Foundation officer jobs

We are seeking a dynamic Fundraising Executive to lead on securing income from trusts and foundations. In this pivotal role, you will identify funding opportunities, craft compelling and persuasive applications, and build strong, lasting relationships with funders.

You will also play a key role in supporting wider fundraising activity, including developing corporate partnerships and exploring diverse income streams. Working closely with an experienced and supportive CEO, you will help drive the organisation’s long-term sustainability and growth.

Our organisation benefits from fantastic local support and is highly valued by the young people we serve. We are committed to sustaining our therapeutic services while expanding and diversifying our offer — including social groups for LGBTQ+ young people and mentoring programmes.

With the energy of a new CEO and a clear strategic plan, we are focused on delivering high-quality early intervention that nurtures and empowers young people to reach their full potential.

If you are an experienced fundraiser with a passion for making a meaningful difference, we would love to hear from you. Flexible work options.

At OCD Action we have a big vision and we have decided to invest in our fundraising team to help us secure the income our organisation needs to drive our work forward.

OCD Action exists because it takes 7 years on average for people affected by OCD to get the treatment that they need. OCD is debilitating, isolating and destroys lives, but it is treatable. Sadly the wait for treatment, for too many is too long. We are working, with the OCD Community, for a time, when OCD is well understood and everyone gets the treatment and support they need when they need it. Until that day arrives, we are committed to ensuring everyone affected by OCD has access to high quality support, information and guidance.

As Senior Trust and Foundations Officer you will support the delivery of our vision by growing our portfolio of Trusts and Foundations, crafting exceptionally high quality and persuasive applications for three, four and five figure bids and managing all successful and existing grants.  

We are a small but highly effective team at OCD Action, if you join us you will work closely with our service delivery team and have the opportunity to see the impact of your work. We are looking for someone who is passionate about improving outcomes for people affected by OCD and can channel this into ambitious, creative and persuasive grant applications. This role requires someone who enjoys working with people and is adept at building networks and maintaining effective relationships. This role may be particularly suited to someone who has supported with the development of Trust applications in a larger organisation and is looking to develop their skills or to work with increased flexibility.

We aim to make working for OCD Action, work for you. We have a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave plus 8 statutory bank holidays (pro rata for part-time roles) ensuring fair entitlement for all working patterns. Flexible working and blended home / office working is welcome, you can agree your hours, office/home pattern with your manager as long as all commitments, responsibilities and meetings are covered. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, we are actively building a team that fully reflects and best supports the OCD community. 

If you think this is the opportunity for you, please complete the application form attached. We look forward to hearing from you.

Job Title:                     Trust & Foundations Officer 

Reporting To:             Trusts and Foundations Manager 

Salary Range:             £33,000 per annum 

Contract Type:            Permanent 

Location:                   Hybrid, across London sites and Sheffield, with expectation to attend meetings in London, once a month minimum                                         
 

Working days/hours per week: 35 hours per week, 9AM – 5PM
 

Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”. 

The Felix Project and FareShare have recently merged to form the UK's largest food redistribution charity. Its vision is a UK where good food is never wasted, and nobody goes hungry. 

The organisation rescues high quality edible surplus food, from across the food industry and gets it to over 8,000 organisations across the UK who are working to strengthen communities and improve lives. 

The charity manages seven depots across London, Suffolk, Merseyside and Hampshire and works with 16 network partners who operate a further 26 regional depots across the UK. 

Over the next year our ambition is to rescue enough food nationally to provide nearly 200 million meals, turning an environmental problem into social good with measurable impact for people, planet, and the economy.

Purpose of the Job 
Supporting the step change in growth of the Statutory, Trusts and Foundations income stream.

