Fundraising jobs in Northampton, northamptonshire

What You’ll Be Doing

Building and managing a pipeline of churches, donors, and supporters
Delivering speaking engagements, events, and presentations
Driving regional fundraising activity and growing donations
Hosting and facilitating prayer meetings
Recruiting and leading volunteers
Expanding Barnabas Aid’s reach through networking and partnerships

What We’re Looking For
Proven experience working to targets (sales, fundraising, outreach or similar)
Confidence in asking for commitment—financial or otherwise
Strong communication and public speaking ability
Highly organised, self-motivated, and able to work independently
A natural relationship builder with commercial awareness
Practising Christian, actively involved in a local church (occupational requirement)

Why Join Barnabas Aid?

You’ll be part of a global ministry supporting Christians in over 100 countries—providing food, aid, Bibles, training, and hope where it is needed most.

This is a role where performance matters—but so does purpose.

We are looking for a day rate consultant to join the team!

To coordinate the planning and delivery of the GLORY Digital Festival from pre-production through to post-event follow-up, making sure speakers, session leads, interpreters, technical suppliers, youth co-chairs and participants all have what they need for a smooth, engaging and accessible experience. 

Are you a skilled relationship-builder with corporate fundraising experience? Do you love spending time in the outdoors and want to help young people from Somerset? Join the Youth Adventure Trust's small but mighty team and use your skills to help transform the lives of vulnerable young people.

The Role

Having launched our Youth Adventure Programmes in Somerset in 2024, we are now looking for somebody who wants to take the next step in their fundraising career to build on the foundations of the last two years and significantly increase our presence in the county. 

As our Regional Corporate Fundraiser,  you'll be the driving force behind our local business partnerships, working with both large companies operating in the region and smaller local businesses looking to support their communities. 

Your role will encompass:

• Relationship building: Identifying and securing new corporate partnerships while providing high-quality stewardship to our existing Somerset-based supporters.

• Community Engagement: Championing our work in Somerset by giving engaging talks to community groups and networking with local businesses.

• Event delivery: Playing a key role in delivering local fundraising challenge events, the bi-annual Somerset Adventure Dinner and developing new opportunities to unite the Somerset business community behind our mission.

You'll work closely with the Corporate Partnership Manager and the Director of Fundraising and Communications to ensure each proposal is bespoke and every corporate partner understands the impact of their support on local young people.  You must live in Somerset, have a good local awareness and be willing to travel around the county and beyond to nurture long-lasting, strategic relationships.

About You

We are looking for a people-person, who is self-motivated and highly organised. You are as comfortable in the board room engaging business leaders as  you are standing on a mountain side in your waterproofs! You will be:

• Experienced: A proven track record in building successful corporate partnerships and achieving income targets;

• A relationship fundraiser: building long-lasting meaningful relationships should be at the heart of every single corporate partnership;

• An inspiring communicator:  You will be telling our story in a variety of different ways to inspire support and grow our networks;

• Self-motivated:  You are comfortable working from home but eager to be ‘out and about’ in the business community;

• Pro-active and creative: No corporate partnership is the same, so you will be proactive in understanding a corporate partner’s motivation and coming up with creative ideas to build successful relationships;

• Local: You must live in or near Somerset to maximise local networking opportunities, attend regular in-person meetings and events  and confidently talk about local issues facing both businesses and the young people we support through our programmes;

• Outdoorsy: A genuine love for the outdoors, comfortable in wellies and waterproofs with an understanding of 'the power of the outdoors'.

The Charity

At the Youth Adventure Trust, we use outdoor adventure to empower vulnerable young people from Swindon, Wiltshire and Somerset to fulfil their potential and lead positive lives in the future. We work with them to build resilience, develop confidence and learn skills that will last a lifetime, helping them to face the challenges in their lives. Dedicated support, guidance and mentoring from our staff and volunteers ensures young people receive the maximum benefit from our long-term intervention. Our aim is to make a lasting improvement to the lives of vulnerable young people. All our services are provided completely free of charge to the young people who are nominated by schools and other youth organisations to take part.

We’re proud to offer our programmes completely free of charge to participants which means the fundraising team is crucial. With ambitious plans to help more young people from Somerset over the coming years, our Regional Corporate Fundraiser role is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference for local young people.  Whilst you will have the flexibility of a 21-hours-per-week role, this could increase as more corporate partnerships are secured. You’ll be part of a small fundraising team with a big heart, with plenty of opportunities to visit our programmes and see the tangible impact of your work. 

Safer Recruitment

The Youth Adventure Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and requires all employees to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment and in compliance with current employment legislation, and relevant safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.

We have an exciting new role at Bags of Taste!

We’re looking for an  enthusiastic and passionate experienced Corporate and Community Fundraiser to play a key role in the growth of our corporate and community income and develop new partners. This brand new role will develop fundraising opportunities with businesses and  community groups, helping to broaden our supporter base and strengthen long-term relationships. 

