Research grants manager jobs

Charity Operations Manager

 £50,536, plus a generous benefits package. 

About us

AWF was established from a legacy left to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) in 1983 and was set up as an independent charity to directly support the veterinary profession, promote best practice and drive improvements in animal welfare

We are seeking an experienced charity manager to coordinate and manage the activity of the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF), which places animal welfare at the forefront of veterinary knowledge via research, education and debate.

You will have a strong track record of working with a Board of Trustees and associated committees on the successful implementation of a charity strategy, alongside an ability to lead on the implementation of a focused fundraising strategy.

The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and strong organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise, and work to strict deadlines. Alongside experience of a variety of fundraising activities, event planning, and knowledge of charity governance, this new role represents an exciting opportunity to optimise the unique partnership with BVA and build strategic relationships with key stakeholders to raise the profile of AWF.

Currently there are no direct line management responsibilities but as the charity develops it is likely that line management responsibilities will become part of this role. The role will also involve working closely with BVA’s policy and public affairs, media and campaigns, and marketing and events teams.

This role is pivotal to AWF and will have a lasting impact on the charity. 

Benefits

· Annual leave allowance of 25 days (excluding public holidays), increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days.

· One day paid wellbeing day per year to provide you with dedicated time to focus on your own mental and physical wellbeing.

· One day paid leave per year to undertake voluntary work within the community or to support any reasonable charitable institution or cause.

· Enrolment into a pension scheme provided by Aviva (Employer = 6.5% / Employee = 5%).

· Opportunities for learning and development.

· A wide range of discounts from leading brands via Perkbox.

· A number of staff social events throughout the year.

· Well-behaved dogs are allowed to be brought to the workplace on a regular basis subject to agreement and various conditions being met.

AWF is strongly committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we encourage applications from all sectors of society. We would particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups within the not-for-profit/membership sector.

How to apply

To apply please submit your CV and a covering letter describing how your skills meet the role profile and explaining your motivation for wanting to work with AWF via 'CharityJob Apply' . Please also give an indication of your current salary and notice period.

Closing date

The closing date for receipt of applications is 9am on Tuesday 14 April 2026.

Interview dates

First interviews will be held remotely on Tuesday 21 April and Wednesday 22 April with second interviews in person at the charity’s central London office on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

No agencies please.

At Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK, we’re transforming what support looks like for people severely affected by mental illness. To help us reach even more people, we’re looking for a Prospect Research Manager to shape and lead our prospect research function—providing the intelligence, insight and strategic direction that will fuel our fundraising growth.

If you’re a curious, analytical thinker with a passion for uncovering opportunities and turning insight into impact, this could be your next step.

Online interviews for these roles will be held on 14th, 15th and 16th April.

About the role

As our Prospect Research Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind our high-value prospecting strategy across Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Corporate Partnerships.

You will:

• Lead a proactive research strategy that identifies, qualifies and prioritises high‑value prospects
• Deliver high‑quality profiles, briefings, due diligence and portfolio insights
• Build connection maps to uncover warm pathways into potential partners
• Champion best practice in data, insight, and CRM usage (HIVE & Salesforce)
• Stay ahead of trends in philanthropy, corporate giving and grant-making
• Guide and develop our Prospect Researcher—fostering a culture of curiosity, integrity and collaboration
• Work closely with senior fundraisers to shape portfolios, pipelines and long-term strategy

In short: you’ll make sure our fundraisers have the intelligence they need to build strong, meaningful relationships that change lives.

Who you’ll work with

You’ll collaborate across our high‑performing Fundraising team, including:

• Trusts & Grants Managers
• Philanthropy Manager
• Corporate Partnerships
• Senior leadership across External Affairs

This is a role where your insight will influence decisions at every level.

About you

You’ll thrive in this role if you bring:

Essential skills & experience

• Significant experience in prospect research for fundraising
• Strong knowledge of Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Corporate fundraising
• Ability to lead complex research projects with strategic focus
• Outstanding analytical and communication skills
• CRM confidence (Salesforce experience a big plus)
• Experience with due diligence, connection mapping and portfolio management
• A collaborative, proactive approach to working with teams and stakeholders
• Sound understanding of GDPR, ethics, and the Fundraising Code of Practice
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion—and our mission

Desirable, but not essential

• Knowledge of the mental health or wider health/social care sector
• Experience with wealth screening tools or AI in prospect research

Why join us?

