Programme development and funding officer jobs in Belfast

About us

Greyhound Rescue Wales (GRW) is Wales’ leading charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming greyhounds and lurchers. Founded in 1993, we have spent more than three decades championing the welfare of sighthounds and working towards our vision: a Wales without greyhound racing, where every greyhound and lurcher has a home and receives the best possible care.

In April 2026, after 25 years of determined campaigning to improve welfare and regulation within the racing industry, legislation to ban greyhound racing in Wales was finally passed. This landmark achievement marks the beginning of a new chapter for GRW as we expand our reach and capacity across the UK to ensure every greyhound leaving the racing industry has a rescue space, medical support and rehabilitation on the journey towards their forever home.

To help us grow sustainably and strengthen our long‑term impact, we are now seeking to develop our fundraising team with the creation of a Head of Fundraising role. You will lead and work closely with the Trusts & Foundations Officer, Sponsorship & Individual Giving Officer and Community & Events Fundraiser to deliver an annual income target of £400K+.

Role

The Head of Fundraising is a senior leadership role with overall accountability for the strategic development, operational effectiveness and performance of all fundraising activity at Greyhound Rescue Wales (GRW).

The role will drive, lead and grow our fundraising strategy and has responsibility for developing diverse, sustainable income streams and building strong relationships with supporters, partners, and funders.

The role holds end‑to‑end accountability for income delivery across trusts and foundations, community and event fundraising, and sponsorship and individual giving.

The Head of Fundraising provides clear leadership to the fundraising team and has line management responsibility for:

• Trusts and Foundations Officer
• Community and Events Fundraising Officer
• Sponsorship & Individual Giving Officer

Please see attached the full job description and person specification

Partnerships and Impact Specialist

Advocacy & Influence | Remote (UK-based)

Salary: £42,000 per annum

Hours: Full time (35 hours per week to be worked over 5 days)

Location: Home-based in the UK with occasional paid travel to our London office and for meetings – nationally and internationally

Contract: Fixed Term Contract until June 2029

Join Population Matters

We are a UK charity with a global remit. Our vision is of a world in which our human population lives fairly and sustainably with nature and each other. As we enter an exciting new phase of growth and influence, we’re looking for a strategic and collaborative Partnership and Impact Specialist to build trusted relationships with civil society and grassroots partners, amplify their leadership, and help translate Population Matters’ evidence, advocacy insights and learning into meaningful influence and impact.

About the Role

This role sits within our Advocacy and Influence Team and will play a central part in delivering our Empower to Plan programme and wider organisational strategy. You will identify, develop and sustain strategic partnerships with civil society organisations, particularly grassroots organisations in the Global South and Global North, co-creating approaches that strengthen partner objectives and Population Matters’ evidence-based advocacy.

You will also lead our organisational Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) work, ensuring insights are captured, shared and embedded across our goals to strengthen impact. While managing the Partnerships and Impact Officer, and working collaboratively across research, advocacy, communications and fundraising, you will turn partner intelligence and learning into compelling case studies, briefings, proposals and influencing opportunities, supporting grassroots partners to strengthen their influence in local, national, regional and global decision-making forums.

Important Information

· This is a UK-based role

· Applicants must have the Right to Work in the UK

· We are unable to offer sponsorship

Apply Now

If you’re ready to play a vital role in a purpose-driven organisation and help shape a more sustainable future, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit a CV (not more than 3 pages) and answer the application questions explaining your interest in this role and how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification. A cover letter is not required. 

Closing date: Monday 21 September at 09:00am (BST)

Population Matters is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age and all other categories protected by law. Please refer to our full EDI statement attached with this advert.

If you require any adjustments to make the process more accessible, or to arrange an informal conversation about the role, please see contact details within our EDI statement attached below this advert. 

Interview dates

First round: Week commencing 28 September, online

Final round: Week commencing 5 October (in-person) at our office: Population Matters, The Chandlery, 50 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7QY, UK

Thank you for your interest in Population Matters.

Please note that we do not accept unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies regarding this vacancy.

#partnerships #partnerships and impact #partnerships and impact specialist #monitoring evaluation accountability learning #impact #partnerships and impact specialist #partnerships #strategic partnerships #monitoring and evaluation #advocacy #grassroots partnerships 

At The National Lottery Community Fund (The Fund), we are driven by our strategy ‘It starts with community’ and its four community-led missions, as well as our commitment to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage through an equity-based approach. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join the UK Portfolio at an ambitious moment of shaping the next phase of our strategy. We are looking for four Funding Officers (2x 12 month FTC, 1 x FTC until March 2027 and 1x FTC until July 2027) to join us and form part of a team of around 40 in total. 

The UK Portfolio supports the ambitions and potential of communities across the UK.  We focus on scaling projects with a UK-wide benefit, through significant investments and partnerships, which enable systems-level change for communities. Our funding is intended to complement the work of other country portfolios: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 

Our Funding Officers are at the core of what we do in the UK Portfolio as we continue to develop in response to our strategy. Our team is spread across the UK, and we're looking for people from a variety of locations within the UK. 