This is an fantastic opportunity for a motivated and proactive individual who is keen to make a tangible difference. This is the first time we’ve recruited a corporate and community fundraiser and there is significant opportunity to raise funds as our organisation grows. The issues of health and well-being across the population and food insecurity are urgent and our work directly addresses these critical issues. 

You’ll be a key part of the growth of Bags of Taste’s fundraising activity and will be able to make this your own role. We’re initially recruiting this role as a one year contract however we expect this to become a permanent role as funding allows and we’ll review this with the post holder after six months.

Key responsibilities

Corporate Fundraising

● Develop and implement a plan to raise funds from companies (this could be nationwide or within local project areas) with the Head of Fundraising and Comms

● Research corporate fundraising opportunities and develop a pipeline of prospects

● Approach new businesses to financially support Bags of Taste through presentations, applications, pitches and proposals

● Devise partnership opportunities where required eg volunteering days/fundraising ideas

● Work across the organisation to develop leads via staff, Directors and volunteers

● Account manage all corporate supporters in order to develop strong long-term relationships

● Attend networking events to develop new leads.

Community Fundraising

● Develop and implement a plan to raise funds from community groups. This could include events, peer to peer fundraising or volunteer led activity

● Provide guidance, resources, and encouragement to community fundraisersto help maximise their fundraising efforts.

● Attend networking events where needed.

Relationship Development and Stewardship

● Build and develop relationships with all corporate and community partners

● Develop fundraising tools and guidance for all supporters

● Ensure excellent stewardship for all partners in order to build strong, long term relationships. This includes good recognition and communication (reporting and updating).

Administration

● Prepare budgets where needed, track income and forecasts

● Maintain accurate records acrosscorporate and community fundraising

● Ensure compliance with all fundraising regulations, GDPR and organisational policies.

General

● Support and supervise volunteers as and when required

● Attend and support networking events or other events or fundraising activity as required to represent Bags of Taste, including occasional working outside of normal office hours, including some evenings or weekends.

● Undertake other duties appropriate to the role to support the aims of Bags of Taste.

Person specification

Essential

● A minimum of  2 years of experience managing all aspects of corporate fundraising within a charity (including experience of securing new business, account management and stewardship)

● Experience of community fundraising

● A successful track record of securing corporate and community income

● Exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills

● Excellent written skills - you’ll need to be able to write compelling presentations, proposals, applications and reports

● Ability to build a rapport with a wide range of stakeholders

● Strong negotiation skills

● Ability to network, build, and nurture relationships with a wide variety of people

● Excellent organisation and project management skills and ability to work to tight deadlines

● Proactive, self motivated and tenacious 

● Self starter with the ability to set your own workload

● Strong attention to detail 

● Strong IT skills including all Word packages

● Strong knowledge of all social media channels including relationship building on Linked in 

● Good understanding of the relevant fundraising codes of practice and GDPR/data protection

● Passion for the work of Bags of Taste 

● Flexible and able to attend networking events/events occasionally out of work hours as part of the role.

Desirable

● A relevant professional qualification eg Institute of Fundraising Certificate or Diploma in Fundraising or sales or marketing

● Good understanding of CANVA and WordPress

● Good understanding and knowledge of food insecurity and health issues

Why join Bags of Taste?

● You’ll be part of a small, ambitious organisation with a big vision and a strong sense of purpose. The issues around health inequalities and poor diets and the need for solutions are critical.

● This is a hugely flexible role in a supportive organisation.

About Bags of Taste

The work of Bags of Taste and the issues that we tackle are highly topical and relevant so there is a lot of opportunity and scope to raise funds from companies and the community. Our vision that everyone should be able to access and cook good food has never been more important. 

We address dietary related health inequalities and food insecurity - both these issues have been exacerbated by the current cost of living crisis and public health challenges. There is recognition now that food banks are not a sustainable solution and Bags of Taste works across a number of high need communities enabling people to be happier, healthier and more resilient.

This is not a traditional marketing role.  We are looking for a bold, imaginative and performance‑driven Marketing & Communications leader ready to reinvent how we reach people, inspire action and connect our community to our cause.

As a key member of the Income Generation leadership team, your work will directly power the care we provide. This is your opportunity to lead and develop a talented marketing team, push boundaries, challenge the status quo, and shape a modern, creative, high‑performing marketing function that makes a measurable difference.

If you love innovation, thrive in fast‑paced environments and bring a blend of strategic vision, digital expertise and creative flair - we want to hear from you.

What you’ll do:

✅ Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary team across digital, creative, brand and campaigns to deliver standout work. 

✅ Step change our digital capability, elevating performance marketing, content, analytics, and new-channel experimentation. 

✅ Drive innovative, audience-first campaigns that grow awareness, engagement and income across all channels. 

✅ Champion bold creative thinking, ensuring our brand is powerful, distinctive and emotionally resonant. 

✅ Lead PR, storytelling and reputation management, ensuring our voice is compelling, confident and aligned with our purpose. 

✅ Explore emerging technologies and formats, identifying new ways to reach and inspire audiences. 