Working across both Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK means you’ll be part of a team that generates nearly £6 million annually to support life-changing services, campaigns, and programmes.

Your insight and leadership will directly contribute to better outcomes for people living with mental illness—and that’s something you can feel proud of every day.

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re excited by the thought of leading insight-driven fundraising research—and want to help us create a world where everyone affected by mental illness gets the support they deserve—we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us drive meaningful, lasting change.

At Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK, we’re working tirelessly to ensure that people severely affected by mental illness get the support and respect they deserve. To help us grow our impact, we’re looking for a passionate and ambitious Trusts & Grants Manager—someone who thrives on building meaningful relationships and crafting compelling cases for support.

Salary is £41,000 to £45,532 dependant on experience, plus £3000 London Allowance

If you're motivated by securing transformational funding that drives real change, this could be the perfect next step in your fundraising career.

About the role

As Trusts & Grants Manager, you’ll play a crucial role in developing and stewarding relationships with Trusts and Foundations—both established supporters and new prospects. You will:

• Manage a portfolio of 50–100 donors and prospects with five- and six‑figure giving potential 
• Produce compelling, evidence-led funding applications that bring our work and impact to life 
• Build and nurture new funder relationships through meetings, calls, written communication and service visits 
• Collaborate closely with colleagues across Programmes, Operations and Partnerships to shape high-impact, research‑led proposals 
• Oversee applications from concept to award, reporting to donors and ensuring excellent stewardship throughout the grant lifecycle 
• Monitor sector trends and proactively shape a healthy, diverse pipeline of long-term supporters 
• Forecast income, track progress, and take early action to mitigate shortfalls when needed 

You’ll work closely with the Interim Head of Trusts & Philanthropy, the Prospect Research Manager, and a fellow Trusts & Grants Manager who focuses on Mental Health UK—acting as a key contributor to a high-performing, collaborative fundraising function.

About the team

You’ll be joining a dynamic fundraising team that generates income across Events, Community, Individual Giving, Legacies, Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Corporate Partnerships. Together, we support nearly £6m of work each year across Mental Health UK and Rethink Mental Illness. 

Trusts & Grants is a well-established income stream with a strong track record—and you’ll help take it even further, securing both cornerstone grants and long-term transformational funding.

About you

You’ll excel in this role if you are:

Essential

• A skilled relationship manager with experience securing five- and six‑figure grants or major gifts
• An exceptional communicator who builds meaningful, trusting relationships with funders and senior stakeholders 
• Experienced in writing persuasive, insight‑driven funding applications and reports
• Motivated by developing a diverse, high-impact Trusts & Grants programme
• Able to respond empathetically and appropriately to emotionally sensitive situations
• A proactive team player who brings creativity and solutions-focused thinking
• Passionate about mental health and improving outcomes for those we support

Desirable

• Knowledge of CRM systems such as Salesforce
• An understanding of GDPR in relation to data and fundraising
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re excited by the idea of building a high-impact Trusts & Grants portfolio and driving transformational change, we’d love to hear from you.

Join us—and help shape a future where everyone affected by mental illness gets the support they need and deserve.

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join the Philanthropy and Partnerships Directorate on a one-year fixed-term contract to provide maternity cover for our Philanthropy Manager. As Philanthropy Manager you will manage a portfolio of existing major donors and lead on building relationships with new potential supporters to secure 5 and 6 figure donations.

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money to save the lives of people with cancer, everywhere. We ensure our nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world. 

From funding state-of-the-art equipment and ground-breaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, we will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. 

We are a very ambitious organisation which has gone through transformational growth over the past five years. Alongside funding an existing programme of world-leading research, treatment and care, the Charity completed its largest capital appeal to date, successfully raising £70 million to build the Oak Cancer Centre at the hospital’s Sutton site, which opened in summer 2023. 

With one in two of us expected to develop some form of cancer, it is essential that we go even further in our fundraising efforts to support the essential work of The Royal Marsden. Therefore, we are delivering our most ambitious strategy yet, that will see us raising at least £215m over the 5-year period.

The Charity is committed its biggest fundraising appeal to date, for a new major development project in Chelsea. There is also an extensive portfolio of engaging projects outside of the capital appeals that help to support all aspects of the hospital’s work to improve the lives of cancer patients. 

The Philanthropy and Partnerships Directorate

Working for us offers you a challenging and rewarding career, as well as the chance to really improve the lives of those living with cancer.

The Philanthropy and Partnerships Directorate, a high performing function that is responsible for all areas of high value fundraising including major donors, trusts and foundations, corporate partners and special events/high value committee supporters.