Our current work includes: 

• TheUK Fund: offers long term funding to support organisations to scale proven work and approaches against two main themes: connected communities and youth voice. Funded projects consistently focus on systems change, community power and voice. 

• Climate Action Fund: supports UK-wide ambitious, partnership-led approaches to climate and environmental challenges, bringing together organisations to deliver long-term change at scale.

• Working in partnership with others: Examples include Communities for Children, focused on tackling child poverty, Together for Families, supporting early intervention for children and families. We are also developing new areas of work that explore the opportunities and implications of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence. 

Role Expectations 

Funding officers help amazing things to happen in communities. They play a vital role in ensuring we provide excellent service to communities all over the UK.

You will support organisations through the grant making process and use your knowledge and experience to make evidence informed judgements. You’ll manage key relationships with grant holders, responding to their needs, providing advice and considered feedback and be willing to have challenging but constructive conversations. 

You’ll be a great team player and play an active role in ensuring the effective running of team meetings. 

As a Funding Officer you will:  

• Support enquirers, applicants and grant holders through our funding processes, assessing and managing a caseload of applications and grants of varying value and complexity. 
• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at different levels, including project visits and external events. 
• Produce and present clear reports which reflect sound judgement, sector knowledge and understanding of the Fund’s strategy, missions and policies 
• Identify, and manage risk, supporting organisations to deliver their projects and measure their impact. 
• Ensure our data is maintained, accurate and of high quality 
• Ensure  grant management and assessment contribute meaningfully to the Fund’s learning and impact.
• Demonstrate a commitment to, and ability to build understanding of the Fund’s ambition as an environmentally regenerative funder. 
• Contribute to projects including programme development, our equity based approach to funding, impact, continuous improvement and Fund wide initiatives. 

Skills & Requirements

You will use your critical thinking skills, curiosity, interest and understanding of our community-led missions to support and inform your approach to assessment and grant management. 

You’ll be joining a dynamic and welcoming geographically dispersed team, working with impactful and fascinating projects that are responding to and addressing a wide range of topics across the Fund’s four community-led missions.

We are looking for talented and proactive team players from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences who share our values and are passionate about making a difference through our funding.  

Whatever your background, the role would suit people who:  

• are passionate about achieving social change and have a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• have skills and experience in presentation and report writing and basic accounting and budget management.
• can apply their research, data gathering, insight and critical analysis skills to learn quickly about a range of themes and issues. 
• can absorb a wide range of information and evidence and present it to others in a clear and concise manner. 
• can work flexibly at pace and to tight deadlines, using their initiative to manage their time working comfortably with competing priorities and deadlines. 
• are adept at building and maintaining relationships with people from a range of backgrounds and experiences.
• are strong team players committed to sharing learning with their colleagues and the wider Fund to improve our processes and practices. 
• are comfortable working with an online and geographically dispersed team.
• are comfortable learning and working with different systems and data.

You’ll report to one of our Portfolio Managers and work with other Funding Officers across different areas of the team.

The role requires occasional (once a month) travel across the UK to observe and critically analyse the work of applicants and grant holders.  

Interview details:

• Date:  W/C 12/10/2026 

• Format: Online – MS Teams 

• Location: UK-Wide 

We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester and Newcastle. 

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact us.

To ask any questions, please email us.

How to apply: 

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application. 

Essential Criteria: 

• Sector insight: Knowledge and understanding of the voluntary sector and communities across the UK and a well-developed appreciation of how they can respond to our strategy and missions.   

• Communication skills: Strong listening, written and verbal communication skills including report writing and with the ability to communicate complex ideas in an engaging and clear manner, tailored to different audiences.  

• Analytical skills: Ability to absorb a wide range of information and evidence to reach judgement-based recommendations with confidence, offering appropriate challenge and managing risk throughout the grant making lifecycle.  

• Organisational skills: Ability to plan and manage a caseload of assessments and grant management, balancing competing priorities and deadlines and demonstrating strong organisation and prioritisation skills.

• Relational skills: Ability to build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders.   

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: A strong understanding of our vision, our commitmentand our funding products - and the ability to apply this throughout the grant making lifecycle.  

Desirable Criteria: 

• Continuous improvement: A learning mindset and curiosity about our work with the ability to identify opportunities for learning and improvement across the team and wider directorate through proactive problem-solving and continuous improvement.  

• Data and finance: Ability to understand and assess data and financial information including business plans and accounts, and present this in an accessible way.  

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

War on Want is a radical charity working in solidarity with grassroots movements and organisations around the world to fight the root causes of poverty, inequality and injustice. We campaign against corporate power, economic exploitation and systems of oppression that drive poverty and human rights violations.

We are seeking a consultant with significant experience in partnership-building, programme design and development and resource mobilisation to support the growth of our international partnerships and movement-building work.

