Interim Fundraising Manager - Trusts and Foundations

Supporting over 750 children and nearly 1,000 families annually, Acorns Children’s Hospice is a vital lifeline for families across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire during unimaginably difficult times.

Palliative care for children aged 0–18 is delivered at Acorns’ hospices in Birmingham, Worcester and Walsall, as well as in family homes and other community settings. Acorns’ holistic, tailored approach is designed to meet each child’s clinical, emotional, cultural, religious, and spiritual needs.

Trust and Foundation income is a cornerstone of Acorns’ fundraising strategy. Income is primarily unrestricted and multi-year – a reflection of the strong, long-standing relationships Acorns have built with funders.

We’re looking for an experienced Trusts fundraiser to provide maternity cover and hit the ground running. You’ll take on a robust pipeline and inherit relationships from a portfolio that includes multi-year partnerships with major funders such as Children in Need and John Martins. With a responsive Data team, access to strong stories, and excellent internal buy-in, this is a rare chance to build on solid foundations and deliver high-impact work. 

As Fundraising Manager – Trusts and Foundations, you will:

• Take on a well-established portfolio of trusts and foundations with a combined value of c.£850K, delivering a mix of templated and bespoke applications
• Collaborate closely with an experienced peer Trusts Manager, sharing responsibility for monthly submissions and stewardship
• Maintain and build relationships with existing funders, ensuring excellent reporting and donor care
• Work cross-functionally with the Data, Marcomms, Finance, and Care teams to develop strong cases for support
• Support joint cultivation and engagement events alongside the Philanthropy team

To be successful in this role, we are seeking:

• Experience of personally securing mid to high 5-figure+ grants from trusts or foundations
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to tailor messaging across formats and word counts
• Stakeholder management skills
• Someone highly organised and efficient, who is able to manage a busy workload with autonomy
• A collaborative and supportive team player with a donor-centred approach
• Desirable but not essential: Health sector fundraising experience 

This is a hybrid role. Ideally 1 day per week at either Selly Oak, Worcester or Walsall hospice office. There is flexibility - please discuss. 

Employee benefits include:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (5 days holiday buyback scheme starting from April 2026)
• 7.5% employer pension contribution
• Life assurance scheme (2 x annual salary)
• Retail discounts (including the Blue Light card)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted gym membership
• Access to expert financial health and wellbeing support