Head of philanthropy and trusts jobs

Head of Individual Giving

We’re looking for an experienced and creative Head of Individual Giving to lead and grow our individual giving programme.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you’ll shape and deliver our individual giving strategy, overseeing the recruitment, retention and development of individual supporters. You’ll lead on our major appeals, including an annual national campaign to Catholic parishes across the UK.

You’ll also play a key role in developing new fundraising products, optimising donor journeys, and ensuring our CRM and data systems support excellent stewardship and insight-driven decision making. This is a senior position with significant scope to shape the programme and make your mark.

About You

We’re looking for a confident and strategic fundraiser with a strong grasp of individual giving and a collaborative approach. You’ll bring:

• Proven experience delivering successful individual giving or direct marketing campaigns in the charity sector
• Strong skills in supporter stewardship and donor retention
• Experience of managing budgets, teams and external suppliers
• A creative, data-driven approach to growing income
• Excellent communication skills

We are seeking an exceptional, results-driven fundraising leader to spearhead major donor engagement and deliver an inspiring programme of high-profile fundraising events. This is a unique opportunity to help shape one of the UK’s most ambitious philanthropic programmes as we enter a defining period, including our landmark £200m Global Cancer Appeal, which will transform cancer treatment at our Chelsea site.

As Head of Philanthropy & Special Events, you will lead a high-performing team, cultivate enduring relationships with major supporters, and deliver compelling events that deepen engagement and inspire transformational giving. You will work closely with senior clinical leaders, Trustees, Appeal Board members and influential volunteers to ensure philanthropy continues to accelerate the pace and impact of our work.

What you’ll be doing:

- Lead a successful major gifts fundraising programme, developing and implementing strategies to secure significant six- and seven-figure gifts

- Work closely with colleagues to deliver the Charity’s £200m Chelsea Development Appeal.

- Personally cultivate and steward a portfolio of major donors and prospects, developing tailored solicitation strategies that inspire transformational giving.

- Build strong, effective relationships with senior volunteers, high-value committees and new supporters, recruiting and motivating volunteers to help raise funds for the Charity.

- Lead the delivery of a diverse and strategically aligned high-value events portfolio, including major galas, private dinners, webinars, panel discussions, tribute events and stewardship experiences.

- Provide inspirational leadership to a team of fundraisers and event specialists, ensuring ambitious KPIs are set and achieved.

- Collaborate across the Charity and The Royal Marsden Hospital, cultivating relationships with senior clinicians and key internal stakeholders to shape compelling philanthropic opportunities.

- As part of the P&P leadership team, contribute to cross-team strategic projects and help drive forward an integrated, high-performing fundraising directorate.

About you:

We’re looking for a confident and inspirational leader with:

· Extensive experience in senior fundraising, including major gift programme development and proven success in personally securing seven-figure gifts.

· Expertise in high-value committees, appeal boards or volunteer-led fundraising groups.

· A strong track record in delivering exceptional fundraising events.

· Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to develop trusted relationships with VIPs, influential stakeholders and committees.

· Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop high-performing teams.

· Excellent strategic thinking, financial acumen, and organisational skills, with the ability to interpret budgets and set ambitious but achievable targets.

· A highly proactive, self-sufficient approach and the ability to work with sensitivity and diplomacy, including in emotionally complex circumstances.

· Experience using Raiser’s Edge NXT and/or fundraising for major charitable appeals is desirable.

Why join us?

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity supports one of the world’s leading cancer centres. Our teams are united by a deep determination to improve the lives of people affected by cancer, and we are entering one of the most exciting and ambitious phases in our history.

You will join a high-performing, values-driven Philanthropy & Partnerships directorate and have the opportunity to help shape transformational projects that will change the future of cancer care.

What we offer:

· Hybrid working between home and Chelsea with occasional travel to Sutton.