We work with the Charity’s most generous supporters, who make a significant difference to the work of The Royal Marsden. Philanthropy plays a vital role in the success of funding the hospital’s most urgent priorities and projects.

Job purpose

As Philanthropy Manager you will manage a portfolio of existing major donors and lead on building relationships with new potential supporters to secure 5 and 6 figure donations. You will support the Head of Philanthropy and Special Events, other members of the RMCC leadership team, to explore their networks, facilitate introductions and secure gifts.

You will be a proactive individual with a proven ability and passion for relationship management and donor acquisition driving the delivery of our donor-centric strategy for philanthropy. 

This is an opportune time to join The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity as we embark on our most ambitious Appeal to date. We are a high performing team, and this role presents an exciting opportunity to play a vital part in helping us to realise our ambition whilst developing your career within an ambitious organisation.

Working relationships

You will work closely with our Senior Philanthropy Managers, and regularly liaise with the Head of Philanthropy and Special Events, and Associate Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships and their Deputy. You will also work directly with teams at the hospital, as well as colleagues across P&P and Public Fundraising.

*This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010. 

Stop Domestic Abuse is a trauma informed organisation; the work we do to support those effected by domestic abuse may be triggering for those with past trauma. Please only apply if you are living free from abuse. If you’d like to talk to us about this, please get in touch.

Location: Havant

Salary: £36,547 - £39,372

Hours per week: 37

Contract Type: Full Time/Permanent 

Reference Number: STOPDA847

Main Purpose and Scope of the Job:

Prepare compelling responses to grant applications, support the Business Development Director and wider leadership team with responses to complex tenders and high-value funding applications.

Ensure all policies, procedures and practice are reviewed in line with designated timescales and meet the quality assurance requirements of the national outcomes framework and service standards for VAWG, SafeLives, Women’s Aid NQS, RESPECT accreditation principles and any additional frameworks agreed by the CEO.

Lead, monitor and evaluate projects as designated by the Business Development Director e.g. project management of website redevelopment, collaborating with external contractors and our IT Manager to convey our organisational vision.

Support operational activities which inform whole-organisation improvement e.g. gather and analyse staff survey feedback data, possess a natural curiosity for data analysis and identification of trends which draw meaningful conclusions from qualitative and quantitative data.

Manage (and delegate where appropriate) and quality assure all subject access requests, complaints and data queries in line with Data Protection and GDPR legislation, working with, and supported by the Business Development Director (DPO) on complex cases.

What We Offer:

Time off and Flexibility:

- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (Increasing with service)

- Birthday day off

- Child’s first day of school off

- Option to purchase up to 10 additional days’ leave per year

- Flexible and hybrid working

- Protected time of up to one hour each month

Family-Friendly Benefits:

- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption leave

- IVF Leave

Health and Wellbeing:

- Westfield Health Healthcare Cashback Plan (after probation)

- Westfield Health Personal Health Insurance (after 2 years’ service)

- Employee Assistance Programme

- Eye care vouchers

- Cycle to Work Scheme

About Stop Domestic Abuse:

Stop Domestic Abuse is a proud women-led organisation supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse across Portsmouth and Hampshire. Our vision is a world without domestic abuse, and we work to ensure that it’s ‘everyone’s business.’

We provide refuge and community-based support, delivering in a trauma-informed way for adults, children and young people, tailored to individual needs. Our 19 refuges offer safe, welcoming homes, and across our services we provide one-to-one support and group activities to help improve their safety and to meet others with similar experiences. We support children process their experiences and help regain a sense of safety.

Our UP2U programmes support those seeking to change abusive behaviours, and we also offer specialist support for victims of stalking. We also deliver training to professionals, including the hair and beauty industry, to recognise domestic abuse and connect people to specialist support services.

Our Values:

Equality, Openness, Honesty, Respect for individual dignity and diversity, Empowering women and children, and Care and Compassion – are at the heart of everything we do. By committing to these values, we aim to significantly improve the lives of those we support and work towards our vision of a world without domestic abuse.

Regenerate is looking to recruit a highly organised, efficient and focused Grants fundraiser & Information Manager. Regenerate is 100% self-funded through fundraising endeavours, and so as Grants Manager you will be an integral part of our operations. The role is all about thinking creatively and securing funding through applications to Trusts and Grant giving bodies.