Working with War on Want staff and our existing partners, the Consultant will identify opportunities for collaboration with labour, feminist and social movement organisations in the Global South (primarily South Asia and Africa). They will develop partnership-centred programme concepts and position these to  fundraise with relevant philanthropic donors and identify  funding opportunities.

The Consultant will be part of the International Partnership Programmes Team, working closely with our Senior Fundraising Officer and, where relevant, Senior Campaign Officers. We are looking for a consultant who can commit to working alongside the team on a part-time (2 to 3 days per week average as a guide) basis for between four to six months.

If you are excited by the opportunity to work with War on Want and our international partners to develop collaborative programme ideas that will help mobilise resources for justice struggles, please apply by submitting:

• A covering letter outlining your most relevant experience for this role, your proposed daily rate, and your preferred pattern of working days.
• A detailed CV.

This is a self-employed consultancy engagement and does not constitute employment with War on Want.

For more information and to apply, please visit our website.

Deadline for applications: 6.00pm on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.

At The National Lottery Community Fund we are committed to making a bigger difference. Our 2030 strategy ‘It starts with community’ puts impact at the heart of what we do. Our Evidence and Impact Strategy explains how we will do this by transforming how evidence is used across the organisation; helping us better understand community needs, make better funding decisions, and demonstrate the difference National Lottery funding makes across the UK.

We are recruiting an Evidence Engagement Manager to join our Evidence Services: England and UK Portfolios Team. This is an important role in delivering our Evidence and Impact ambitions. You will act as the link between funding portfolios and the wider Evidence and Impact team, improving how evidence is used across the funding cycle and helping colleagues make confident, evidence-based decisions.

Working closely with portfolio teams to understand their priorities, challenges and decision-making needs, you will identify where evidence can add value. This could include evidence to understand community needs and support assessment of applications, to shaping major funding programmes, supporting monitoring and evaluation practices and supporting decisions at leadership and committee level.

You will translate user needs into clear evidence requirements, commissioning or coordinating the development of products within Evidence Services, across the Evidence and Impact team or externally. Products can include:

• Data analysis and insight reporting
• Interactive dashboards
• Literature reviews and evidence syntheses
• Theories of Change
• Systems mapping

You will help build evidence capability across the Fund, helping colleagues access and use evidence more independently through self-service tools, guidance, support and development. You will lead roll out of products, ensuring they meet user needs, are adopted effectively and continue to improve through feedback and review.

This role requires a strong understanding of how evidence can be applied in real-world decision making, alongside excellent stakeholder engagement and project management skills, supported by a breadth of evidence and analysis knowledge.

This role includes line management of an Evidence Engagement officer, as well as matrix and task management of other staff from across Evidence and Impact.

We're looking for someone passionate about the pragmatic use of evidence to improve decisions and maximise impact. Above all, you'll be motivated by helping The National Lottery Community Fund make the greatest possible difference to communities across the UK.

Interview details:

• Date: Week Commencing 12th October 2026
• Format: Online
• Location: UK Wide

We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Newtown. There will be some travel required within the UK.

We will be hosting a briefing session on: Tuesday 8th September 2026 at 11:00 am. To register or ask any questions please email us.

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential criteria

• A professional qualification, bachelor's degree or equivalent level of experience in a relevant discipline such as social research, public policy or economics
• Experience of applying evidence into decision making across a strategy, policy or funding life cycle, working with non-analysts.
•  Knowledge of a breadth of evidence and analysis approaches, including collection and use of quantitative and qualitative data, evidence review and synthesis across sources, Theory of Change, monitoring and evaluation.
•  Experience of working with multiple stakeholders often with competing priorities and across different disciplines and professional roles, to gain agreement.
• Experience of project management and delivery across the evidence product lifecycle from understanding user needs and specifying products, through managing development and delivery against requirements to rollout, feedback and review.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to effectively communicate with different audiences, including compelling communication of insight, sharing complex information in an engaging way.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector and the funding landscape, and a passion for working in this area.
• Strong facilitation skills and the ability to drive user engagement in use of evidence and development of evidence products.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Living Wage Foundation 

The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011.

Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting over 475,000 people and winning over £3bn of better wages for people who need it most.

Citizens UK works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take the same deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty.  As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions in order to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies.

Purpose 

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training. 

Main Responsibilities 

We are looking for a highly motivated and organised individual to coordinate our accreditation scheme. The role will work with our network of employers, and support new organisations through the accreditation process. 

The Programme Officer will support our work across the South East and support our managers to grow and deepen engagement with Living Wage Employers through our associated schemes. You will help to ensure our resources and publicity materials are well written and up-to-date, and to coordinate events to grow our employer network. 