✅ Collaborate closely across Fundraising, Supporter Engagement, Retail and Clinical Services to deliver integrated, high impact marketing and shape and deliver the Hospice Strategic Plan. 

We’re looking for someone who is:

· A digital first strategic marketer with deep experience in performance marketing, analytics, paid media and optimisation.

· A creative thinker who loves experimentation and isn’t afraid to challenge “how we’ve always done it.”

· A confident leader with the ability to inspire, mentor and develop multi specialist teams.

· Highly skilled at using audience insight, segmentation and behavioural understanding to shape content and campaigns.

· Insight and data driven, with a proven track record of delivering measurable growth across digital and offline channels.

· Passionate about making a meaningful difference through purpose driven marketing.

 

Who we are:

Set in the tranquil grounds of Willen Lake, Willen Hospice is the leading provider of specialist palliative care in the Milton Keynes area. We offer round-the-clock, expert care to local patients with a life-limiting illness, both in their own homes and in our In-Patient Unit. Our passionate staff and volunteers make sure our care is personalised to each patient’s needs and supports their loved ones too. We have a thriving Therapeutic & Wellbeing service providing counselling, physiotherapy, activity groups and more, and a specialist Lymphoedema service. As a registered charity, we raise vital funds through our dedicated Business Development team and our growing portfolio of high street and online shops, to ensure our care stays free of charge.

Why join us?

✅ A role with purpose – be part of a team delivering outstanding palliative care.

✅ Supportive and caring environment – work with passionate colleagues.

✅ Great benefits package – including 35 days' holiday, contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity/sick pay, and ongoing professional development.

✅ Perks and extras – free on-site parking, subsidised catering, Blue Light Card discounts (with membership), and an Employee Assistance Programme.

Are you a fundraising expert intrigued by the idea of transforming healthcare through the power of volunteering? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you! 

Helpforce is on a mission to revolutionise health volunteering, and we’re looking for a dynamic, strategic, and results-driven Head of Business Development & Fundraising to lead this work. This is your chance to shape the future of a award-winning national charity at the intersection of innovation, impact, and social good. 

You will develop and deliver an integrated strategy across philanthropic fundraising (grants, trusts, high-net-worth donors) and revenue-generating business development. Reporting to the CEO/SMT and working closely with Communications, Finance, and Programme teams, you’ll ensure strong prioritisation, clear pipeline management, and robust forecasting to support decision-making. 

You’ll also play a visible external role, representing Helpforce at events, building strategic relationships, and identifying new opportunities through proactive networking. 

Since our launch in 2017, we’ve championed a vision where volunteering is integral to healthcare at its best. We work with NHS Trusts and healthcare organisations to co-create volunteering models that address key challenges, while building evidence of their impact. Our insights help health leaders invest in solutions that improve patient experience, ease pressure on staff, and deliver meaningful benefits for the volunteers who give their time and talents. 

This is not just any job, this is a chance to make a tangible difference to the lives of millions who receive and deliver healthcare. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategy & Leadership  

• Lead the development and delivery of an integrated income-generation strategy. 
• Identify and assess new fundraising and business development opportunities. 
• Work with the CEO and SMT to set annual revenue targets, KPIs and income projections, ensuring accurate and timely forecasting. 
• Utilise your senior level networks to identify new areas Helpforce can operate in. 
• Ensure all income-generating activities align with Helpforce’s financial strategy and comply with internal governance and approval processes.

Fundraising  

• Develop and manage a healthy pipeline of funding prospects including trusts, foundations, institutional funders, and HNWIs. 
• Shape and oversee compelling value propositions, funding proposals, donor reports, and stewardship plans – incorporating storytelling into high-calibre content. 
• Manage relationships with existing funders, ensuring high-quality communication and reporting. 
• Ensure full compliance with restricted fund terms and grant agreements, working with Finance to monitor allocation and utilisation of funding. 
• Uphold ethical fundraising standards and ensure alignment with the Fundraising Regulator Code of Practice. 
• Deliver year on year growth in fundraising income against agreed targets.

Business Development  

• Identify and develop new markets, partnership models and products offerings. 
• Leverage the excellent track record and reputation of Helpforce, using our sector-leading evidence of impact to generate new opportunities. 
• Lead the preparation of bids, tenders, proposals, and commercial negotiations, ensuring all opportunities are assessed for fit, feasibility, pricing, and margin. 
• Collaborate with programme managers to package services for sale or partnership. 
• Conduct due diligence on prospective partners and commercial clients to ensure values alignment and manage reputational risk. 

Relationship Management  

• Build and maintain relationships with donors, funders, corporate partners, and public sector stakeholders. 
• Represent the organisation at external events, conferences, and networking opportunities to raise visibility and strengthen the organisation’s profile. 
• Support senior-level relationship-building with strategic funders and institutional partners, working alongside the CEO and Trustees where appropriate. 
• Maintain a focused approach to cultivating a number of high potential relationships positioned for long term or multi-year support.

