Commercial bid manager jobs

Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that dresses and coaches unemployed women for success at their job interview. We empower each woman by giving her the clothes and the confidence she needs to succeed.

After visiting Smart Works, 68% of clients secure a job, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives.

The Smart Works service is delivered in London, Greater Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Reading, Bristol and Leeds. Over the past ten years, Smart Works has helped over 50,000 women, and last year alone we reached 10,600 women. It is our mission that any woman who needs our service should be able to find her way to a Smart Works centre.

In 2025 we launched our new 5 year strategy- we are aiming to build a future where every woman, at any stage of her career, can access trusted, personalised support to secure employment. We aspire to be local in feel, national in reach, shaped by the voices of women, valuing every story and every success.

More information about who we are can be found on our Smart Works website.

About the Role

The Partnerships & Philanthropy Manager will lead all fundraising activity, including stakeholder partnerships and grant/trust income, overseeing a six figure annual income portfolio. They will work with the Head of Smart Works Greater Manchester, the Events & Comms Lead, and the Board of Trustees to deliver the fundraising strategy, activity plan, manage the budget, and support the organisation’s long term sustainability.

Therefore, we are looking for an energetic, creative and forward thinking individual to join our dynamic team and help secure the long term future of Smart Works Greater Manchester (SWGM). The role requires a self starting and proactive approach, excellent communication and networking skills, strong organisational abilities, experience in generating income, and a strong commitment to stewarding relationships with donors, partners and supporters.

The role will be based at our Smart Works centre in Manchester city. As part of the wider SWGM team, working as one team alongside our Stockport centre, where occasional flexibility to work from will be required, the successful candidate will take part in key Smart Works Greater Manchester events and networking activity, which will include some evening and weekend work.

Smart Works Greater Manchester is part of Smart Works Charity, with centres across the UK. As part of this network, the role will work alongside peers from across the charity through established peer working groups.

We are a community that shares a passion to empower women to thrive in work and life, determined to meet our aim of helping as many women as we can back into work. If you’re passionate about supporting women, then this is an ideal opportunity for you.

How to Apply

Please head to our website to view the full job description and to apply via our recruitment system. Applications close at Midnight on Sunday 8th February. 

Smart Works is committed to best practice employment practices, including reducing the burden for those seeking work. Smart Works will therefore reimburse reasonable costs of travel to interviews if required.

Finance Director (Head of Finance & Central Services)

Do you want your financial leadership to make a real difference in your community?

At WE Care Home Improvements (WECHI), we help older and vulnerable people live safely and independently in their own homes. Every decision you make as our Finance Director directly supports this mission, ensuring our organisation is financially resilient, well-governed, and ready to grow.

Reporting to the CEO, you will be the senior leader for finance, governance, and central services, including HR, IT, GDPR, and facilities. You’ll provide strategic financial oversight, shape organisational planning, strengthen risk management, and support the leadership team in delivering our ambitious vision.

This is a role for a strategic, values-driven professional who combines commercial and financial expertise with compassion, collaboration, and a commitment to social impact.

What you’ll do

• Lead financial strategy, budgets, forecasts, and reporting to drive organisational sustainability.
• Ensure robust governance, compliance, and risk management.
• Oversee central services to support operational excellence across the organisation.
• Provide insight and advice to the CEO and Board for effective strategic decision-making.
• Support organisational growth and development, including new business opportunities.

Who we’re looking for

• ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or ICAS qualified with senior leadership experience.
• Proven experience leading diverse teams and translating strategy into practical plans.
• Strong financial literacy, business acumen, and experience in service-focused organisations.
• A values-led leader who inspires, empowers, and role-models progressive ways of working.

 Why join us

• Make a tangible difference in the lives of older and vulnerable people
• Collaborative, supportive, and flexible work environment
• Competitive salary (£60,000), generous benefits, and development opportunities

WECHI offers a rare opportunity to bring your financial expertise to a mission-driven organisation with heart, ensuring older and vulnerable people can continue living independently, safely, and with dignity.

Additional information 

• The full job description is attached below for your reference. 
• ​To apply, please submit your CV and a supportive statement (not more than two pages) telling us why you are the right person for this role. 
• Application deadline: 20/02/2026 at 5pm
• Please note: we reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidates, so early applications are encouraged.

Why Access Social Care Exists 

Every day millions of older and disabled people are denied the social care they need. Most local authorities can’t meet the growing demand for care, and none are confident they can meet their legal duties in the future. This affects all of us - we will all need care at some point in our lives. 

We all have a right to hold public bodies to account, but most of us cannot afford lawyers so rely on legal aid. The 92% drop in legal aid cases since 2010 means that we have nowhere to turn. Without access to justice, our rights do not exist.

What we do 

Access Social Care (‘ASC’) provides legal advice and information for people with social care needs, helping achieve a better quality of life. We work with communities to increase knowledge of the law and our rights. We highlight the gap left by cuts to Legal Aid and provide advice for those who can’t afford it. 

Our network of lawyers and caseworkers provide access to justice when things go wrong. We collaborate with social services whilst ensuring legal obligations are met. We are working towards a future where social care is adequately funded, and we all get the support we need. 

We provide rights awareness training to front line managers, and legal advice and casework support to families and individuals. As well as providing access to justice, our aim is to drive system level change through evidence-led influencing and strategic casework.

This is an exciting time to join ASC. We have a new strategy. We are dedicated to the people who need our help, and we care deeply about our team. We think that work should be an exciting and satisfying place to be.

About the role 

The Finance & IT Operations manager ensures effective financial management and control throughout ASC overseeing financial administration, reporting and compliance.

The role provides guidance and support on financial matters to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) in areas such as cash flow, audit and tax whilst ensuring that budget holders across ASC are well supported with tools and skills. The role also helps develop and implement the charity’s IT strategy, including managing the external IT provider and service level agreement.

