Head of monitoring and evaluation jobs in Bristol

Arthritis Action is the UK charity giving hands-on, practical help to improve the quality of life of people affected by arthritis. We offer an integrated self-management approach, which looks at both the physical and mental health impact of living with arthritis. We support people living with musculoskeletal conditions through healthy eating advice, mental health resources, pain management techniques, Online Groups, employment support, and exercise advice and resources. 

We are looking for an experienced Volunteering Manager, based in the Midlands, to lead the development of an exciting new volunteering programme, helping us build a diverse, inclusive and engaged volunteer community that brings our strategy to life.

The Role

Home-Based in the Midlands with monthly travel to the London office (EC1V) 

The Volunteering Manager will lead the development, delivery and continuous improvement of volunteering within Arthritis Action. This is a new role responsible for ensuring that more people affected by arthritis across the country receive high-quality, evidence-based support and have meaningful opportunities to connect, participate and influence our work.

The postholder will oversee our volunteering activity, in turn enabling volunteers to extend our reach, strengthen communities and increase our impact across the region. The postholder will work closely with the Head of Services and Engagement to develop the relevant polices and strategies whilst also thinking about recruitment, onboarding, training and retention. 

Key Responsibilities

Volunteering Development 

• Develop a strong understanding of the volunteer journey, using insight, feedback and data to identify opportunities to improve engagement, satisfaction, retention and outcomes.

• Develop approaches to ensure volunteers can increase engagement amongst diverse and underserved communities. 

• Implement effective monitoring and evaluation processes to demonstrate impact. 

• Work with colleagues to identify opportunities to link volunteering and donor journeys.

• Establish effective onboarding, recruitment, training and retention processes. 

• Update existing volunteering policies and strategy documents to bring them in line with practice for 2026 and beyond. 

• Work alongside the CEO to support and develop our new Clinical Advisory Panel.

Engagement Building

• Develop and implement an engagement approach that strengthens relationships with existing and potential volunteers.

• Create meaningful opportunities for people with lived experience to volunteer with Arthritis Action.

• Work collaboratively with Communications and Fundraising colleagues to maximise awareness and impact. 

• Build relationships with community partners and relevant external organisations to build the volunteering network. 

Volunteering Strategy and Development

• Develop Arthritis Action’s volunteer strategy with support from the Head of Services and Engagement, creating a sustainable model that supports organisational priorities. 

• With support from the Head of Services and Engagement, establish appropriate volunteer policies, processes, safeguarding arrangements and systems. 

• Work alongside staff to create volunteer led services.

Line Management

• Act as the first point of contact for volunteers. 

• Responsibility for volunteers supporting the charity.

Data, Insight and Impact

• Use data, feedback and evaluation to understand the effectiveness and impact of our volunteering programme, identify opportunities for improvement, and enhance the experience and contribution of our volunteers.

• Report meaningful KPIs for volunteering and engagement, using the CRM.

Person Specification

 Essential

 Experience

• Experience of developing and establishing volunteering and volunteer led services within a charity, healthcare or related environment.
• Experience of developing and improving volunteering based on evidence, insight and user needs.
• Experience of engaging diverse communities, members, service users or people with lived experiences through volunteer led services and volunteering.
• Experience of developing partnerships and collaborative approaches.

Skills and Knowledge

•  Excellent oral and written communication skills including the ability to write in Plain English.
•  Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
•  Strong understanding of inclusion, accessibility and reducing health inequalities.
• Ability to use insight, data and evaluation to improve impact.

Attributes

•  An understanding of, and commitment to, Arthritis Action’s vision, mission, equal opportunities and diversity.
• A self-starter able to work on own initiative where required.
• Values-driven, collaborative and inclusive professional.
• Empathetic and committed to ensuring people’s voices shape services.
• Able and willing to travel within the Midlands.

Desirable

• Experience of supporting people with long-term conditions.
• Experience using CRM systems and digital platforms to improve engagement.

How to apply

Applications should be in the form of a CV with a covering letter explaining your interest in and suitability for the role. Please provide both email and telephone contact information for yourself.Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. 

Applications should be received by 11:59pm on Thursday 17th September 2026 at the latest.

First-round interviews will take place by Zoom on Tuesday 22nd September 2026. Second-round interviews will take place in the London office on Monday 28th September 2026.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert ahead of the deadline should we receive a sufficient number of applications.

Arthritis Action is an equal opportunities employer. We treat employees and job applicants in the same way regardless of age, disability, marital status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion or belief

About the role

As Head of Research and Evaluation, you will be responsible for the development and delivery of our research and evaluation strategies. This work will help us to understand and provide insight into the challenges and difficulties faced by families with disabled children, the quality of services we provide and the difference our support makes for the families we serve.

You will ensure that the voice of families is at the centre of our research and evaluation approach to help shape existing and new programmes and services, and our policy and public affairs work.