Regenerate is a youth charity established to work with young people who live on housing estates in Roehampton and Putney and the surrounding areas.

Regenerate inspires and supports young people by building strong, lasting relationships and creating life-changing opportunities; helping them grow in confidence, make the best of their lives and impact the world for good.

Regenerate does this through 3 key services: Youth and Community, Mentoring and Coaching, and Employment through our social enterprise The Feel Good Bakery.

The Grants Manager position requires someone with an attention to detail and ability to prioritise and multitask effectively. It requires an ability to think creatively and efficiently deliver applications and reports, keeping to strict deadlines. In addition, you may be required to support our other areas of fundraising.

To do this, you must be able to understand the impact of Regenerate’s work and creatively demonstrate its worth to a variety of current and potential stakeholders. You must also be able to accurately keep records and ensure data on applications, reports and other fundraising sources is well managed. In addition, you may be required to support the other areas of fundraising.

Please read through the attached job pack for the full perks, role, and person specification. To apply, please complete an online application form linked above.

Senior Research Officer

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

We currently have employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new strategy, On a Mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.
 

Job Summary - Senior Research Officer

We are seeking a confident and organised Senior Research Officer to join our small but ambitious Research Team. This is a hands-on role with real scope to contribute to how we fund and manage research, and to make a genuine difference to a programme that's helping to save lives.
 

The Senior Research Officer will lead the delivery of our grant funding processes from end to end - managing application rounds, overseeing the active portfolio, coordinating our scientific committees, supporting our research events and leading our approach to patient and public involvement in research. Working in a small, specialist team means you'll also have real scope to contribute ideas, help improve how we do things, and play a meaningful part in the development of the research programme beyond the day-to-day.

Interviews will be held on Thursday 16 April.

If you have a track record in grants administration, bring experience, confidence and good judgement, and are genuinely committed to making research funding work well, we want to hear from you.

 

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

As part of the Operations team, the successful candidate will be responsible for playing a proactive role in the ‘Thriving Boxing Community’ element of England Boxing’s strategy, as well as having significant input into ‘A Respected and Valued NGB’ and other elements of the wider strategy.

In essence, the role will be responsible for managing, developing and enhancing the day-to-day running of the Membership Services Department to ensure all those engaging with England Boxing have a first-class experience.

The role is also responsible for the accuracy of the data on England Boxing’s database (which includes the current and past member records) and to provide support to volunteers and England Boxing staff as appropriate.
Please note the job will require flexible working hours, including occasional evening and weekend work at National Championships / other EB events.

Key Accountabilities Include:

• To lead and develop the ‘Thriving Boxing Community’ element of the England Boxing strategy. In addition, help develop and deliver the broader England Boxing strategy as required.
• To develop and update the company CRM system, ensuring streamlined processes and systems to guarantee a high-quality experience for our members & volunteers.
• To oversee the day-to-day support and management of regional volunteers across the country in line with England Boxing’s policies, procedures, services & systems.
• To ensure the membership services function operates effectively and that the functions’ activities are aligned with departmental and company objectives.
• To ensure that all membership enquiries are satisfactorily managed, resolved and closed in agreed timescales.
• To manage proactive engagement with members to grow affiliation, enhance membership retention and promote England Boxing services.
• To actively review and implement cost-effective improvements in the membership services, processes, and systems.
• Ensure a high level of customer service and membership support is provided at all times.
• Ensure high-quality records are maintained.
• Manage the accurate fulfilment of membership benefits, including partner offers, DBS assessments and insurance.
• Serve as project manager for the production and distribution of membership information.
• To establish and develop good working relationships with England Boxing staff, members, regional associations, participants and supporters to ensure positive relations.
• Line-manage the Membership Services team, effectively sustaining a positive team environment, displaying high levels of motivation and team spirit.
• Manage the membership services budget
• To provide support and input into the management team as required, and specifically into the delivery of the organisation’s strategic plan and Sport England funding programme.
• To oversee the training & development of staff and volunteers in the Membership Department, and create a culture of self-improvement and continuous professional development
• To perform any other duties as reasonably required to meet the objectives of the organisation

Person Specification - Essential:

• Minimum three years’ experience in managing, developing, and enhancing membership, volunteer, or customer services.
• Understanding and awareness of individual and club membership within a sporting environment.
• Experience in setting goals, targets and measures, and subsequent implementation plans, particularly in relation to commercialisation & CRM development
• Comfortable operating in a fast-changing and challenging environment with excellent people/relationship management skills and the ability to influence and engage.
• Track record in the successful management of budgets, volunteers and staff, including their ongoing development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Along with appropriate IT skills, specifically Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• To be resilient and able to demonstrate leadership, and have experience operating at a management level.
• Experience of writing high-level reports, policies and strategies, particularly in relation to the practical implementation of good governance within a national sporting or third sector organisation
• Experience using insight and research methods to help better understand customer or membership behaviour, and apply learnings to improve future work
• A demonstrable understanding of the need to co-produce/collaborate with stakeholders and the impact of the same.