· Flexible working around our core hours of 10am to 4pm

· 27 days annual leave rising with length of service

· Up to 6% employer contributions subject to matched contribution from you (increasing with length of service)

· Training, support and development opportunities

· Access to the blue light discount scheme and other discounts opportunities

· Access to subsidised staff restaurants, on-site yoga and wellbeing classes, staff choir and much more

· Range of wellbeing initiatives including access to an employee assistance programme designed to save money and improve your physical, financial and mental health and wellbeing, access to free online GP appointments and free eye tests and contribution towards any glasses required for work purposes

Inclusion Matters

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and walks of life.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

How to apply:

Use the Charityjob ATS

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice helps babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell, and their families, make the most of every day. The charity aspires to become a centre of clinical excellence for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

We’ve been on a major upward trajectory in recent years, with more children being supported, more major hospitals being partnered with and more supporters donating. We’ve transformed from being an enthusiastic start-up delivering care in the community, to a serious player delivering major impact both in the community and at our state-of-the-art hospice building, The Ark, opened in 2019.

Philanthropy, which covers Grants, Trusts & Foundations and Major Donor fundraising streams, is pivotal to Noah’s Ark, typically accounting for around 50% of the charity’s voluntary income. This is an area of real expertise for Noah’s Ark, with much scope for further refining. The successful candidate will therefore be instrumental in taking this key income stream forward, add to an exciting portfolio and gain further training and support, working as part of a high-performing and super supportive team, ready for its next development phase.

The Grants, Trusts & Foundations Manager will work closely with and report to the Head of Philanthropy to develop the Trust pipeline, along with instrumental cross-team work on applications and reporting processes for other income streams. Whilst we work towards developing a more diverse funding model and navigate changes to the external Trust environment, sustaining and growing income from Trusts will remain vital.

The post-holder will manage a Philanthropy Officer (Trusts & Major Donors) and, together, they will be instrumental in taking the Trust programme to the next level, establishing lasting relationships with funders, securing new grants, increasing multi-year gifts and improving both quality and volume of applications and reports. They will also support the Philanthropy Officer, and the wider team, to the same end with their respective portfolios.

ABOUT YOU

You will be a highly organised, dedicated and reliable individual ready to play a significant role in income generation. An exceptional and eloquent communicator, excellent at managing your time and a natural relationship builder. You will have a collaborative mindset, and be willing to engage with colleagues across the fundraising team and wider charity to create the greatest outcomes for the children and families we support.

You will have considerable experience fundraising from grant makers and will be able to demonstrate your success with securing high value gifts and building meaningful relationships. You will have confidence in your ability to make an impact through collaborative lateral thinking. You will also support other team members with their applications, as well as acting as a key liaison with our Care team to obtain latest information about service delivery.

If you have ample experience of fundraising from Trusts, have achieved outstanding success in a short period of time or have held a key position within a Trust programme, including securing numerous significant – ideally six-figure – grants, we would love you to apply.

Please refer to the Job description for further information on this role. 

Interviews will be held on-site on Monday, 23rd February 2026 

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from groups who are currently under-represented in our staff.

Our diversity council is working hard to construct positive changes within our organisation. We are a disabilty confident employer and part of our commitment is to interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice helps babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell, and their families, make the most of every day. The charity aspires to become a centre of clinical excellence for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

We’ve been on a major upward trajectory in recent years, with more children being supported, more major hospitals being partnered with and more supporters donating. We’ve transformed from being an enthusiastic start-up delivering care in the community, to a serious player delivering major impact both in the community and at our state-of-the-art hospice building, The Ark, opened in 2019.

Philanthropy, which covers Grants, Trusts & Foundations and Major Donor fundraising streams, is pivotal to Noah’s Ark, typically accounting for around 50% of the charity’s voluntary income. This is an area of real expertise for Noah’s Ark, with much scope for further refining. The successful candidate will therefore enjoy opportunities to manage and add to an exciting portfolio and gain further training and support, working as part of a high-performing and super supportive team, ready for its next exciting growth phase.

The Philanthropy Officer will work closely with and report to the Grants, Trusts & Foundations Manager and Head of Philanthropy to develop the Trust and Major Donor pipelines, along with instrumental cross-team work on applications and reporting processes for other income streams. Whilst we work towards developing a more diverse funding model and navigate changes to the external Trust and HNWI environments, sustaining and growing income from both of these income steams will remain vital.

The post-holder will be key in taking the Trust and Major Donor programmes to the next level, securing new grants, building relationships, increasing multi-year gifts and improving both quality and volume of applications. They will also support the Grants, Trusts & Foundations Manager, and the wider team, to the same end with their respective portfolios.