Working as the Programme Officer for Citizens UK, reporting to a Programme Manager, your main responsibilities will include: 

Contribute towards the achievement of CUK and LWF’s strategic objectives

Understand how the role contributes to LWF’s purpose and the core mission of CUK

Reliably implement CUK’s and LWF’s policies, procedures, and values in own work

Work with CUK community organisers and leaders to promote civic engagement with and ownership of the Living Wage campaign 

Feed into the LWF strategy and objectives development 

Living Wage Accreditation 

• Support key contacts at potential LW Employers through the accreditation process, from dealing with initial enquiries to guiding them through the employer journey, to checking and processing their accreditation 

• Develop rewarding relationships with key employers, industry, and campaign partners within our networks to build interest in the Living Wage and deliver a high-quality experience to our accredited employers 

• With support from the wider team, develop plans and strategies to grow the number of accreditations in specific regions or industries 

• Collate and disseminate Living Wage criteria and policy issues through both internal and external facing guidance, whilst reviewing and monitoring its suitability 

• Support the development and implementation of projects to promote and grow Living Wage accreditations and develop the quality of service offered 

Build and manage projects and achieve work targets effectively

Successfully progress projects and tasks incl. tracking performance and expenditure 

Deliver agreed areas of the LWF’s work plan and leading on agenda items to report into team meetings.

Support the growth and development of new and existing Living Wage schemes incl.  Recognised Service Providers, LW Funders, LW Places, Living Hours, Global Living Wage and Living Work Consultancy 

Deliver personal work targets on time and to standard: 

• Respond to telephone and web-based enquiries by providing advice and support to employers and supporters 

• Provide administrative support for all aspects of the accreditation journey, incl. processing accreditations, recognitions, and renewals 

• Maintain LWF data on systems, incl. Salesforce employer database

• Support the maintenance of our systems to ensure efficient processes and develop reporting mechanisms for effective monitoring and evaluation of our impact and progress against plans 

• Coordinate and administrate Steering, Advisory or Leadership Groups as required, incl. coordinating agendas, sending out timely papers, taking minutes and following up on actions 

Learning &expertise

Keep abreast of new developments in the accreditation space

Apply new learning to work and respond effectively to feedback 

Work collaboratively with the LWF and franchise teams to share learnings and experience and ensure that we are meeting the expectations of our network and stakeholders 

Develop and manage external relationships 

Effectively develop and support a range of external relationships 

Respond effectively to queries or requests from stakeholders 

Engage with a diverse range of external stakeholders to support and develop projects as required 

Communications 

Communicate effectively within the LWF; ensuring that messages are reliably passed to those who need to know 

Represent the LWF coherently in writing and verbally 

Events and Communications 

• Plan and organise events to celebrate and grow our network of LW Employers, incl. playing an active role in the delivery of LW Week and assisting colleagues with event logistics 

• Represent and speak on behalf of the LWF at internal and external meetings and events 

• Develop or feed into employer resources incl. marketing materials, blogs, reports, templates, and guides 

Develop and manage internal relationships 

Work effectively with colleagues across Citizens UK 

Work collaboratively within the LWF team and actively participate in the team to ensure we meet the expectations of our network and stakeholders 

Generate income and resources

Contribute to plans and proposals to grow sources of income/resource.

Take personal responsibility for the careful stewardship of LWF’s resources 

 Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

 Experience 

• Comprehensive experience in an administrative role (E) 

• Experience of building positive relationships (E) 

• Experience of learning, managing and updating Salesforce or similar databases (D) 

 Key skills and knowledge 

• Excellent time management skills with the ability to juggle a wide range of competing demands (E) 

• Understanding of database and systems management (E) 

• Ability to take in and interpret information and present in a succinct manner(E) 

• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written, combined with the ability to liaise with senior stakeholders, both online and in-person (E) 

• Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new systems as appropriate (E) 

• Strong attention to detail (E) 

• Strong IT skills to include MS Office and database software (E) 

• Understanding of the policy and campaign landscape in the UK (D) 

Personal qualities & values 

• A strong commitment to social justice and alignment with the Living Wage Foundation’s mission and Citizens UK’s values (E). 

• A proactive approach to all areas of work with a ‘can do’ attitude and a flexible approach to work demands (E) 

About the application process 

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role. 

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.

Interviews will be in person in the South of England region, week commencing 5th October – in person most likely at Head Office in Whitechapel.

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Living Wage Foundation 

The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011.

Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting over 475,000 people and winning over £3bn of better wages for people who need it most.

Citizens UK works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take the same deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty.  As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions in order to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies.

Purpose 

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training. 

Main Responsibilities 

We are looking for highly motivated and organised individual to coordinate our accreditation scheme. The role will work with our network of employers, and support new organisations through the accreditation process. 

The Programme Officer will lead our work across the South West and support our managers to grow and deepen engagement with Living Wage Employers through our associated schemes. You will help to ensure our resources and publicity materials are well written and up-to-date, and to coordinate events to grow our employer network. 

