Head of social impact jobs in manchester

At Children’s University Trust, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive through learning beyond the classroom. We’re a small, passionate team with bold ambitions to expand our impact – and we’re looking for an equally ambitious Business Development and Community Partnership Manager to lead the way.

This is more than just a development role. It's about building sustainable growth strategies, forging powerful partnerships, and shaping a future where opportunity is no longer defined by postcode or circumstance.

As our Business Development and Community Partnership Manager, you will take the lead in shaping and implementing visionary, data-driven growth strategies across three vital areas:

• Place-based memberships with schools, universities, councils’ departments, and third sector organisations.
• Individual “at home” subscriptions for children in areas without direct Children’s University provision or those who do not engage with traditional education.
• Strategic business partnerships with corporates and SMEs, securing vital funding and in-kind support.

You’ll be a key figure in our next phase of growth — identifying new opportunities, building meaningful relationships, and helping us scale our reach across the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive new business activity and revenue growth across all three strategic areas.
• Build a strong, inclusive pipeline of potential members, partners, and funders.
• Manage and nurture relationships from first contact through to long-term collaboration.
• Use data and insight to shape decision-making and report progress to the board.
• Be a passionate ambassador for Children’s University at events, conferences, and online.

We’re Looking for Someone Who:

• Has a proven track record in income generation, partnerships or sales – all sector’s welcome!
• Is passionate about improving the lives of children and young people.
• Is a strategic thinker with the energy of a new business developer.
• Has the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and the empathy to build trust.
• Brings a creative, collaborative, and resilient mindset.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, flexible, remote-first environment.

Why Join Us?

• A unique chance to shape a growing national charity’s development strategy.
• A collaborative, driven team that values innovation and purpose.
• Flexible working, with one day a week in Manchester.
• An opportunity to truly change lives through education and opportunity.

If you’re excited by the chance to lead sustainable growth with purpose, and you want your work to matter, we want to hear from you.

Apply today and be part of a team creating a brighter future for children across the UK.

Job Title: Philanthropy Manager

Reports to: Senior Philanthropy Manager

Location: Hybrid work with 40% from Breaking Barriers’ offices in Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow

Salary:  £33,000 - £39,000

Hours: 5 days per week (37.5 hours) but open to part-time (30 hours minimum), and flexible working arrangements

Contract: Permanent

Overall purpose

The Philanthropy Manager will manage and steward a portfolio of funders and donors – across trusts and foundations, statutory sources and major donors – to secure annual and multi-year gifts in support of Breaking Barriers’ vision. As well as managing relationships with our existing donors there will be a focus on creating new relationships through proactive prospecting and developing a long-term strategic approach to stewardship and relationship development.

You will be an ambitious, enthusiastic, energetic, and autonomous fundraiser with a demonstrable passion for supporting people from a refugee background. You will have a strong track record of high-value relationship management and fundraising, ideally specialising in Trusts, Statutory, Major Donor fundraising or a related area. We are looking for someone who can successfully secure and steward gifts of 5 figures and above – so evidence of stewarding high-value relationships and high-quality written skills are key.  You will collaborate with additional fundraisers across Trusts, Statutory, Corporate and Major Gifts to coordinate approaches and maximise opportunities across all functions.

We welcome applicants with relevant transferable skills from other sectors and other areas of fundraising but a strong knowledge of the fundamentals of grant fundraising is essential. We are looking for a passionate individual who can get people excited about the work we do and who wants to make a difference in the lives of individuals from a refugee background. You will share our energy and determination, and will be attracted by the idea of working in a team with big ambitions, and in which you will have the opportunity to grow and develop. We encourage creative thinking and new ideas so a proactive individual who is able to spot opportunities and take the initiative would thrive in this role.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out pre-employment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.   
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

How to apply

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. To apply, please submit a CV and statement (up to approximately 500 words/1 A4 page) outlining:

• Why you are interested in the role
• What skills you would bring to be successful in this role
• Any experience you would like to highlight
• Any reasonable adjustments you require for the interview process
• Disclosure of disabilities if you wish to do so (as a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role)

Please note that applications without a covering letter will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is 11:30pm on Wednesday 06 August. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background. 

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network. Please reach out to HR Manager Rebecca Hughes for further details (we are unable to include email addresses in this advert, but you can find contact details on the final page of the attached recruitment pack).

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they’re likely to die from.

At Marie Curie, we are dedicated to improving lives through our compassionate care and support services. Our fundraising efforts are at the heart of what we do and the Fundraising Analysis, Insight & Selections Team forms a vital part of the charity’s fundraising activities, driving the use of Insight to inform decisions and the way we communicate with our supporters.

As a Senior Data Insights Manager you will be responsible for developing and implementing data analysis strategies in collaboration with our Income, Innovation and Engagement directorate and supporting the delivery of operational data reporting, providing analysis and insight to inform strategic decision-making.

You will be responsible for: 

• Driving decision making through insights on several strategic projects. 

• Developing an insight led decision making culture and structure. 

• Leading the development of best practices techniques for data analysis, visualization, and storytelling. 

• Working closely with senior stakeholders to understand business requests and translating them into analytical solutions. 

• Identify opportunities to improve processes and enhance data capabilities within the business. 

• Line managing and leading a team of 2 data analysts   

Key Criteria:

• Established experience in a senior/lead analyst role with a solid track record of understanding of the production and role of data analysis in a business environment. 

• Significant and demonstrable experience of implementing best practice analytics techniques and leading initiatives to enhance datasets, thereby improving insight capabilities.

• Experience of using insights to influence stakeholders at all levels. 

• Significant and demonstrable experience of model building. 

• Strong communication and storytelling kills, with the communicate across a range of stakeholders. 

• Excellent SQL, Power BI skills and understanding of requirements of compliance in a regulated environment. 

• Line management experience would be an advantage.

Please see the full job description here

Application & Interview Process 

As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV and covering letter.  Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role. 

Close date for applications: Sunday 20th July 2025

Salary: Up to £50,000 + £3,500 LWA where applicable

Contract:  12 months FTC  

Based: This role is predominantly home-based and can be based anywhere within the UK.  You will be expected to work from our modern open plan offices in Embassy Gardens occasionally.

Benefits you’ll LOVE: 

• Flexible working. We’re happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage. 

• 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays) 

• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%) 

• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets 

• Continuous professional development opportunities. 

• Industry-leading training programmes 

• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes 

• Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits 

• Access to Blue Light Card membership 

• Subsidised Eye Care 

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work.  We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one. 

We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.