Major donor manager jobs in London

This is an exciting opportunity to join Cause4’s Development Team as a Development Manager, supporting a varied portfolio of charities and social purpose organisations with fundraising, strategy and organisational development.

This opportunity provides a fantastic opportunity for someone to work as part of a passionate and hard working team to hone their consultancy skills to fast track into more senior positions within the organisation.

The role offers the chance to work across multiple sectors including arts, heritage, education, health, sport and community organisations, helping clients to develop fundraising strategies, secure funding and build sustainable income streams. Alongside client work, you will play an active role within the wider Cause4 Development Team, contributing to research, organisational planning, training delivery and business development activity.

This position offers broad exposure across a wide range of organisations, fundraising disciplines and consultancy projects, making it an excellent opportunity for someone looking to accelerate their career within the charity or consultancy sectors.

THE OPPORTUNITY WHO THIS ROLE MAY SUIT

• This role could particularly suit: Someone looking to step into their first consultancy or Development Manager role.
• A fundraiser wanting broader experience across multiple organisations and income streams. Someone currently working in the charity, arts, education or cultural sectors looking to transition into consultancy.
• An ambitious individual seeking a fast-paced role with clear progression and development opportunities.
• An existing manager looking to build their consultancy skills to fast track into more senior positions in the sector.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising & Client Support

• Supporting a portfolio of clients with fundraising strategy development and delivery.
• Writing compelling funding applications, Cases for Support and donor-facing materials.
• Supporting funding approaches to Trusts & Foundations, statutory funders, corporates and individual donors.
• Conducting research into prospective funders, partners and opportunities.
• Supporting the development and delivery of fundraising events and engagement activities. Building positive relationships with clients, funders and wider stakeholders.
• Supporting the delivery of fundraising training and wider Cause4 programmes.

Research & Consultancy

• Producing high-quality research, reports and briefing papers.
• Supporting the development of programme ideas, evaluation frameworks and measurable outcomes.
• Contributing strategic thinking to fundraising campaigns and organisational development projects.
• Supporting wider consultancy and innovation work across the organisation.

Team & Organisational Development

• Contributing to Cause4’s business development and growth activity.
• Sharing knowledge, expertise and fundraising insight across the team.
• Supporting the wider strategic and operational needs of the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Cause4 is a fast-paced consultancy environment offering significant opportunities for learning and career development.

Skills & Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates who are ambitious, adaptable and keen to grow within a consultancy environment. You may already have experience in fundraising, charity operations, programme delivery, arts administration, partnerships, research or strategy work.

We are looking for:

• Strong written communication skills and the ability to produce compelling, engaging and high-quality written material.
• Strong research and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to interpret and synthesise large and complex amounts of information and data from a range of sources.
• Experience within a charity, fundraising, arts, education or consultancy environment.
• An interest in fundraising, philanthropy and organisational development.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Confidence working with a range of stakeholders and building professional relationships.
• Strategic thinking, creative and problem-solving skills. Strong organisational and coordination skills.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience using online platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
• Alignment with our company values.

Experience across fundraising or income generation is desirable, but we are equally interested in candidates with strong transferable skills and the ambition to develop into a client-facing consultancy role.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV together with either: a Cover Letter (maximum two pages), or a Cover Video (maximum three minutes) to Ben Wilson, Director of Development and Enterprise.

The deadline for applying is 5pm on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

Please also include a completed Equal Opportunities Form downloadable from the Cause4 website.

Start your fundraising career with a leading national anti-prejudice charity and help build the relationships that make our work possible.

Gain hands-on experience across trusts, donors, events and fundraising operations while developing valuable skills in a supportive, mission-driven team.

