Senior development officer jobs
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Who we’re looking for
We are looking for a passionate and skilled development professional who wants to make a real difference for children, young people, and families in Bury. The main aim of this role is to strengthen the capacity of VCSE organisations in Bury to deliver safe, inclusive, and impactful services for children and young people.
This role is about more than delivering projects. It’s about shaping systems, amplifying voices, and building capacity across the voluntary sector. You will be a connector, advocate and facilitator: supporting grassroots organisations to thrive, embedding safeguarding and better practice, and championing youth voice in decision-making.
If you believe in co-production, equity, and the empowerment of communities, this is your opportunity to lead work that transforms lives and strengthens the VCSE sector in Bury for the future.
Main Responsibilities
- Scope the children’s and young people’s sector in Bury, building positive relationships in the process.
- Create and maintain relationships with children & young people’s VCSE groups and organisations
- Supporting the work of our VCSE organisations and helping them to increase their capacity and capabilities, including their safeguarding skills, through information, advice and guidance (IAG) and training
- Working closely with Bury Integrated Safeguarding Partnership to develop and deliver high-quality, accessible child safeguarding materials, training, workshops and support packages that enable VCSE groups and organisations to build strong and effective safeguarding policies and procedures to meet safeguarding requirements
- To enable the VCSE sector to develop its safeguarding practices and policies with children, and to meet their safeguarding requirements
- Develop and deliver Trauma Informed Training to VCSE groups and Organisations. · Facilitate the Bury VCSE Children, Young People's and Families Forum, including ensuring the production of the forum’s communications, paperwork and resources.
- Represent Bury VCFA and the Bury VCSE Sector as appropriate at key boards, forums and meetings. · Build positive working relationships with VCSE groups and organisations, statutory partners, commissioners and funders.
- Advocating for the role of the VCSE sector in strategic plans/as delivery partners in line with Bury memorandum of understanding between the public and VCSE sector.
- Lead youth engagement initiatives, including youth-led grant-making and civic leadership development · Support co-production activities with young people and families to influence local service design.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
** To read the full job description and submit your application and CV, please visit the Vacancies Page on the Libraries Unlimited website **
Senior Fundraising & Business Development Officer – (Job ref: FBD001)
Salary: £28,800 gross per annum (£36,000 FTE)
Hours: 29.6 hours over 4 days (working pattern to be discussed with successful candidate)
Location: Hybrid (home working and Exeter Library)
Closing date: 9am, Monday 2nd March 2026
Interview date: Thursday 19th March 2026 at Cullompton Library
We’re one of Devon’s biggest charities, with a passion for enriching the lives of local people and communities through the power of reading. We’re looking to continue our success of generating income to support our charitable activities, and so if you also have a record of success, and a passion for what we do, then we’d love to hear from you. In return we can offer:
- 24 days holiday per year, plus Bank Holidays, rising to 26 days after 5 years’ continuous service
- Pension – defined contribution pension scheme with matched employer contributions of up to 6%
- Enhanced maternity and shared parental pay / Enhanced paternity pay
- Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme offering practical and emotional support by phone and online
- Access to free and discounted tickets to live music, comedy, theatre and sports events in the UK via Tickets for Good
- Cycle to Work Scheme/ Employee Benefits Scheme with Extras Discounts
** To read the full job description and submit your application and CV, please visit the Vacancies Page on the Libraries Unlimited website **
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Location: London office with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £33,044 per year, rising to £35,109 after 6 months and £37,174 after a further 6 months, plus excellent benefits
Closing date: 9am, Monday 26 January
Are you ready to inspire people to make a lasting impact? We’re looking for a Senior Legacy Development Officer to help shape and deliver creative campaigns that encourage gifts in wills and secure vital future income for our work.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a team that generates a significant proportion of our income. You’ll play a key role in planning and delivering legacy marketing campaigns across multiple channels, working closely with colleagues and external partners to engage supporters and grow pledges.
What you’ll do
- Lead on planning and delivering gifts in wills campaigns, including advertising, email and direct marketing, and engagement activities.
- Create project plans and briefs, ensuring all communications are on brand, accessible and values-driven.
- Monitor and evaluate campaign performance, using data insights to improve strategy and results.
- Manage relationships with suppliers and agencies, including free will service providers and fundraising organisations.
- Respond sensitively and efficiently to legacy enquiries from supporters and the public.
- Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations, GDPR and charity law.
What we’re looking for
- Confidence and ability to learn quickly, with experience in marketing campaigns (direct and email marketing essential).
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and budgets.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence to speak sensitively about gifts in wills.
- Ability to analyse data and report on campaign performance.
- Knowledge of fundraising codes, GDPR and safeguarding principles.
- Comfortable using technology and digital tools to deliver campaigns.
- Event management experience is desirable but not essential – training can be provided.
Additional information
- Occasional travel and overnight stays for events (TOIL available).
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is essential.
We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.
We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.
Thank you!
Overview
We’re looking for a Senior Business Development Officer to join our national Business Development Team. This is an ideal next step for you if you’re an experienced bid writer looking to grow your career in business development, make social impact, and develop your leadership skills. We’d particularly like to hear from people that have experience of writing high-scoring drug and alcohol service bids.
Location: London, Brighton, Manchester or Leeds.