Responsibilities

1. Financial Management and Reporting

• Provide the Chief Operating Officer (COO) with accurate, regular and comprehensive financial information reports to guide effective and sound financial decision making.
• Monitor financial activity against approved annual budget, reporting any anomalies or unusual activity to the COO.
• Develop, implement and operate monitoring systems for financial forecasting and re-forecasting to support sound decision making.
• Support the COO in the co-ordination of the annual budgeting and planning process ensuring that information is collected, compiled and reported in a consistent and robust manner.
• Co-ordinate and produce year end Charity SORP financial statements, including the Trustee Annual Report, providing external auditors with the necessary documentation and support to audit the financial statements.
• Ensure compliance with all financial regulations, liaising with the charity’s external auditors in preparing the SORP financial statements.
• Partner with budget holders, providing monthly expenditure against budget reports and supporting their understanding and decision making.
• Preparing financial statements for funder reporting and supporting the COO in designing budgets and financial models for new fundraising bids and other commercial offerings.
• Produce VAT and corporation tax returns and manage ASC’s relationship with HMRC.
• Oversee the payroll process, ensuring accuracy, compliance and timely submission to the outsourced provider.
• Oversee accounts payable and receivable.
• Establish a detailed cashflow planning process and manage the flow of capital between ASC’s and its chosen banks, recommending any changes as appropriate.
• Manage all banking relationships.

2. Policy and Procedures

• Collaborate with the COO to establish effective processes and controls to ensure efficient and effective financial management is delivered and maintained.
• Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of effective procurement policies, procedures and systems ensuring best value is achieved across all activities.

3. IT, Contracts & Data Protection

• Support the COO to review current accounting and finance systems recommending and implementing upgrades and improvements where agreed.
• Support the COO in drafting and implementing ASC’s IT strategy.
• Tender and manage SLA and relationship with external IT provider.
• Review outsourced arrangements and systems and work with the COO on tendering for fit for purpose systems to match organisational strategy and direction.
• Lead on the annual insurance renewal process, ensuring appropriate cover is in place and general administration of the charity’s insurance policies is enacted.
• Manage and review business interruption and disaster recovery plans, using regular simulation testing to ensure robustness.
• Keep existing portfolio of client and supplier template contracts under review, recommending risk-based strengthening.
• Oversee ASC’s data protection infrastructure, co-ordinating departmental Data Protection Champions to ensure that policy & practice is robust
• Work with COO in response to reactive data protection issues and incidents

4. People Management

• Provide line management to the Finance Assistant, using ASC’s management processes to ensure they are supported, motivated and able to work effectively.
• Plan and oversee the Finance Assistant’s workload, ensuring tasks are allocated appropriately and completed to required standards.
• Contribute to creating a collaborative team culture aligned with ASC’s values. 

5. Other Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design and implementation of team development work within the Finance & IT Operations Team in collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer and the Business Support Manager.

This list of tasks is not exhaustive and will be reviewed from time to time in discussion with the post holder.

Person Specification

All staff at ASC are expected to share and demonstrate our values:

Trustworthy

Recognised for excellence, we will be the best we can be in everything we do.  We will be truthful, independent and outcomes focussed.

Fair

We believe in treating people with kindness and compassion in a way that is right, reasonable and just.

Fearless

We will do what is right, not what is easy.  We will bravely challenge injustice.

Inclusive

Our beneficiaries’ voices will influence our thinking and decision making at all levels of our organisation. Collaborative in our thinking, we will work with others to achieve our goals.

Positive

We will be constructive and progressive in our challenge.  We will optimistically and dynamically drive for change.

In addition to our values, you will also need to be able to demonstrate or tell us about the following areas at your interview:

Personal attributes you will have

Essential:

• Purpose driven with a commitment to our mission and values
• Commitment to working within the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion
• Self-aware, solutions focused and able to generate goodwill with collaborators and colleagues.
• Demonstrates integrity and an ability to hold and respect confidential and sensitive information.
• Dependable, resilient with the ability to remain composed and effective under pressure.
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and proactive in taking initiative.

Experience you will have

Minimum

• Experience of preparing management accounts, monitoring budgets and producing financial reports for senior leaders.
• Experience of contract and SLA management, including reviewing and monitoring provider performance.

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of financial management within a multi-stakeholder environment, including familiarity with charity accounting and SORP principles.
• Line management experience supporting the performance and development of team members.
• Experience of overseeing IT services or outsourced IT support arrangements.

Desirable

• Experience of managing or coordinating insurance, risk, business continuity and/or disaster recovery processes.

Skills you will have

Essential

• Strong numerical and analytical skills to effectively analyse financial reports
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, able to engage effectively with diverse groups and senior professionals.
• Able to manage multiple tasks, prioritise effectively and meet competing internal and external deadlines.
• Able to produce accurate and reliable work.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, able to convey complex information clearly and accessibly to both financial and non-financial audiences.
• Strong IT skills including demonstrable proficiency in MS Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Sage 50 Accounts.

Knowledge you will have gained

Minimum:

• Working towards qualification in ACA, ACCA, CIMA or experience to this level.

Essential:

• Practical knowledge and understanding of management accounting principles and techniques.
• In-depth knowledge of budgeting and financial forecasting and preparation of financial reports for senior management and compliance purposes. 

Desirable: 

• An understanding of Data Protection law and practice 

How to apply

We hope that having read this far, you will want to apply!

Please ensure that your CV and supporting statement do not include your name – use initials only. This will ensure that we avoid unconscious bias in our shortlisting process. To apply, please provide the following documents:

• An up-to-date CV
• A completed Equality and Diversity Recruitment Monitoring Form – Fill out form (A link to this form can be found in the job pack)
• A supporting statement of no more than two pages, addressing:
  • The essential requirements of the person specification

If you want support applying, contact us.