Desirable:
• Knowledge of amateur boxing, including technical rules and competitions.
• Experience of managing sub-committees, focus groups and/or consultations in a voluntary, sports or customer service environment
• Be able to demonstrate creativity and the instigation and production of innovative and cost-effective development programmes.
• Hold a full UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle.
• The role will require travel throughout the country for meetings/events and work unsociable hours, including evenings and weekends (as required).
• Experience in developing grassroots sports projects. This includes writing and developing grant funding applications.

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most 

At Home-Start Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow, we believe that childhood can’t wait. We’re a vibrant, community-rooted charity supporting families through the critical early years of parenting. Our volunteers and staff work side-by-side with families, offering emotional and practical support, building confidence, and creating lasting connections. 

We are now seeking an Impact and Operations Manager to join our passionate team and shape the future of our services. 

About the Role 

This is a unique opportunity to lead our impact and operations strategy, ensuring we have the insight, tools, and systems to deliver high-quality support to families. You’ll play a pivotal role in measuring and communicating our impact, supporting strategic decision-making, and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead and manage data collection, evaluation, and reporting across all family support services 

• Develop tailored reports and insights for internal and external stakeholders 

• Collaborate on funding applications with the CEO and Head of Marketing & Fundraising 

• Oversee administrative systems and policies, including GDPR compliance and HR processes 

• Manage office operations, including tech support, premises, and general administration, and line manage operations and data & impact team 

• Contribute to strategic planning and service innovation using data and insight 

• Strengthen our presence across local and national networks in partnership with the Senior Management Team 

What You’ll Bring 

• Strong experience in managing and interpreting data to drive impact and inform strategy 

• Strategic thinking with the ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results 

• Confidence with technology and quick ability to learn new tools and systems 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build strong relationships 

• A curious, analytical mindset and a passion for telling the story of our work 

Why Join Us? 

• A flexible, hybrid working model co-designed with our team 

• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven culture 

• A chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of local families 

• Excellent pension and generous annual leave 

Women’s Work is a National Award Winning Charity founded in 2003. We aim to deliver a holistic, person centred support service to vulnerable and disadvantaged women with complex health and social needs. We do this by ensuring they can access support, education and information to raise self-esteem and confidence, empowering them to make positive life choices resulting in improved health and wellbeing.

We are seeking a talented, motivated and highly organised Business Development Manager to join our Senior Management Team and play a key role in supporting the organisation’s growth, sustainability and financial resilience.

The Role

This is predominantly an office-based role working closely with the Finance Manager and under the guidance of the CEO, with a strong focus on:

• Bid writing, tender submissions, commissioning applications and grant funding
• Identifying, securing and managing new funding opportunities
• Supporting financial planning, allocation to funded projects
• Fundraising and promoting the charity in the local community

You will lead on the development and continuation of the project-specific funding, ensuring bids and applications align with Women’s Work’s strategic objectives and future expansion plans.

Working collaboratively with the Finance Manager, you will review funding streams, develop robust applications and contribute to the effective financial management of funded activities. You will liaise with businesses, statutory bodies, organisations, community groups and charities to identify and secure new income opportunities, partnerships and sponsorships.

Key Responsibilities

• Research, identify and secure new funding opportunities, grants and tenders
• Lead and co-ordinate high-quality bid writing, commissioning and tender submissions
• Support the Finance Manager with funding reviews, budgets and financial monitoring
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with funders, partners and stakeholders
• Contribute to organisational planning, sustainability and income diversification
• Ensure funding requirements, reporting and compliance are met
• Event planning/identify and co-ordinate fundraising opportunities

About You

The successful applicant will be self-motivated, detail-focused and high organized, with strong project management and communication skills. You will be able to work collaboratively while also managing competing priorities independently.

