Head of humanitarian technical and partner support jobs

NRC UK was established in 2020 with the main objective of strengthening the profile, outreach, and impact of the Norwegian Refugee Council as a humanitarian organisation in the United Kingdom. We work to leverage relationships with UK foundations, corporates and private philanthropists to secure funding that enables NRC to deliver its mission and improve the lives of people displaced by conflict.  We also work to influence stakeholders and partners in the UK in order to influence their humanitarian policies and practices.

You are likely to be in the early stages of your career, interested and experienced in humanitarian work and ready to lend your hands-on organisational and administrative skills to to enable the advocacy and fundraising work of the UK Director, the Private Partnerships Special Adviser and the rest of the core team based in the London office.

You will bring enthusiasm and ability to work confidently and independently with guidance and supervision on a range of external-facing administrative tasks including communications, relationship management, note-taking and record-keeping, desk research & analysis and event organisation.

These tasks and responsibilities will support NRC UK in the implementation of our strategy and action plans on private fundraising and external engagement and will also provide support to the Director in delegated areas on a full range of activities in the UK including advocacy, institutional funding, strategic partnerships, compliance and office management.

Please note this role is offered at 80% of FTE (4 days per week).

Responsibilities

1. Support the Private Sector Partnerships Specialist Adviser (50%) and the UK Director (50%) to deliver on key tasks required in order to meet NRC UK’s private fundraising and broader objectives. 

2. Provide administrative support to the Specialist Adviser on tasks necessary to meet fundraising targets, including communications and relationship management, prospect research, due diligence, meeting and event organisation. 

3. Provide administrative support to the UK Director including communications, organising and attending both external and internal meetings and events, taking notes and minutes, research and analysis, document preparation and coordinating input into internal reports including the annual report. 

4. Provide additional ad-hoc administrative support to the NRC UK team as required. 

5. The Officer will be required to execute existing workplans and meet objectives and deadlines with oversight and support from Adviser and Director. 

Qualifications

• 3 years of progressive professional experience (preferably within the UK Third Sector) in business development, advocacy, fundraising and/or general administrative duties 
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Politics, Law, Communications, International Relations or a relevant field.  Equivalent experience will be accepted instead of qualifications. 
• Demonstrable experience in prospect research and ability to identify partnership opportunities based on criteria provided by NRC 
• Demonstrable interest in humanitarian issues, with clear understanding of ethical and principled humanitarian approaches. 
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal 
• Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK 

Salary: Up to £42,440 GBP gross per annual (dependent on experience)

Hours: Full-time

Duration: Permanent

Location: UK-Med Office, Manchester, UK with hybrid working (approximately 30% on-site)

Can you guide leaders through complex people challenges while strengthening HR compliance across a global organisation?

UK-Med is a frontline medical aid charity. Born of the NHS, we’ve been working for over 30 years towards a world where everyone has the healthcare they need when crises or disasters hit.

As UK-Med continues to grow and expand its global humanitarian response, we are strengthening our people practices to ensure they remain fair, consistent, and compliant across the countries where we operate. In this context, the Employee Relations & HR Compliance Manager will play a pivotal role in driving high standards of HR practice across the organisation.

You will lead on complex employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary and grievance cases, performance concerns, and organisational change processes. Acting as a trusted advisor to managers and leaders, you will ensure that people decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with UK employment law and international HR standards.

Alongside employee relations leadership, you will oversee HR compliance and governance processes, ensuring that employment practices, documentation, and HR record management meet legal, audit, donor, and organisational requirements across multiple countries. You will work closely with senior HR colleagues to maintain compliant policies, support safeguarding investigations where required, and strengthen HR systems and processes that support a growing international workforce.

This role will collaborate closely with the Director of People, Heads of HR, recruitment and payroll teams, providing expert advice and coaching to managers while promoting a culture of accountability, transparency, and respect.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional who thrives on solving complex people challenges, strengthening organisational governance, and supporting leaders in a fast-paced humanitarian environment. Your work will play a key role in ensuring UK-Med continues to operate as a fair, compliant, and people-centred organisation as we deliver life-saving healthcare to communities affected by crises.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits, a collaborative environment, and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference through humanitarian work. UK-Med is an ambitious and expanding organisation, and this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the organisation’s employee relations and compliance practices as we continue to grow

How to apply

We strongly recommend that you read the Candidate Information Pack – ER & HR Compliance Manager - March2026 before applying.