Please ensure you have the right to work in the UK before expressing your interest in this role. We are sorry that we cannot consider applications from candidates who do not have the right to work in the UK.

We only reach out to candidates who have been shortlisted. If you do not receive communication from us within two weeks following the application deadline, please consider that we will not be moving forward with your application. 

Timeline for recruitment process

If we receive a high number of applications for this role, we may close the role early. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as you are able.

Closing date: 23:59 on Monday 9th February.

Interviews will take place on Monday 2nd March & Tuesday 3rd March.

Please ensure you keep these dates free.

At Access Social care, we aren’t interested in tokenism. We know that if we are to make the biggest difference for the people that need us the most, we need to get Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and anti-racism right. Part of this is recruiting greater diversity in all our teams. 

With this in mind, we particularly welcome applications from candidates with experience of the communities we serve, including people with direct experience of the social care system, and from marginalised groups, particularly Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, older and disabled people, and trans and non-binary people.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

For every role we advertise, we outline a set of minimum skills or experience that are key to doing the job well. If you have a disability (this includes long term health conditions or mental health conditions) and you meet these minimum criteria, you can request to be considered under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you would like to apply through this scheme, please clearly show in your supporting statement how you meet the minimum requirements for the role and indicate in your application email that you wish to be considered under the scheme. If you are applying via Charity Jobs, please ensure that you indicate at the beginning of your supporting statement that you wish to be considered under the scheme.

Being offered an interview through this route does not mean you are guaranteed the job. The selection decision will still be based on who performs best at interview.

If you are invited to interview, we will ask if you need any reasonable adjustments to support you during the process.

Please note: If we receive a high number of applications from candidates who meet the essential criteria and request to be considered under the scheme, we may need to prioritise those whose applications most closely match the role requirements.

The Role:
• Take overall responsibility for project management and project team, including effective budget management, ensuring value for money
• Line manage the Site Manager and potentially other staff to ensure they help realise the vision and remain motivated and able to carry out their roles efficiently and effectively.
• Developing and managing positive relationships with community partner Arkaig Community Forest, the wider community, neighbouring landowners, funders and key stakeholders
• Lead on the development of the Beò Airceig partnership, supporting the fundraising team to secure funds and line management and support for any WT staff associated with the project
• Support existing and seek opportunities for the development of other landscape scale partnerships which contribute to the achievement of the wider vision for WT and the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest
• Ensure all Woodland Trust policies and processes are followed, including Health and Safety
• Represent the Trust professionally, promoting our work externally at high level to partners, funders, stakeholders and the public.
• Support colleagues across the organisation to help deliver our charitable objectives

The Candidate:
• You’ll be experienced in environmental land management with experience of native woodland management. 
• You’ll be used to managing landscape scale nature restoration projects and programmes. 
• You’ll be experienced leading, managing, developing and inspiring a team. 
• You’ll be proficient in managing, monitoring and reporting on budgets. 
• You’ll be experienced in procurement and contract management. 
• You’ll have knowledge of commercial operations, achieving organisational objectives while delivering value for money.
• You’ll be confident in partnership development to deliver strategic impact
• You’ll be experienced working with fundraisers to develop successful funding bids.
• You’ll have a proven track record in managing complex projects using effective project management techniques

Benefits & Wellbeing: Joining our team means you'll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
•    Enhanced Employer Pension
•    Life Assurance
•    Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
•    Generous Annual Leave
•    Enhanced Parental Pay
•    Employee Assistance Programme

About Us: The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading woodland conservation charity and is dedicated to creating a world where trees and woods thrive for both people and nature. Our mission involves engaging and inspiring individuals to contribute toward tackling the nature and climate crisis through the protection, restoration, and creation of essential woodland habitats.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees. 
People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.
Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application. 

Application Advice: For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, we do not ask for your CV at application stage OR so they do not see your CV until shortlisting is completed. Make sure that your Personal Statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role. 

Acceptable Use Policy - Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

First Stage Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams on the 9th of March 2026.

Do you want to improve the lives of people with disabilities and vulnerable people?

Humanity & Inclusion UK is looking for a Head of Institutional Relations (maternity cover) to lead our engagement with institutional donors, programme partners and allies in the UK. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a dynamic team in the delivery and implementation of an ambitious institutional relations strategy. With a particular focus on the FCDO and Start Network alongside  growing our Australian and Irish portfolios, you will build partnerships and maximise income and influence to achieve our strategic aims. As a member of the HI UK Leadership Team, you will also play an important role in shaping the culture and direction of the organisation as a whole.

Background Information and Purpose of Post

The Head of Institutional Relations leads HI’s engagement with institutional donors, programme partners and allies in the UK, working closely with colleagues from across the global HI Federation, including our country programmes and our technical departments.

You will lead a dynamic team in the delivery and implementation of an ambitious institutional relations strategy. With a particular focus on the FCDO and Start Network alongside growing our Australian and Irish portfolios, you will build partnerships and maximise income and influence to achieve our strategic aims. This will involve managing relations with a wide range of actors, building our profile and responding quickly and effectively to opportunities. You will oversee and strengthen our compliance with donor requirements, ensure our programmes are effectively supported to implement grants and consolidate our capacity to bid for and manage commercial contracts.

As a member of the HI UK Leadership Team, you will also play an important role in shaping the culture and direction of the organisation as a whole.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Implement our ambitious plan for institutional relations, staying aligned with the organisation’s objectives and responding appropriately to the external environment.
• Contribute to the implementation of the network-wide institutional funding strategy.
• Lead, empower and motivate your team to achieve their goals, providing support as needed.
• Manage the team budget, including planning, phasing and forecasting in line with the organisation’s financial procedures.
• Participate as an active and constructive member of the Leadership Team, promoting a positive culture, modelling excellent behaviour and supporting cross-organisational initiatives.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting to the Chief Executive, trustees and Federation as required.

