Permanent jobs for the Disability sector

About the role

We are looking for an experienced and inspiring Community Fundraising Manager to lead our community fundraising activity and supporter experience strategy at an exciting time of growth and ambition.

As Community Fundraising Manager, you will lead and develop a high performing team to grow income through community fundraising, events, partnerships and supporter engagement. You’ll champion a supporter first culture, ensuring every interaction with Hft is positive, engaging and inspiring.

You’ll also play a key role in developing innovative fundraising initiatives and community partnerships with local organisations, universities, volunteers, supporters and Hft services, helping to create long-term advocacy and loyalty for our mission.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading and inspiring a Community Fundraising Officer and Supporter Experience Officer to deliver ambitious income and engagement targets

• Developing and delivering community fundraising strategies and events that are inclusive, impactful and supporter-focused

• Building strong partnerships with local groups, universities, businesses and community organisations

• Embedding co-production approaches into fundraising activity by working collaboratively with learning disabled people, families, volunteers and supporters

• Championing excellent supporter and volunteer experiences across all fundraising touchpoints

• Using insight, feedback and data to continuously improve supporter journeys and retention

• Managing budgets, KPIs and forecasting to ensure financial sustainability and growth

• Working collaboratively across Fundraising and Communications to shape engaging campaigns and fundraising opportunities

About you

We’re looking for someone who is:

• An experienced community fundraising leader with a proven track record of delivering income growth

• Passionate about supporter engagement and creating exceptional supporter experiences

• Experienced in planning and delivering successful fundraising or community events

• Skilled in developing partnerships and building long term relationships

• A confident and supportive people manager who can motivate and develop teams

• Comfortable using CRM systems, data and insight to drive performance and improve engagement

• Knowledgeable about fundraising regulation and best practice

• Committed to equity, diversity and inclusion

Experience working with volunteers, universities or co-produced community initiatives would be highly beneficial.

Selection Process

We will be shortlisting applications on an ongoing basis. If your application is shortlisted, we will invite you to a pre-screening interview with a member of the senior hiring team. If you are successful at this stage, the final assessment process will include a competency-based interview, a presentation, and the opportunity to meet with key Managers to get to know the team and Hft.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are committed to recruiting people from diverse backgrounds and believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce helps us better support the people we work with to live their best lives. If there is anything we can do to support you to do your best during the application and selection process, please contact Hft recruitment team.

Fundraising Manager — £35,000–£40,000 | Hybrid / Somerset / Bristol | Permanent | 35 hrs (flexible)

Thrive has been at the heart of Somerset's communities for 100 years. Village agents supporting isolated older people. Diverse communities programmes. Fuel poverty campaigns. Real, local, human work — delivered across every corner of the county.

This centenary year, Thrive is building its next chapter. A new chief executive has reset the strategic direction. Community energy is building. And the organisation has made a clear decision: it wants a sustainable fundraising base that isn't dependent on statutory contracts alone.

This role is the cornerstone of that ambition.

This isn't a maintenance hire. It's a builder's role.

The Fundraising Manager will lead across community fundraising, individual giving and trusts and foundations — with community and individual giving as the primary focus. The tools are in place. The mission is compelling. The stories are extraordinary. Thrive already has the reach, the relationships and the centenary momentum. What's missing is the right person to build the pipeline and turn that momentum into lasting income.

The target: 2,000 active supporters by year end, with a clear pathway to converting them into regular givers over time.

What you'll be doing:

• Building a structured community fundraising programme — creating frameworks that enable supporters, staff and volunteers to fundraise on Thrive's behalf
• Growing the individual giving base from a low starting point — developing supporter journeys, regular giving and stewardship
• Managing a grants pipeline and writing compelling applications to trusts and foundations
• Leading digital acquisition campaigns in partnership with the marketing team
• Line managing the Fundraising Administrator and helping them develop grant-writing skills over time
• Helping build a fundraising culture across the organisation where frontline staff feel part of the story

What we're looking for:

• A track record in community fundraising, individual giving or events fundraising
• Some experience of trusts and foundations — this doesn't need to be your primary specialism
• Strong written skills — the ability to translate real human stories into compelling fundraising copy
• A self-starter who works well with autonomy in a small team
• Genuine connection to Thrive's mission and the communities it serves
• Based in Somerset or within easy reach of Taunton — primarily home-based with approximately one day per week in the office

What Thrive offers:

• £35,000–£40,000 FTE
• Genuine flexibility — hybrid working that actually reflects how the organisation operates
• A values-led culture where kindness, compassion and psychological safety aren't just policies
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Real scope for career progression — if the fundraising function delivers, the trajectory in salary, responsibility and seniority is genuine

This role will suit you if:

You want to be a Head of Fundraising one day. You're frustrated by being siloed. You want breadth, autonomy and the chance to build something that matters — in a place where the mission is real and the communities are real.

This role is being recruited exclusively through Raise + Recruit, an independent not-for-profit executive search adviser. All enquiries are handled in complete confidence.

For a confidential conversation, contact John Austin — no obligation, no lengthy application process at this stage.