Finance & Reporting  

• Set, monitor, and report on income targets, pipeline health, ROI and overall income performance against agreed KPIs. 
• Develop budgets and financial forecasts for all income streams ensuring accuracy, transparency, and timely updates for senior decision-making.
• Liaise with the Finance team to ensure accurate tracking, reporting and audit-readiness. 
• Collaborate with Finance to ensure accurate funder-specific financial reporting, including restricted/unrestricted income reporting and grant reconciliations. 
• Monitor income and expenditure related to income generation activities, support financial planning, and advise on funding risks and sustainability. 
• Provide clear insights into income confidence levels, timelines, risks, and mitigation actions. 

Person Specification  

Essential  

• 5+ years of senior-level experience in fundraising, business development, or strategic partnerships. 
• Proventrack recordof raising significant funding (6–7 figure). 
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering successful income-generation strategies. 
• Above excellent written communication and document design skills (grant writing, proposals, reporting). 
• Strong negotiation, commercial awareness and contract management skills. 
• Highly confident in face-to-face relationship building, networking and able to represent Helpforce effectively at external meetings, events, and conferences. 
• Proven ability to identify and build new strategic relationships across diverse sectors, including government agencies, NHS, philanthropy, and corporate partners. 
• Ability to work with resilience, maintain momentum under pressure, and adapt quickly to evolving opportunities. 

Desirable  

• Experience in a non-profit, NGO, social enterprise, or impact-driven business. 
• Knowledge of CRM systems and fundraising databases. 
• Sector knowledge: [e.g. healthcare]. 

Equality and Diversity 

Helpforce encourages applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We're committed to having a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. We actively encourage BAME and disabled applicants and value the positive impact that difference has on our organisation. We are committed to equality and diversity within our workforce and all opportunities provided by Helpforce. 

Location

Remote, but travel to the London office will be required, as will UK wide client meetings. 

Closing date for applications is 9th April 2026. Please use the application link to send us your CV and a covering letter to support your application. Applications submitted without a covering letter may not be considered. 

REF-227 559

Fundraiser
Part time, 22.5 hours per week (3 days a week)
Forest Gate, London. Mainly remote with approximately one in person meeting each month
Permanent
Salary: £22,800 to £24,600 per year (£38,000-41,000 pro rata)

Ursuline Links is a charity that creates meaningful opportunities for young adults to volunteer, contribute to their communities and grow together. Our programmes bring young people from all faith traditions and none into shared experiences where they can work, reflect and support others, living out Gospel values through action.

We are looking for a committed Fundraiser who will help strengthen and grow this work. This role offers the chance to make a direct impact on the lives of young people while supporting the future sustainability of a purposeful organisation.

About the role
You will play a central part in generating the income needed for Ursuline Links to meet its annual and long term goals. Working closely with the Chair of Trustees and the Director, you will shape our fundraising strategy, build donor relationships and secure essential funding from a variety of organisations.

This is a mainly remote role with around one in person meeting each month in East London.

What you will do

• Develop a fundraising strategy in collaboration with the Chair of Trustees and the Director
• Prepare and submit high quality funding applications
• Build strong relationships with grant making organisations and respond to enquiries
• Attend occasional fundraising events and conferences when required
• Track and analyse fundraising progress and report to trustees twice yearly
• Work with the Director of the Ursuline Education Community charity to support fundraising for the virtues programme

What you will bring

• A good level of charity fundraising experience
• A genuine desire to support the volunteer work of young people
• Strong organisational skills and ability to meet fundraising targets

We also welcome candidates with additional skills such as social media, photography, website updates or booklet creation. These may offer opportunities for extra hours and pay.

Why join us

• Your work will directly support opportunities for young people
• Mainly remote working with supportive leadership
• Permanent contract
• 20 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays
• A values driven environment where your contribution matters

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.

Help tackle loneliness among older people in care homes

Thousands of older people living in care homes receive few or no visitors. Friends for Life Bedfordshire exists to change that.

Through our befriending and group activities, we bring companionship, connection and meaningful relationships to care home residents across Bedford and the surrounding area.

We are now looking for a Manager to lead the charity through a period of growth and transition – expanding our reach, strengthening our team, improving our delivery whilst building a sustainable future.

About Friends for Life Bedfordshire

We are a Bedford-based charity working to address the social isolation of older residents in Bedfordshire’s care homes.

Founded in 2007, we have grown from a small local initiative to a registered charity with c90 volunteers supporting more than 30 care homes across Bedford Borough. In the last year, over 1,100 care home residents received our services.

The Role

This is a leadership role responsible for the overall management, performance and development of the charity.

You will lead a small team which includes specialist leads responsible for fundraising, volunteer management, and marketing & partnerships.

Your role is to set direction for the team to deliver the charity’s strategy and business plan, aligning priorities and creating the conditions for the team to succeed.

You will also act as the public face of Friends for Life, working closely with the Board of Trustees. Whilst we are small charity and this is a hands-on leadership role, success will come from enabling others, not by doing everything yourself.