Institutional Relations

• Lead the team in ambitious engagement strategies for all donors in the portfolio, particularly the FCDO, Start Network, Australian DFAT and Irish Aid, strengthening existing relationships and, where appropriate, developing new ones.
• Ensure the team develops and maintains expertise on UK donor priorities, expectations and compliance requirements and is proactively analysing, interpreting and sharing this knowledge internally with relevant colleagues across the Federation.
• With your team, build the ability of our country programmes to engage with our donors locally and to comply with donor requirements, including through training.
• Oversee the process of identifying, analysing and sharing new funding opportunities with relevant colleagues, taking a lead when needed on coordinating large multi-country/framework bids to our donors.
• Maintain a network of contacts at other organisations and, working closely with operational and technical colleagues, build relationships with potential partners, including supporting the development of consortia for new bids when required.
• Contribute to building HI’s capacity to bid for and manage commercial contracts, including frameworks.
• Support the team with risk-based contract analysis and negotiation, due diligence and donor compliance.
• Ensure your team is delivering timely and high-quality reporting and grant/contract management, including follow-up of payment requests and tracking.
• Oversee the team’s information management tools and champion HI-wide internal processes and tools such as the CRM.
• Participate in the Bond Disability and Development Group, including supporting its influencing to promote greater emphasis on disability inclusion by the UK Government.
• Monitor and respond to threats and opportunities relating to the UK aid budget and aid policy, as well as for other donors in our portfolio where capacity allows.
• Support your team, the Chief Executive and technical colleagues to engage appropriately with other relevant networks in the UK to influence the UK government and raise HI’s profile (e.g. on specific crisis contexts, the impact of counter-terrorism legislation, health, education, humanitarian mine action, climate change etc.).
• Contribute to engaging with the Start Network and implementing our Start Network strategy.

Other duties

• Maintain a positive and collaborative working relationship with HI UK colleagues and the Federation’s institutional funding, operations and advocacy teams.
• Represent the organisation at relevant external events and meetings.

· Keep abreast of developments within the sector by liaising with counterparts in other NGOs and relevant networks.

• Keep up to date with any relevant changes in legislation, regulatory procedures, innovation, best practice and industry standards.
• Any other activities commensurate with the level of the post, as may be required.

Person Specification

We genuinely value diversity and are looking to build a team of people with a wide of range of personal and professional experience. If you don’t meet all of the criteria listed below but feel you would be a good candidate for this role, please apply. If you would like an informal conversation about this, please do send us an email or call us – we would love to hear from you.

Essential criteria

· Substantial relevant experience with INGOs, including at least five years’ experience managing strategic relationships with donors, partners and/or networks.

· A track record of securing and managing institutional income.

· Good knowledge of the FCDO as a donor and influencing target.

· Excellent management skills, including the ability to provide appropriate support and to develop colleagues’ capabilities.

· Excellent relationship-building, networking and negotiation skills, both internal and external, and at a variety of levels.

· Demonstrated capacity to design and deliver high-quality proposals, reports and briefs.

· An entrepreneurial thinker with a strong ability to identify opportunities, cultivate prospects and achieve strategic aims.

· Ability to carry out sound strategic analysis, identifying key trends and producing clear summaries from complex information.

· Good understanding of project design, programme quality and effective delivery.

· Excellent planning skills and an ability to work under pressure, to prioritise and to meet standards and deadlines.

· A collaborative and team-oriented approach with strong self-motivation.

· Ability to work effectively in an international and multicultural organisation.

· Willingness to travel and to work outside of office hours when necessary.

· Good IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

· Commitment to creating and maintaining an inclusive and protective environment for everyone that comes in contact with the organisation.

Desirable criteria

· A track record of securing and managing funding from, building relationships with and influencing DFAT and/or Irish Aid

· Good knowledge of the Start Network

· Experience of bidding for and managing commercial contracts for humanitarian and development programmes.

· Experience of cross-organisational leadership.

· Understanding of key humanitarian and development issues.

· Understanding of and experience of advocacy or campaigns, including working with the UK political system.

· Experience of developing NGO or academic partnerships.

· Lived experience of disability or from one of our countries of operation.

· French-language proficiency.

Equal Opportunities Policy

HI UK is committed to diversity and inclusion. We recognise that discrimination shapes the opportunities that many people have in society and that people have different needs in order to realise their full potential.

Addressing this requires organisations to be proactive in creating environments that encourage the inclusion and development of all. Though we still have a long way to go, inclusion is central to our identity at HI UK and we are strongly committed to the continuous work that it requires.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with disabilities and/or from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, to help make us more representative. If you declare a disability and you meet the minimum requirements for the role, we will offer you an interview to demonstrate your skills. In the event that we receive a high level of applications for a role, we will invite those applicants who best meet the person specification.

The Organisation

ImpactEd Group supports education and purpose-driven organisations to maximise and realise their potential.

We do this by helping our partners to be consistently impactful and operationally sustainable. Drawing on our domain expertise and technical skills in these areas, ImpactEd Group aims to be the first port of call for leaders across the education ecosystem.

This role exists as a senior leader in our Group, and leads the commercial growth of our Evaluation Practice. ImpactEd Evaluation (IEE) works with schools and organisations, analysing the impact of programmes and interventions to help them do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. The practice works with over 1,400 schools and 80 education and youth organisations, serving more than a quarter of million pupils. This includes helping our partners to design high-quality research projects, delivering them, and providing systems and tools for data collection, reporting and impact benchmarking.