Duties & Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with Manager and Senior Managers to manage portfolio through excellent stewardship
• Supporting the creation of a high-quality pipeline of new funding opportunities
• Manage a portfolio of low-level trusts and foundations, with opportunity to progress to mid-level funders
• Write compelling and visually engaging funding applications to new and existing trusts, working in collaboration with finance colleagues to ensure accurate budget and income allocation
• Manage significant mailing programmes to prospects, each campaign focused on specific projects or urgent appeals, including follow up contact  
• Supporting the timely and accurate submission of funding proposals considering finder deadlines and application requirements
• Excellent stewardship of existing funders through timely submission of repots  and thank you correspondence
• Monitoring and evaluation of projects
• Supporting colleagues with important bid administration and activity 
• Supporting and attending stewardship events as required
• Adherence to GDPR and relevant legislation and guidelines of the Fundraising Regulator

The Trusts and Foundations (T&F) Officer is an integral part of the Philanthropy team, managing relationships with high value supporters. They are responsible for a portfolio of approximately 40-50 Trusts and Foundations donors, primarily giving between £25k-£100k, but also with the potential to include those giving below and above that level, to support with team capacity and best stewardship. The Trusts and Foundations (T&F) Officer will build strong and strategic relationships with donors, ensuring continued support of MSF.

They are also responsible for seeking and securing new funding from prospective trusts and foundations at the £25k-£100k level. Their overall focus is on delivering stable, new and increased income for MSF's work, and feeding into the  Philanthropy team strategy around the retention and acquisition of new trust donors. 

Salary: £44,561 gross per annum

Location: London

Contract Type: Indefinite

Hours: Full Time

First Interview Dates: 23 April 2026

We are hiring in our Grants team! If you are a Senior Grants Officer ready for your next challenge in London, this could be the perfect opportunity. The Senior Grants Officer will support the delivery of the organisation's fundraising strategy, with a focus on managing a complex portfolio of grants from trusts, foundations, and other statutory and institutional funders.

In this role, you will be managed by Charlotte Flew. As Grants Lead, Charlotte oversees a portfolio of some of ClientEarth's largest grants.  Charlotte has a wealth of experience across grant management, fundraising, compliance and programme operations. Charlotte joined ClientEarth in summer 2025 and is based in London. Prior to joining ClientEarth, Charlotte held roles with international development organisation, WaterAid in the UK, Australia and Southeast Asia.

Main Duties

• Have complete oversight and knowledge of their grants portfolio, including a sound understanding of the needs across a complex mix of philanthropic, institutional and statutory funding;
• Prepare reports and analyses on trends across the funding portfolio and inform the Grants Lead on progress, risks, opportunities, and strategic development of the portfolio and future grant management strategy.
• Maintain excellent relationships with funders through timely communications in relation to the work they fund, broader organisational developments and strategy;
• Effectively and independently, manage reporting and grant renewal process from start to completion including working with multiple teams to develop accurate and compelling proposals and reports in a timely and high-quality manner

See the job description for a full list of duties for this role.

Role requirements

• Significant experience of working in a grant management or project management role for a
  charity, NGO, private or public entity (essential);
• Experience in managing six and/or seven figure grants/gifts (essential);
• Experience of reporting to private foundations including trusts and foundations (essential);
• Experience drafting proposals and securing funding from foundations and other funding
  institutions (six and/or seven figure grants/gifts) (essential);

See the job description for a full list of duties for this role.

Note to candidates: We know that long lists of criteria can be daunting and that some candidates will not apply for a role unless they feel they are 100% qualified. If you feel you meet at least some of the essential criteria, we still encourage you to apply.

Have a question about this job? Please visit our Careers site for advice on applying, FAQs, and more.
 

Flexible working:  We are proud to be a Flexa accredited Employer. Visit our Flexa Employer page for more information on our approach to flexible working. Our flexible working policy allows our people the choice to decide to work from home/another location in the country where their contract of employment is issued for 80% of their month, with the other 20% of their month being office-basedSee our Benefits page for more as well as our flexible working FAQ.
 

ClientEarth values diversity and inclusion and the benefits this brings. We aim to appoint the most suitable candidate at all times and welcome applications from people from all different backgrounds. See our equity, diversity and inclusion journey page for more.