You will also be able to demonstrate:

• Proven experience in bid writing, tenders and/or commissioning
• A track record of pro-active business development, ideally within the charity or voluntary sector
• Strong relationship-building skills across multiple sectors
• Empathy and a clear commitment to Women’s Work values, aims and objectives

Additional Information
An Enhanced DBS check will be required.
Ref: BDM

You will be part of a small energetic and committed team supporting the delivery of Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s philanthropy and income generation ambitions. Working collaboratively with colleagues, you will help grow and steward support from individuals, corporate, charitable and statutory donors, with a lead responsibility for a defined portfolio of relationships and initiatives.

Fundraising and relationship building happen across the charity, and you will manage your own portfolio of donors and partners and work with the Chief Executive and wider team to co-ordinate activity, share insight and maximise opportunities for place based philanthropy in Northamptonshire.

You will need confidence, excellent communication skills and the ability to plan and deliver projects as part of a highly collaborative team. You will be comfortable cultivating, stewarding and sometimes soliciting charitable donations yourself, as well as creating opportunities for the Chief Executive to engage with donors and prospective supporters.

Role overview 

This newly created senior role strengthens The Young Foundation’s strategic business development function and supports income growth across the full range of our programmes and partnerships. The post will provide expertise in fundraising and procurement processes including approaches to philanthropic funders and investor circles as well as formal tendering, dealing with a range of funding modalities from research grants to commercial consultancy and trusts and foundations. 

Key responsibilities 

Business development and income growth

• Lead high‑value income generation processes, including building consortia, securing philanthropic funding, and delivering high quality formal tenders, coordinating inputs from across our delivery teams.

• Oversee the preparation of costed proposals and pitches for a diverse range of funders, including research councils, local authorities, commercial consultancy, and philanthropic trusts. 

• Support the continued growth and impact of The Young Foundation’s external-facing activity, aligning business development with communications and policy work. 

• Manage a robust pipeline, tracking opportunities and ensuring strategic alignment with organisational priorities.

• Develop budgets, pricing models, and partnership structures for commissioned work.

• Identify new funding and commissioning opportunities through horizon scanning, network engagement, and proactive outreach.

• Collaborate with senior colleagues to refine and grow thematic and programme areas.

• Support and advise colleagues across the organisation on approaches to business development including opportunity identification, competitive analysis, structuring meetings, building consortia and financial models. 

Partnerships, networks and relationship management

• In collaboration with programme delivery leads, build and steward relationships with funders, commissioners, consortium partners and strategic collaborators.

• Lead account management for key partners to support long‑term growth and mutual value creation.

BD leadership, systems and strategy

• Create, improve and maintain appropriate BD systems, processes and tools, including pipelines, trackers and lessons‑learned approaches.

• Contribute to organisational strategy and planning and, in particular, to fundraising strategy and external affairs.

• Create and monitor BD metrics, reporting on feedback and recommending appropriate courses of action.

• Manage a repository of BD data and information, including track record, capacity statements, boilerplate bid sections, etc.

• Champion The Young Foundation’s values, ensuring inclusive, ethical and community‑centred practice. 

Person specification  

Prior experience – essential  

• Substantial experience of leading/managing business development and income generation for a think tank or similar research/innovation led organisation. 

• Track record of securing income across a range of relevant funders through both competitive tenders and proactive approaches.

• Strong commercial acumen.

• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills.

• Understanding of UK government and non-government sectoral funding landscapes.

• Strong network in the UK community and/or social innovation sector.

• Commitment to equity and social justice.

• Demonstrated collaborative approach to team-working – able to work effectively with colleagues with a range of specialisms and to operate effectively in a remote-first organisation. 

Prior experience - desirable 

• Experience with the introduction of CRM software.

• Familiarity with creating and reporting on BD metrics at Senior Leadership Team and/or Board level.

• Experience of/interest in exploring the impact of AI in business development and fundraising. 

• Familiarity and/or previous experience with The Young Foundation’s thematic areas (eg, community engagement, just transition, social innovation, young people, etc.). 

How to apply

Please apply directly via CharityJob, ensuring you complete the application form.

As part of your application, please include a cover letter addressing the following questions:

• Where do you see the greatest business development opportunities for The Young Foundation over the next 24 months? 

• In an increasingly competitive market, how would you seek to position The Young Foundation for opportunities, in light of the charity’s mission, purpose, vision and expertise? 

• What is your approach to building and strengthening positive relationships to drive income growth? 