ABOUT YOU

You will be a highly organised, dedicated and reliable individual ready to play a significant role in income generation. An exceptional and eloquent communicator, excellent at managing your time and a natural relationship builder. You will have a collaborative mindset, and be willing to engage with colleagues across the fundraising team and wider charity to create the greatest outcomes for the children and families we support.

At this stage in your career, we would not necessarily expect you to have direct experience of fundraising from Trusts or Major Donors. We encourage you to apply if you consider yourself to have an emphatically strong transferrable skills and experience and believe you could thrive in a nurturing environment.

Please refer to the job description for further information on this role. 

Interviews will be held on-site on Monday, 23rd February 2026 

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from groups who are currently under-represented in our staff.

Our diversity council is working hard to construct positive changes within our organisation. We are a disabilty confident employer and part of our commitment is to interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.

We are seeking a Trusts and Foundations Coordinator to join our high-performing Philanthropy team at an exciting time of growth for MSF UK. In this pivotal role, you will: curate exemplary stewardship journeys; cultivate strong, lasting relationships with trust and foundation donors; play a key role in achieving ambitious fundraising targets. We’re looking for someone with exceptional communication skills, a proven track record in trusts and foundations relationship management or other income generating relationship management, and a drive to make a real impact on our work and the lives of our patients. Join us and be part of a dynamic team shaping the future of our life saving mission.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Mon-Fri

Duration: Permanent

Location: London - hybrid, 2 days per week in London office (Wednesdays/Thursdays)

Salary: £35,375.80 per annum - £43,237.08 per annum | Salary is offered in line with our pay framework and typically starts at the entry point of the band. Salary increases are considered annually and are subject to our appraisal and performance review process.

Job Purpose:

The Trusts and Foundations Coordinator is an integral part of the Philanthropy team, responsible for managing a large portfolio of Trust and Foundation (T&F) supporters. The Trusts and Foundations Coordinator provides excellent relationship management, creating first-class donor journeys for their portfolio based on donors’ individual motivations and interests. They will ensure stewardship plans are in place for their top tier of T&F donors, and that they meet any specific proposal/reporting requirements for the donors they manage. 

The primary aspect of the role is the management of a portfolio of T&Fs, ensuring their continued support of MSF, with a focus on delivering stable and increased income for MSF’s work. 

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Experience in relationship management, marketing or sales (preference for fundraising experience) 
• Excellent and engaging written communication skills and ability to adapt style to suit a wide range of supporters
• Ability to collate and adapt MSF operational and programmatic information into donor friendly language, relevant for donor proposals and reports
• Confident interpersonal and verbal communication skills, including diplomacy and negotiating skills 
• Ability to deal with people at all levels and from a wide range of backgrounds
• Accuracy and excellent attention to detail
• Proven organisational skills with experience of managing multiple tasks and prioritising effectively 
• Experience of working in an office environment, maintaining effective administrative systems and procedures
• Flexible, can-do attitude and good team player – this role involves working very closely and collaboratively with colleagues in the UK and overseas
• Ability to work independently to general guidelines, with capability to use initiative and seize opportunities
• Fluency in written and spoken English 
• Interest in international, humanitarian work 
• Commitment to the aims and values of MSF
• Willingness to travel within the UK
• Experience in the practical use of personal IT equipment and Microsoft Office 365 suite.The ability to effectively collaborate and communicate within a hybrid working environment utilising Teams, SharePoint, One Drive and Yammer. 

Right to work in the UK - Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. Employment sponsorship will NOT be offered by MSF UK for this role.

How to Apply:

Please apply on our website by submitting a copy of your CV together with a letter of motivation by the closing date:

Tuesday 24 February 2026, 11.59pm (GMT)

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close applications before the advertised closing date, or if a suitable candidate is found.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Macmillan Cancer Support – Head of Philanthropy

Location: Hybrid – London SE1

Salary: £80-88,000 per annum.

Contract: Full-time, 12 month fixed term contract.

Macmillan Cancer Supporter are seeking a Head of Philanthropy to lead a transformational change in building deeper, strategic relationships with high-net-worth individuals, trusts and foundations, and in the way Macmillan delivers impact through philanthropy.

