This is a rare opportunity to join a charity at the very start of its journey.
Head of Fundraising & Communications
- Salary: £60,000-£65,000
- Location: Initially from home until opening with travel for prospect meetings primarily in Wakefield and the surround. Once open, hybrid, with 3 days per week on site.
- Contract: Permanent, 37.5 hours (open to flexible working requests)
- Benefits: 33 days holiday, pension, professional development
Wakefield Youth Zone will be the newest member of OnSide's growing network of state-of-the-art youth centres, giving young people somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to when school is out. With capital funding secured and construction about to begin, the next critical phase is revenue fundraising.
This is more than a fundraising leadership role. It's an opportunity to build the fundraising and communications function from day one. Initially, you'll be the driving force behind building a community of around 34 Founder Patrons, each giving £25,000 per year for four years, creating the financial foundation for the Youth Zone's first years of operation. As opening approaches, you'll recruit and lead your own team, shaping strategy, culture, and long-term sustainability.
We're looking for someone entrepreneurial, relationship-led and comfortable working independently. You'll be supported by the national OnSide network, an exceptionally successful proven model, and a growing Yorkshire partnership with Barnsley Youth Zone.
What you'll be doing:
- Lead the Founder Patron campaign, securing multi-year major/corporate gifts
- Build and lead the fundraising and communications function
- Develop and deliver a sustainable fundraising strategy
- Personally manage key donor and corporate relationships
- Work collaboratively across the OnSide network and region
- Sit on the future Senior Leadership Team
- Oversee the Youth Zone's communications function, supported initially by a regional comms manager, and later by a dedicated local comms hire.
What we're looking for:
You will be an ambitious and relationship-driven senior fundraiser with:
- A strong track record of securing major relationships
- Experience working with corporates and/or high-net-worth individuals
- Strategic thinking alongside hands-on delivery
- Confidence in building partnerships and making the ask
- Entrepreneurial mindset and collaborative approach
This is a career-defining opportunity to build something from the ground up and create lasting impact for young people in Wakefield.
How to Apply
If you're as excited about this role as we are, please send your CV or profile to Ellen Drummond at Charity People to start the conversation. If your experience aligns with the brief, we'll be in touch with next steps on how to make your formal application.
Closing: 9am, on Friday, 15th of May
First stage virtual interviews: 21st & 22nd of May
Second stage in-person interviews: W/C the 1st of June
Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.
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Thank you!
About us
We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. We’re the place to turn to for anything and everything to do with breast cancer. However you’re experiencing breast cancer, we’re here.
The brightest minds in breast cancer research are here. Making life-saving research happen in labs across the UK and Ireland. Support services, trustworthy breast cancer information and specialist nurses are here. Ready to support you whenever you need it. Dedicated campaigners are here. Fighting for the best possible treatment, services and care for anyone affected by breast cancer.
About the role
The high value and campaign department at Breast Cancer Now are an ambitious team of relationship fundraisers that are committed to delivering significant growth over the next five years. Charitable trust grant-funding has a key role to play in this, with our particular focus on securing long-term committed funding for the organisation.
Our existing portfolio of charitable trust and foundation supporters includes a number of high-profile and high-value partnerships, in some cases held over decades.
We’re now seeking to increase, diversify, and drive our trusts fundraising programme to the next level. The trusts and statutory manager role will achieve this by growing our small to mid-value portfolios – significantly uplifting our conversion of supporters up to the five-figure level. Working across our organisation, you’ll create compelling propositions to secure new supporters; and deliver engaging impact communications to sustain new and existing supporters and inspire committed giving over the long-term.
Now is an exciting time to be joining our team, with a new organisational strategy recently launched, new leadership, and powerful progress being delivered for people facing breast cancer; meaning we have lots of opportunity to engage with new prospects and existing supporters.
About you
We’re looking for someone with a passion for making a positive impact through
relationship fundraising – and experience of success in grant fundraising in the small to mid-value area. A skilled multi-tasker, you’ll be adept in managing a high volume of prospects, applying gold-standard relationship principles consistently across your pipeline.
You’ll be responsible for our small to mid-value portfolios and for growing the cumulative value of these. You’ll build a wide knowledge base and strong understanding of our important work to effectively engage with new, potential and existing supporters. With experience in taking a proactive approach, you’ll be equipped to regularly manage multiple tasks including new supporter approaches; thanking and stewardship journeys; and gift administration tasks.
You’ll be motivated to play a supportive role in our wider department fundraising goals while thriving in a team setting.
Job description and benefits
Please download the job description and our attractive benefits package.
Location, hybrid working and salary range
This role is primarily based in our London office. Our hybrid working model allows you to work up to 3 days per week at home.
The salary range is:
£40,000 to £42,000 per annum (London based)
When applying
We hope you choose to apply for this role. To support your application, you’ll be asked to submit your anonymised CV and a supporting statement. Please refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and clearly provide as much information as you can with examples, to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria. If you’ve any immediate questions please contact the Breast Cancer now recruitment team.
Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who we support.
We reserve the right to close this advert early. Therefore, to avoid disappointment please submit your application as soon as possible, if you’re interested in this opportunity.
Closing date: Wednesday 13 May 2026 9am
Interview date: Wednesday 20 May & Friday 22 May 2026