Working as the Programme Officer for Citizens UK, reporting to a Programme Manager, your main responsibilities will include: 

Contribute towards the achievement of CUK and LWF’s strategic objectives

Understand how the role contributes to LWF’s purpose and the core mission of CUK

Reliably implement CUK’s and LWF’s policies, procedures, and values in own work

Work with CUK community organisers and leaders to promote civic engagement with and ownership of the Living Wage campaign 

Feed into the LWF strategy and objectives development 

Living Wage Accreditation 

• Support key contacts at potential LW Employers through the accreditation process, from dealing with initial enquiries to guiding them through the employer journey, to checking and processing their accreditation 

• Develop rewarding relationships with key employers, industry, and campaign partners within our networks to build interest in the Living Wage and deliver a high-quality experience to our accredited employers 

• With support from the wider team, develop plans and strategies to grow the number of accreditations in specific regions or industries 

• Collate and disseminate Living Wage criteria and policy issues through both internal and external facing guidance, whilst reviewing and monitoring its suitability 

• Support the development and implementation of projects to promote and grow Living Wage accreditations and develop the quality of service offered 

Build and manage projects and achieve work targets effectively

Successfully progress projects and tasks incl. tracking performance and expenditure 

Deliver agreed areas of the LWF’s work plan and leading on agenda items to report into team meetings.

Support the growth and development of new and existing Living Wage schemes incl.  Recognised Service Providers, LW Funders, LW Places, Living Hours, Global Living Wage and Living Work Consultancy 

Deliver personal work targets on time and to standard: 

• Respond to telephone and web-based enquiries by providing advice and support to employers and supporters 

• Provide administrative support for all aspects of the accreditation journey, incl. processing accreditations, recognitions, and renewals 

• Maintain LWF data on systems, incl. Salesforce employer database

• Support the maintenance of our systems to ensure efficient processes and develop reporting mechanisms for effective monitoring and evaluation of our impact and progress against plans 

• Coordinate and administrate Steering, Advisory or Leadership Groups as required, incl. coordinating agendas, sending out timely papers, taking minutes and following up on actions 

Learning & expertise

Keep abreast of new developments in the accreditation space

Apply new learning to work and respond effectively to feedback 

Work collaboratively with the LWF and franchise teams to share learnings and experience and ensure that we are meeting the expectations of our network and stakeholders 

Develop and manage external relationships 

Effectively develop and support a range of external relationships 

Respond effectively to queries or requests from stakeholders 

Engage with a diverse range of external stakeholders to support and develop projects as required 

Communications 

Communicate effectively within the LWF; ensuring that messages are reliably passed to those who need to know 

Represent the LWF coherently in writing and verbally 

Events and Communications 

• Plan and organise events to celebrate and grow our network of LW Employers, incl. playing an active role in the delivery of LW Week and assisting colleagues with event logistics 

• Represent and speak on behalf of the LWF at internal and external meetings and events 

• Develop or feed into employer resources incl. marketing materials, blogs, reports, templates, and guides 

Develop and manage internal relationships 

Work effectively with colleagues across Citizens UK 

Work collaboratively within the LWF team and actively participate in the team to ensure we meet the expectations of our network and stakeholders 

Generate income and resources

Contribute to plans and proposals to grow sources of income/resource.

Take personal responsibility for the careful stewardship of LWF’s resources 

Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

Qualifications 

Bachelor’s degree in any subject (D) 

Subject of relevance to community work or community organising (D) 

Experience 

• Comprehensive experience in an administrative role (E) 

• Experience of building positive relationships (E) 

• Experience of managing and updating Salesforce or similar databases (D) 

• Experience of delivering a range of high quality communications materials, including websites, reports, newsletters (D) 

Key skills and knowledge 

• Excellent time management skills with the ability to juggle a wide range of competing demands (E) 

• Understanding of database and systems management (E) 

• Ability to take in and interpret information and present in a succinct manner(E) 

• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written, combined with the ability to liaise with senior stakeholders, both online and in-person (E) 

• Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new systems as appropriate (E) 

• Strong attention to detail (E) 

• Strong IT skills to include MS Office and database software (E) 

• Understanding of the policy and campaign landscape in the UK (D) 

Personal qualities & values 

• A proactive approach to all areas of work with a ‘can do’ attitude and a flexible approach to work demands (E) 

• A strong commitment to the Living Wage campaign and principles of Citizens UK (E) 

About the application process 

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role. 

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.

Interviews will be in person in the South West region, week commencing 28th September 2026.

The purpose of this role is to lead the design and delivery of learning programmes that help social entrepreneurs create lasting impact. You’ll take direct responsibility for facilitating cohorts as well as leading 1-2-1 coaching and diagnostics, and delivering Action Learning Sets, SSE’s long-standing peer-coaching method (training provided). You’ll hold accountability for the quality of programmes allocated to you. You’ll work alongside our learning facilitators and our learning and enterprise development managers to ensure every programme stays true to our action learning approach.