Macmillan has spent more than 100 years helping people living with cancer. From the moment someone is diagnosed with cancer, they are there with all the information, support and guidance needed, to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can.

The Head of Philanthropy will lead a fundraising team to deliver a current annual target of £5m, whilst also developing an ambitious strategy to sustainably grow income; the charity’s goal is to build a £20m annual philanthropy programme by 2030. To that aim, the post-holder will be responsible for inspiring and supporting team members through a period of rapid growth and change and to maximise existing networks and build relationships with new supporters. They will also work with the Propositions team to develop compelling fundraising asks that galvanise support and work across the organisation to place philanthropy at the heart of everything the charity does.
 
The ideal candidate will be an inspiring, authentic leader who knows how to build high‑performing teams through collaboration, empowerment and excellent people management. You will bring significant experience securing and growing £1m+ relationships with high‑net‑worth individuals and trusts and foundations, alongside proven commercial acumen and a proven ability to manage multi‑million-pound budgets.

Candidates will have personally led major philanthropic gifts and multi‑million‑pound appeals, underpinned by a sophisticated approach to cultivation, stewardship and data‑driven insight. Comfortable influencing high‑profile stakeholders with gravitas and sensitivity, you will also be an innovator - someone who constructively challenges the status quo, developing new propositions and identifying opportunities to accelerate income growth.

Finally, you will be passionate about Macmillan’s mission and motivated by the opportunity to share the charity’s story and secure the resources it needs to expand reach and impact.

Please download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes details on how to apply.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be longlisting applications as soon as we receive them, so please apply early to register your interest. 
 

Hours: Full time (30 hours over 4 days)

Location: Flexible across England, Wales and Northern Ireland 

Salary:  Regional £49,202 to £53,252 per annum, or London £52,500 to £56,550 per annum

(London salary applicable to candidates who live in London or are based in the London office a minimum of two days a week)

The role: 

This is a great opportunity to join the UK’s biggest grassroots network dedicated to protecting people and planet at a critical time for our world.

We’re looking for an experienced high value fundraiser and team leader to join Friends of the Earth as our Head of Major Giving. The role will focus on growing income and leading our passionate and well-established high net worth team, which covers Philanthropy, Trusts and Foundations and Strategic Partnerships.

You’ll be responsible for developing the Major Giving strategy, retaining our loyal supporters and attracting new, long-term funders by refreshing the stewardship and cultivation programme to encourage deliver on our growth plans in line as we develop a new strategy to answer the challenges in the external environment and ensure that we have the funds to respond to the crises of climate, nature and inequality.  

We are developing a new organisational strategy, building on our proud history of working with communities to achieve change. We have longstanding partners and loyal supporters to bring with us as we evolve to meet the challenges and deliver the urgent action needed to deliver our mission.

Key Skills and Attributes we’re looking for: 

• Experience of motivating and inspiring team members to achieve high, sustainable performance.  
• Collaborative and skilled at working cross organisationally and building strong internal relationships.
• A good networker and ability to work in true partnership with grassroots organisations and funding partners.
• Demonstrable experience of significant income growth and pipeline development.
• Experience of, or knowledge of campaigning organisations would be an advantage as well as organisations going through strategic change.

The team: 

The Major Giving team consists of 12 people with five direct reports, leading the sub-teams of Philanthropy, Trusts and Foundations, Strategic Partnerships and our Events function. Your team sits within the Income Generation Directorate, and you’ll work closely with colleagues across that Directorate and with our Policy & Campaigns  Engagement and Community & Network Directorates. You will play a key role in promoting a culture of philanthropy and partnerships across the entire organisation as together, we strive to create lasting change in the fight against climate and nature crisis.

For more information, please see the detailed candidate information pack.

Closing date: Monday 23rd  February 2026 (23:59). 

Please note we only accept applications via the Friends of the Earth Application System.

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance including a 4-day working week with no loss of pay, additional leave for sustainable travel, excellent learning and development opportunities and a vibrant organisational culture. 

