Jobs for the Disability sector

An exciting opportunity has come up to oversee the operational management and delivery of our burgeoning volunteer-led music and mental health charity. We are looking for a new Community & Operations Lead who has a track record of working holistically and empathetically in line with best practice to effectively manage and grow our services at an operational level; support the ongoing safe recruitment and retention of volunteers through our volunteer pathway; build and support community engagement; manage our two studio sites; and design, develop and manage exciting projects informed by our community members’ vision in collaboration with the Strategy & Fundraising Lead.

Our new Community & Operations Lead will be a calm and reassuring presence with a track record of facilitating positive working relationships, co-productive and person-centred approaches, and intersectional working in order to support our work addressing local health inequalities and reducing the health, social and financial barriers to creativity and support that local people face.

Seed Studios is a music and mental health charity based at Old Trafford Wellbeing Centre and Broomwood Community Wellbeing Centre working with adults aged 18+. From our centres, we support positive mental health and culture in Trafford through...

• our weekly volunteer-led Community Music Wellbeing Workshops, in which adults learn new instruments and disciplines in sessions proven to improve confidence, skills, connections and mental & emotional wellbeing
• our 1-to-1 music tuition and peer support which compliments support that individuals receive from our Trafford, Manchester and Salford health partners
• our inspiring and community-building events such as Open Mics and our annual Celebrate Seed Studios event
• our innovative partnership programmes, like our monthly workshop series with older adults charity String of Hearts, and our fortnightly In Harmony workshops in partnership with Dementia Disco and Trafford Choices.

In 2025, We enabled over 800 hours of free volunteer-led sessions with an annual footfall of over 2500 as well as 24 hours of free, 1-to-1 music tuition support for referrals from our health partners every month.

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.

• Hours: 37.5 per week 

• Salary: £57,000 per annum 

• Contract: Permanent 

• Location: Our office, Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS7 1AB 

• Deadline for applications: Monday 15th June, 12 Noon 

• Job Interview Date: Monday 29th June 

The Director of Finance, Corporate Services & Income is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring Advonet is financially sustainable, well-run and resilient. The role provides strategic financial leadership, oversight of corporate services, and a significant focus on income generation and diversification.  

This role plays a critical part in strengthening Advonet’s long-term viability by improving financial decision‑making, embedding a culture of income awareness and diversification, and enabling managers and teams to contribute confidently to business development activity.  

Apply now

To find out more about this vacancy, please download our Recruitment Pack from our website. It has information on what the role involves, including key responsibilities and a person specification. There is also more about what working for Advonet is like, as well as information on our values and the benefits on offer.

To apply for this job we require a cover letter (max 500 words) and a CV diversity monitoring form. You can find more details about this in the Recruitment Pack.

For any questions about the role, please contact our office and ask to speak to Angela Ellis CEO.