Senior Fundraising Officer

• Reports to: Director of Fundraising & Partnerships
• Hours: Full time with flexible hours. Core hours are 10am to 4pm. 
• Contract length: 13 months, starting in mid-July 2026.
• Location: Hybrid. London (Embankment) two days per week and remote working.

Benefits: 

• 25 days annual leave, UK bank holidays and one volunteering day a year, one day for moving home 
• A highly competitive pension (up to 11% employer contribution for 5% employee contribution) 
• Private health insurance, eye tests and medical checks 
• Flexible working: core hours from 10am to 4pm with a minimum of two days spent in the office in London each week (Wednesdays and Thursdays)
• 24/7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Programme
• Income protection insurance and life assurance 
• Cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan and gym membership loan
• Free access to The Economist content, including an online subscription, our range of apps, podcasts and more 

ABOUT US

The Economist Educational Foundation is a fast-growing charity on a mission to ensure that every child is empowered to think critically and communicate effectively about the world’s most complex current issues.

Last year, 10,800 teachers downloaded Topical Talk lessons, reaching 532,000 children in over 86 countries. We are on track to double this number, reaching over 1 million school children by the end of this academic year.

Topical Talk helps children join inspiring discussions about the news by providing:

• Topical Talk Headlines – award-winning teaching resources for classroom discussions about global news stories
• Topical Talk Festival – the world’s biggest news festival for young people
• Leadership for Change Prize – child-led solutions to complex global issues
• Community partnerships – support and training for teachers via partnerships with Multi-Academy Trusts in the UK and School Districts in America

Our programme has received international recognition, including from HundrED as one of the top 100 education initiatives, from UNESCO as a winner of the Global Media and Information Literacy Awards 2022 and from the Money And Inclusion Awards (MAIA) for best content in 2025.

THE ROLE

We are looking for a highly organised and proactive Senior Fundraising Officer to join our team on a fixed-term contract.

Working closely with the Director of Fundraising and the Senior Fundraising Lead, you will ensure our high-value corporate partnerships run smoothly, our high-net-worth events are a success and our external pitches are sharp and well-researched. 

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to develop your hands-on experience across corporate, trusts and foundations and individual giving within a fast-growing charity backed by a globally recognised brand.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research and opportunity generation

• Support the team by researching and keeping abreast of new funding opportunities across trusts, foundations, and corporate prospects.
• Compile background research to help the team evaluate and pursue new business leads.

Funding applications and pitch support

• Assist the Senior Fundraising Lead and Director of Fundraising with writing funding applications.
• Help structure and draft compelling pitch documents to support the team’s new business goals.
• Design and adapt templates for various fundraising documents and pitches.

Partnership coordination

• Take ownership of the day-to-day coordination of our corporate and institutional partnerships, ensuring exceptional donor care and seamless communication with external stakeholders (e.g., tracking partnership metrics, coordinating meetings, monthly data reporting and managing external communications).
• Deliver external logistics, such as school visits and workshops for corporate partners.
• Draft and prepare comprehensive reports for funders, while managing and responding to all ad hoc requests efficiently.

Fundraising operations support

• Be a key, dependable member of the team, supporting various fundraising work streams to ensure targets are met and team effectiveness is maximised.
• Draft supporter newsletters for our donor communications. 
• Coordinate in-person and online events (e.g., roundtables, fireside talks).

REQUIRED SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES AND EXPERIENCE

Skills and attributes

• Organised: You can manage multiple tasks and deadlines across different projects and teams.
• Compelling communicator: You can write with clarity and warmth, tailoring your tone to engage corporate partners and institutional funders.
• Team player: You are a positive, helpful presence who is motivated by helping others succeed and willing to lend a hand whenever the team needs you.
• Reliable: You are disciplined with deadlines and act as a dependable anchor for the team, managing requests with consistency.

Experience 

You must have:

• Fundraising experience: Experience working and/or volunteering in a fundraising capacity.
• Pitch and proposal support: Proven ability to write funding applications, grants, or persuasive pitch documents.
• Task management: Experience managing multiple tasks or priorities effectively, whether in a work, volunteer, or educational setting.
• Professional communication: Experience communicating clearly and professionally in person, via email and phone.
• General IT proficiency: Experience using standard office software (such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace) and a readiness to learn new digital tools.

You might have:

• Research skills: An ability to conduct thorough background research to identify new potential funding opportunities.
• Events and logistics: Experience helping to coordinate events (virtual or in-person), including handling bookings and catering.
• Coordination experience: Experience in a support, coordination, or customer-facing role within a charity, sales, or account management environment.

We’re particularly keen for you to apply if you are from a community under-represented in the charity sector or have lived experience of facing extra barriers because of your background.