Please note that ClientEarth is only able to employ those who have the pre-existing legal right to work in the UK.

ClientEarth is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal services to third parties.

We are a small and passionate team making a tangible difference to the lives of families. We are hiring a Senior Communications Manager, to oversee and run our media and external communications, who will bring expertise and creativity to the organisation. If you're an experienced media operator and exceptional mission-driven communicator, and looking for your next big challenge, we'd love to hear from you. 

Please see attached full job description. 

Office overview

Our University has a proud history of philanthropy stretching back to its foundation in 1900. With a clear vision to change the lives of the people of Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain raised the funds required to build the University from citizens and corporations based locally and around the globe. Since then philanthropy has continued to play an important role in shaping the University. There have been a number of fundraising campaigns, including a £1m urgent capital appeal after the Second World War and a £1.4m campaign to fund the Vale ‘student village’ in the 1960s. In 2015 we closed the Circles of Influence Campaign, raising £193 million, making it the largest HE fundraising campaign outside Oxbridge and London. 

The University has global reach, including several partnerships with other leading universities around the world, and is grounded in its local community, having opened the first fully comprehensive University secondary school in the country in 2015. We are an ambitious and successful research-intensive University (one of the top 100 research-led universities globally) and have produced 10 Nobel Prize winners, including three who received their awards in 2016. Academics here are exploring the impact of climate change, helping to address global health epidemics, seeking ways to diagnose cancers earlier and create more effective personalised treatments, and changing our understanding of Shakespeare. Our students come from nearly 150 countries and our flagship outreach programmes mean that almost 25% of our student population come from disadvantaged backgrounds: one of the highest proportions in the UK.

DARO (The Development and Alumni Relations Office) exists to support this academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research trials, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships. We are currently at the heart of delivering the Birmingham in Action campaign with goals to raise £600m and generate 1,250,000 volunteer hours.

As an office, we are committed to sustainability and value green working practices. The environment is an integral part of our campaign and we encourage eco-friendly ways of working in order to have a positive impact on our campus and global surroundings. 

Role Summary

We are looking for a Prospect Development Officer to join our highly successful prospect development team, working in partnership with our fundraising team to manage their prospect pools and portfolios. You will provide insight and advice on donors, trusts, foundations, corporations, and other organizations, collating and reviewing data and writing concise and informative reports for the fundraising team and senior stakeholders within the University. You will proactively identify new prospects, ensuring that biographical information is accurate and up to date. Other responsibilities include leading on the improvement and expansion of research processes, supporting with bespoke research requests, supporting the Head of Prospect Development with specialist research projects, and providing support to the philanthropic due diligence process.

 We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. 

Evolve Counselling is a long‑established Cambridgeshire charity providing professional, affordable mental‑health support to individuals, organisations and communities. Each year, Evolve delivers thousands of counselling sessions through a team of trained, accredited counsellors working across the East of England region.

Our mission is to deliver counselling services to adults at the lowest possible cost, wherever possible seeking to subsidise sessions for those on low incomes. We do this through a mixed model of commissioned services, private counselling, and grant‑supported provision. By working to grow and foster a membership body of professional counsellors, Evolve strives to improve access to quality counselling and psychotherapy for all, and to create a positive working environment for those in the profession.

The CEO role provides strategic and operational leadership to drive Evolve’s growth, sustainability and impact. The position delivers effective organisational management, high‑quality service delivery, robust governance, regulatory compliance, and a positive staff culture.  Working in conjunction with the board, this is an exciting opportunity to shape the organisation’s future, ensuring that Evolve remains a trusted, quality and sustainable source of mental health support for years to come. 

Following several years of successful internal stabilisation—strengthening governance, staffing, and operational systems—the charity is ready to enter a critical period of transformation and growth. Our current CEO plans to retire in September 2026, having laid strong foundations for what must come next.

Our new CEO will lead Evolve into this next phase—strengthening partnerships, expanding referral pathways, stabilising revenue streams, and championing accessible counselling across our communities.

