Head of hospice fundraising jobs in Birmingham

Acorns Children’s Hospice provides specialist care and support for babies, children and young people who are life limited or life threatened. Supporting over 750 children and nearly 1,000 families annually, Acorns is a vital lifeline for families across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire during unimaginably difficult times.

Philanthropy is a core pillar of Acorns income strategy, delivering transformational income through Major Donors, high-level Family Trusts and Foundations, alongside their Celebrity Ambassador Programme.

Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, the role will be responsible for securing gifts from high-net-worth-individuals and family foundations. Contributing to a team income target of £1.5m, you will drive the stewardship of existing relationships and cultivation of new prospects, building a robust pipeline of future supporters.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a charity with a clear fundraising strategy, ambitious future appeals and a compelling case for support. Working closely with senior leaders, trustees and ambassadors, the successful candidate will help inspire transformational investment in Acorns’ work while representing the organisation with professionalism, warmth and credibility.

Working arrangements: Hybrid, 2 days per week at preferred location (Birmingham, Worcester or Walsall)

As Philanthropy Manager, you will:

• Report to the Head of Philanthropy and manage a portfolio of existing (4- to 6-figure) and prospective major donors and family foundations, taking time to understand their motivations, interests and capacity to give
• Support a team major giving income target of c.£1.5m through securing five- and six-figure donations and multi-year commitments
• Shape and drive new business activity to secure new high-value prospects and strengthen the philanthropy pipeline
• Leverage networks across trustees, senior leadership and ambassadors
• Develop compelling, high-quality proposals, cases for support and tailored communications that clearly articulate Acorns’ impact and funding priorities
• Deliver an exceptional donor experience and stewardship journey, ensuring supporters feel valued, informed and inspired
• Feed into pipelines, budgets and forecasts, providing regular reporting on activity, performance against targets and KPIs
• Work collaboratively across Fundraising and the wider organisation to maximise philanthropic opportunities and supporter engagement

Essential skills and experience:

• Major donor fundraising experience is necessary to be considered for this role, with a track record of managing the full donor journey from research and identification through cultivation, solicitation and long-term stewardship
• Track record of personally securing 5-figure gifts, including some from self-generated prospects and new donor relationships
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to establish credibility and rapport with HNWIs and senior internal and external stakeholders
• Experience of developing and managing donor pipelines and maintaining accurate prospect plans
• Experience of writing compelling funding proposals and impact reports
• Ability to travel independently across the Acorns region
• A proactive, self-motivated and organised approach, with the confidence to represent Acorns externally and engage effectively with senior stakeholders

Desirable, but not essential:

• Experience of securing six-figure gifts from major donors and/or family foundations through relationship-led fundraising rather than application-led approaches
• Strong track record of identifying, cultivating and converting prospective donors, with experience building and developing major donor pipelines
• Experience of working with, managing or developing celebrity ambassador relationships and engagement programmes

Employee benefits include:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 5 days holiday buyback scheme
• 5% employer pension contribution
• Life assurance scheme (2 x annual salary)
• Retail discounts (including the Blue Light card)
• Discounted gym membership