If you join us, you’ll be:

• Leading the continued development and implementation of Family Fund’s research and evaluation strategies.
• Developing and overseeing our evaluation and service quality frameworks, including our Theory of Change outcomes measurement framework.
• Championing the ‘voice of families’, embedding their lived experience at the heart of our research.
• Managing and delivering high-quality research and evaluation projects/initiatives.
• Producing accessible, engaging, and impactful research outputs for a variety of audiences.
• Promoting the use of innovative and participatory research methodologies.
• Presenting and disseminating research findings internally and externally, including at events, conferences, and through publications.
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and representing Family Fund in strategic research partnerships, networks, and advisory forums.
• Commissioning external research and evaluation where appropriate, ensuring quality, value for money.
• Maintaining oversight of the team’s input to government/ funder reporting, ensuring timely and accurate submissions aligned to contractual and organisational requirements.
• Providing visible, hands-on leadership and line management to the Research and Evaluation Team.

About you

For this role you will need to have experience in developing and managing research and evaluation strategies, frameworks, activities and production of subsequent products. You will also need to have experience of working in partnership with other organisations, and of resource and budget management.

To be successful in this role, you will need excellent analytical skills as well as sound knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methodology and best practice through the research cycle. You will need to have good writing skills and an ability to communicate effectively with different audiences. You will also need to have the ability to interpret and present research in an accessible and engaging way.

You will be a self and team motivator with excellent communication skills, and the ability to develop and sustain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders. You will be pro-active and driven to succeed.  

About us

Family Fund is a great place to work for great people. We provide a challenging and rewarding working environment where every staff member can make their mark.

We are a values based organisation and we aim to show our values in all that we do. Read our staff stories here, and see how our staff display our values every day.

We commit to inclusion, equity and diversity and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. Family Fund is a Disability Confident Leader. We will invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the requirements for the role. If you have a disability, and are happy to let us know, please highlight this in your covering letter. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant and we welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community.

How to apply

Please read and download the job description. 

When you’re ready to apply, complete the online application and submit a CV and a covering letter.  Your letter will need to explain what skills and qualities you would bring to the team. 

Please note that the successful candidate will be required to complete pre-employment checks that meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard.  This includes a right-to-work check, a basic check for unspent criminal convictions, and an employment history verification for the last three years.

Shape the future of Fréa – a unique partnership of three Irish charities working together to create greater impact.

We’re looking for an ambitious, creative fundraiser to build on a strong foundation and develop Fréa’s next generation of income and partnerships.

Fréa brings together three established Irish charities with a shared commitment to supporting Irish communities across the North of England. We believe that, by working together, we can achieve more than any of us can alone.

We are now looking for an exceptional Head of Fundraising and Development to help us realise that ambition.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraiser who enjoys building relationships, spotting opportunities and turning ideas into sustainable income. You will have the freedom to shape Fréa’s fundraising approach, develop new partnerships and funding streams, and help establish the partnership as an increasingly influential and sustainable organisation.

You will build on a strong platform already created by Fréa’s existing fundraising work, while bringing fresh thinking and new energy to its next stage of development. You will work closely with senior colleagues and Boards across the three partner charities, developing compelling propositions and identifying opportunities where Fréa can achieve more by working collectively.

Importantly, this is collaborative fundraising, not competitive fundraising. Fréa’s role is to complement and add value to the excellent fundraising already undertaken by its three partners. You will need the judgement to recognise when an opportunity is best pursued by Fréa, by an individual partner, or jointly – always respecting existing relationships with funders, donors and corporate partners.

We are looking for someone who combines fundraising expertise with relationship-building, creativity and excellent partnership skills. You will be comfortable working strategically while also getting stuck into the practical business of developing networks and events, cultivating relationships and securing income.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the fundraising direction of an emerging partnership with an established history, a strong network and significant potential for growth.

If you are excited by the idea of building something collaboratively, creating new opportunities and helping three organisations achieve greater impact together, we would love to hear from you.

If you would like an informal chat about the role please contact any of the Fréa Trustees: Ant Hanlon Chief Executive at Leeds Irish Health and Homes, Breege McDaid, Director at Irish Community Care or Patrick Morrison, Chief Executive at Irish Community Care Manchester.

Help us shape the future of community funding across the West of England

Quartet Community Foundation is looking for an experienced, collaborative and forward-thinking Head of Programmes to lead our grant-making and programmes work across Bristol, Bath & North-East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

This is an exciting time to join Quartet. We recently launched our new three-year strategy 2026-9, containing ambitious plans to increase our impact through grant giving, strengthen our understanding of local communities and raise the profile of place-based giving. The strategy outlines how we aim to diversify and strengthen our donor base, driving increasing philanthropic giving, so that we can distribute £6.5 million in grants annually by 2029. As Head of Programmes, you will play a key role in turning that ambition into action.

You will lead and develop our grant-making programmes, ensuring they are informed by community need, insight and evidence and reflect best practice in equitable and accessible funding. You will work closely with local communities, voluntary and community organisations, funders and partners to understand emerging needs and identify opportunities for collaboration and innovation.  You will be able to administer funds directed by local authorities and other partners to their specification, bringing a high quality service and repeat “business” to our revenue funding through high quality grant assessment and distribution.

You will also manage and support our experienced Programmes Team, three direct reports, ensuring an environment where they can develop, perform at their best and embody a culture of continual improvement (please see attached staff plan).