Are you an experienced fundraiser, skilled in crafting persuasive appeals and telling moving stories of impact and change? We have a fabulous opportunity for you to use your creative and organisational skills to make a difference to families in South London and East Surrey.

Our programmes include individual family support, domestic abuse recovery and a range of parenting and group work programmes to enable families to thrive.

The core of your role will be in generating funds from trusts, foundations and grant making trusts.

• Identify and research prospective funders aligned with Welcare’s priorities.
• Develop tailored, high-quality grant applications, expressions of interest, and monitoring reports.
• Manage a rolling pipeline of small, medium, and large grant opportunities.
• Lead on multi-year and restricted funding applications where appropriate.
• Ensure accurate tracking of deadlines and submissions using eTapestry (Blackbaud’s CRM/Supporter Management System)
• Work closely with CEO, Head of Practice and Business Manager to gather data, case studies, and outcomes.

• Translate impact data into compelling narratives aligned with funder priorities.
• Support development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks to strengthen future bids.

Salary:  £41,771 FTE (pro-rata £25,062)

Fully remote working

Generous Annual Leave allowance

Longlisted candidates will be required to complete a full application form prior to interview.

Application closing date: 6 April 2026

Interview date: rolling interview

About Avicenna Foundation

Avicenna Foundation is a pioneering leadership development organisation dedicated to empowering the next generation of British Muslim leaders. Our vision is a society where the full potential of the British Muslim community is unlocked, enriching the UK’s social, cultural, and economic fabric and inspiring global progress.

We run the most comprehensive scholarship and leadership development programme for young British Muslims in the UK. Our approach combines academic support, mentorship, emotional and spiritual development, and real-world exposure to create ethical, confident, and visionary leaders. Grounded in our core values; Hikmah (Wisdom), Akhlaq (Ethical Character), Ithar (Altruism), Khidmah (Service), and Ihsan (Excellence) - we aim to deliver a lasting impact on communities and society as a whole.

Role Purpose

The Programme Manager will be the operational anchor of the Foundation, playing a key leadership role in ensuring that every part of the organisation functions effectively and aligns with our strategic direction. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will oversee day-to-day operations, implement systems that drive impact and sustainability, and manage key relationships that are vital to our success.

The Programme Manager will serve as the organisational engine of the Foundation - designing, optimising, and scaling the systems that power our mission. You will lead operational excellence across the organisation, architecting clear processes, building robust SOPs, and ensuring that our programmes and internal functions can scale sustainably as we grow.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a builder environment; combining strategic insight with operational rigour to turn vision into repeatable, high-performing systems.

You will help shape the future of Avicenna, ensuring that our flagship Scholarship Programme continues to deliver excellence while we expand our reach, deepen our impact, and uphold the integrity of our mission and values.

The Right Fit

This role is ideally suited for someone who combines sharp operational acumen with a bold sense of purpose and ambition. As a growing organisation in its early stages, Avicenna Foundation is fast-paced and evolving - an environment that will challenge and stretch you. We are looking for someone with commitment, drive, and resilience; someone who brings both the right attitude and aptitude to lead through complexity and uncertainty.

You must be comfortable taking initiative, building systems from the ground up, and working across multiple priorities. In return, this role offers a rare and exciting opportunity to catalyse your career, helping build a pioneering organisation from the inside out and leaving a lasting mark on a movement for change.

We are looking for someone who brings a builder’s mindset - energised by designing structure from scratch, refining operational workflows, and implementing scalable systems.