Our staff body is currently under-representative of People of Colour, LGBTQIA+ people and people with long term conditions or impairments. We are committed to eroding these historic barriers, so as to create a movement in which people from all walks of life see themselves in, and so we particularly encourage you to apply if you belong to one of these groups or sit at multiple intersections of disadvantage. We are committed to the Disability Confident standard and will guarantee an interview to any candidates who declare a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Friends of the Earth staff who publicly represent Friends of the Earth (including all campaigners) are not allowed to also represent a political party. This is to ensure that there can be no confusion in the minds of the public about Friends of the Earth's party-political independence. Affected staff should also seek permission from the Senior Management Team if they wish to hold a non-public facing official role in a political party. If this is an issue, please do raise this with us as soon as possible.

Friends of the Earth is an international community dedicated to protecting the natural world and the wellbeing of everyone in it. We lead campaigns, provide resources and information, and drive real solutions to the environmental problems facing us all.

Head of Development (Fundraising / Grants) 

Shrewsbury, Shropshire 

Salary: £38,000 - £42,000  

Maternity cover, 12 months 

Full Time – Part Time considered 

Closing date for applications: 2 March 

Interview date(s): 13 and 18 March 

We’re looking for an experienced fundraiser and team leader to join us as Head of Development (maternity cover). You will lead a talented team of seven which cover Fundraising (Memberships, Legacies, Grants, Trusts and Foundations and Philanthropy) and Marketing (Communications, Campaigns & Marketing). 

A particular focus of this 12-month contract will be developing the fundraising strategy for a (£5-6m) capital campaign for the transformation of Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s Grade II and II* buildings, at the heart of Shrewsbury. 

The job is full-time, but for the right candidate we would be willing to discuss part-time working with some external support on key areas. 

Shropshire Wildlife Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For applicable roles, applicants must be willing to undergo reference checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the appropriate level. 

The Trust is committed to building an equal, diverse and inclusive workforce we encourage applications from a diverse range of suitably qualified candidates. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible. 

As users of the disability confident scheme, Shropshire Wildlife Trust guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. We believe that inclusive recruitment practices will help to change attitudes, behaviours and cultures, fostering diversity within our workplace. 

Why work for us - benefits we offer:

• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays and Service related holiday (pro-rated for part time staff) 

• Salary sacrifice benefits 

• Life assurance 

• Generous pension - company contribution 7%, employee contribution 3% 

• Enhanced Sick Pay 

• Flexible working policy 

• Employee Assistance Programme 

• Staff discounts 

• Employee away days 

• Enhanced pay for maternity and adoption leave 

• Coaching   

• Support with training and development to assist career progression  

• Inclusive & supportive work atmosphere 

About us:

Shropshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) has a vision of a thriving natural world, where Shropshire's wildlife and natural habitats play a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies, and people are inspired and empowered to take action for nature. We combine projects across Shropshire (including Telford & Wrekin) with advocacy and campaigning to restore nature and to engage people. We manage over 40 nature reserves and have almost 50 staff, 300 volunteers, and over 9000 members. SWT is an autonomous charity, but we are increasingly working collectively, as part of The Wildlife Trusts (TWT), to ensure that our local actions have a national impact and help to address global issues. 

Horatio’s Garden charity is looking for an experienced fundraising leader to develop this newly created role within the fundraising and events directorate. We are a growing, award winning, national charity delivering garden-based support to improve the mental health of people with spinal injuries across the UK. 

You will be joining the charity in an incredibly exciting year, as we launch our new 5 year strategy and head into a Capital Appeal for our tenth garden in Wakefield.

Our newly created role of Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships will play a critical part in this next chapter, leading the development of our existing high value fundraising portfolio to support our growth ambitions. This is both a strategic and hands-on role, operating in a small team environment and requiring the postholder to work with the Director of Income Generation and CEO to shape strategy, build relationships, and deliver income directly. 

The role will work across major donors, trusts & foundations and corporate partnerships, supporting a talented team of four fundraisers: Senior Philanthropy Manager (Trusts & MD), Senior Regional Partnerships Manager, Trust & Foundations Fundraiser and Trusts & Foundations Assistant.

The charity has a history of building successful high value relationships, and we are looking for someone with the experience and ambition to help us build on this solid foundation to deliver our 5-year strategy and complete our core capital appeal programme. 