We are seeking an ambitious and motivated Head of Research to oversee the delivery of our research funding programme. You will ensure our funding is delivered strategically with the greatest impact possible for people affected by MND. You will manage our research team to oversee the development and delivery of effective funding schemes, partnerships and initiatives, whilst ensuring the outputs of our research are monitored and evaluated, to communicate our impact and inform our future activities.

This is a key role in our small, agile organisation that will involve close working across the charity, and the research community. We are looking for someone with strong experience in research and people management, working experience in drug discovery, with excellent communication skills and strong motivation to make a difference for people affected by MND. 

Team Structure: 

You will report to the Director of Research and manage a team of four: three Research Programme Managers and a Research Officer. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Have day-to-day responsibility for distribution of the charity’s research funding, developing detailed annual plans and delivering against time and budget; 

• Be responsible for overseeing governance and compliance for all research funding activities, including adherence to standards set by the Association of Medical Research Charities; 

• Identify opportunities for improvements to grant management systems, processes and documentation and work closely with the research team to ensure they are implemented; 

• Maintain oversight of the research programme budget, working closely with the research and finance teams to plan, monitor and forecast; 

• Oversee the development and implementation of new funding schemes and research initiatives to ensure our funds are delivered for maximum impact and address gaps in the research landscape; 

• Oversee the setup and delivery of large collaborative research programmes including managing relationships with joint funders and other partner organisations; 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with the research community, including members of our review committees and grant holders; 

• Oversee the development and implementation of a robust impact evaluation framework to monitor, report and evaluate the impact of the research we fund and use this information to inform our future funding activities; 

• Ensure the outputs of our research funding activities inform the work of the charity, working with the research and communication teams to create and disseminate compelling and engaging scientific content to engage supporters and drive income; 

• Maintain a strong understanding of the MND research landscape, using those insights to inform our research activities; 

• Develop a high performing team, ensuring team members are supported and developed to contribute to their full potential in the achievement of the charity’s aims; 

• Oversee the delivery of research events e.g. annual meetings to bring together our researchers; 

• Support the development and implementation of future research strategies, working closely with the Director of Research; 

• Represent the Foundation at external meetings including international conferences; 

• Deputise for the Director of Research as required; 

• Undertake other appropriate work as required by the Director of Research. 

Skills and experience required: 

• Educated to postgraduate level, or with similar experience in a relevant biomedical science subject e.g. biochemistry, molecular sciences, neuroscience, pharmacology; 

• Working experience of drug discovery, gained either in the bio-pharmaceutical industry or an academic setting; 

• Significant experience in research management, ideally within a charity or government funding organisation; 

• Proven leadership and people management skills with direct line management experience; 

• The ability to think strategically, navigate uncertainty and adapt to evolving environments; 

• A great communicator, with excellent written and oral skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders; 

• Motivated to make a real difference for those living with MND and future generations. 

Please note, this role involves occasional overnight stays from home, occasional international travel and occasional attendance at meetings and events during evenings and weekends. Candidates must have the existing right to work in the UK.

Hours: 30–35 hours per week
Location: Home-based*
Reporting to: CEO

*This is a home-based role. However, the successful candidate will need to be based within reasonable travelling distance of London and our programme activity, with the ability to travel to meetings and visits within a day where required. We therefore anticipate that applicants based in Scotland, Ireland, West Wales or the far South West may find the role impractical.

This position is being re-advertised; previous candidates need not apply.

Be part of a mission that's transforming children's futures through food, farming and the countryside

For more than 45 years, The Country Trust has been connecting children from the UK's most disadvantaged communities with the land that sustains us all. Through inspiring farm visits, food education and countryside experiences, we've already reached more than 600,000 children, and we're just getting started.

We're entering an exciting new chapter as we develop our next organisational strategy, and we're looking for an experienced fundraising leader to help shape our future.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious and strategic fundraiser to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead the next phase of our income growth, enabling even more children to benefit from our life-changing programmes.

About the role

As Head of Fundraising, you'll provide strategic leadership across all fundraising activity while remaining hands-on in securing major income and developing key relationships.

You'll lead a dedicated fundraising team, drive innovation, strengthen fundraising systems and processes, and develop a sustainable fundraising strategy that diversifies income across:

• Trusts and foundations
• Corporate partnerships
• Major donors
• Individual giving
• Legacies
• Gaming and Streaming for Good
• Emerging fundraising opportunities

Working closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, Digital and IT colleagues, you'll help embed new fundraising systems, champion data-driven decision making and ensure fundraising excellence across the organisation.

About you

We're looking for an inspiring fundraising leader who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery.

You'll bring:

• Significant senior-level fundraising leadership experience
• A proven track record of securing substantial income across multiple fundraising streams
• Experience developing and delivering fundraising strategies that drive sustainable growth
• Strong leadership skills with experience developing high-performing teams
• Excellent relationship-building, communication and influencing skills
• Financial and commercial awareness, including budgeting and forecasting
• Knowledge of fundraising regulation, GDPR and fundraising best practice
• A passion for improving opportunities for disadvantaged children

Experience developing new income streams, digital fundraising and CRM systems would be particularly valuable.

Why join us?

At The Country Trust, you'll be joining an ambitious charity where collaboration, learning and innovation are at the heart of everything we do.