The Opportunity

We are excited to be recruiting for a Principal Director to lead commercial growth within our Evaluation practice. This is a new role within the practice.  Reporting to our Group Directors and / or a Managing Director of IEE (subject to future appointment), the Director will work as part of a practice leadership team that will oversee all aspects of the evaluation team’s work, with a focus on leading business development. Our partnerships encompass education organisations such as charities, edtech organisations and government, and schools and multi-academy Trusts. Across all our partnerships, we aim to design and deliver high-quality research and evaluation projects that help our partners make better decisions for children using good evidence.

You will provide strategic leadership, represent the organisation both internally and externally, and be responsible for driving the commercial performance of the practice. This role will sit alongside a Principal Director focused on the delivery of our partnerships, and our Director of Research.

The role will focus on partnerships and business development, ensuring that ImpactEd Evaluation is positioned well as first port of call for schools and social purpose organisations. You will lead a number of sales and marketing campaigns, develop key propositions for our partners, scan and respond to relevant tenders and work closely with a team of evaluation experts to ensure we are able to continue to bring accessible expertise to our work and partners.

The role would be ideal for a candidate with deep understanding of the education sector, a track record in business development, and the ambition to shape the direction of a growing social enterprise.

About you

As a team focused on research and evaluation, we would also expect roles at this level to demonstrate:

• Values and people: Alignment with our values and ability to demonstrate them in your work. You will facilitate conversations about professional development for your direct reports and act as a coach and role model for other members of the team. 

• Partnership management: Modelling of excellence in partnership management, particularly on proactive driving of partnerships forward, scope management and stakeholder engagement.

• Scoping, sales and evaluation design: Leadership of business development for consultancy engagements and facilitation of evaluation design processes, including designing Theories of Change and evaluation plans, particularly for high-value and high-complexity partnerships, in collaboration with our in-house evaluation experts.

• Proposition development: Understanding of our sector and ability to combine that with our offers as a practice to create propositions that can drive partnership and business development opportunities.

• Reporting and improvement: Ability to listen to and synthesise partner needs to tailor evaluation reporting, quality assure others’ outputs, and help partners take action from research findings.

Why Us?

As well as a commitment to the organisations we work with, we have a commitment to our people and developing the next generation of leaders within the social enterprise, education and evaluation sectors.

Our employee experience is organised around four themes:

• Trust: we support hybrid working, provide flexible hours, and provide responsive management.

• Shared ownership: we are an employee owned organisation and look to increasingly share ownership with our employees, including in terms of governance and culture, and realise this in a number of ways such as ownership awards, and transparent governance including an Employee Voice board.

• Connection: we pay for your travel, provide termly company offsites, support informal clubs and societies, and provide opportunities for in-person and digital connection between colleagues.  

• Health and fulfilment: we have an extensive professional development programme, provide an annual books and development budget allowance and offer 3 days of CPD leave per year in addition to annual leave. We offer all employees access to a MediCash plan and wellbeing advice, including free therapist support.

Permanent, | Full Time | Circa £70,000 + Excellent Benefits

Location: London

Make a Difference Every Day

For more than 100 years, the RAF Benevolent Fund has been supporting the RAF Family. We are a key partner in the Royal Air Force’s mission to look after its people during and after service, ensuring that this service is valued, recognised, and people are supported even when uniforms are eventually shed. We are a national charity with international reach, delivering emotional, financial and practical support wherever and whenever it is needed. Each year, our vital services and support continued to help those serving, families, veterans, and the bereaved, in 30 other countries and in 2024 more than 64,000 people benefitted from the charity’s work.

As an organisation, we encourage learning and development and there will be ample opportunity to learn more about the Royal Air Force, the broad impact of the Fund’s work as well as developing your own skillset. 

About the Role
We are looking for someone to lead the Fund’s Strategic Partnerships function, developing and delivering a commercially minded, Social Value-driven partnership strategy across Defence, aerospace, engineering, technology and other aligned sectors. The postholder will secure and grow high-value, multi-year partnerships including commercial, sponsorship and Social Value opportunities that generate significant financial and organisational benefit for the RAF Family.

This role offers a rare opportunity to operate in one of the least competitive and highest-value partnership markets in UK fundraising. With Defence primes and major engineering and aerospace companies actively seeking Social Value and wellbeing partners, RAFBF is uniquely positioned to secure six- and seven-figure partnerships not typically accessible to other charities.

More than that, this is a chance to stand behind the people who stand behind the nation. Every partnership you create will translate directly into life-changing support for serving personnel, veterans and their families, from mental health and wellbeing programmes, to youth services like Airplay, to urgent practical and emotional help when families need it most.

The postholder will lead a new era of strategic collaboration, commercial innovation and sector influence, building partnerships that honour service, strengthen families and ensure no member of the RAF Family ever faces adversity alone.

Additional Information

· Must have the right to work in the UK.

How to Apply
Click [here] to submit your CV and a cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect fit, including examples of how you meet the job profile.

Closing Date: Thursday 5th February 2026, 5:00pm

Interview Date: Likely to be week commencing 16th February 2026.

A copy of the Fund’s Candidate Privacy Notice can be found on our website. As an equal opportunities employer, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. The Fund takes safeguarding seriously, and appropriate background checks will be completed. You can find out more about our commitment to safeguarding on our website.

The RAF Benevolent Fund follows Safer Recruitment practices as it strives to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with the Fund will be protected from harm. The successful candidate for this role will need to prove they have the right to work in the UK. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Fund.

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a Registered Charity (No. 1081009).

Overview

We’re looking for a strong bid writer to join our successful national Business Development Team as a Business Development Officer. This is an excellent opportunity to grow your career in business development within a successful team that prioritises social impact, development and progression. 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: £37,184.91 – £39,891.91 per year. If you’re based in London, you’ll receive an additional £4,133.14 per year - 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 Business Development Officer, you’ll play a key part in helping us secure new contracts and deliver high‑quality services for adults, children and young people. You’ll work with colleagues across the organisation to develop excellent written material for bids and proposals. 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.