Key Responsibilities

Management of the Charity

• Lead the day-to-day running of the charity and the delivery of its business plan
• Work with Trustees to shape and implement plans for development, sustainability and impact
• As a member of the Board, contribute to the wider governance of the charity

Management of People

• Lead and develop a team of 5 part-time staff, including functional leads for fundraising, volunteer management, and marketing/partnerships
• Set clear priorities, objectives and accountability across the team
• Support and challenge team members to deliver against ambitious targets

· Rebuild and stabilise the team following a period of transition

Operational Management

• Ensure effective delivery of the befriending and activity programmes
• Drive growth in the number of residents supported by scaling volunteer recruitment and engagement
• Use digital tools and services to improve the quality and efficiency of service delivery
• Ensure services remain high-quality, safe and responsive to need, whilst complying with legislation and safeguarding requirements

Management of Fundraising

• Ensure effective delivery of fundraising strategy
• Support the development of new income streams including community fundraising, individual giving and partnerships
• Ensure income targets are met and funding relationships are effectively managed

Management of Partnerships & Profile

• Build and maintain relationships with care homes, other partners and stakeholders
• Raise the profile of the charity through external engagement, advocacy and partnerships

Financial Management & Governance

• Oversee budgets and ensure effective financial management
• Work with the Treasurer and Board on financial planning, risk and compliance
• Ensure safeguarding, governance and regulatory requirements are met

About You

We are looking for a strong people leader who can bring clarity, structure and momentum to a small but ambitious charity.

You will likely bring:

Experience

• Experience in a management role, ideally in a charity, community or care setting
• Experience leading and developing teams, including through change or growth
• Experience overseeing service delivery, process improvement and organisational performance
• Experience of fundraising, income generation or partnership development (at a strategic level)
• Financial and budget management experience

Skills & Attributes

• Strong people management skills—you know how to get the best out of both staff and volunteers
• Ability to set direction and hold others accountable for delivery
• Ability to work co-operatively with the Board of trustees, playing an active role in the governance of the charity, and ensuring alignment between strategy and operations
• Organised and outcome-focused, able to prioritise in a resource-constrained environment to maximise positive impacts for our beneficiaries
• Confident in the use of digital tools and technologies to improve performance
• Confident communicator, able to represent the charity externally and build strong relationships with partners and funders
• Resilient and comfortable in leading change and managing ambiguity
• Empathy and understanding of the challenges facing older people in care homes
• Commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion

Experience working with trustees, knowledge of charity governance or experience in services for older people would be an advantage.

What We Offer

• £40, 930 per annum (£22,921 pro rata for 21 hours a week)
• Employer Pension
• Flexible and Hybrid working
• A supportive and passionate team of staff, volunteers and trustees
• The chance to transform the lives of care home residents every single week

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a short covering statement outlining how your experience aligns with the position.

Selection will be via an interview.

Please note that applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be able to evidence this prior to interview.

Finally, the role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

Closing date is Friday 1 May 2026.

Role Overview:
The Talent Set are delighted to partner with the client on a fantastic Events Fundraiser role. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to impactful charity work by delivering engaging fundraising events that inspire supporters, maximise income, and foster lasting relationships.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement operational and marketing plans for allocated events to ensure timely delivery within budget and meet income targets.
• Monitor financial performance, KPIs, and supporter engagement, adjusting strategies as needed to maximise success.
• Manage a diverse portfolio of high-value supporters and volunteers, providing personalised stewardship and recognition to enhance retention and long-term commitment.
• Lead supporter journeys, optimise communication strategies, and develop tailored fundraising materials to facilitate growth across events.
• Cultivate relationships with supporters, stakeholders, and external partners to unlock new fundraising opportunities and increase event participation.
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and management of event volunteers, ensuring efficient support for event activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams to evaluate processes, improve supporter experiences, and ensure compliance with legal, data protection, and organisational policies.
• Contribute to department initiatives, including sourcing corporate participation and developing new fundraising concepts to broaden income streams.

Person Specification:

• Demonstrated experience in event or supporter-led fundraising, with a track record of growing income and engagement.
• Excellent supporter care skills, with the ability to build rapport and deliver a high-quality service to a diverse supporter base.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in ICT tools such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and databases, with a good understanding of data management and analysis.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, adaptable to various audiences and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations, data protection, and equalities policy, ensuring activities comply with best practices and legal standards.
• Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a solutions-focused approach to achieving objectives.

What’s on Offer:

• Salary: Circa £29,500
• Location: Remote – Occasional regional travel
• Contract: 12-month FTC

How to Apply:
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity:
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

SMART CJS – Trust and Foundations Bid Writer

Role Overview

Are you committed to supporting people who are homeless or rough sleeping?

Are you proactive with a positive attitude?

Job Title: Trust and Foundations Bid Writer (with some responsibility for corporate fundraising)

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Working from our office in central Bedford, with some provision for remote working.

About SMART CJS

Founded in 1997, we are a charity that provides safe spaces for people who are facing or experiencing homelessness, are rough sleeping or have fallen on tough times. As times have changed, our services have adapted and grown, but we’ve always kept the people we support at the centre of all that we do. We believe that everyone needs a little help sometimes and, with trust, respect and honesty, people can make incredible changes. Our vision is to transform communities so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential, participate in and contribute to all aspects of life. Our mission is to provide safe spaces to work with vulnerable people within our communities, empowering them to make positive changes and take control of their lives.

Why Join Us?

We believe in diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

Benefits include:

• 27 days Annual Leave (rising to 30 after 3 years) + Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Generous Pension scheme (after successfully completing a probation period)
• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• Access to a Charity Worker Discount scheme
• Access to the company health and wellbeing service including support with mental health, legal advice and more
• Access to an online GP service

We require all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This job description will be supplemented by annual objectives which will be developed in conjunction with the post holder.

The Role

SMART CJS is looking to recruit a Trusts and Foundations Bid Writer. The successful candidate will also have some responsibility for corporate fundraising with businesses based in Bedford and beyond; this responsibility will be shared with our Community and Corporate Fundraiser.

The main responsibility, though, will be to generate income by writing bids to charitable trusts and foundations, and to statutory funders.

The role will include researching and identifying charity trusts and similar bodies which are able to make an award to SMART. It will also include keeping abreast of developments in fundraising in the charity sector as a whole, especially in the field of grant awarding and, to a lesser extent, of corporate giving.

There will be a probationary period for the role. As it generally takes six months for a grant to be awarded (though some arrive more quickly), the probationary period will need to be for a minimum of seven months, though its precise duration can be negotiated with the successful candidate.

Training will be given; the scope of the training will depend on the candidate’s previous experience.

This is an exciting opportunity to join SMART’s friendly and dedicated team. You’ll need to be able to manage your time effectively; the role is primarily self-directed. We envisage that you’ll be working primarily from our offices in Prebend Street, Bedford, though you'll be able to work from home for some of the time as well. Given the nature of our work, personal resilience is important; some of the stories we use when applying for funding can be emotionally challenging.

Our fundraising comes from regular gifts, donations from the community (individuals and groups), and corporate bodies (businesses). The majority of our fundraising income comes from grants. There will be a realistic target for the amount you need to raise; this will reflect the performance for grant applications in the charity sector as a whole and it will not be unrealistic. Fundraising is not an exact science; the assessment of performance against the targets will be fair and reasonable. The final responsibility for SMART’s fundraising rests with the trustees; they appreciate and understand the complexity of the issues involved.

Main Purpose of the Role

You will work closely with the CEO, the Chair of Trustees, the Head of Business and the fundraising team. The post involves gathering information, writing the bids, tracking the progress of submissions, and reporting back to grant awarders on how their money has been spent, if they require this.

There will also be a responsibility for corporate fundraising. This will involve building relationships with businesses in and beyond the Bedford area. The responsibility for this will be shared with our Community and Corporate Fundraiser.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising and Bid Writing

• Research and identify suitable grant and funding opportunities from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory bodies.
• Write and submit high-quality funding applications and proposals in line with SMART’s strategic priorities.
• Work collaboratively with service leads and front line teams to gather accurate, up-to-date data and service information for applications.
• Tailor the applications to the funder’s criteria, using storytelling effectively.
• Manage a pipeline of applications and submissions, ensuring deadlines are met and income targets are tracked.
• Maintain and build relationships with key funders, providing timely reports and updates on grant-funded work.
• Work to realistic targets and be able to provide feedback on these.
• Organisational Development and Support
• Contribute to the strategic development of SMART’s income generation plans.
• Support development of strong internal bid and grant management systems.
• Monitor success rates and provide monthly reporting on funding performance to the Head of Business and to the Chair of Trustees.
• Represent SMART CJS at funding briefings, webinars, and networking opportunities where appropriate.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in SMART’s performance management and appraisal process.
• Attend the monthly meetings of the Fundraising Committee (a sub‑committee of the Board of Trustees).
• Comply with health and safety policies and procedures.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role, as required by the CEO, the Head of Business or the Chair of Trustees.

Person Specification

Whether you’re already an experienced bid-writer, or whether you think this is something that you could learn to do effectively, we’d like to hear from you. You need to have excellent skills in written English and be able to write in prose that’s clear and readily understandable to the general reader. The criteria for each grant awarder are different; you need to be able to match your bid to what they would like to fund (homelessness, mental health, relief of poverty, women’s issues and so on). You need, then, to tell SMART’s story in a way which appeals to each funder.

You need to have excellent inter-personal skills and be able to work as part of a team. While there is a strong element of self-direction in the role, you need to be able to work closely with senior management and also with the trustees; the trustees have the final responsibility for fundraising in the charity.

You will need, too, to have a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to have a genuine interest in homelessness and the work of the charity, and a commitment to improving our clients’ lives and wellbeing.

Are you passionate about children’s safety and have the skills and experience to excel in this role and help reclaim the internet for young people? We would love to hear from you!