We offer:

• Flexible working
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (FTE)
• Workplace pension
• Homeworking allowance
• Mileage and agreed travel expenses
• A supportive, values-led culture
• The opportunity to shape our future strategy and make a lasting difference to children's lives

We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Key dates
Closing date: 11:59pm, Sunday 13th September
Interviews from: Monday 21st September
 

The Country Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

Head of Fundraising – Oasis Hub Waterloo

Salary: £46,403–£52,420 per annum
Location: Waterloo, London SE1
Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Contract: Permanent

Oasis Hub Waterloo is looking for an experienced and ambitious fundraiser to lead the next chapter of our fundraising journey.

For over 20 years we’ve been serving our local community through an integrated model that brings together education, community services and church. Every week we support children, young people and families through our schools, Foodbank, debt, welfare, housing and immigration advice, youth work, mentoring, community spaces and much more. Our vision is for community: where everyone is included, making a contribution and reaching their God-given potential.

As our new Head of Fundraising, you’ll play a key role in making that vision possible.

You’ll develop and deliver a sustainable fundraising strategy, building income across trusts and foundations, major donors, corporate partnerships, statutory funding, community fundraising and individual giving. You’ll also lead and develop a small fundraising team and work closely with colleagues across the organisation to maximise opportunities for support.

You'll be joining us at a pivotal moment in the organisation, as we seek to embed a sustainable income generation strategy, ensuring we can sustainably meet and grow our £1.3 million budget. This is a strategic leadership role with plenty of hands-on fundraising.

We’re looking for someone who has:

· A successful track record in senior fundraising, particularly securing significant trust and foundation funding.

· Experience developing and delivering fundraising strategies that achieve sustainable income growth.

· Excellent relationship-building and communication skills.

· Experience managing staff.

· A passion for community transformation and social justice.

In return, you’ll join a values-driven organisation genuinely working to transform our community every day.

As part of the package, Oasis offers:

· A pension scheme, offering 7% employer contribution.

· A generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year (plus 8 Bank Holidays).

· Policies which promote wellbeing and are family friendly.

To apply: Please send a CV, alongside the completed application questions by email  - incomplete applications will not be considered. Please visit the Oasis Charity Jobs website for further information.

Closing date:  9am  14th September 2026

Interview date: To be confirmed, in-person, at Oasis Waterloo

We appreciate you may wish to use AI to support elements of your application but we strongly encourage all candidates to submit applications that genuinely reflect their own skills, achievements and lived experiences. It's what makes your application stand out!

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers, please let us know.

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from Oasis' Christ-centered ethos.

Oasis is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. The successful candidate will be subject to appropriate safeguarding checks.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1163889

Change how the UK understands and supports bereaved children and families.

This is an exciting time to join Child Bereavement UK.

We are establishing a brand-new Research & Policy function and are looking for an ambitious Public Affairs Lead to help ensure the voices of bereaved children, young people and parents shape policy, practice and public understanding across the UK.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Research, you will develop and deliver Child Bereavement UK's public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity, building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians and sector leaders to drive meaningful change.

You will act as the bridge between research, lived experience and influence, translating evidence into compelling advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement opportunities and policy recommendations that make a difference.

This is a rare opportunity to help build a new function, shape our national influence, and ensure the experiences of bereaved children, young people and families are heard where it matters most.

While based remotely, this role has a strong external focus and requires regular travel to London to represent Child Bereavement UK, build key relationships and engage with policymakers, partners and sector networks.

Role Purpose

As Public Affairs Lead you will play a central role in ensuring the voices and experiences of bereaved children, young people, parents and families influence policy, practice and public understanding across the UK.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Research, you will develop and deliver Child Bereavement UK's public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity, building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, sector partners and influencers to drive meaningful change.

You will act as the bridge between research, policy and communications, helping to translate evidence and lived experience into compelling advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement opportunities and influencing activity.

Main Responsibilities

 Public Affairs & Policy Influence

· Develop and deliver public affairs plans that support Child Bereavement UK's strategic priorities and policy objectives.

· Use research, evaluation findings and lived experience evidence to identify policy gaps, develop influencing priorities and shape recommendations for decision-makers.

· Translate organisational evidence into clear policy asks and reform proposals for government, parliamentarians, public bodies and sector leaders.

· Identify opportunities to embed evidence and learning within national, regional and local policy frameworks, guidance and professional practice.

· Support the development of long-term influencing strategies that drive systemic change for bereaved children, young people and families.

· Build and maintain relationships with MPs, Peers, government officials, policymakers and key sector stakeholders.

· Coordinate engagement with relevant All-Party Parliamentary Groups, consultations, inquiries and policy forums.

· Support the development of policy briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions.

· Organise parliamentary events, stakeholder roundtables and engagement opportunities that raise awareness of bereavement issues.

· Work with the Head of Voice & Participation to ensure the voices of bereaved children, young people and parents bereaved of a baby or child are represented at all stages of policy development.

Advocacy & Campaigns

· Lead the delivery of advocacy and influencing campaigns aligned to organisational priorities.

· Ensure advocacy campaigns are grounded in robust evidence, insight and lived experience, with clear objectives for policy and practice change.

