with the demands of transformation and change.

•Help modernise processes and ways of working so the organisation can scale effectively.

Leadership and culture

•Lead and develop Senior Managers and Managers, creating a supportive, inclusive, high-performing and psychologically safe culture.

•Play an active role in shaping organisational culture following the merger.

•Support teams through change with clarity, empathy and pace.

•   Help build our reputation as a great place to work for fundraisers – where people feel supported, challenged, proud and able to grow.

•Role model collaborative, values-led leadership.

Organisation-wide leadership

•   Attend organisation SMT meetings.

•Contribute to organisation-wide strategy, decision-making and problem-solving.

•Work collaboratively with senior colleagues across the organisation.

•Be a strong, credible voice and advocate for public fundraising internally and externally.

Job Profile

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will lead on the recruitment, retention, and value growth of Afghanaid’s supporter base by directing and implementing communications, fundraising and engagement strategies, aligned with broader organisation goals. Designing and managing a tight budget, you will direct the Communication and Giving unit to maximise their success.

You will provide strategic and supervisory oversight of fundraising income from individual giving, regular giving, major donors, trusts and foundations, corporates, community and student fundraising and events, managing annual fundraising appeals and driving organisational unrestricted income growth. 

You will lead on communications for Afghanaid, overseeing print, digital, and paid marketing activities and the growth of communications channels. You will execute Afghanaid’s organisational brand strategy which ensures the integrity of the brand and maximises awareness. You will manage all public relations including crisis communications, as well as the growth of strategic media placements and high profile relationships. You will drive the success of organisational impact storytelling and communications for both internal and external stakeholders. As a member of the executive department, you will collaborate and synergise with other departments to promote organisational success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive organisational strategy, culture and cross-department collaboration to advance Afghanaid’s mission and objectives.

• Lead development and delivery of Communications, Engagement and Fundraising strategies and work plans.

• Line manage and develop a high-performing team, including staff, volunteers and interns.

• Build and maintain relationships with consultants, agencies and pro bono partners.

• Oversee budgets, reporting and data-driven performance management to ensure efficiency and impact.

• Promote a positive and cohesive London team environment, coordinating hybrid working, inductions and HR support.

• Oversee public fundraising strategy across multiple income streams.

• Lead design and delivery of internal and external appeals, campaigns and donor stewardship.

• Identify new funding opportunities, partnerships and innovation in engagement.

• Oversee the full range of Afghanaid’s event portfolio, and attend relevant events to represent Afghanaid;

• Ensure effective CRM management, data integrity and financial reconciliation.

• Serve as brand guardian, ensuring consistency and evolution of Afghanaid’s identity.

• Oversee creation and execution of integrated communications and marketing plans.

• Direct production of engaging digital and print content, including newsletters, social media, and fundraising collateral.

• Manage website optimisation, SEO and analytics to drive engagement and conversions.

• Lead innovation in digital marketing, email campaigns and supporter journeys.

• Advise leadership on reputation management and crisis communications.

• Develop media policies and act as spokesperson when required.

• Manage proactive and reactive media relations, building relationships with journalists, influencers and advocates.

• Promote Afghanaid’s thought leadership through strategic storytelling and public commentary.

• Commission and direct multimedia content to strengthen organisational storytelling.

• Lead content planning, production and performance analysis.

• Champion participatory storytelling approaches and creative innovation.

Undertake any other duties as and when required by the line director.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

You will be an experienced and dynamic communicator with significant demonstrable experience in fundraising and/or communications at a senior level, coupled with an awareness and up to date knowledge and experience of the tools that would maximise the success of our communications and fundraising activities. In addition, you will have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders. Possessing strong management skills, you will have experience of managing small multi-disciplinary teams, providing direction and leadership to enable development and high performance, and the ability to role-model a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Education/ Training

Master’s Degree in communications, marketing, public fundraising or another relevant field (or at least 5-years’ experience).

Work Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, supporter engagement or communications, with at least 2 years’ experience directly managing staff.

• Experience developing and leading integrated multi-channel and multi-stakeholder communications, engagement and/or fundraising strategies.

• Experience in growing audiences, engagement and/or income streams.

• Experience communicating about and/or fundraising for and/or maintaining engagement with Afghanistan or a similar context.

• Experience using KPIs and data to make data-driven decisions to improve efficacy and efficiency.

• Experience managing and monitoring a tight budget.

• Experience conceptualising, producing and commissioning multimedia content, from marketing and fundraising collateral to audiovisual content.

• Experience running full-funnel, multi-channel marketing strategies including paid advertising.

• Understanding of risks associated with communications, public fundraising, and NGO operating contexts, and experience in mitigating those risks.

• Experience supervising, organising, motivating and developing staff.

• In depth knowledge of trends in storytelling, brand, PR, marketing and fundraising.

Professional Skills, Competencies, Values and Attitudes

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff is passionate about and proud of Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Specifically, the holder of this position should also demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Fluent in spoken and written English. 

• Track record of increasing audiences, fundraising totals and engagement metrics from multiple different sources, with a strong business development mindset.

• Experience securing five or six figure gifts from funders;

• Solutions and results orientated; energised by thinking outside the box, and by finding and pursuing novel or innovative approaches and solutions.

• Experience using Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud

• Skilled at spotting and prioritising opportunities and synergies, and effective in securing wide-ranging forms of engagement and partnership.

• Excellent listening, speaking and writing skills; strong capabilities of persuasion and a proven track record of uniting people around a common goal.

• Multimedia skills, with knowledge, experience and enthusiasm in driving digital innovation.

• Highly organised with strong leadership and project management skills, able to collaboratively manage competing priorities with senior and junior colleagues.

• Demonstrably skilled brand custodian, able to mitigate risks, anticipate and capitalise upon opportunities, and strengthen reputation.

• Capable of working independently as well as collaboratively, both in leading a team and as part of the team.

• Passionate about driving change, and inspiring individuals and groups to support a cause to deliver that change.

Desirable

• Experience working within an international development or humanitarian context, particularly with causes related to Afghanistan

• Strategic understanding of UK and global fundraising landscapes and emerging giving trends.

• Proven ability to represent an organisation publicly with confidence, professionalism and credibility.

• Experience guiding senior leaders or trustees on media, communications and reputational matters.

• Skilled in crisis communications and reputation management.

• Understanding of inclusive and ethical storytelling practices, with sensitivity to safeguarding considerations.

• Experience developing high-value corporate or media partnerships.

• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, resource-limited environment and adapting to changing external circumstances.

The Organisation

Afghanaid is a British humanitarian and development organisation. For over forty years, our dedicated personnel have worked with millions of families in some of the poorest and most remote communities in Afghanistan. We build basic services, improve livelihoods, strengthen the rights of women and children, help communities protect against natural disasters and adapt to climate change, and respond to humanitarian emergencies. We are headquartered in Kabul, and operate provincial and district offices across Afghanistan, as well as a Marketing and Fundraising office in London. We employ around 500 personnel, 97% of whom are Afghans.

Other Information

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff are passionate about and proud to work at Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Our remuneration and benefits package is competitive with other similar organisations. 

This position presents an excellent opportunity for someone who has the ambition and determination to move up in their career.