As SSE deepens its focus on commercial acumen and scale-up support, you’ll help make sure that direction reaches every cohort you work with — keeping your programmes as sharp, practical and impactful as everything else we do. You’ll bring your own commercial awareness to how you facilitate, and build relationships with contributors, speakers and specialists who can bring real-world commercial expertise into the room for your cohorts.

You’ll succeed in this role if you believe in what social entrepreneurship can achieve and want to support social ventures to grow and create more impact in their communities and beyond.

Social entrepreneurs scaling their ventures face a specific set of challenges including income generation, hiring, governance, hard calls about growth and risk, all alongside scaling their social impact. We’re recruiting learning and enterprise development managers who’ve lived that journey themselves, to bring first-hand credibility and challenge directly to the entrepreneurs on our scale-up and scale-up-plus programmes.

You’ll hold ownership of SSE’s scale-up approach, shaping our learning content on strategy, profitability and the systems that hold a growing venture together – grounded in what actually works, not just what’s written down. Facilitation sits at the heart of this role. You’ll design and deliver learning programmes and group sessions for cohorts of entrepreneurs as well as leading 1-2-1 coaching and diagnostics, and delivering Action Learning Sets, SSE’s long-standing peer-coaching method (training provided).

We’re looking for people who’ve founded or led a VCSE with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more and held financial accountability such as statutory reporting to the Charity Commission and, where relevant, Companies House, reporting to a board or funders, and making hard calls about growth, income and risk.

You’ll succeed in this role if you believe in what social entrepreneurship can achieve and want to turn your experience into supporting social ventures to scale and create more impact in their communities and beyond

Shape the future of Fréa – a unique partnership of three Irish charities working together to create greater impact.

We’re looking for an ambitious, creative fundraiser to build on a strong foundation and develop Fréa’s next generation of income and partnerships.

Fréa brings together three established Irish charities with a shared commitment to supporting Irish communities across the North of England. We believe that, by working together, we can achieve more than any of us can alone.

We are now looking for an exceptional Head of Fundraising and Development to help us realise that ambition.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraiser who enjoys building relationships, spotting opportunities and turning ideas into sustainable income. You will have the freedom to shape Fréa’s fundraising approach, develop new partnerships and funding streams, and help establish the partnership as an increasingly influential and sustainable organisation.

You will build on a strong platform already created by Fréa’s existing fundraising work, while bringing fresh thinking and new energy to its next stage of development. You will work closely with senior colleagues and Boards across the three partner charities, developing compelling propositions and identifying opportunities where Fréa can achieve more by working collectively.

Importantly, this is collaborative fundraising, not competitive fundraising. Fréa’s role is to complement and add value to the excellent fundraising already undertaken by its three partners. You will need the judgement to recognise when an opportunity is best pursued by Fréa, by an individual partner, or jointly – always respecting existing relationships with funders, donors and corporate partners.

We are looking for someone who combines fundraising expertise with relationship-building, creativity and excellent partnership skills. You will be comfortable working strategically while also getting stuck into the practical business of developing networks and events, cultivating relationships and securing income.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the fundraising direction of an emerging partnership with an established history, a strong network and significant potential for growth.

If you are excited by the idea of building something collaboratively, creating new opportunities and helping three organisations achieve greater impact together, we would love to hear from you.

If you would like an informal chat about the role please contact any of the Fréa Trustees: Ant Hanlon Chief Executive at Leeds Irish Health and Homes, Breege McDaid, Director at Irish Community Care or Patrick Morrison, Chief Executive at Irish Community Care Manchester.

• Reports to: Chief Executive Officer, working closely with the Programmes Lead and Finance & Governance Lead.
• Hours: We anticipate appointing this role as a 2 days per week (0.4 FTE) employee. However, we are also open to hearing from experienced freelance fundraising professionals who are interested in delivering an agreed programme of work on a consultancy basis, equivalent to approximately one day per week.
• Salary: Employee: £27,000–£31,000 FTE (£10,800–£12,400 pro rata for 2 days/16 hours per week), depending on experience. Consultancy: Day rate to be agreed, depending on experience and scope of work.
• Location: Remote, with approximately two consecutive days per month at our office in Liverpool and occasional travel for meetings or events.
• Contract: 24 month fixed term (with the intention to extend, subject to funding).
• Probation Period: 3 months
• Line Management: This role has no line management responsibility.

About Worldwide Radiology

Worldwide Radiology is a UK registered charity working to improve access to high-quality diagnostic imaging in low- and middle-income countries.

Working alongside hospitals, universities and health partners around the world, we develop practical, sustainable solutions that strengthen radiology services and improve patient care. Much of our work is delivered through a global network of volunteers and long-term partnerships.

We're at an exciting stage in our development. Over recent years our fundraising income has grown significantly, but we're now looking to broaden and strengthen our funding base so we can increase our impact.

This new role offers the opportunity to become Worldwide Radiology's dedicated fundraising lead, helping shape the next stage of the organisation's growth.