Salary: £43,384.62 − £47,792.23 per year. If you’re based in London, you’ll receive an additional £4,133.14 per year for Inner London Weighting.
Contract: Permanent.
Responsibilities
About the role
Change Grow Live is a health and social care charity. Across the country, we support people to make positive changes in their lives, including around drug and alcohol use, smoking, homelessness and criminal justice.
As a Senior Business Development Officer, you’ll play a lead role in the development and writing of tenders and proposals for a variety of health and social care services. This role offers a great opportunity to learn and develop while using your established skills, and you’ll be encouraged to take on more responsibility as you progress.
This role offers a great opportunity to learn and develop while using your established skills, and you’ll be encouraged to take on more responsibility as you progress, including line management opportunities.
Your day-to-day will include:
- Writing and editing complex and highly weighted bid responses, working to short timeframes
- Project managing the writing of key tenders with support from a Business Development Manager
- Supporting the development of Assistant Business Development Officers and Business Development Officers, with the potential of providing line management
- Working with staff across the organisation and our partners to develop bids that reflect best practice respond to local needs
- Producing and coordinating detailed research for upcoming opportunities, including meeting with subject matter experts, analysing data and collating evidence
- Creating presentations, diagrams and reports
- Participating in and leading reviews of our bid and proposal processes.
About you
We’re looking for candidates with proven experience of writing tenders, proposals or grant applications in health and social care.
You are:
- A highly competent communicator with a successful track record in bid writing, ideally for drug and alcohol treatment or related services
- Experienced in leading smaller bids and proposals
- Able to analyse data and interpret evidence, with good IT and research skills
- Solution-focused, creative and proactive
- Happy to give and receive constructive, challenging feedback
- Collaborative and contribute to a positive culture team
- Ready to work hard to deliver on CGL’s values and mission.
What we offer
You’ll be able to access structured training, development and mentoring as part of a supportive team. There’s a clear progression pathway within the team, from Senior Business Development Officer to Manager, Senior Manager, Deputy Director, and Director. Several of our current Business Development Managers were previously in the Senior Business Development Officer role.
We also offer:
- The option to work from home for some of the week
- Wellbeing support, including an employee assistance programme and an hour each week for wellbeing activities of your choice (find out more here).
We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we work with. We pride ourselves on an inclusive and supportive workplace, evidenced through our Investors in People silver status.
We’re happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that you need to be successful. Please let us know in your application or at any stage of the process if you would like to discuss this.
Before you apply
In the application portal, there’s a section called ‘how you meet the criteria for the role’. This is your chance to tell us about why you’re a good fit for this job – we won’t be able to consider your application unless it’s filled in. Please explain how you meet each of the person specification criteria (listed at the end of the job description). Use clear examples of your experience (this link contains some useful guidance). As guidance, written statements should not exceed 1,000 words. You can address multiple criteria together where you think it makes sense.
Interviews will be held 16th – 23rd February 2026 via MS Teams. We’ll also ask shortlisted candidates to complete a written task online during this timeframe, at a time of your choice. We may hold a pre-qualification stage task (e.g. presentation) depending on the number of applicants.
We encourage applications from individuals who may not meet every requirement but are excited about the role. We value lived experience of substance use, homelessness, and/or multiple disadvantages.
We’re a Disability Confident Committed employer. Under our Disability Confident interview scheme, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates where they meet our selection criteria in their application. Some of our roles attract a high volume of applications and in some circumstances where it is not practicable or appropriate, we may limit the number of interviews offered to disabled and non-disabled candidates. Please confirm in the ‘how you meet the criteria for the role’ part of the application if you are applying under this scheme. We will provide reasonable adjustments as needed.
Check the job description and team explainer for more information. Contact Yasmin Gilders to discuss this role further.
What our people say
Holly, Senior Business Development Officer said:
“What are your favourite parts of the job? The amount we learn from bid to bid. No two services are the same and I’m constantly coming across amazing individuals, teams and interventions. Being part of a team that helps share and celebrate great work, and support other services to implement new and exciting initiatives is really rewarding.
How would you describe the team? Helpful, real and full of knowledge. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and is happy to share their skills, knowledge and learning. I’ve never felt like I’ve asked a silly question, and I don’t feel like I must put a on ‘work mask’ every day.
What were your highlights from last year? Becoming a Senior and working across 7 different bids or direct awards last year. It was busy but I learnt so much, made some great connections with people across the organisation and feel excited for 2026.”
Fran, who progressed from this role to Business Development Manager last year:
“How did the role help you progress? The Senior Business Development Officer role sets you up to well to progress into a Business Development Manager role, as you begin to get involved in managing writing teams, reviewing written responses, engaging with Service Managers and Directors in model development and hold line management responsibilities. I was in the Senior Business Development Officer role for just over a year and a half before successfully applying to the Manager role.
How would you describe the team? The Business Development team are incredibly supportive and will give you the opportunity to develop in areas that you’re interested in. My manager supported to me build skills and experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone but enabled me to progress into the Business Development Manager role.
What would you say to someone thinking of applying? Alongside developing your writing skills, this role is a great place to shape your leadership and management skills. If you don’t have line management experience, don’t let this put you off.”
Salary Range (pro rata if part time)
CGL points 39 to 43 (£43,384.61 - £47,792.23)
Interview Date
16/2/2026
Closing Date
8/2/2026
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
Our mission is to help people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential.