Head of fundraising jobs in Nottingham
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Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract
Salary: £60,000 per annum
Location: Home-based with regular travel
Closing date: Wednesday 28 January 2026
Interview date: 4 & 5 February 2026
Blue Cross is seeking an experienced and ambitious Head of Philanthropy to lead and make an active contribution to our High Value Fundraising project, a key initiative designed to grow our future income. This 12-month fixed-term role will focus on delivering high-impact fundraising activity while managing and inspiring a talented Philanthropy team.
More about the role
You will support in the delivery of the 2026 Philanthropy plan across trusts, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals, with a particular focus on the High Value Fundraising project. Leading high-value fundraising activity, you will manage your own portfolio, create income pipelines, develop key performance indicators, and work closely with internal and external stakeholders to maximise philanthropic support. You will ensure the charity’s Case for Support remains current and compelling and deliver high-standard donor reporting.
This is a home-based role with a contracted base site. Travel to your base site is considered normal commuting, while travel to other Blue Cross locations or partner sites will be reimbursed.
About you
You are a credible senior leader with a strong track record in philanthropy fundraising, capable of translating strategic priorities into tangible outcomes. Motivated by ambitious goals, you thrive on building relationships, inspiring teams, and influencing at the highest level. You are resilient, creative, and aligned with Blue Cross’s values of compassion, courage, and inclusion.
Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
- Extensive experience developing strategies that increase income from major donors and institutional funders, including personally securing five- and ideally six-figure donations
- Proven experience of meeting and exceeding ambitious income growth targets
- Experience of building and managing funder relationships
- Strong financial monitoring, target setting, and reporting skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to analyse and present data tailored for different audiences
- Highly developed influencing and negotiation skills
- Track record of leading, managing, and inspiring a team, encouraging innovation and improving ways of working
- Experience working at senior organisational levels and managing relationships with Directors, CEOs, and Boards
- The ability to demonstrate, understand, and apply Blue Cross’s values
Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
- Experience of fundraising for significant capital projects
- Knowledge of CRM systems and data management
How to apply
Click Apply to submit your application. Please note that applications may close early if we receive a high volume, so we encourage early submission.
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
We believe in a world where all pets enjoy a healthy and happy life with people who love them
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Job Title: Head of Major Giving - Trusts & Foundations and Individual Donors
Reporting to: Director of Fundraising and Development
Location of work: Home based. The post holder will be expected to travel to meet donors, travel to away days and team meetings in London. The role may involve some irregular travel throughout England and Scotland. Expenses will be paid in line with our Travel and Expenses policy.
Contract type: Ideally full-time, 35 hours per week, 28 hours or 35 hours compressed would be considered.
Contract Length: This is a fixed term contract starting ASAP for 12 months.
Salary: £48,500
Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Magic Breakfast is not able to offer visa sponsorship.
JOB PURPOSE
This is a unique opportunity to step into a pivotal leadership role during an exciting period of transformation at Magic Breakfast. As Head of Major Giving (Maternity Cover), you will shape and deliver our strategy for high-value income generation across philanthropy and trusts and foundations, while embedding a newly merged team and fostering a culture of one unified, high-performing team within Major Giving and more widely as part of Fundraising and Development.
You will lead a team of five people, line managing and working closely with two Major Giving Leads, empowering them and co-creating a Major Giving strategy that fully seizes the opportunities presented by our refreshed organisational strategy. You will also oversee a well-established Trusts and Foundations portfolio and a group of highly engaged individual donors, maintaining and growing these important relationships whilst helping to provide strategic and targeted support across pipeline development.
This role offers a chance to make a tangible difference by bringing together two recently merged teams, embedding new ways of working, and setting up structures for long-term success. You will have a dotted-line relationship with the Business Development Manager (Scotland), enabling you to ensure joined-up major giving approaches across the UK and unlock exciting opportunities in Scotland.
We are looking for a natural relationship-builder with a proven track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts, outstanding communication skills, and the ability to inspire donors, colleagues, and external stakeholders alike. As part of the Fundraising Leadership team, you will deputise for the Director of Fundraising and Development when needed and collaborate across the organisation to implement, monitor, and adapt our fundraising strategy, maximising the impact of major giving.
This is a rare chance to leave your mark on a highly visible and strategically important function, shaping a newly merged team, influencing our major giving strategy, and contributing to the long-term success of Magic Breakfast.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and deliver an integrated Major Giving strategy covering philanthropy and trusts & foundations with clear objectives and KPIs for income and performance and an embedded review, learn and continuously improve culture.
- Provide strong leadership across the Major Giving team, ensuring delegation and empowerment whilst also setting clear direction that helps to mitigate challenges and unlock and seize on opportunities.
- As part of the wider leadership team, play a key role in ensuring effective delivery of the fundraising strategy, organisational goals and our long-term strategic vision.
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Oversee a collaborative approach to prospect research and pipeline development to ensure a sustainable flow of opportunities, working with colleagues from across the wider department to leverage opportunities for referrals and pipeline development.
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Work across the organisation to package innovative and compelling projects for funding. Maintain a strong knowledge of the organisation strategy, business plan and opportunities for innovation, to identify and build compelling giving propositions, wish lists and a persuasive case for support including non-financial asks.
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Prepare phased budgets and reforecasts, identifying and recognising opportunities and risks to income in line with activity plans and progress.
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Work with finance and performance and relevant business leads to manage programme budgets and restrictions.
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Foster strong communication and collaboration with the Business Development Manager (Scotland), ensuring effective two-way sharing of insight, alignment on donor and funder relationships, and joined-up approaches to national and devolved opportunities.
WHAT WE OFFER
At Magic Breakfast we value our employees and work hard to develop offer a supportive, respectful culture which enables everyone to bring their whole self to work.
Please see our website for more infromation and our job pack
APPLICATION PROCCESS
Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @ magicbreakfast. com
Shortlisting - 12th - 14th January
Interview 1 - 19th OR 20th January
Interview 2 - 23rd January
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.