About the Role

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious fundraiser ready to take the next step in their career and take ownership of fundraising within a growing charity.

As Worldwide Radiology's dedicated fundraising professional, you will lead our day-to-day fundraising activity across community fundraising, individual giving and trusts and foundations. You'll be responsible for planning and delivering fundraising campaigns, stewarding donors and writing funding applications that help sustain and grow our work.

You'll also support the CEO and Programmes Lead in developing larger strategic partnerships with major funders and corporate partners through research, proposal coordination and pipeline management.

Unlike many early-career fundraising roles, this position offers genuine ownership from early on. You'll lead fundraising across your portfolio while working closely with colleagues who have experience securing grants and developing partnerships, giving you the support and mentoring to develop your skills and confidence.

While we expect to appoint a Fundraising Manager on a part-time basis, we also recognise that an experienced fundraising consultant may bring a different but equally valuable skillset. We're therefore open to considering either model, provided the successful candidate can take ownership of our fundraising programme and help build the systems, relationships and pipeline needed to support Worldwide Radiology's long-term growth.

What Success Looks Like

During your first 12–18 months you will:

• Lead successful delivery of WWR's community fundraising programme, including the Big Give Christmas Challenge and other supporter campaigns.
• Develop and manage a healthy pipeline of trust and foundation applications.
• Build strong relationships with our existing donors and funders.
• Help diversify the organisation's income by developing new fundraising opportunities.
• Introduce systems and processes that strengthen fundraising as the organisation continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising (Lead)

You will take ownership of WWR's fundraising activity across your portfolio, working closely with the CEO while leading delivery day-to-day. Responsibilities include:

• Leading delivery of fundraising across community fundraising, individual giving and smaller trusts and foundations.
• Researching, writing and submitting grant applications to trusts and foundations.
• Managing relationships with existing trust funders and individual donors, including stewardship and reporting.
• Planning and delivering community fundraising campaigns, supporter events and online fundraising activities, including the Big Give Christmas Challenge and JustGiving campaigns.
• Developing opportunities to grow our supporter base and increase donor retention.
• Maintaining accurate fundraising records, donor data and reporting.
• Monitoring fundraising activity and providing regular updates to the CEO.
• Supporting the development of fundraising plans and identifying new income opportunities.

Partnerships (Support)

Working alongside the CEO and Programmes Lead, you will:

• Research prospective major trusts, foundations and corporate partners.
• Prepare briefing papers and background research ahead of meetings.
• Coordinate development of larger funding proposals by gathering information, managing timelines and tracking actions.
• Maintain the strategic funding pipeline and prospect tracker.
• Support follow-up from meetings, conferences and partnership discussions.
• Help identify opportunities to strengthen relationships with healthcare organisations, companies and strategic partners.

Person Specification

We recognise that no candidate will meet every criterion. If you can demonstrate most of the following, we'd love to hear from you:

• Experience in a fundraising, development or partnerships role within the charity sector.
• Experience researching and writing, or supporting the development of, funding applications to trusts and foundations.
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to write compelling funding applications and supporter communications.
• Excellent relationship-building skills, with experience working positively with supporters, volunteers, partners or external stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to maintain accurate records and manage information across multiple projects and deadlines.
• Comfortable working in a digital, remote environment and confident learning new systems, including fundraising CRM platforms.
• Enthusiasm for Worldwide Radiology's mission and the role of global health partnerships.

Desirable attributes:

• Experience delivering community fundraising campaigns or challenge events.
• Experience using fundraising CRMs or donor databases.
• Experience of the Big Give Christmas Challenge or similar match-funding campaigns.
• Experience supporting corporate partnerships or major donor fundraising.
• An interest in global health, healthcare or international development.

Why Join Worldwide Radiology?

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of fundraising within a growing international charity at an early stage in your career.

You'll have the chance to lead fundraising campaigns, develop relationships with donors and funders, and shape how fundraising grows over the coming years. At the same time, you'll benefit from the guidance and support of experienced colleagues, giving you the opportunity to develop your skills while making a tangible contribution to improving access to diagnostic imaging around the world.

We're committed to supporting your professional development through mentoring, networking opportunities and relevant fundraising training, helping you build the skills and experience to progress your fundraising career.

We offer:

• Flexible remote working.
• A collaborative, supportive team with minimal hierarchy.
• Opportunities for professional development and responsibility.
• Up to 4% matched pension contribution.
• 25 days Annual leave plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).

Join SafeLives and play a key role in growing our community fundraising programme to help end domestic abuse. As our Community Fundraising Officer, you will inspire and support individuals, challenge event participants, regular givers and corporate supporters, ensuring they have an outstanding experience while raising vital funds for our work.

Working closely with colleagues across Fundraising, Communications and Influencing, you will develop engaging fundraising campaigns, manage our regular giving programme, The Starfish Club, coordinate challenge events, and create compelling supporter communications. You will also help identify and share powerful impact stories that connect supporters to the difference their fundraising makes.

