The Senior Fundraising Executive (Grants) leads on bid-writing and relationship building with grantmakers (Trusts/Foundations/Public). The candidate will be a key player in the Grants team alongside the Director of Development (Grants/Major Gifts) and Development Officer. Create has seen its fundraising increase significantly in recent years, as it fulfils its ambitious plans to double its reach by its 25th anniversary in 2028. The Grants team is responsible for securing over 50% of the charity’s income, managing an extensive portfolio of T/F/Public funders, approaching a well-researched pipeline of potential funders, and researching prospects. The successful candidate will share Create’s commitment to the transformative power of the creative arts within community settings, with exceptional written and verbal communication, research, organisational and IT skills, and meticulous attention to detail.
Create believes in the power of the creative arts to promote inclusion, empower lives and increase acceptance.
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Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy levels amongst people in the criminal justice system?
We’ve made substantial progress in recent years, with improvements and expansions to our delivery model and significant growth in our staff team. In Spring 2026, we will launch our refreshed organisational strategy, which will shape our work over the next three years and beyond. To support this growth, we are recruiting for a full time National Director of Operations to lead our delivery across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and emerging community settings, with an ambition to reach Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in scaling our impact and strengthening our presence across the criminal justice system and beyond.
As National Director of Operations, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for our learning programmes in prisons and community settings. You will ensure high‑quality, consistent and accessible delivery, overseeing a team of six Regional Managers and a wider workforce of around 65 staff, volunteers and over 2,000 peer mentors trained each year.
Working closely with senior colleagues, partner organisations and national bodies such as HMPPS, you will drive programme excellence, innovation and partnership working. You will also play a key role in new business development, operational strategy, contractual delivery and ensuring we can reliably demonstrate the impact of our work.
The role requires an experienced operational leader with a deep commitment to improving outcomes for people facing disadvantage. You will bring:
- Senior leadership experience in a complex, multi‑site environment.
- A track record of delivering large-scale programmes and leading distributed teams.
- Strong strategic thinking, problem‑solving and relationship‑building skills.
- Experience working with statutory bodies or large public-sector partners (e.g. HMPPS).
- Excellent judgement, communication skills and the ability to influence at all levels.
- Understanding of the criminal justice system, safeguarding, or alternative education environments (desirable).
- A collaborative, inclusive leadership style aligned with Shannon Trust’s values.
We want to hear from applicants who are as committed to the cause as we are.
This is a home-based role but will require travel around the UK including overnight stays. This role is 5 days per week (35 hours) with working days/hours to be mutually agreed in line with business needs.
Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.
We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. This role does require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.
Interviews, which will be held online, are planned for the w/c 18th May.
All applications must include a CV and covering letter of no more than 2 pages which outlines your suitability for the role and how you meet the person specification.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education. We offer more than just a career, we offer the opportunity to support our global movement in a dynamic and inclusive environment with a real focus on personal development.
We are seeking an experienced, Glasgow-based fundraiser to join us as a Regional Development Officer. In this role, you’ll be a confident, visible champion for Mary’s Meals, someone who knows the city, understands its communities, and can build relationships that spark action. You’ll bring boldness and creativity to your work, whether delivering inspiring talks in churches and schools, making fundraising asks or forging genuine partnerships with local businesses and networks.
Using your deep knowledge of Glasgow’s people and places, you will identify high‑potential opportunities, grow income and participation, and cultivate a committed local movement of supporters and volunteers. Through strategic, outward‑facing work, you’ll turn first conversations into committed, long‑term support that strengthens our movement and fuels our mission.
Working closely with the Head of Scotland, you will co‑design and deliver a local growth plan shaped by the pulse of your region. You will represent Mary’s Meals across faith communities, schools, community groups, business networks, and key connectors, bringing energy, authenticity, and a passion for our mission.
Highly autonomous, you’ll combine insight, data, and local intuition to focus on areas of greatest opportunity. You’ll collaborate across the organisation to create seamless supporter journeys and tell compelling, meaningful stories. Everything you do will reflect Mary’s Meals’ warmth, simplicity, and dignity.
Key responsibilities include
- Work with the Head of Scotland to create and deliver an insight‑driven regional growth plan, with clear priorities around income, visibility, and volunteer mobilisation.
- Use local knowledge, data, and community insight to focus your time on the strongest opportunities for growth.
- Balance relationship‑building with a proactive, opportunity-led approach, identifying new supporters, networks, and partnerships and developing them from prospective supporters into committed donors.
- Actively network across Glasgow to initiate new meetings, build connections, and follow up purposefully.
- Represent Mary’s Meals with authenticity and enthusiasm across schools, churches, parishes, universities, community groups, and local businesses.
- Deliver engaging talks, assemblies, parish visits, small events, networking sessions, and partnership meetings that increase income, participation, and visibility.
- Build a diverse pipeline of leads and partnerships that reflect Glasgow’s communities and faith landscape.
- Create the environment for a strong volunteer network and empower volunteers through thoughtful delegation, coaching, encouragement, and recognition.
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Strengthen local visibility by nurturing community connectors and supporting appropriate local media engagement.
Please see the recruitment pack on our website for full list of duties.
To apply for the role of Regional Development Officer based at Mary’s Meals UK, please follow the apply instructions on Charity Job where you will be redirected to our website.
Your covering letter or video should make a compelling case for why you feel motivated to apply for this role within Mary’s Meals UK, as well as giving a concise overview of your most relevant skills and experience, and should fill no more than two pages of A4.
Applicants must hold full right to work in the UK.
We welcome applications from candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse charity providing a supportive place for you to do the best and most rewarding work of your career.
Closing date for applications is Friday, 8th May
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Please note: If you have any special requirements or adjustments before an interview, please let us know.