Major donor fundraising manager jobs in Manchester, greater manchester
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Philanthropy Manager
We’re looking for an experienced and passionate fundraiser to join our new Specialist Delivery Team as a Philanthropy Manager. In this influential role, you’ll help our places and projects across the North achieve ambitious philanthropic targets aligned with our 10‑year People and Nature Thriving strategy.
With a strong track record in securing major gifts and charitable trust funding, you’ll bring confidence, creativity and strategic insight. You’ll also inspire colleagues to unlock their own networks, ideas and enthusiasm. helping grow a culture of ambitious, impactful fundraising.
If you thrive on purpose, collaboration and meaningful relationships, we’d love to hear from you.
Internally you’ll be known as Philanthropy Delivery Partner. Please include a cover letter with your application.
What it’s like to work here
You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary team of experts including curators, archaeologists, conservators, surveyors and fellow fundraisers who work together to deliver the greatest possible public benefit through our national strategy. It’s a supportive, specialist environment where professional expertise is valued and shared, and where every contribution makes a tangible difference to the places and communities we serve.
As this role covers the North region, your contractual work location will be the nearest National Trust regional office to your home. You’ll split your time flexibly between home working, office days and site visits, and you should expect to be at a National Trust place around 40–60% of your week. We’ll discuss the balance at interview.
What you’ll be doing
In this role, you’ll collaborate closely with fundraisers, specialists and property teams across the Trust, sharing your expertise generously and helping colleagues grow in confidence and capability. You’ll develop and deliver compelling fundraising initiatives that support some of our most treasured places, from historic houses and gardens to nature recovery and large‑scale conservation projects.
You’ll build and nurture relationships with trusts, foundations and high‑value supporters, engaging them in the full breadth of the Trust’s work and helping them see the real impact of their support. Working as part of project teams, you’ll bring fundraising opportunities to life, translating expert knowledge into inspiring cases for support.
As part of the Specialist Delivery Team, you’ll play an important role in expanding philanthropic giving across the region and shaping long‑term fundraising approaches that will support our work for years to come.
Who we’re looking for
· Experience developing complex fundraising plans across multiple income streams and meeting ambitious income targets.
· Proven success securing support from individuals, charitable trusts and gifts in wills.
· Ability to build compelling, persuasive cases for support for a wide range of funders.
· Strong communicator with the ability to build trusted relationships across diverse internal and external groups.
· Flexible thinker and problem‑solver, confident in influencing, negotiating and applying expertise effectively.
· Highly organised and proactive, with project‑management experience and the ability to balance quality, cost and time.
· Inclusive leader who creates a positive, welcoming culture and encourages diverse participation.
· Skilled at challenging colleagues constructively, building productive networks and fostering innovative fundraising practice.
Registered Charity 
More than 1000
Thank you!
Join our team and help deliver real-world change
We stand at a defining moment. Climate change, inequity, and health challenges demand action. This isn't the first time Manchester has risen to the moment, and now we are ready to do it again.
At the end of 2025 we launched our first ever fundraising and volunteering campaign, “ Challenge Accepted”. We're uniting alumni, donors, staff, students and civic, industry and community partners to tackle the world's toughest challenges and transform lives locally and globally.
We are building an exceptional team of people to champion bold thinking that is rooted in impact.
Will you accept the challenge?
Manchester individuals are recognised for embracing shared values such as integrity, courage, ambition, and collaboration. Our community is strengthened by a pioneering outlook and a collective determination to drive positive change. We welcome people of all backgrounds who demonstrate resilience, optimism, and a genuine commitment to fostering a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable world. If you share these qualities, we warmly encourage you to get in touch with us.
This is a fixed term position for 3 years.
Details of the Role
Reporting to the Head of Principal Gifts, the Philanthropy Manager (Principal Gifts) will operate at the higher end of donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship to secure significant support (six and seven figure gifts) in support of the University’s key priorities.
As an exceptional fundraiser, you will be responsible for managing a portfolio of relationships with alumni and significant philanthropists, to secure gifts for bold, impactful projects and programmes across the University. You will proactively build the pipeline, demonstrating a creative approach to reach potential new donors in the UK and globally.
We seek individuals with success in securing significant philanthropic gifts in the Higher Education, Voluntary or Cultural Sector or proven transferable skills. You will have experience of working within a team whilst working towards personal targets. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are results orientated, persuasive and have exceptional negotiation skills.
Fundraising at The University of Manchester
As a member of the University's fundraising team, you’ll have access to a robust support structure that enables you to do your very best work. This includes regular training and development opportunities; access to detailed reports, data, and management information to guide and inform your fundraising; an expert team of Operations and Prospect Research colleagues supporting your work; and the full engagement of senior University leadership. As part of an experienced and supportive network of fundraisers, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to collaborate and share best practice. You’ll also have access to a whole host of learning and development opportunities to help you develop core skills like personal effectiveness, leadership, and management.
Manchester Mindset
Our approach to fundraising is driven by our values of being collaborative, bold and ambitious – and approaching our work with integrity. These values underpin the Manchester Mindset: our framework for fundraising success, authored by and for our fundraising team.
As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons and all appointments will be made on merit. As we are committed to the principles of the Race Equality Charter Mark, we would particularly welcome applications from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community who are currently under-represented at this level in this area.
What you will get in return:
- Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
- Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
- Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
- Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
- Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers
As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.
Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here
Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.
Please be aware that due to the number of applications we are unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback on your application.
Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.
Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.
This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.