· Work with the Head of Policy & Research to translate research findings into actionable policy recommendations.

· Develop stakeholder engagement plans that support campaign objectives.

· Build relationships with partner organisations, coalitions and networks to strengthen collective influence.

· Develop compelling narratives that connect research findings with real-world outcomes and policy solutions.

· Work with colleagues to identify tangible actions that policymakers, practitioners, employers, schools and communities can take in response to emerging evidence.

Stakeholder Engagement

· Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and engagement plans.

· Build productive relationships with sector leaders, professional bodies, charities, academics and decision-makers.

· Coordinate engagement with strategic partners and external networks.

· Support senior leaders in stakeholder engagement activity through briefings, meeting preparation and follow-up actions.

Research Translation & Communications

· Develop evidence-informed policy asks, implementation recommendations and calls to action that support measurable change.

· Identify opportunities to move research and insight beyond publication and into policy development, service improvement and public discourse.

· Translate research, evidence and lived experience into compelling stakeholder communications.

· Produce parliamentary briefings, policy summaries, position statements and advocacy materials.

· Work closely with the Marketing & Communications team to ensure policy and research activity is effectively communicated to external audiences.

· Collaborate with the PR & Press Lead to identify opportunities to amplify policy and research messages through media and public engagement activity.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Insight

· Monitor and evaluate public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity.

· Track policy developments, stakeholder engagement outcomes and influencing opportunities.

· Produce reports demonstrating impact, engagement and progress against objectives.

· Maintain stakeholder databases and records to support organisational relationship management.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience & Knowledge

· Significant experience in public affairs, policy, advocacy, campaigns or stakeholder engagement.

· Experience building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, public sector organisations or influential stakeholders.

· Understanding of UK political systems, parliamentary processes and policy development.

· Experience developing and delivering influencing or advocacy campaigns.

· Experience producing briefings, consultation responses or policy-focused communications.

· Understanding of how evidence and lived experience can be used to influence decision-making.

Skills

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Strong relationship-building and influencing abilities.

· Ability to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively.

· Excellent organisational and project management skills.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

· Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.

Personal Attributes

· Passionate about improving outcomes for bereaved children, young people and parents bereaved of a baby or child.

· Collaborative and relationship-focused.

· Compassionate and emotionally intelligent.

· Proactive, resilient and self-motivated.

· Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and trauma-informed practice.

Desirable

· Passionate about improving outcomes for bereaved children, young people and parents

· Experience within the charity, health, social care or education sectors.

· Knowledge of bereavement, grief, loss or trauma-informed services.

· Experience working with All-Party Parliamentary Groups or parliamentary engagement activity.

· Experience working with research and evidence-based policy development.

· Experience working with lived-experience contributors and ambassadors.

· Understanding of campaigning, coalition building and systems change approach

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 17th September 2026 at midnight

Interview dates: 29th and 30th September on MS Teams

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications for the role before the closing date.

Head of Public Fundraising & Engagement (9-Month Maternity Cover)

Location:

Remote with some travelling needs to Leatherhead and Redhill, Surrey and other areas related to Fundraising Team activities

Salary:

£55,000 per annum plus SeeAbility benefits

Hours:

Full time, 37.5 hours per week

Contract:

Fixed Term, 9 Month (Maternity Cover)

Join us in transforming lives

SeeAbility is a specialist charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss to live ambitious, fulfilling lives. We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Public Fundraising & Engagement to join us on a 9-month maternity cover contract.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an accomplished fundraising leader to step into a well-established role, providing strategic leadership to our public fundraising and engagement programme during an important period for the organisation.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director of Development, you will lead our public fundraising and supporter engagement activity, driving income growth across individual giving, community fundraising, events, challenges and supporter stewardship.

You will manage and motivate a talented team, ensuring delivery against ambitious income targets while continuing to build strong relationships with supporters, volunteers and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the delivery of SeeAbility's public fundraising and engagement strategy.
• Driving income growth and supporter retention across multiple fundraising streams.
• Developing innovative campaigns and supporter journeys.
• Leading, coaching and developing a high-performing team.
• Monitoring performance, budgets and fundraising KPIs.
• Working collaboratively across the organisation to maximise supporter engagement and impact.
• Ensuring fundraising activities remain compliant and aligned with best practice.

About You

We are looking for a confident and inspiring fundraising professional who can quickly build relationships, provide strong leadership and maintain momentum across a busy fundraising portfolio.

You will have:

• Significant experience in public fundraising, supporter engagement or individual giving.
• A proven track record of achieving income growth and fundraising targets.
• Experience managing and developing teams.
• Strong strategic and operational planning skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• A collaborative, proactive and solutions-focused approach.

Why Join SeeAbility?

At SeeAbility, you'll be joining a passionate and supportive team committed to making a real difference to people's lives. This is an opportunity to play a key leadership role, contribute immediately and help shape the future of our fundraising and engagement activities.

We offer:

• Flexible and hybrid working
• A supportive and inclusive culture
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact from day one

Apply Today

If you are an experienced fundraising leader looking for an exciting interim opportunity where you can make an immediate difference, we'd love to hear from you. Please see the Job Profile for extensive details about the role.