You will excel here if you are proactive, solutions-driven, motivated by continuous improvement, and confident leading teams through change. If you enjoy creating clarity, building SOPs, and establishing high-performing operational environments, you will thrive in this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all internal operations including programme delivery and organisational development in coordination with colleagues across HR, IT, and finance teams.
• Work closely with the CEO to implement the strategic vision and translate it into effective plans and operations, serving as a key spokesperson for the organisation when required.
• Support the delivery and growth of the Avicenna Scholarship Programme, ensuring excellence in participant experience, programme execution, and outcomes.
• Build and manage a high-performing team culture grounded in ethical leadership, compassion, and excellence.
• Lead on operational risk management, governance, and legal compliance.
• Monitor and report on impact, outcomes, and organisational health metrics.
• Develop relationships with partners, funders, mentors, and other stakeholders to strengthen the Foundation’s ecosystem.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Proven experience in a senior operational or general management role, preferably within the nonprofit, education, or youth development sectors.
• Deep personal alignment with the values and vision of Avicenna Foundation.
• High levels of drive, resilience, and self-motivation.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and operational leadership skills.
• Experience overseeing budgets, organisational development, and team management.
• Excellent project management and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; able to build trust and motivate diverse stakeholders.
• Adaptability and initiative, especially in a start-up or fast-growth context.

Desirable:

• Experience with leadership development or educational programmes.
• Familiarity with Zakat principles, British Muslim community contexts, or Islamic leadership values.
• Understanding of programme impact evaluation and reporting.

The Philharmonia Orchestra is seeking a talented and driven Trusts and Foundations Co-ordinator to help the Development team deliver growing, sustainable fundraised income. Working closely with an experienced senior grant-writer, the Trusts and Foundations Co-ordinator will steward existing funders and develop funding applications for:

• Our programme of 150 concerts a year, including landmark multi-disciplinary concert series; 

• Our award-winning Learning & Engagement projects that engage over 15,000 people annually;

• Our talent development programme through which we help improve representation in the talent pipeline;

• Our sector-leading visionary digital and immersive technology programme including our multi-award winning and globally recognised Virtual Orchestra (VR) immersive experiences.

This role will suit someone ready to move on from an entry-level position within a Development team, keen to work in a fast-paced environment, and enthusiastic about taking on their own set of fundraising targets and application deliverables. It is an opportunity for an enthusiastic fundraiser to work within an experienced, inspiring team, to work closely with and learn from one of the most experienced trusts and foundations fundraisers in our sector, and to play a transformative role in a thriving orchestra that on the occasion of its 80th anniversary is already looking ahead to Philharmonia at 100.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

The primary responsibilities of the Trusts and Foundations Co-ordinator are fundraising from and stewarding Trusts and Foundations, achieved by undertaking the following tasks:

1. Delivering the Trusts and Foundations fundraising strategy, with a particular focus on:

• Identification and cultivation:

• Producing lists of prospects to share with the Development Board, via the Director of Development.

• Identifying opportunities for cultivation at projects, events and concerts.

• Application development:

• Responsibility for developing small to mid-range Trust, Foundation and statutory applications up to £25,000 including copy development, application budget creation (using signed-off source budgets), and sign-offs from project manager and line manager.

• Maintaining a strong momentum of application submissions, aiming to fundraise a year ahead of project delivery where possible.

• Collaborating with Development colleagues to agree stewarding responsibilities, review prospects, report on Trust & Foundation income vs. targets and identify prospects whose giving objectives align with the Philharmonia’s work.

• Working closely with colleagues in the Learning & Engagement, Concerts and Marketing departments to build strong, collaborative working relationships in order to source project information to support the development of funding bids.

• Stewarding

• Ensuring timely report development and submission, to maximise re-application rates.

• Ownership of accurate and comprehensive Trust, Foundation and Statutory accreditation in all collateral and online.

• Proactive and consistent conduit between prospects and the Philharmonia, managing invitations to supported projects and ensuring consistent, warm and professional relationship management.

2 Ensuring efficient administration of Trusts and Foundations fundraising, including:

• Managing all Trusts and Foundations pledges and grants on our CRM Tessitura, and ensuring data capture and processing is in line with GDPR and other privacy laws.

• Population and updating of Trusts and Foundations submissions, stewarding and reporting tracker.

• Accurate records of all correspondence held in SharePoint.

Other tasks include

• Representing the Philharmonia externally when required. 

• Undertaking any other duties reasonably required by the Philharmonia.