The closing date for applications is 12pm on 20 April 2026 

The selection process will involve an interview and a presentation task.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 4 May 2026 

The Sutton Trust is the UK’s leading social mobility charity. We believe every young person should have a fair chance in life, regardless of their family’s income, the school they go to or where they grow up. But today in Britain, the opportunity to succeed is heavily shaped by socio-economic background. Our mission is to change this. Our programmes empower young people to access life-changing opportunities, and our research influences national change to deliver a fairer future.

Each year, together with our university and employer partners, we support over 14,000 young people to reach their potential through our university, apprenticeship, and career access programmes. And our support does not stop there. We engage our thriving alumni community to help them to succeed in their professions and to act as advocates for social mobility.

Our rigorous and extensive research shines a light on barriers to opportunity from the early years to the workplace, and we strive to influence national policy change with evidence-based solutions to tackle educational and workplace inequality. Using insights from our programmes and research, we also test and scale new ideas in education and employment practice.

As an independent charity, our work is entirely reliant on the generous support of our community of donors. The need to support our work to tackle Britain’s low social mobility has never been greater.

Fundraising at the Sutton Trust

We are seeking a dynamic and driven fundraiser to be our Trusts and Foundations Manager. The Sutton Trust is at an exciting point in our organisational journey, with a new Chairperson and ambitions to significantly grow our impact and fundraising as part of our 2030 strategy.

Over the past five years the impact of the Sutton Trust has increased, especially in our programme numbers, securing a relatively stable income of c.£6m over a number of years. In recent years this has grown to c.£7m, and our organisational strategy to 2030 will continue this fundraising trajectory to increase income to £12m. Trusts and foundations income currently accounts for c.37% of our fundraising, and we know there is considerable enthusiasm and opportunity in the grant-making world for building strategic partnerships with us.

Our fundraising approach will continue to focus on driving towards major gifts and strategic multi-year partnerships, leveraging a range of drivers to secure Trust, Foundation and Statutory support.

The Role and Team

As Trusts and Foundations Manager (maternity cover), you will be an experienced, proactive relationship manager and fundraiser. You will be confident in delivering high quality reporting and stewardship to a wide variety of Trusts, Foundations, Statutory and organisational donors, as well as proactively approaching funding prospects and preparing applications to secure funds.

We have strong relationships with a range of trusts and foundations, and over the fixed term contract period we are looking for a confident fundraiser to manage and support a portfolio of funders as cover for a maternity leave within the Development team.

The role will contribute to growing the portfolio of Trusts, Foundations, and organisational donors (predominantly at the five-figure level), while also providing strategic support on grant management of our major six-and-seven-figure Trust and Foundation partners. This will include compiling key reports and supporting the gathering and analysing programmatic data. You will work closely with colleagues across both the Development Department, including the Development Director, and the wider organisation.

Main duties

New Business

• Undertake prospect research into trusts and foundations, statutory opportunities (contracts or grants), and organisational funders in collaboration with Trusts and Foundations colleagues, and other senior staff and senior volunteers. This includes identification, due diligence, qualification, and creating briefings and outreach plans.

• Work with Trusts and Foundations colleagues to cultivate a prospect pool of potential donors, looking at lapsed supporters, the prospect pipeline, stakeholder network mapping through the Board and Trustees, as well as funders with an active interest in education / social mobility.

• Submit compelling funding proposals and reports to mid-level trusts, foundations, statutory and organisational donors to secure income (predominately at the five-figure level) for the Trust. Work alongside other Development team and wider organisation members to ensure high-quality submissions.

• Alongside team members, manage the shared Development inbox to ensure all enquiries are dealt with in a prompt, consistent, and friendly manner.

• Follow all relevant policies and processes to ensure due diligence is completed for prospective donors and that income projections and plans for the portfolio are kept up to date.

Account Management and Development

• Manage and grow a small portfolio of trusts, foundations, statutory supporters, and organisational donors, delivering impactful stewardship (e.g. impact reporting) while meeting all donor reporting requirements to maximise financial income and partnership longevity.

• Support senior team members on strategic management of our major trust and foundation partners, including leading on compiling key impact reports, coordinating meetings, attending programme visits, event invites, writing targeted donor communications and reporting.

• Work with the Head of Fundraising Operations to compile and analyse key programmatic data for use by the Development team in their grant reporting.

• Be accountable for achieving agreed trusts and foundations income targets, looking for opportunities to grow funding and diversify income for this stream.

• Ensure all record keeping and administration relating to trusts and foundations income is maintained, up-to-date, and processed in accordance with GDPR and Sutton Trust policies and procedures.