Join SeeAbility and help us create a world where people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss can achieve extraordinary things.

Safer Recruitment

SeeAbility is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support. All colleagues are expected to uphold this commitment.

Successful applicants will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including:

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (where appropriate)
• Identity, current address and right-to-work verification

• Health declaration to ensure that you are medically suitable for the role you have been offered

• Employment references relating to work with children or vulnerable adults

All checks are completed at SeeAbility’s expense before a start date is confirmed.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.

• We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences, including those with disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
• Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process.
• In exceptional circumstances, a genuine occupational requirement may apply under the Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 9, Part 1)

For this role, gender is considered a genuine occupational requirement in accordance with Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010

Salary: £17,046.54 per annum (This is equivalent to a full-time effective salary of £28,410.90). We are an accredited member of the Living Wage Foundation.

Location: Unseen’s head office in Bristol with ad hoc UK travel (Hybrid approach with some working from home days. A degree of flexibility will be required). Please note this role requires the postholder to attend the Bristol office at least once a week.

Contract type: Permanent – This role is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund (funding secured until 2029).

Hours: Part-time – 22.5 hours per week (based on a full-time week of 37.5 hours). Hours to be worked Mon-Friday 9am-5pm, with a requirement to work on Wednesdays.

Kindly note, you must have lived experience of modern slavery to apply for this role. We also welcome applicants who have not been formally recognised as survivors by the Home Office.

Unseen is working towards a world without slavery. We provide safehouses and support in the community for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. We also run the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline and work with individuals, communities, businesses, governments, other charities, and statutory agencies to stamp out slavery for good. 

We draw on our expertise as a frontline organisation to produce evidenced strategies to protect survivors and eradicate exploitation. The Policy & Research team collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to identify good practice that informs our work and wider responses to modern slavery. Central to our work is the Unseen Survivor Consultants; lived experience experts who volunteer their time and insights to incorporate survivor voice into research design and policy recommendations.

Purpose of the role:

The Survivor Involvement Coordinator will support the continuous improvement of Unseen’s service delivery and support our research and policy influence work through the facilitation of the Unseen Survivor Consultant group.

You will work closely with Unseen’s Policy & Research team and have regular interactions with staff across Unseen’s wider teams including Business Services, Helpline Services, Support Services, Fundraising, Communications, and Operations. You will also support external researchers and stakeholders to collaborate with the Unseen Survivor Consultants.

To apply: 

• Please complete the application form attached. This includes a personal statement of 500 words outlining your suitability for the role, and;
• Please send a copy of your anonymised CV to jobs @ unseenuk. org with reference to the job title.

The deadline for applications is 23:59 on 20th September 2026.

Interviews will likely be held around the week of 28th September 2026.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive the requisite number of applications. For this reason, we encourage interested candidates to apply early.

As an organisation focused on equality and diversity, we welcome applications from all sections of the community and all backgrounds, including those with a lived experience of modern slavery, those from ethnic minority groups, those with disabilities and those from the LGBTQ+ community. 

 Any questions, please contact jobs @ unseenuk. org. 

About us

Community rail is a unique and growing grassroots movement made up of community rail partnerships, station volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives across Britain.

Together, these organisations and volunteers deliver a wide range of initiatives, from engaging young people and building confidence in rail travel, to improving accessibility, enhancing stations, supporting biodiversity projects and creating community spaces that bring people together.

Community Rail Network is the national membership and umbrella body for the community rail movement across England, Scotland and Wales. We empower, support and champion community-led partnerships and groups, helping them create social, environmental and economic value through their work.

Our team of 22 colleagues is based across Britain, working mainly from home while coming together regularly online and in person. We are a collaborative, values-led organisation, passionate about making a difference through community rail.

We believe in nurturing talent, supporting professional development and creating an environment where everyone can reach their potential while maintaining a healthy work–life balance.

About this role and your main responsibilities

We are looking for a compassionate, collaborative and creative leader to head up our work with members. Everyone on the team is here for our members, but you will lead the way in ensuring everything we do is driven by what members need, now and in the future, to help them develop, grow and thrive. You’ll also help ensure our members have a great experience whenever they are accessing our support and services.

As a member of the senior leadership team, you’ll actively contribute towards its collective work in driving organisational performance and success, including growing investment in our work so we can make an even bigger difference for our members and the communities they serve.

Please see the attached introduction from our Chief Executive and role profile for further information about the position, including its principal responsibilities and the experience, skills and attributes we are looking for.

Other information

The role will involve regular travel across England, Scotland and Wales to raise the organisation’s profile and engage with members, partners and key stakeholders.

There is flexibility on your location given the requirement to travel and that your office will be home-based. You will need to travel to in-person quarterly team meetings (usually in London or the north of England) and to Board meetings which alternate between online and London.

It is expected that travel will be by public transport and easy access to the rail network is therefore required to ensure journeys can be made sustainably. 

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of three months. 

Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Marketing Officer – Mass

Participation Fundraising

Directorate: Engagement & Fundraising

Team/Department: Supporter Led Fundraising

Date: August 20206

Context and Background

The NSPCC’s mission is to end cruelty to children by fighting for every childhood.