Breck Foundation

Breck Foundation is at the forefront of efforts to safeguard children and young people online. Our organisation was founded in 2014 in response to the tragic loss of Breck Bednar, a 14-year-old boy who was groomed and murdered by someone he met online. Our work aims to prevent this from ever happening again. Our work saves lives.  We reach thousands of children and young people in schools and other community settings with Breck's story every year. Our talks and educational materials fill a gap in the current UK curriculum that otherwise leaves children vulnerable to online grooming and exploitation.

With 98% of young people now active internet users, current and future generations grow up having to navigate new and evolving digital dangers. We are committed to making the internet a place where children can live, play and thrive in safety. We are helping young people reclaim the internet.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Trusts and Grants Fundraiser to support the work of the Breck Foundation on a freelance basis.

This role is offered for approximately two days per week, providing flexibility alongside the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the development of our fundraising function.

If you are highly organised, detail-oriented, and confident managing competing deadlines - and motivated by making a real difference in keeping young people safe online - this could be an excellent opportunity.

Working closely with the CEO, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering our trusts and grants activity. The focus of the role will be on researching opportunities, developing a strong funding pipeline, and writing high-quality, compelling applications that clearly communicate our impact and vision.

This is a collaborative role, with the CEO leading on overall fundraising strategy and funder relationships. You will support the delivery of that strategy through bid writing, pipeline development, and contributing insight into funding opportunities and direction.

There is genuine potential for this role to grow over time, as part of our longer-term ambition to expand and strengthen a wider income generation function.

About you:

We are looking for someone who:

• Is motivated by purpose-driven work and wants to make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people and families
• Is proactive, self-motivated, and confident working independently in a freelance capacity
• Enjoys problem-solving and managing a varied workload
• Has strong attention to detail and excellent persuasive writing skills
• Has experience securing income from trusts and foundations
• Shares our commitment to safeguarding and online safety education

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!

This is a rewarding opportunity to contribute to a charity with growing national reach and impact. Your work will directly support the delivery of life-saving education, innovative projects, and partnerships with schools, industry, and safeguarding professionals.

If you have a strong track record of securing income from trusts and foundations, along with the initiative, enthusiasm, and passion to support our mission, we encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with the CEO to plan and prioritise trusts and grants activity, ensuring a focused and strategic pipeline of funding opportunities
• Research and identify suitable trust and grant funders aligned with the Foundation’s work and funding needs
• Write high-quality, compelling funding applications and proposals that clearly communicate impact, need, and outcomes
• Develop tailored content for applications, including adapting core messaging, case for support material, and project information
• Support the development and refinement of a clear and compelling Case for Support, working with colleagues to gather relevant data and stories
• Maintain and manage a pipeline of prospects, tracking application deadlines and progress
• Provide regular, concise updates to the CEO on pipeline activity, submitted bids, and upcoming opportunities
• Collaborate with the wider team to gather information required for strong applications (e.g. budgets, project plans, impact data)
• Ensure accurate record-keeping of applications and funder interactions on the CRM system, in line with GDPR requirements

Experiences:

• Proven experience in trusts and grants fundraising, or a similar income generation role
• Experience of working towards income targets and managing relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Demonstrable success in researching, writing, and securing funding through high-quality applications and proposals
• Experience of developing project budgets and presenting financial information to funders
• Experience of using a CRM system to manage pipelines, analyse data, and report on activity
• Experience of presenting to or engaging different audiences (desirable)
• A track record of securing high-value grants from trusts and foundations (desirable)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of effective supporter care, stewardship, and relationship management
• A genuine interest in online safety and safeguarding, with a commitment to the mission of the Breck Foundation
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling, persuasive funding applications tailored to different audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with funders, partners, and colleagues with professionalism and sensitivity
• High attention to detail, with the ability to maintain accurate records and deliver work to a high standard
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a freelance capacity
• Confident in interpreting budgets, tracking income, and presenting financial information clearly
• Good IT skills, including experience with Microsoft Office and CRM systems
• Ability to work independently, using initiative to identify opportunities and solve problems
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively alongside a small, dedicated team
• Self-motivated, proactive, and driven to achieve results

At Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK, we’re transforming what support looks like for people severely affected by mental illness. To help us reach even more people, we’re looking for a Prospect Research Manager to shape and lead our prospect research function—providing the intelligence, insight and strategic direction that will fuel our fundraising growth.

If you’re a curious, analytical thinker with a passion for uncovering opportunities and turning insight into impact, this could be your next step.

Online interviews for these roles will be held on 14th, 15th and 16th April.

About the role

As our Prospect Research Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind our high-value prospecting strategy across Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Corporate Partnerships.

You will:

• Lead a proactive research strategy that identifies, qualifies and prioritises high‑value prospects
• Deliver high‑quality profiles, briefings, due diligence and portfolio insights
• Build connection maps to uncover warm pathways into potential partners
• Champion best practice in data, insight, and CRM usage (HIVE & Salesforce)
• Stay ahead of trends in philanthropy, corporate giving and grant-making
• Guide and develop our Prospect Researcher—fostering a culture of curiosity, integrity and collaboration
• Work closely with senior fundraisers to shape portfolios, pipelines and long-term strategy

In short: you’ll make sure our fundraisers have the intelligence they need to build strong, meaningful relationships that change lives.

