Senior development research officer jobs

Philanthropy Lead

CAP celebrates the value of diversity and our aim is for our workforce to be as inclusive as possible as well as representing the communities we serve. With this in mind, we welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. We are committed to continue building an environment that embraces diversity and includes all.

Context

We are building a church-based movement against poverty, delivering the right messages at the right times to inspire action and support. Our goal is to strengthen the CAP supporter and church movement as we roll out our 2026 messaging: Poverty stops with us.

As a directorate, we call people to action. We invite members of the movement to:

• Get help

  • Access the help they need when they are facing or vulnerable to financial crisis.

• Give financially

  • Have abundant lives which generously share with others.

• Partner with us

  • Be actively involved in the end to UK poverty as a partner, coach, volunteer or client.

• Advocate for those in poverty

  • Belong to a shared vision that advocates for those most in need: a local and national movement.

• Prayerful discipleship

  • Become followers of Jesus, living a life of discipleship where we pray for those in need.

We are driven to raise the necessary funds and partnerships needed to achieve CAP's vision of transformed lives, thriving churches, and an end to UK poverty. We collaborate with other fundraising and communications teams to provide a fantastic and rewarding supporter experience.

Purpose

The Philanthropy Leads, reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, are responsible for inspiring new prospective, cultivating and stewarding high-value donors into greater involvement with Christians Against Poverty. They aim to draw supporters closer to the work we do, deepening their relationship and support of CAP. Income from CAP’s major donors is vital for the future expansion of CAP in the UK.

Each Philanthropy Lead may be allocated one or more area of Philanthropy engagement in order to specialise in, but will be expected to support in any area as required. Such areas include:

• Principle gifts

• Philanthropy prospecting and development

• Trusts and Foundations

Along with seeking direct support for the organisation Christians Against Poverty, there is also an expectation for the postholders to support the raising of funds for the wider movement, particularly for local Church frontline partners.

They themselves will be an experienced and confident relationship builder, communicator and fundraiser, cultivating relationships with high-value donors and partners to achieve ambitious targets.

Passion

Our supporters are more than donors, they are a crucial part of the work we do. We are passionate about ensuring our supporters feel connected, engaged, inspired and committed to tackling poverty in the UK through CAP. We want to give our supporters the best experience of Christians Against Poverty.

Role

Accountabilities:

Strategic Implementation & Fundraising

• Implementation of a strategic plan to significantly increase major donor income.

• Implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy for major donor income, aligned with CAP's overall strategic priorities.

• Execution of market research and competitor analysis to identify new funding opportunities and best practice in Philanthropic fundraising.

• Build strong relationships with key internal stakeholders, in order to identify points of engagement  and draft appropriate funding bids.

• Represent CAP at high-level events and conferences to build relationships with potential donors and partners.

Major Donor Development

• Manage a designated caseload of high-net-worth individuals or trusts, cultivating deep and meaningful relationships.

• Conduct face-to-face meetings, personalised communications, and bespoke stewardship plans to cultivate and steward major donors.

• Develop compelling restricted funding projects to attract major donor investment.

• Implement a donor recognition program to acknowledge and celebrate major donor support.

Philanthropy Team Membership

• A member of the Philanthropy Team of our Mission and Movement Directorate.

• Providing peer support and development with other members of the Philanthropy Team, fostering a high-performing and collaborative environment.

• Work with the Head of Philanthropy to set ambitious targets and KPIs for the postholder, ensuring they are aligned with overall fundraising goals.

• Ensure the timely submission of funding applications and effective stewardship of grant and donor relationships.

• Implement robust systems and processes for donor relationship management, data analysis, and performance tracking.

Impact & Reporting

• Ensure that the CRM is updated with engagements, proposal submissions and engagement plans in a timely fashion.

• Develop compelling narratives and impact reports that effectively communicate the impact of major donor support.

• Track and analyse key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of fundraising efforts and identify areas for improvement.

• Provide regular updates on fundraising progress to the Head of Philanthropy.

Innovation & Best Practices

• Stay abreast of current trends and best practices in major donor fundraising.

• Implement innovative fundraising strategies, such as engaging new philanthropists, digital engagement, corporate engagement and high-impact events.

• Evaluate philanthropy activities with the rest of the team and the Fundraising Insight & Innovation team to develop a deeper understanding of supporters and identify new prospects, making data-informed decisions.

• Champion a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the Philanthropy Team.

• Create opportunities for supporters to engage at a senior level and deepen their relationship with CAP, working with the CEO and other senior staff.

Communications & Campaign Management:

• Plan philanthropy initiatives that in order to produce excellent bids, proposals, events, and reports, delivered on time and within budget.

• Coordinate with the Brand and Digital Engagement teams to align messaging and campaigns.

• Ensure philanthropy plans align with brand guidelines and fundraising regulations.

Measurable Outputs:

• Implementation of an annual philanthropy plan that contributes to the wider long-term fundraising strategy.

• Deliver assigned agreed annual income targets for philanthropy which may include:

  • Major Donor income

  • Trusts & foundations income

  • Corporate income

• Deliver key philanthropy targets including:

  • Number of major donor prospects engaged and converted to a managed relationship

  • % of major donor caseload met

  • Number of trusts applied to

  • Average gift size from major donors

Culture:

• Clearly live out and embrace the cultural values of CAP.

• Clearly demonstrate a heart and passion for the charity.

• Sincere acceptance, understanding and practice of the Christian ethos and purpose of the charity.

Other responsibilities include:
Being willing to pray with staff and fully engaged with our Christ-centred culture.

• Encouraging friends, family and other contacts to support the charity through the Life Changer program, and other fundraising initiatives.

• Attendance at CAP staff conferences.

• Completing all compulsory CAP training within given timescales.

• This role falls within the scope of the FCA’s conduct rules, and you will be provided with training as to how these apply to the role.  It is your responsibility to ensure that you follow these conduct rules.

The above job profile is a guide to the work you may be required to undertake but does not form part of your contract of employment. It may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances.

Person

Education:

Essential:

• HND level or equivalent experience of critical thinking

Desirable:

• A relevant qualification in fundraising/marketing or equivalent in a relevant discipline (communications, sales).

Experience:

Essential:

• Proven track record of success in securing significant major gifts (5-6 figures) from high-net-worth individuals.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in high-value fundraising.

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with high-net-worth individuals.

• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.

• Strong strategic planning, analytical, and problem-solving skills

• Strong understanding of fundraising best practices and regulatory requirements.

Desirable:

• Experience of managing budgets for projects and campaigns.

• Knowledge of fundraising databases and CRM systems and Salesforce in particular.

Skills/ Abilities:

• A proven fundraiser who can inspire, influence and deliver results

• Strong negotiation and influencing skills, particularly in securing philanthropic support and building partnerships

• Excellent interpersonal skills to build strong and collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders

• Excellent and passionate written and verbal communication skills

• Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities

• Strong financial literacy, including experience managing budgets, tracking performance and forecasting income

• Able to analyse complex situations, identify challenges, and make sound, data-driven decisions

• A high level of emotional intelligence

Christian Commitment:

• The candidate must be able to give both verbal assent to and practical demonstration of Christians Against Poverty’s Statement of Faith and Core Values.

• Must be able to actively participate in prayer and worship, whether individual, small group or corporately, as an expression of their own personal faith and in line with CAP’s Statement of Faith.

All adults working in or on behalf of CAP have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This includes: 

• A responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP services can be delivered. 

• Identifying children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns.

• Following the CAP Safeguarding policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.