To apply, please complete the questions and submit your CV through our Online Jobs Portal as soon as possible.

Applications must be submitted no later than 30th March, 2026.

UK-Med is committed to safeguarding of our personnel and beneficiaries and has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and abuse. We conduct thorough vetting before any appointment is confirmed.

UK-Med is committed to the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive environment where employees feel respected and supported to be able to fulfil their potential.

The Vacancy

We are looking for an entrepreneurial and proactive Partnerships Manager with a strong instinct for business development and a track record of turning opportunities into significant funding partnerships. You will be energised by identifying new prospects, opening doors and building relationships with trusts, foundations and corporate partners. Creative and strategic in your approach, you will be comfortable shaping compelling propositions and developing confident high seven figure funding asks that resonate with large philanthropic donors.

You will also be a mature, thoughtful and kind manager who can lead and develop a high performing team. We are looking for someone who can set ambitious targets, encourage initiative and create an environment where colleagues feel trusted, motivated and able to grow, while playing a central role in expanding and diversifying a major global funding portfolio.

JOB PURPOSE

The Partnerships Manager will be a key position within the fundraising team, managing key private donors and co-leading on developing and implementing a new business strategy focused on significantly increasing trust and foundation and corporate funders.

They will also be working with SLT members to put together strategic seven and eight figure grants and strategic plans to engage large global donors to support Start Network programming.

The Resource Mobilisation team works collaboratively with those in programmes to manage internal and external relationships, adopting a coordinated approach when it comes to donor management and reporting.

The Partnerships Manager, together with the Head of Resource Mobilisation, will set and deliver a strategy that maximises trust and foundation and corporate funding and set a clear path to bring in new donors and increase income substantially over the coming three years. Currently the funding portfolio you will be managing is over £30million from 13+ global donors. This means this role is personally responsible for engaging and retaining 60% of our donors. This role will set a strategy to increase income according to targets, maximise donors plus retain all key strategic donors through robust engagement plans. Beyond this, the person in post will line manage three with scope for growth in 2026. 

Additionally, across 2026-2028 and beyond they will lead on the development of an employee engagement offering with our corporates and corporate foundations in order to create a new avenue of unrestricted funding. 

Beyond this, we expect this role, to lead on behalf of the resource mobilization team key global events, particularly Skoll / Marmalade and Shift the Power. In collaboration with the Institutional Funding Manager they will also plan our activities London and NY Climate Weeks. They will set the plans and strategy for the organization to engage with these events and work with Directors, CEO, Heads of, and coordinate cross organisational plans for this together with our Head of Advocacy and Influence. 

Finally, this role will act as a key point of contact for the communications and advocacy teams and will need to make sure donor requirement and visibility will be taken into account across teams projects and strategies. 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Increase new business from trusts and foundations and corporate funders

• Lead on the development of an innovative strategy together with the Head of Resource Mobilisation and Director of Business Development to identify and drive new business from trusts and foundations and corporates.
• Responsible for growing our funding from new geographical areas (focus on US and Asia) and sectors (Insurance) – and set a plan that will enable the diversification of our funding portfolio. 
• Oversee the development and implementation of an employee engagement offer in order to create a new avenue of unrestricted income and boost the interest of corporate donors.  
• Drive high quality prospecting of new potential funders across the organisation by working with and guiding heads of teams and the CEO strategically to engage with this task. 
• Oversee how the organisation engages strategically with large trusts and foundations and corporates (potential giving 7 and 8 figures).
• Co-lead on the planning of key global events with our external affairs team such as Climate Week (New York and London) and make sure we have a cross organisational strategic approach to these events. 
• Oversee the strategy to catalyse new relationships with middle sized trusts and foundations and corporates with a potential giving of 6 figures.
• Set a plan to attract more flexibility funding that can enable the organisation to catalyse key strategic projects that fall out of our programmes.
• Lead on developing positioning for corporate partnerships (insurance, finance, and tech industries), new areas of business for Start Network.
• Lead on the business planning process for the Trust and Foundations and Corporates Team.
• Manage large event budgets and make sure resources are used effectively.
• Work with programmes teams and colleagues to understand funding needs and develop creative ways to position and pitch areas of Start Network such as hubs, innovation etc.
• Work with programmes teams and finance team to drive and support the development of robust budgets and narrative proposals for large and medium sized asks.
• Attend and speak at key advocacy events, representing the resource mobilisation team as required, in order to meet donors and advocate for Start Network’s mission