You will need to have significant fundraising experience gained in a charitable environment across major donors, trusts and foundations and corporate partnerships. You will work with the team to develop compelling case for supports, identify and cultivate prospects and build partnerships to secure high value gifts.

We have big ambition, and our organisation strategy reflects this. As Senior Trust Fundraising Manager, your role will focus on securing five- and six-figure gifts from grant-giving trusts and foundations. You will provide exceptional stewardship to those trusts with whom we have existing relationships, whilst researching and cultivating new prospects to maximise income, value, and influence for The Children’s Trust. This role will be key in enabling us to strengthen long term financial sustainability, through multi-year funding relationships and to drive restricted and unrestricted income to realise the strategy for 2030.

WHEN APPLYING PLEASE INCLUDE A COVERING LETTER

This role is not open for sponsorship.

Skills and Responsibilities

To develop relationships to secure gifts and grants from Corporate Foundations, Trusts and statutory grant makers to achieve income targets. Responsibilities include:

Prospect Research:

• Identify and develop a pipeline of opportunities from grant-giving trusts and foundations.
• Use internal database, online resources, desk research, and contact mapping to identify new funder opportunities.
• Review trusts’ and foundations’ funding criteria to grow the prospect pipeline.
• Develop a thorough understanding of our work and future developments to identify new funding opportunities.

Submitting grant applications:

• Create compelling and persuasive funding appeals.
• Complete grant application forms and follow application processes as required.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Directorate and the wider charity to articulate our work and build strong funding propositions.

Leadership & Relationship Management:

• Lead and manage the Trusts and Philanthropy Executive by developing skills, conducting appraisals and overseeing ongoing development.
• Lead & steward a portfolio of existing charitable trusts and foundations, and cultivate new potential donors, ensuring their support is recognised and celebrated.
• Ensure funders are thanked promptly and that grant terms and conditions are applied.
• Provide progress reports and manage all formal reporting requirements on time.
• Build relationships in person, by phone, email, or virtual meetings to secure long-term commitment.
• Identify opportunities for funders to meet key staff and attend events and site visits that strengthen their relationship with the charity.
• Implement the High Value Donor Stewardship Plan.
• Take a proactive role in developing assets such as appeals and cultivation events.
• Work with colleagues across the charity to monitor and evaluate funded projects, producing reports that demonstrate impact.

Administration and Reporting:

• Manage trust prospects and donors on the CRM database, ensuring records are accurate and compliant with fundraising regulations.
• Budget management, cost control forecasting and taking corrective action to achieve budgets.
• Use the CRM database to manage task “actions”, prioritise and evaluate opportunities, and record funder interactions.
• Manage and develop a portfolio of high value relationships.
• Liaise with colleagues to ensure grant applications are coordinated across the organisation.

Education & Qualifications:

• Educated to GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

Experience:

• Significant experience and track record in trust fundraising.
• Experience of writing compelling proposals and appeals.
• Proven experience of working as part of a team to deliver ambitious income targets.
• Experience in undertaking prospect research and creating a pipeline of prospects through to cultivation, ask and stewardship.
• Experience of securing and managing statutory funding desirable.
• Demonstrable experience of using fundraising or relationship management databases.

Skills & Abilities:

• Exceptional skills with excellent attention to detail and proof-reading ability
• Excellent research skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills whether on the phone, virtually, in person or in writing
• Excellent relationship building skills.
• Professional, positive, and committed
• Results focussed with strong analytical skill.
• Adaptable and flexible, tenacious, and persuasive
• Financially astute, with the ability to understand project budgets and read the accounts of grant giving trusts.

Help us make art matter.

Firstsite is seeking an experienced and motivated Trusts & Grants Manager to lead our trusts and grants fundraising and secure vital income for our programmes, including Holiday Fun, YAK, exhibitions, learning, and community projects.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a creative and purpose-driven team and play a key role in shaping work that has real impact in our communities.

About the role

As our Trusts & Grants Manager, you will:

• Develop and deliver a proactive trusts and grants fundraising strategy.
• Secure funding from trusts, foundations, and statutory bodies, with a target of £120,000 for 2026/27, contributing to an overall organisational target of £300,000.
• Identify and research new prospects, write high-quality funding applications, and produce compelling cases for support.
• Manage the grants pipeline, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
• Work collaboratively across the organisation to gather budgets, impact data, and programme information.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders.
• Uphold best practice in safeguarding when working with young people through programmes such as YAK.