To carry out its charitable work the NSPCC relies on the fundraising support of

people across the UK for 90% of its income. Within Engagement and Fundraising

our aim is to provide maximum resources for the NSPCC, providing the best

possible supporter experience.

Mass Participation Fundraising is an important acquisition and income stream in

the NSPCC’s Engagement and Fundraising strategy, managing the delivery of a

portfolio of Third Party Events and Schools Fundraising products, as well as

stewarding supporters looking to do their own fundraising activity for the charity

(‘DIY’ fundraisers).

We are looking for a skilled Senior Marketing Officer, who will work across these

audience streams to coordinate marketing activity. This role will focus specifically

on marketing to mass audiences to reflect the breadth of audiences who take part

in Mass Participation Events. This includes parents, grandparents, professionals

who work with children, those with a personal connection to our charity, or simply

those who care deeply about children.

We are looking for a collaborative, enthusiastic marketing professional who has

experience delivering insights-driven marketing strategies that make an impact.

You’ll be a great communicator, able to build effective working relationships and

influence a range of stakeholders. You’ll be able to work independently and will

have a track record of successfully juggling multiple projects and competing

priorities to meet strict deadlines. You will also have experience working across

paid, owned and earned marketing channels.NSPCC

Job purpose

The role of the Senior Marketing Officer is to work with the Mass Participation

Team to coordinate and deliver the planning, execution and evaluation of events

fundraising marketing campaigns across all channels.

• Adopting a holistic view of all Mass Participation Team’s marketing to

ensure consistency, and will have a good understanding of how this fits with

the organisation’s strategic goals.

• Working with colleagues in the Mass Participation Team to strategically

manage the planning and coordination of events marketing across owned,

earned and paid channels, ensuring that all campaigns and activities are

integrated, informed, planned and evaluated, and that participation and

income targets are reached.

• Supporting stakeholder teams with strategic thinking during marketing

planning and delivery. This includes championing an audience-led

approach to ensure all communications targeted at mass audiences are

relevant and useful.

Key relationships - Internal

• Reports to the Associate Head of Mass Participation Fundraising

• Works closely with all members of the Mass Participation Team,

including sub-team managers and event fundraisers

• Works closely with other teams within the Engagement & Fundraising and

Brand and Marketing directorates to deliver integrated marketing plans.

Key relationships - External

• External media agency partner

• Freelance creatives – graphic designers, photographers, videographers.

EVERY CHILDHOOD IS WORTH FIGHTING FORNSPCC

Main duties and responsibilities

• Manage an integrated marketing approach across owned, earned and paid

channels to achieve participation targets and agreed KPIs, working closely with

event and product managers.

• To ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency of mass participation marketing

activity through application of best practice campaign management.

• To take ownership of paid media campaigns for mass audiences in partnership

with our media agency partner. Tasks include the planning and optimisation of

activity across channels like pay-per-click and paid social media advertising.

• Be thorough and agile about monitoring campaign results and evaluating

campaigns, using insight to make informed decisions and determine future

marketing plans.

• To support with content creation where appropriate – this could include

copywriting, creative briefing, webpage updates, email marketing and photoshoot

coordination.

• Regularly benchmark against external fundraising marketing activity, keeping

abreast of current and emerging brand and marketing knowledge and practice and

equipping the team with knowledge and skills as appropriate.

• To work closely with staff across other departments to ensure marketing plans are

integrated and audience-led, in line with the organisation’s Supporter Centricity

Programme.

• To develop and maintain internal and external stakeholder and supplier relationships,

identifying and incorporating best industry standards and establishing best practice.

• To provide financial administrative support to budget holders, planning, forecasting

and tracking spend, and processing invoices and placing orders, in line with NSPCC

policies and procedures.

Responsibilities for all Staff within the Income Generation Directorate

• A commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and

adults at risk.

• To be responsible for updating databases and supporter information systems on a

regular basis in line with Data Protection legislation and NSPCC policy and

procedures to ensure all records are up-to-date and accurate.

• To actively participate in regular department and team meetings, contributing to

strategy, discussions and decisions which will be beneficial to the NSPCC's

development of fundraising activities.

• To maintain an awareness of own and others' Health and Safety and comply with the

NSPCC's Health and Safety policy and procedures.

• To take personal responsibility for keeping up to date with NSPCC work to end cruelty

to children, including securing updates on project and service developments and

general NSPCC news and also ensuring that the fundraising teams do likewise.

EVERY CHILDHOOD IS WORTH FIGHTING FORNSPCC

Person specification

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Proven experience delivering complex, multi-channel marketing

campaigns from planning through to delivery and evaluation, ideally in the

charity, not-for-profit or public sector

Highly developed written and verbal communication skills to deliver ideas

and activity updates to a range of stakeholders, and audiences, in a clear,

inspiring and confident way.

Well-developed ability to build, manage and develop relationships with

internal and external stakeholders in order to achieve and influence

project outcomes

Knowledge of digital and offline engagement and marketing techniques,

including digital media, social media, content marketing, email marketing

and paid advertising.

Excellent understanding of and empathy with the motivations of

supporters, and experience of working with clearly defined audience

segments.

Excellent understanding of recruitment and retention marketing

techniques, in order to achieve ambitious participation targets.