Skills

Essential:

• A passion for the arts and belief in their ability to have a positive transformative effect on people’s lives.

• An enthusiasm for fundraising.

• A strong work ethic.

• Excellent writing skills with the ability to form a persuasive case.

• Experience in writing fundraising communications.

• Experience of working within a team in a collaborative and supportive manner.

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written), with an ability to adapt style for different audiences and members of the orchestra’s circle of supporters and senior volunteers.

• Commitment to the mission, vision and values of the Philharmonia. 

• Understanding of fundraising and data protection regulation (including GDPR and the Fundraising Regulator).

• Credible experience using a CRM system to record and report on moves management.

• High-level of IT literacy, including the Microsoft 365 suite.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the Philharmonia and its work.

• Proficiency in fundraising databases.

We're recruiting an Operations Officer to lead the foundation’s office management and outsourced IT functions, support cross-team administrative needs, support key compliance tasks, and to manage operations special projects. This role works closely with all members of the staff team. It is an operations management, project management, and administrative role. The foundation is in an exciting period of growth, and this position represents a key investment in our organisational infrastructure.

Please see the attached recruitment pack for more details.

SMART CJS – Trust and Foundations Bid Writer

Role Overview

Are you committed to supporting people who are homeless or rough sleeping?

Are you proactive with a positive attitude?

Job Title: Trust and Foundations Bid Writer (with some responsibility for corporate fundraising)

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Working from our office in central Bedford, with some provision for remote working.

About SMART CJS

Founded in 1997, we are a charity that provides safe spaces for people who are facing or experiencing homelessness, are rough sleeping or have fallen on tough times. As times have changed, our services have adapted and grown, but we’ve always kept the people we support at the centre of all that we do. We believe that everyone needs a little help sometimes and, with trust, respect and honesty, people can make incredible changes. Our vision is to transform communities so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential, participate in and contribute to all aspects of life. Our mission is to provide safe spaces to work with vulnerable people within our communities, empowering them to make positive changes and take control of their lives.

Why Join Us?

We believe in diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

Benefits include:

• 27 days Annual Leave (rising to 30 after 3 years) + Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Generous Pension scheme (after successfully completing a probation period)
• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• Access to a Charity Worker Discount scheme
• Access to the company health and wellbeing service including support with mental health, legal advice and more
• Access to an online GP service

We require all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This job description will be supplemented by annual objectives which will be developed in conjunction with the post holder.

The Role

SMART CJS is looking to recruit a Trusts and Foundations Bid Writer. The successful candidate will also have some responsibility for corporate fundraising with businesses based in Bedford and beyond; this responsibility will be shared with our Community and Corporate Fundraiser.

The main responsibility, though, will be to generate income by writing bids to charitable trusts and foundations, and to statutory funders.

The role will include researching and identifying charity trusts and similar bodies which are able to make an award to SMART. It will also include keeping abreast of developments in fundraising in the charity sector as a whole, especially in the field of grant awarding and, to a lesser extent, of corporate giving.

There will be a probationary period for the role. As it generally takes six months for a grant to be awarded (though some arrive more quickly), the probationary period will need to be for a minimum of seven months, though its precise duration can be negotiated with the successful candidate.

Training will be given; the scope of the training will depend on the candidate’s previous experience.

This is an exciting opportunity to join SMART’s friendly and dedicated team. You’ll need to be able to manage your time effectively; the role is primarily self-directed. We envisage that you’ll be working primarily from our offices in Prebend Street, Bedford, though you'll be able to work from home for some of the time as well. Given the nature of our work, personal resilience is important; some of the stories we use when applying for funding can be emotionally challenging.

Our fundraising comes from regular gifts, donations from the community (individuals and groups), and corporate bodies (businesses). The majority of our fundraising income comes from grants. There will be a realistic target for the amount you need to raise; this will reflect the performance for grant applications in the charity sector as a whole and it will not be unrealistic. Fundraising is not an exact science; the assessment of performance against the targets will be fair and reasonable. The final responsibility for SMART’s fundraising rests with the trustees; they appreciate and understand the complexity of the issues involved.