Who you’ll work with

You’ll collaborate across our high‑performing Fundraising team, including:

• Trusts & Grants Managers
• Philanthropy Manager
• Corporate Partnerships
• Senior leadership across External Affairs

This is a role where your insight will influence decisions at every level.

About you

You’ll thrive in this role if you bring:

Essential skills & experience

• Significant experience in prospect research for fundraising
• Strong knowledge of Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Corporate fundraising
• Ability to lead complex research projects with strategic focus
• Outstanding analytical and communication skills
• CRM confidence (Salesforce experience a big plus)
• Experience with due diligence, connection mapping and portfolio management
• A collaborative, proactive approach to working with teams and stakeholders
• Sound understanding of GDPR, ethics, and the Fundraising Code of Practice
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion—and our mission

Desirable, but not essential

• Knowledge of the mental health or wider health/social care sector
• Experience with wealth screening tools or AI in prospect research

Why join us?

Working across both Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK means you’ll be part of a team that generates nearly £6 million annually to support life-changing services, campaigns, and programmes.

Your insight and leadership will directly contribute to better outcomes for people living with mental illness—and that’s something you can feel proud of every day.

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re excited by the thought of leading insight-driven fundraising research—and want to help us create a world where everyone affected by mental illness gets the support they deserve—we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us drive meaningful, lasting change.

Salary: £32,000
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Location: East Anglia – Home based with travel (within Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk)
Closing date: 10^th April
Benefits: 25 days annual leave, Health care, life insurance

We have a great opportunity for a Community Fundraiser (East Anglia) working for the ambitious and innovative team at Brain Tumour Research -  dedicated to finding a cure for all brain tumours. This is an exciting role where you’ll help drive forward regional income, grow an engaged community fundraising base and inspire supporters across East Anglia. You’ll be joining a charity with unbounded ambition, a collaborative, passionate team and a mission that changes lives every day.

As part of this exciting role, you will lead community fundraising across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk — raising awareness, building relationships, and growing income as part of a regional target of £1.5 million. You’ll steward locally based supporters, Fundraising Groups and Charity of the Year partners, while also driving supporter recruitment for flagship campaigns such as Wear a Hat Day and Walk of Hope. You will manage multiple projects, seek new fundraising opportunities across your area, and work cross-functionally with PR, Marketing and the Research, Policy and Innovation teams. This role suits someone motivated, organised, empathetic and excited to make a tangible difference to those affected by brain tumours.

To be successful as the Community Fundraiser you will need:

• Demonstrable experience in community fundraising, donor management and stewardship
• Experience working to and achieving financial targets in a similar role
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• A flexible, proactive attitude and willingness to travel in the region as required

If you would like to discuss this role with us please contact us and quote the reference 2928HB.

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, we use our extensive sector knowledge and experience to match candidates to the most suitable charity jobs. We are passionate about improving equality across the sector, you can read more about our commitment to diversity here.

We take a relationship-led approach to recruitment in the charity sector and partner with you as the leading charity recruitment agency.

If enough applications are received the charity reserve the right to end the application period sooner.

 

Salary: £32,000
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Location: South East England – Home based with travel (within Kent, Surrey or Sussex)
Closing date: 10^th April
Benefits: 25 days annual leave, Health care, life insurance

We have a great opportunity for a Community Fundraiser (South East), to join the team at Brain Tumour Reseach - a charity dedicated to finding a cure for all brain tumours. This is an exciting role where you’ll help drive forward regional income, grow an engaged community fundraising base and inspire supporters across the South East. You’ll be joining a charity with unbounded ambition, a collaborative, passionate team and a mission that changes lives every day.

As part of this exciting role, you will lead community fundraising across the South East (Kent, Surrey and Sussex) — raising awareness, building relationships, and growing income as part of a regional target of £1.5 million. You’ll steward locally based supporters, with a particular focus on challenge events, Fundraising Groups and Charity of the Year partners, while also driving supporter recruitment for flagship campaigns such as Wear a Hat Day and Walk of Hope. You will manage multiple projects, seek new fundraising opportunities across your area, and work cross-functionally with PR, Marketing and the Research, Policy and Innovation teams. This role suits someone motivated, organised, empathetic and excited to make a real difference to those affected by brain tumours.

To be successful as the Community Fundraiser (South East) you will need:

• Demonstrable experience in community fundraising, donor management or stewardship
• Experience working to and achieving financial targets in a similar role
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• A flexible, proactive attitude and willingness to travel in the region as required

If you would like to discuss this role with us please contact us and quote the reference 2927HB.

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, we use our extensive sector knowledge and experience to match candidates to the most suitable charity jobs. We are passionate about improving equality across the sector, you can read more about our commitment to diversity here.

We take a relationship-led approach to recruitment in the charity sector and partner with you as the leading charity recruitment agency.

If enough applications are received the charity reserve the right to end the application period sooner.