Well-developed numeracy skills to facilitate recording, interpreting,

analysing and presenting performance data to a range of stakeholders,

including those without a strong foundation of marketing knowledge.

Passionate about audience-led marketing that improves supporter

experience, with a personal commitment to the NSPCC’s values and

safeguarding principles.

Ability to plan and manage your own work, identifying conflicting demands

and establishing clear priorities to meet agreed objectives with a

willingness to work flexibly.

Proven ability of demonstrating initiative and creativity to achieve desired

outcomes.

EVERY CHILDHOOD IS WORTH FIGHTING FORNSPCC

Safer Recruitment

As an organisation, we are committed to creating and fostering a culture that promotes

safeguarding and the welfare of all children and adults at risk.

Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and thorough

process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates

to ensure that all persons appointed are suitable to work with our children and adults.

The recruitment and selection of our people will be conducted in a professional, timely and

responsive manner and in compliance with current employment legislation, and relevant

safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.

Our principles:

• Always seek to recruit the best candidate for the role based on merit including their

skills, experience, motivation and competencies. Our robust recruitment and

• selection process should ensure the identification of the person best suited to the role

and the organisation.

• Committed to diversity and equality of opportunity and will interview all applicants

(internal and external) who self-declare at application as having a disability and who

• meet the minimum requirements in the person specification of the vacancy they are

applying for.

• We will make reasonable adjustments at all stages of the recruitment process in order

to enable successful candidates who declare disabilities to start working or

• volunteering their time with us.

• Any current member of staff or volunteer who wishes to apply for vacancies and is

suitably qualified will be considered and addressed fairly and objectively based on

their merit.

• As an organisation committed to safeguarding, we will ensure all under 18's joining the

organisation will have ongoing risk assessments to ensure their role and

• activities are safe and appropriate.

• All documentation relating to candidates will be treated confidentially in accordance

with the GDPR legislation.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced relationship fundraiser to join Kids and play a key role in growing our philanthropic income. If you are passionate about building meaningful donor relationships and creating lasting impact for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), we'd love to hear from you.

Philanthropy and Relationships Manager

Location: Home-based with regular travel for face-to-face meetings
Hours: 36 hours per week (flexible working arrangements can be discussed at interview)
Salary: £35,000 per annum

About the Role

We're looking for an ambitious and motivated Philanthropy and Relationships Manager to lead the development of our major donor programme. Building on recent strategic recommendations, you will develop and deliver a sustainable fundraising programme that grows support from mid-level and major donors.

Working closely with the Head of Fundraising and colleagues across the organisation, you will identify, cultivate and steward high-value supporters, creating compelling opportunities for them to invest in Kids' mission. You will play a vital role in securing significant gifts and developing long-term partnerships that help children and young people with SEND achieve their full potential.

This role offers the opportunity to shape and grow a portfolio of supporters while helping to create a culture of philanthropy across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement a measurable strategy for philanthropic growth.
• Work closely with the Head of Fundraising to strengthen and embed a culture of philanthropy across Kids.
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify, cultivate and solicit major donor prospects.
• Provide guidance and support to colleagues on donor engagement and relationship management.

Relationship Management

• Build, manage and strengthen relationships with existing supporters.
• Understand donor motivations and create tailored engagement plans that inspire long-term support.
• Represent Kids at networking and cultivation events, building visibility and awareness of our work.
• Work collaboratively with service delivery teams to demonstrate the impact of donor support.

Prospect Development

• Manage and grow a mid-level giving programme.
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective donors through research, identification and outreach.
• Build and manage a portfolio of mid-level and major donor prospects.
• Work with the Events Manager to deliver engaging donor cultivation events.

Income Generation and CRM Management

• Take ownership of individual income targets and contribute to wider fundraising goals.
• Manage donor pipelines, forecasting and reporting through Donorfy CRM.
• Monitor performance and identify opportunities to maximise income growth.

Donor Communications

• Develop compelling cases for support and impact reports.
• Create personalised communications and proposals that align with donors' interests and motivations.
• Deliver a high-quality donor experience that encourages long-term engagement and investment.

About You

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Proven success in networking and relationship building that has resulted in financial support.
• Experience securing new gifts and developing new donor relationships.
• A strong track record of building and managing fundraising pipelines and supporter portfolios.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage high-value supporters.
• Experience using CRM systems and data to manage donor relationships, forecasting and reporting.
• Strong budgeting and financial forecasting skills.
• Experience researching and identifying prospective donors.
• Confidence engaging and influencing senior stakeholders, including CEOs, trustees and decision-makers.
• The initiative and resilience to build new relationships from the ground up.
• A genuine passion for improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and their families.
• An understanding of the policy and influencing landscape affecting children and young people with SEND.

Why Join Kids?

At Kids, you'll be part of a dedicated team committed to creating brighter futures for disabled children, young people and their families. This is an exciting opportunity to shape a growing philanthropy programme, develop meaningful supporter relationships and secure transformational gifts that make a lasting difference.

Apply today and help us create life-changing opportunities for children and young people with SEND.

For further details about the role, responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the full Job Description attached.

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close this vacancy ahead of the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of suitable applications

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.