Trusts Officer

Sense has a fantastic opportunity for someone to join our Philanthropy and Partnerships  team as our Trusts Officer. This is a 12 month fixed term contract, based between home and our offices in Kings Cross, London.

Sense has a strong track record in Trusts fundraising over many decades, with a talented, supportive fundraising team in place. We have six- figure and multi-year partnerships with leading UK grantmakers, and a portfolio of dedicated Trust supporters, but there is room to grow, and space to make your mark. 

The successful candidate will play an important part in delivering Sense’s strategy to reach 50,000 people with complex disabilities by 2026. Central to this strategy is securing the income needed to deliver and grow charitable services, covering children’s, arts, sports and capital projects, helping to bring forward the day when no-one is left of life.

Key Responsibilities

• Research and identify potential Trust and Foundation funders for priority projects
• Write funding applications, coordinating inputs and creating budgets as needed
• Work closely with operational and finance colleagues to maximise success
• Maintain accurate database records and monitor personal performance
• Secure income from a range of Trusts and Foundations to meet agreed income targets
• Steward a portfolio of funders to strengthen relationships, including thanking, reporting and organising visits
• Contribute to wider team and organisational goals by working with other members of the wider Philanthropy and Partnerships Team (which includes Philanthropy, Special Events, and Corporate) 

Key skills and experience

• Researching, approaching and establishing relationships with Trusts and Foundations
• Managing a pipeline, making sure opportunities are identified, and taken forward
• Creating compelling communications to engage prospects and supporters
• Working closely with operational colleagues to identify funding opportunities, develop propositions and report on funding
• Able to use Microsoft Word and Excel effectively
• Comfortable doing research to develop new leads and relationships
• Able to write clear, persuasive narrative for proposals and reports
• Numerical skills, including budgeting skills
• Able to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve shared goals

For a full job description and person specification, please see the link below.

About Sense

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Sense are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.

Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.

To apply

Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly.  We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.

Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.

For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.