Main Purpose of the Role

You will work closely with the CEO, the Chair of Trustees, the Head of Business and the fundraising team. The post involves gathering information, writing the bids, tracking the progress of submissions, and reporting back to grant awarders on how their money has been spent, if they require this.

There will also be a responsibility for corporate fundraising. This will involve building relationships with businesses in and beyond the Bedford area. The responsibility for this will be shared with our Community and Corporate Fundraiser.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising and Bid Writing

• Research and identify suitable grant and funding opportunities from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory bodies.
• Write and submit high-quality funding applications and proposals in line with SMART’s strategic priorities.
• Work collaboratively with service leads and front line teams to gather accurate, up-to-date data and service information for applications.
• Tailor the applications to the funder’s criteria, using storytelling effectively.
• Manage a pipeline of applications and submissions, ensuring deadlines are met and income targets are tracked.
• Maintain and build relationships with key funders, providing timely reports and updates on grant-funded work.
• Work to realistic targets and be able to provide feedback on these.
• Organisational Development and Support
• Contribute to the strategic development of SMART’s income generation plans.
• Support development of strong internal bid and grant management systems.
• Monitor success rates and provide monthly reporting on funding performance to the Head of Business and to the Chair of Trustees.
• Represent SMART CJS at funding briefings, webinars, and networking opportunities where appropriate.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in SMART’s performance management and appraisal process.
• Attend the monthly meetings of the Fundraising Committee (a sub‑committee of the Board of Trustees).
• Comply with health and safety policies and procedures.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role, as required by the CEO, the Head of Business or the Chair of Trustees.

Person Specification

Whether you’re already an experienced bid-writer, or whether you think this is something that you could learn to do effectively, we’d like to hear from you. You need to have excellent skills in written English and be able to write in prose that’s clear and readily understandable to the general reader. The criteria for each grant awarder are different; you need to be able to match your bid to what they would like to fund (homelessness, mental health, relief of poverty, women’s issues and so on). You need, then, to tell SMART’s story in a way which appeals to each funder.

You need to have excellent inter-personal skills and be able to work as part of a team. While there is a strong element of self-direction in the role, you need to be able to work closely with senior management and also with the trustees; the trustees have the final responsibility for fundraising in the charity.

You will need, too, to have a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to have a genuine interest in homelessness and the work of the charity, and a commitment to improving our clients’ lives and wellbeing.

The Kensington + Chelsea Foundation is an independent local charity which was founded in 2008 to tackle the key inequalities in our community. While our borough is often associated with wealth and affluence, it also has areas of severe deprivation. Nearly one third of children in K+C are eligible for Free School Meals, life expectancy between residents from different wards varies by nearly two decades, and in-work poverty has increased by 46% since 2020.

Our vision is of a borough where all residents have the opportunity to live happy, healthy, fulfilled lives. To achieve this vision, we identify and fund impactful local projects which improve the lives and life chances of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged residents. Alongside this longer-term work, we also play a key role in responding to emergencies in our community, such as the tragedy at Grenfell Tower and the Covid-19 pandemic. The K+C Foundation is now in an exciting phase of growth, and we want to increase our profile, our income and, most importantly, our impact.

The Community Engagement + Grants Officer plays a key role in our grants team which is  responsible for all aspects of our grantmaking, as well as actively building long-lasting relationships with the local voluntary sector and wider community. The grants team members are our experts in local needs and in the effectiveness of our charity partners in responding to them. In recent years, we have adopted a participatory approach for distributing our larger funds, which means decisions around funding are delegated to panels of local residents who have lived experience of the issues we are trying to tackle. 

The Community Engagement + Grants Officer supports the Senior Grant Manager with the delivery of all of our larger grant rounds, as well as managing our small grants programme and donor-led grants. It is a busy and varied role, with opportunities to develop your skills and experience in a small and supportive team.