You will be the organisation’s specialist in trusts and grants, supported by the Head of Philanthropy and working closely with colleagues across Firstsite.

About Firstsite

Our mission is to ensure art and creativity are valued for their integral role in shaping a happy and healthy society for everyone. We do this by championing creativity as a catalyst for positive change in society, celebrating everyone's imaginations as places to shape a better future and demonstrating the impact of art and galleries at the centre of everyday life.

We collaborate with people where, together, we can have the most impact and we share the results of our work with diverse audiences to influence change.  We do this in three places: in our award-winning gallery, reflecting our radical region and digitally with audiences around the world.  To do this well we have four values that help us do what we do, to the best of our abilities:

Creative – Inclusive – Agile – Responsible

Who we’re looking for

Essential

• Proven experience securing income from trusts, foundations, or statutory funders.
• Strong research skills and ability to identify new funding opportunities.
• Excellent written communication and proposal-writing ability.
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple deadlines and coordinate information.
• Collaborative, confident working with teams, partners, and stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience in arts, culture, or charity sectors.
• Understanding of impact measurement and evaluation.
• Experience coordinating or supporting volunteers.

Key Responsibilities

• Research new funding opportunities and develop a proactive grants strategy.
• Draft and submit funding applications and proposals.
• Maintain an accurate pipeline and deliver timely reports.
• Work with programme teams to gather budgets, outcomes, and evidence.
• Ensure funder reporting and compliance requirements are met.
• Support stewardship of funders and shape Firstsite’s case for support.
• Coordinate fundraising activity with the wider team.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata)
• Contributory pension scheme (conditions apply)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Tailored training and development
• Staff discount in our café and shop

After a successful Inspiring Minds Campaign that raised £50m over a 10-year period and achieved the goal of providing bursaries to 1 in 4 pupils, the Latymer Foundation is now entering a new strategic period. A new three-year strategy will sustain and grow bursary provision, driving us towards the goal of achieving needs-blind admissions, whilst positioning Latymer as the independent school that sets the global standard for access, inclusion and opportunity.

Within this context, the Head of Philanthropy will play a vital role in securing the financial resources that sustain Latymer’s sector-leading bursary programme, ensuring that talent, not financial circumstance, determines access to a life-changing Latymer education.

The Head of Philanthropy role will have a strong personal focus on major gifts fundraising, whilst overseeing all philanthropic income streams — Major Gifts, Regular Giving and Legacies.

Salary circa £75,000 per annum, dependent on experience.

To apply and find out more about the school and our attractive staff benefits package, please visit our dedicated recruitment website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 9.00 am on Monday, 23rd February 2026.

Interviews 1st Round (Virtual) – Tuesday 3rd & Wednesday 4th March 2026.

Interviews 2nd Round (In-person at Latymer Upper School) – Wednesday 11th March 2026.

Diversity – The School is fully committed to the principles of equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion. We have an established and representative staff Equality and Diversity Board to help drive forward positive change. A further Equality and Diversity Committee has recently been formed from our student population.

We are committed to attracting and retaining the very best staff, ensuring that our staff body reflects the diversity of our students and local community. Acknowledging a lack of ethnic diversity within our Support Staff community, we particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates for this role. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010; however, the School may employ positive action where diverse candidates can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All posts are subject to an enhanced DBS, online checks and receipt of two satisfactory references.

About the Trust 

We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you? 

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year. 

Join Our Team: Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships 

We’re excited to welcome a new strategic leader to shape and deliver transformational income growth and strategic partnerships for the Trust.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

Working Hours & Location 

This role follows a 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. This is a home-based role, requiring regular travel to meetings with donors, events and to our main hubs for collaborative meetings and team activities.