Ensure high quality stewardship of current philanthropic donors

• Responsible for the overall stewardship of several high giving trusts and foundations (6, 7 & 8 figures).
• Oversee the development of quality reporting and updates for donors and make sure we have clear processes and systems for this to happen
• Responsible for making sure the resource mobilization team is creating informative and engaging updates across programmes for T&F and corporate donors.
• Work across teams to implement the insurance advisory group and make sure this group links back to resource mobilization strategies. 
• Work with heads of teams to develop an engaging agenda for the insurance advisory group, taking into account the function and work with finance team to ensure appropriate expenditure of grant. Oversee the development of complex donor budgets and make sure they are ready for CFOO and Director approval.
• Support grant management function and work with finance team to ensure appropriate expenditure of grants.
• Work closely with the communications team in order to set up a strategic comms plan that will enable the organisation to position itself as a trend setter in the humanitarian sector, particularly around our core areas of work. 

Influence externally

• Work with the Head of Resource Mobilisation and Director of Business Development to position Start Network strategically in global funding discussions.
• Engage key donors at strategic events and meetings.
• Work with the Head of Advocacy and External Affairs to coordinate advocacy messages for donors.
• Represent the organisation in key donor events globally, as required.
• Build knowledge and capacity within the organisation
• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children.
• A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach.
• The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture.

Line Management

• To carry out effective line management of a team, including recruiting and training direct reports and having an active role in building an inclusive team culture in line with our values
• Oversee and manage high performing team.
• Coach and mentor team members, as appropriate, enabling them to fulfil their potential.
• Mentor hubs and in country fundraising manager, sharing and catalysing foundation and corporate opportunities for hubs.
• Ensure the organisation builds its capacity around donors’ compliance and policies.
• Deputise for the Head of Resource Mobilisation where required.
• Ensure all staff members in the Trust and Foundation and Corporate team have relevant objectives, targets and other KPI’s.
• Lead by example, building the team’s confidence, supporting them as appropriate and being a positive influence across the organisation.
• Drive a positive culture of fundraising within the Resource Mobilisation team and across Start Network.

Start Network Culture

• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children 
• A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach 
• The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture. 

This role description is non-exhaustive and includes any other duties that may reasonably be required for the role. 

PERSON PROFILE

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• A well stablished fundraiser, with experience of developing relationships with a wide range of private funders (including 7-8 figure multi-year grants).
• A leader with management experience who can grow a team effectively.
• Good understanding the humanitarian sector  and key stakeholders and can represent Start Network accordingly in global external event.
• An experienced bid writer who can oversee the process of bids creation and can write them when required. 
• A person who is experienced in putting together multi million pound budgets, working across teams.
• An experience fundraiser who has managed large donors such as Gates, Hilton, IKEA.
• Experience in managing a £10m annual plus portfolio.
• Experience negotiating complex multi-million pound contracts.
• A confident speaker who can pitch and convince technical donors to fund our cause.
• A leader with experience in setting funding strategies and executing them
• Proactive and strong skills in business development, with experience of taking the lead on identifying and securing new funding opportunities.
• A creative eye, with skills and experience supporting and leading on the development and implementation of communications strategies for fundraising.
• An individual who is keen to be part of a smaller organisation, playing a significant role in furthering a collaborative fundraising culture, with the autonomy to try new approaches and build on existing relationships.
• A person who is target and output driven and is looking to set ambitious goals for themselves and the team and not afraid to try, fail and improve
• A fundraiser who enjoys working across complex proposals and donors requirements and is solutions focused

Desirable

• Experience in impact investment, insurance or blended finance 
• Masters in relevant subject such as international development, international relations, etc.
• Fluency in Spanish or French and other languages 

The Company

Start Network is made up of more than 90 non-governmental organisations across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to local and national NGOs. Our programmes allow members to deliver humanitarian action around the world.

Our mission is to create a new era of humanitarian action that will save even more lives. We aren’t driven by media headlines or political will, we’re here for the communities affected by and at risk of crises.

We are an organisation committed to doing things differently. For some roles, we need more technical humanitarian expertise, but for other roles, we are looking for relevant transferable skills, the right attitude, and a passion to bring change.