Fundraising Finance and Reporting

• Act as an ambassador for the Trust with external audiences, delivering presentations and providing expertise as required.

• Work with colleagues to deliver impactful events to cultivate prospects and steward partners, with a focus on experience for trust and foundation supporters and prospects.

• Work with colleagues across Development and Finance to ensure accurate forecasting, income tracking and reporting for trusts and foundations income, through the Trust’s CRM (Salesforce), account management plans, and all relevant income pipeline documents.

• Ensure you appropriately follow policies and procedures on due diligence, Salesforce and data management, account management, stewardship, and reporting.

• Stay up to date with grant fundraising best practice, learning from senior members of the team, and keep abreast of developments and opportunities within the wider fundraising space.

• Other duties as necessary from time to time.

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have:

• Experience in successfully securing, managing, and developing Trust, Foundation, Statutory or organisational donor partnerships at four and five figure-level, from initial prospect research to securing income and ongoing grant management.

• Experience building and managing relationships, particularly in the philanthropic sector with organisational donors.

• Strong presentation skills and the ability to write compelling proposals and impact reports, or pitch to audiences with the intent of persuading them to your point of view or secure a specific outcome.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to summarise information from readily available sources clearly and concisely.

• Experience managing multiple priorities and tasks to successfully achieve project or other goals.

• Excellent prospect research skills and strong analytical skills.

• First-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust with confidence in a range of settings.

• Knowledge of fundraising in the education and/or not-for-profit sector.

• Experience using CRM software (ideally Salesforce) to accurately record funding relationships (desirable).

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage and increase social mobility.

• Able to take the initiative and take responsibility for a wide variety of tasks and projects.

• Strong communicator, skilled at persuading others through writing and conversation.

• Enjoy working with impact and outcomes data to create compelling narratives for reporting purposes (desirable).

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Able to multi-task and prioritise multiple funder relationships.

• Able to work independently and as part of a team.

• Is eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• Contract: Full-time, Fixed term contract until 31 August 2027

• Salary: £42,000-£47,000

• Working location: Minimum of two office days per week. Our home working policy gives staff the option to - work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.

• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP.

• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. This role is likely to also be required to attend events / meetings outside of normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends, in line with organisational policies.

• Safeguarding: DBS check may be required.

Interviews

Applications should reach us by 10am, Monday 13th April , with first round interviews held with first round interviews held on Tuesday, 21st April, and second round interviews held on Tuesday, 28th April. Both rounds will be held in our London office.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.

Role Purpose

To provide steady financial leadership, ensuring stability, compliance, and continuity during a period of transition. The postholder will maintain strong financial control and reporting, support delivery of agreed structural changes to the finance team and ensure a smooth handover to the incoming post holder.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership and Control

• Maintain strong financial control, reporting and cashflow management.

• Advise CEO and Treasurer on financial stability, risk and reserves.

• Oversee fund management, compliance and key external relationships (auditors, banks, suppliers).

• Responsibility for managing and reviewing financial policies, procedures, standards, systems and processes to guide the charity’s financial decision-making.

• Oversight and administration of the payments & banking process & addressing queries as necessary. Including management of the bank mandate. 

Team Leadership and Development

• Line manage and mentor the Assistant Accountant, maintaining morale, clarity, and professional standards during change. 

Business Planning and Reporting

• Lead the preparation of the FY2026-27 budget, with a focus on three year financial planning. 

• Lead quarterly reforecasting and scenario planning to ensure alignment with strategic priorities and maintain at least three months’ free reserves.

• Prepare clear financial analysis and documentation to support a smooth transition and effective handover. 

Governance and Compliance

• Ensure financial obligations are met on time.

• Maintain documentation to support due diligence, risk management and compliance assurance to the Treasurer. 

Person Specification Essential

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent). Strong record of senior charity or not-for-profit financial management.

• Proven hands-on ability in safeguarding and maintaining financial control, and compliance during organisational change.

• Understanding of SORP, restricted funding, and grant reporting.

• Calm, credible, and pragmatic, able to command confidence of trustees and senior colleagues.

Desirable

• Experience in environmental, research, or education sectors.

• Familiarity with Sage or similar finance systems.

• Experience in change management and business improvement, ideally within a not-for-profit setting. 

Values and Approach

The successful candidate will combine technical strength with a collaborative, solutions-focused approach, ensuring continuity, supporting staff through transition, and handing over a stable, well-functioning Finance team to their successor.