Your day-to-day will include:

• Writing and editing multiple complex bid responses within live tenders
• Working with colleagues across the organisation to gather information and evidence
• Project managing smaller bids and proposals with support from a Senior Business Development Officer or Business Development Manager
• Completing online research, analysing data and collating evidence
• Creating presentations, diagrams and reports
• Helping improve how we do things.

About you

We’re looking for candidates with proven experience of writing tenders, proposals or grant applications, or writing in other professional or academic environments, for instance journalism, research or marketing.

You are:

• A highly competent communicator with excellent writing skills
• Able to analyse data and interpret evidence, with good IT and research skills
• Solution-focused, creative and proactive
• Happy to give and receive 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 Officer to Senior Officer, Manager, Senior Manager, Deputy Director, and Director. Several of our current Seniors and Managers were previously in the 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. You can contact Yasmin Gilders to discuss this role further.

What our people say

Kitty, Business Development Officer:

“What was your route into your current job? I graduated with an English Literature degree in 2019 and started out as an Editorial Assistant in publishing. Furloughed during the pandemic, I took the opportunity to complete a master’s in English Literature before moving into medical communications, where I also worked as an Editorial Assistant. While I enjoyed the work, I wanted a role that allowed me to get more involved in the research and writing, which led me to join CGL as an Assistant Business Development Officer in 2023. After gaining bid writing experience, I started as Business Development Officer in 2024.

What are your favourite parts of the job? I love how varied the job is. One day I might be deep in research, whether that’s desk-based or visiting a service in person, while the next I’m writing and editing responses for a live bid or even creating visuals. No two days are the same, and variety keeps the job exciting.

How would you describe the team? The team is incredibly lovely and supportive. There’s always someone ready to offer help, share advice, or even just have a quick chat, which makes it a really positive and collaborative environment to work in.

What were your highlights from last year? Being part of the team that won the Blackpool contract. We all invested a lot of time and effort into it, and the whole organisation was excited by the outcome.

Is there anything you would say to someone considering applying? Go for it! It’s a fantastic role within a supportive, friendly team, and there’s so much variety and opportunity to learn. If you’re considering applying, you won’t regret it.”

Holly, who progressed from Business Development Officer to Senior Business Development Officer last year:

“What are your favourite parts of this work? 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’.

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.”

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 33 to 36 (£37,184.90 - £39,891.91)

Interview Date

16/2/2026

Closing Date

8/2/2026

Merseyside Youth Association is seeking an energetic and visionary Outdoor Education Centre Manager to lead our lakeside Outdoor Education Centre (based on the Lord Derby Estate in Knowsley) into its next exciting chapter.

You’ll be the driving force behind the Centre’s direction, designing imaginative outdoor programmes for children and young people including those who may never have experienced the outdoors before.

Alongside the outdoor delivery, you’ll bring strong commercial flair: developing and delivering a robust income generation strategy, managing budgets, securing grants, expanding school and corporate bookings, and positioning MYA as the provider of choice for outdoor education locally and beyond.

You’ll build meaningful partnerships, drive targeted marketing, track both impact and financial KPIs, and ensure our programmes not only change lives but also sustain the long-term future of the Centre.

If you’re driven, innovative, and passionate about shaping inclusive outdoor experiences that help young people grow in confidence and joy, this is your opportunity to lead something remarkable.

Note: As part of your application please make sure you highlight how you meet both the Essential and Desirable elements of the job specification.

Merseyside Youth Association Limited Actively Promotes the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults, Young People and Children. 

The above post will be subject to Enhanced Disclosure,

Please note, CV’s will not be accepted and should not be part of your supporting information.

Closing Date for Completed Applications:  Midnight Tuesday 3rd February 2026

Merseyside Youth Association Limited is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to maintaining a non-abusive environment

Overview

We’re looking for an Assistant Business Development Officer (Bid Writer) to join our national Business Development Team. This is a great opportunity for an excellent writer to start or grow your bid writing career in a successful team with progression opportunities. 

Location: London, Brighton, Manchester or Leeds. 

Salary: £27,861.26 − £32,002.35 per year. If you’re based in London, you’ll receive an additional £4,133.14 per year as Inner London Weighing. 

Contract: 12 months fixed term. 

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 an Assistant Business Development Officer, you’ll play a key part in helping us secure new contracts and deliver high quality services for adults, children and young people. You’ll support the development of bids and proposals by writing, researching and collaborating with colleagues across the organisation. 

Your day-to-day will include: 

• Writing and editing bid responses 
• Working with colleagues across the organisation and our partner agencies 
• Completing online research, analysing data and collating evidence 
• Creating presentations, diagrams and reports 
• Helping improve how we do things. 

This is a developmental role, and you’ll receive ongoing support, guidance and training to help you progress. 

About you 

We’re looking for excellent writers who share our passion for supporting people to make positive changes in their lives. You don’t need previous experience in business development, but experience in health and social care, writing, sales, research, or data is beneficial. 

You are: 

• A clear, concise and engaging writer 
• Motivated to learn and develop, welcoming feedback 
• Collaborative and contribute to a positive culture team 
• Curious and analytical 
• Solution-focused, creative and proactive 
• 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. We have a great record of people quickly progressing to Business Development Officer and Senior Business Development Officer roles as they take on increased volume, complexity, and leadership across proposals. 

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. You can contact Yasmin Gilders to discuss this role further. 