We're looking for someone who is proactive, organised and creative, with excellent relationship-building and communication skills. You'll be motivated by working with a wide range of supporters, delivering exceptional stewardship, and finding innovative ways to grow income and reach new audiences.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a collaborative and values-led organisation where bravery, inclusivity, rigour and humanity are at the heart of everything we do. An understanding of the sensitivities surrounding domestic abuse, and a commitment to placing lived experience at the centre of our work, are essential.

About SafeLives

We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone, for good.

We work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. We want what you would want for your best friend. We listen to survivors, putting their voices at the heart of our thinking. We look at the whole picture for each individual and family to get the right help at the right time to make families everywhere safe and well. And we challenge perpetrators to change, asking ‘why doesn’t he stop?’ rather than ‘why doesn’t she leave?’ This applies whatever the gender of the victim or perpetrator and whatever the nature of their relationship.

Last year alone, we delivered more than 700 sessions to over 15,000 learners across the UK in policing, health, housing, justice, education and the specialist sector. And we have reached 90,000 adult and 100,000 child survivors through programmes designed and delivered with partners.

In the last 9 years, close to 7,000 perpetrators have been challenged and supported to change through flagship interventions developed by our Drive Partnership and the programme continues to expand year on year.

Together we can end domestic abuse. Forever. For everyone.

Benefits

• 34 days holiday inc. public holidays
• Paid annual wellbeing day
• Cycle 2 Work scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Pension scheme with 4% employer contribution
• Length of service award
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced family leave Policies
• Holiday purchase scheme - buy up to an additional 5 days

How to apply

If you believe you have the qualities we have described, please look over the full job description and submit your CV and cover letter by 9am on 9th September. As part of our commitment to become a Disability Confident Committed employer we are happy to accept alternative applications such as video, voice note etc.

We are seeking an ambitious and motivated Head of Research to oversee the delivery of our research funding programme. You will ensure our funding is delivered strategically with the greatest impact possible for people affected by MND. You will manage our research team to oversee the development and delivery of effective funding schemes, partnerships and initiatives, whilst ensuring the outputs of our research are monitored and evaluated, to communicate our impact and inform our future activities.

This is a key role in our small, agile organisation that will involve close working across the charity, and the research community. We are looking for someone with strong experience in research and people management, working experience in drug discovery, with excellent communication skills and strong motivation to make a difference for people affected by MND. 

Team Structure: 

You will report to the Director of Research and manage a team of four: three Research Programme Managers and a Research Officer. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Have day-to-day responsibility for distribution of the charity’s research funding, developing detailed annual plans and delivering against time and budget; 

• Be responsible for overseeing governance and compliance for all research funding activities, including adherence to standards set by the Association of Medical Research Charities; 

• Identify opportunities for improvements to grant management systems, processes and documentation and work closely with the research team to ensure they are implemented; 

• Maintain oversight of the research programme budget, working closely with the research and finance teams to plan, monitor and forecast; 

• Oversee the development and implementation of new funding schemes and research initiatives to ensure our funds are delivered for maximum impact and address gaps in the research landscape; 

• Oversee the setup and delivery of large collaborative research programmes including managing relationships with joint funders and other partner organisations; 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with the research community, including members of our review committees and grant holders; 

• Oversee the development and implementation of a robust impact evaluation framework to monitor, report and evaluate the impact of the research we fund and use this information to inform our future funding activities; 

• Ensure the outputs of our research funding activities inform the work of the charity, working with the research and communication teams to create and disseminate compelling and engaging scientific content to engage supporters and drive income; 

• Maintain a strong understanding of the MND research landscape, using those insights to inform our research activities; 

• Develop a high performing team, ensuring team members are supported and developed to contribute to their full potential in the achievement of the charity’s aims; 

• Oversee the delivery of research events e.g. annual meetings to bring together our researchers; 

• Support the development and implementation of future research strategies, working closely with the Director of Research; 

• Represent the Foundation at external meetings including international conferences; 

• Deputise for the Director of Research as required; 

• Undertake other appropriate work as required by the Director of Research. 

Skills and experience required: 

• Educated to postgraduate level, or with similar experience in a relevant biomedical science subject e.g. biochemistry, molecular sciences, neuroscience, pharmacology; 

• Working experience of drug discovery, gained either in the bio-pharmaceutical industry or an academic setting; 

• Significant experience in research management, ideally within a charity or government funding organisation; 

• Proven leadership and people management skills with direct line management experience; 

• The ability to think strategically, navigate uncertainty and adapt to evolving environments; 

• A great communicator, with excellent written and oral skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders; 

• Motivated to make a real difference for those living with MND and future generations. 

Please note, this role involves occasional overnight stays from home, occasional international travel and occasional attendance at meetings and events during evenings and weekends. Candidates must have the existing right to work in the UK.

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.