Role Overview 

In this pivotal role, you will lead the refinement and delivery of the Trust’s high value giving strategy, building and sustaining relationships with philanthropists, statutory funders, trusts and foundations, and corporates. You’ll inspire, lead, and manage a diverse team to achieve ambitious income targets and strengthen strategic partnerships that support the Trust’s vision. You will actively demonstrate desired behaviours - enthusiastically engaging with external partners, taking initiative to strengthen the team, and fostering a culture within the Trust that supports high level giving. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Implement and refine the Fundraising Strategy to deliver significant and sustainable income growth and impact.
• Lead, inspire and develop a diverse team, fostering a culture of delivery, collaboration, accountability, and innovation. 
• Personally lead on cultivating and stewarding transformational relationships with corporates, trusts, foundations, high-net-worth donors and some statutory sources while empowering your team to build profitable, multi-year relationships, a robust pipeline and secured income.
• Prepare, monitor, and deliver the annual business plan and income budget (currently £5m with significant growth planned).
• Represent the Trust externally at a senior level and maintain awareness of sector trends.
• Maintain best practice in fundraising compliance, risk management, and reporting, maintaining the highest standards of integrity.
• Embed diversity, inclusion, and safety responsibilities in all activities.

About You 

As an accomplished fundraising leader with a proven track record of delivering high-value income and building strategic partnerships, you thrive in complex stakeholder environments and bring a blend of vision, resilience, and hands-on expertise. You’ll be confident influencing at Board level, adept at navigating ambiguity, and passionate about making a lasting impact.

Skills & Qualifications 

• Proven experience in leading a team – skilled at building, inspiring, and motivating teams to achieve fundraising goals.
• Comprehensive expertise in major donor fundraising, corporate partnerships, and trust and foundation giving, alongside a working knowledge of statutory giving. 
• Demonstrated expertise in high-value fundraising and partnership development, with a proven ability to create, cultivate and steward long-term relationships while influencing internal stakeholders to secure and sustain transformational support.
• Proven success in securing transformational gifts and multi-year partnerships.
• Demonstrable problem-solving skills, able to influence inside and outside the organisation.
• A proven ability to develop and write persuasive and successful funding applications and partnership proposals for major donors, trusts and foundations, and corporates.
• Exceptional communication and networking skills, with the ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences.
• Experience managing significant budgets and delivering income growth.
• Knowledge of fundraising compliance and sector trends.  
• A collaborative and innovative approach, able to lead and motivate a diverse team while working cross-functionally.
• Personal resilience and adaptability, with the ability to deliver results in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

What We Offer 

We offer an annual salary of £78,000, plus £520 cash car allowance per month. Enjoy a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: 

Our values

We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.

All of our jobs can be considered on a part time flexible or job share basis.

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

Harris Hill are delighted to be partnering with Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance to recruit for a Grants and Trusts Manager to drive income generation from charitable trusts, foundations, and grant-giving bodies. 

This is an exciting new role for the organisation where you will take ownership of every aspect of the grants pipeline. You will play a pivotal role in researching, developing, and submitting compelling funding applications to maximise support for their life-saving work.

Key responsibilities:

• Own and maintain the charity’s grants tracking system, ensuring all applications, deadlines, reporting requirements, and outcomes are accurately recorded and up to date.
• Research, identify, and prioritise potential grant and trust funding opportunities aligned with the charity’s strategic objectives.
• Prepare and submit high-quality, persuasive funding applications and supporting documentation.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective funders, providing timely updates and impact reports.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across fundraising, finance, and service delivery to gather information and evidence for applications.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on grant income and application success rates, providing internal updates on activity and performance to senior stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with all grant conditions, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
• Keep up to date with sector trends, funding opportunities, and best practice in grant fundraising.
• Contribute to the wider fundraising strategy and support the charity’s vision for growth.

To be successful, you will need or need to be:

• Proven experience in prospect research, writing, and securing grants within the charity or non-profit sector.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling cases for support and build relationships with funders.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, able to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Demonstrable experience of building, improving, or maintaining grant tracking systems or processes.
• Analytical and detail-oriented, with experience in monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on funding outcomes.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Confident using digital tools and CRM systems to support grant management and reporting.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and results-driven, with a passion for the charity’s mission.

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000 (FTE)

Location: Wellington, Somerset with flexible hybrid working

Contract: Permanent, Full-time/Part-time (3 – 4 days per week) 

Closing date: Monday 16th February at 9am

Interview: w/c 23rd February

Recruitment process: CV and supporting statement to

If this sounds like you, then please do get in touch ASAP!

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.