What our people say 

George, who progressed from Assistant Business Development Officer to Business Development Officer last year: 

“What was your route into the team? I came into Business Development after starting out in frontline roles in local authorities and then a housing charity, where I realised I wanted to continue having an impact on people’s lives, but on a bigger scale. The Assistant Business Development Officer role was a perfect progression, and after about a year I successfully applied for a Business Development Officer role. This felt really manageable given the space for development as an Assistant Business Development Officer. 

What are your favourite parts of the job? Winning contracts is a really great feeling, especially when I know they’ve been shaped with service users and colleague to make sure we’re designing services that offer the best support to the most people. I also value the constant opportunities to learn, feeling supported in my development, and seeing the decisions I’m involved in having a real impact on people’s lives.

What were your highlights from last year? Our team away day in Liverpool, which was great fun as well as chance to hear from the managers of our new Liverpool service. It was one of the first bids I worked on as an Assistant Business Development Officer, and it was amazing to see our bid come to life, being delivered by a passionate group of people.

What would you say to someone thinking of applying? I’d definitely say go for it, and once you start, embrace how much there is to learn! Make the most of a really knowledgeable and supportive team, of managers who genuinely want you to succeed, and of all the opportunities to try new things and develop new skills.” 

Holly, who has progressed from Assistant Business Development Officer to Senior Business Development Officer: 

“What was your route into the team? I was a psychology graduate and teacher training drop out! With my experience of working in schools and academic research into young people’s substance use, I started working as an Education Lead for one of CGL’s young person’s services. After a year I applied to join the Business Development Team, wanting to utilise my experience of working frontline and my love of research and writing. I’ve progressed from Assistant to Officer and then Senior Officer since joining the team in 2022.  

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’.

What would you say to someone thinking of applying? Not to think they can’t do it just because they don’t have experience in bid writing or business development. It’s more important to be able to demonstrate that they’re a confident professional writer and are really passionate about working in the drug and alcohol support sector.” 

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 23 to 28 (£27,861.26 - £32,002.35)

Interview Date

16/2/2026

Closing Date

8/2/2026

The Role

Nottingham Contemporary is a leading centre of contemporary art in Europe, and among the largest spaces of its kind in the UK. We have an exciting vacancy for a Development Coordinator to join our dynamic and supportive Development team, to assist with securing funding for the future of our organisation. As Development Coordinator, you will support the Senior Development Manager and Director to achieve our ambitious fundraising strategy. You will be a pivotal member of the team, undertaking tasks across administration, research, project and events management, and high-level writing.

Your main accountabilities will include:

• Providing administrative oversight of key areas related to gaining income from a wide range of sources, including but not limited to trusts and foundations, individual donors, and corporate giving (including from commercial galleries).

• Researching, drafting and preparing timely project and funding report templates and reports.

• Supporting the Director and Senior Development Manager in strategically cultivating and stewarding individual donors, as well as corporate and strategic partners.

• Undertaking prospect research, including due diligence of individual donors, researching opportunities for funding through Trusts and Foundations, and identifying relevant local and national government grant schemes.

• Supporting the planning, drafting and submission of grant applications and funding reports, with the aim of leading on select applications and reports over time.

• Supporting the planning and delivering of a high-quality programme of supporter, VIP and external events.

The Person

This is an exciting opportunity to gain experience in fundraising for a renowned arts organisation, and we’re looking for someone who is proactive and enthusiastic for the challenge! Your ability to be adaptable, calm, and to manage a busy workload will be vital when administering bids, preparing reports, and researching donors and funding opportunities. A team player, you’ll enjoy working collaboratively and supportively with internal colleagues and external stakeholders. You’ll have excellent written and verbal communication, and your strong organisational and project management skills will come in handy when managing cross-team funding applications and organising events for donors, funders and prospects.

You don’t need experience in fundraising to apply to this role. We understand the benefit of other skills and experience, and are excited to hear from those with transferable skills such as high-level writing, project management, administration, research, events management, customer service or commercial sales. If you don’t meet all of the criteria but are interested in the role, please do consider applying.

Closing Date: Monday 9 February 2026, 10am

Interview Date: Monday 23 February 2026

Principal Programme Manager – National Cycle Network

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Principal Programme Manager – National Cycle Network

England

£42,323 per annum (pro rata for part time)

Ref: 127REC

37.5 hours per week – we are happy to talk flexible working

Base: Hybrid with the opportunity to work in any of our Walk Wheel Cycle Hubs in England

Contract: Permanent

INTRODUCTION

As set out in the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s 2025-30 Strategy, the NCN Directorate leads on the building of a walking, wheeling and cycling network that brings everyone closer to the places and people they love. The Directorate is organised into four distinct teams: Planning; Engagement; Delivery (England); Delivery (Scotland, Cymru and Northern Ireland). This role sits within the Delivery team in England. Regular travel will be required. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

Team: Delivery/ England

In this role, you are a senior leader responsible for driving major portfolios and programmes that support the National Cycle Network. You work closely with the Head of Delivery for England to make sure projects are well‑managed, stay within budget, and are completed on time. Your work must align with the organisation’s strategy and business plan.

You provide strategic direction, oversee programmes and projects, plan effectively, and build strong relationships with partners. You also lead and support your team to ensure that the work is high‑quality and sustainable.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys programme, project and budget management, motivating teams and building relationships with stakeholders. 

ABOUT YOU

We’re looking for someone who has experience and understanding in the areas listed below. You don’t need to meet every requirement — if you feel you’d be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.

• Expertise in the principles and standard practices within active travel infrastructure.
• Thorough knowledge of transport policy and planning and detailed knowledge of local and regional transport planning processes, policies, priorities and nuances.
• Thorough working knowledge of health and safety legislation and practice, including construction regulations and risk assessments.
• Proven experience of using design packages and mapping software.
• Competence in the use of MS Office

WHAT WE OFFER

We want you to feel supported, valued, and empowered in your role. That’s why we offer flexible working, a positive team environment, and benefits designed to support your wellbeing, finances, and family life.

Wellbeing Support

• 28 days’ leave per annum plus bank holidays for full-time employees
• Option to buy an extra week of annual leave (pro-rata for part-time employees)
• Paid volunteer days to support causes you care about
• Free, confidential support service available 24/7
• Access to cycle-to-work schemes through Green Commute Initiative and Cycle Scheme

Financial Benefits

• Group Personal Pension scheme with a 6% or 7% of basic salary contribution being matched by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust
• Bike, computer and season ticket loans
• Discount benefits
• London Weighting Allowance of £4,530 per annum for all those living within a London Borough (32 local authority districts plus the City of London).
• Death in Service benefit – 3 x annual Salary 

Family Friendly Policies

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Flexible Working practices (full time hours are 37.5 per week, Monday - Friday) 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Application deadline: 23:59, 01 February 2026
• Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams during the week of 16 February 2026. To apply, please provide a C.V. and a Cover Letter.
• We are committed to being a truly inclusive employer. We welcome applications from everyone from all parts of the community.
• Adjustments are available throughout the application process.
• Please use the job description as the basis for writing your cover letter, with a focus on the Key Responsibilities section. 

Want to explore more roles?

We are committed to being a truly inclusive employer. We welcome applications from everyone from all parts of the community.

Adjustments are available throughout the application process.

Our Values

• We are always learning
• Championing equity
• Taking ownership
• Delivering Together

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

Young Citizens is seeking a Business Development and Special Projects Lead to support a critical year of fundraising, income generation and partnership development. This role supports the special projects work with the CEO and will work with the senior team to lead on the income and visibility opportunities that unlock our delivery for our three-year strategy.

Your Role’s Purpose

Year 1 of this role will be focused on business model development, income generation and strategic partnerships. Working closely with the CEO and senior management team, you will help shape, test and secure new funding and commercial opportunities that position Young Citizens for long-term sustainability and impact. The special projects element includes supporting the developmental design of our future business model, charity strategy and public affairs work.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building, creating and working at pace to achieve great results within a small team. You will be rapidly developing propositions, forging partnerships and converting ideas into credible, funded initiatives. You will play a central role in strengthening our relationships with funders, institutions, corporates and sector partners, while supporting wider organisational development projects.

Young Citizens works at the intersection of education, democracy and civic life, and this role offers a unique opportunity to influence how active citizenship is funded, delivered and embedded across the UK.

In Year 1, your primary focus will be to:

• Develop and drive income/fundraising with existing channels, including grant funding, partnerships and commercial activity.
• Build a strong pipeline of income opportunities, working closely with the CEO to convert prospects into funding
• Produce high-quality business cases, funding bids, proposals and presentations of our work
• Design and execute new funding models and partnership opportunities alongside the CEO’s updated strategic plan
• Lead staff member for strategic engagement with funders, corporates, policymakers and sector stakeholders.

Alongside this, you will contribute to priority special projects that support Young Citizens’ organisational growth and external positioning.

Who We’re Looking For

This role is not just open to traditional fundraisers or partnership managers. As long as you have the seniority and expertise leading results, you might come from a charity, social enterprise, consultancy, policy or start-up background. What matters most is your ability to confidently progress a pipeline of opportunities, build partnerships, generate income and deliver results.

We are interested in a wider pool of candidates with 5+ years in the working world, possibly from other start-ups or programme design focus instead of 'trad' fundraising roles'. If you are a high-performer who wants to focus on corporate partnerships, external relations and business success, this role may be right for you—talk to us.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Entrepreneurial and proactive, with a strong interest in business development and income generation
• Confidently able to design and deliver on their ideas, instilling confidence and get results with high-level stakeholders
• Highly professional writer and communicator, able to produce strong proposals and pitch deck materials
• Commercially aware, with an ability to spot and shape fundable opportunities
• Excels at working closely with senior stakeholders including the CEO, able to predict needs and are responsive to what gets the best results
• Organised and adaptable, able to own multiple priorities in a small, fast-moving organisation
• Technically capable, making data systems like Salesforce easily integrated into their workflow
• Distinctly motivated and/or experienced in social impact, education, democracy or civic participation

Please note the pay scale of this role is determined by the demonststrable strategic seniority the person brings in managing others and organisational outcomes alongside technical role skills above.

Success in the first six months of this role will look like:

• Immediate management and confidence securing existing income contracts with corporate and funding partners of £200,000+
• Tactical, high-volume stakeholder engagement campaigns to increase sponsorship and new income opportunities
• Leading the development of improved business modelling, pricing structures and income streams that create a more sustainable base
• Operating with professionalism, improving processes and keeping organisational priorities at the forefront

Why join us?

• Make a real difference by helping deliver inspiring citizenship experiences to young people nationwide.
• Shape and strengthen the delivery of our flagship national programmes.
• Join a supportive, purpose‑driven team that values collaboration, flexibility, and doing great work together.
• Grow with us as we deliver our new three‑year strategy and embed smarter, stronger delivery processes.

If you're excited about making a tangible impact through high‑quality programme delivery, and want to contribute to a mission‑driven organisation, we’d love to hear from you.

A few useful notes to apply:

This is a 12 month fixed contract starting as soon as possible. 

• The closing date for applications is 11pm on Sunday 22 February 2026. We encourage you to apply ahead of the deadline, as shortlisting will begin on Thursday 12 February. However, as long as this advert remains live, first‑round interviews have not yet been finalised.
• Please submit a covering letter of no more than two pages outlining your interest in this role. Applications without a covering letter cannot be reviewed. We are unable to progress applications that do not demonstrate direct or clearly transferable experience.
• If you have any questions before applying, please contact our HR team.

For a full overview of the role and responsibilities, please see the job pack for more details.