The Anne Frank Trust UK empowers young people to challenge all forms of prejudice through education and dialogue. We are looking for a motivated, organised and enthusiastic Fundraising Assistant to join our Development Team and play a key role in supporting the fundraising activity that enables our work to reach thousands of young people each year.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone looking to take their first step into fundraising or the charity sector. You do not need extensive fundraising experience. We are looking for someone with strong organisational skills, excellent attention to detail and a genuine commitment to our mission. In return, you will receive hands-on training, mentoring from experienced colleagues and opportunities to develop your skills and take on increasing responsibility.

As Fundraising Assistant, you will support all aspects of fundraising and donor engagement. From processing donations and managing supporter records to helping deliver events, steward donors and support trust and foundation fundraising, you will gain broad experience across multiple fundraising disciplines. As your confidence develops, you will have the opportunity to contribute to funding applications and manage smaller grant requests independently.

You will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, supporting donor visits, fundraising events and school engagement opportunities, while helping to ensure our supporters receive an outstanding experience at every stage of their journey with the Trust.

We are looking for someone who is curious, proactive and eager to learn. If you enjoy building relationships, are comfortable balancing multiple priorities and want to be part of an organisation committed to equality, diversity and youth empowerment, we would love to hear from you.

This role offers a unique opportunity to develop a strong foundation in fundraising while making a meaningful contribution to an organisation that helps empower young people create across the UK to recognise and challenge all forms of prejudice.

SALARY: £28,860 (Includes London Weighting)

CONTRACT: Permanent

HOURS: Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Usually Mon-Fri 9am to 5.30pm.

4 days out of 5 (Monday to Thursday) in the office in London.

Occasional work required outside usual time for events with Time Off In Lieu provided.

Office Based – with a day to work from home and occasional UK-wide travel and overnight stays.

BENEFITS: The postholder will be entitled to the Trust’s standard benefits, pro-rated where applicable, and subject to scheme rules and eligibility. These include: 28 days’ annual leave plus statutory holidays in England and Wales and any additional discretionary closure days in December; contributory pension (10% total: 5% employee/ 5% employer) with option to increase to 17% (7% employee, 10% employer) post-probation; cycle to work scheme; Employee Assistance Programme

Tasks and Responsibilities

· Maintain and update the fundraising database, ensuring supporter records are accurate, complete and up to date.

· Process donations and prepare acknowledgement letters, emails and receipts in line with donor stewardship standards.

· Manage Gift Aid administration, including data checks, record maintenance and submission processes.

· Provide administrative support to Fundraising Officers, including diary management, meeting scheduling and preparation of briefing materials.

· Support the planning and delivery of fundraising events, donor visits and receptions.

· Coordinate donor and community representative visits to schools in collaboration with the Education Team.

· Assist with the preparation of fundraising reports, presentations and internal documentation.

· Support general department administration to ensure the smooth running of the fundraising function.

· Conduct basic prospect research to identify potential funding opportunities.

· Prepare supporting documents, budgets and attachments for grant applications.

· Maintain accurate records of application deadlines, reporting requirements, funding decisions and income forecasts.

· Assist with drafting sections of funding applications and reports.

· Support the management of smaller grant applications and reports, with the opportunity to lead applications of up to approximately £5,000 as experience develops.

· Monitor grant reporting deadlines and ensure officers are supported to meet all requirements.

· Prepare thank-you letters, impact updates and other donor communications.

· Support the administration and delivery of the organisation’s Patrons Programme.

· Assist with donor stewardship activities and ensure timely follow-up actions are completed.

· Support the tracking and management of donor journeys in collaboration with the Communications team.

· Maintain accurate records of donor interactions and stewardship activity on the fundraising database.

· Help ensure donors receive a positive and consistent experience across all engagement touchpoints.

Person Specification:

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

· An interest in fundraising, philanthropy or the wider charity sector.

· Excellent organisational skills and strong attention to detail.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills.

· Good administrative skills and confidence working with databases, spreadsheets and digital systems.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

· A proactive, reliable and positive approach to work.

· Willingness to learn, accept feedback and develop professionally.

· Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

· An understanding of and interest in fundraising, donor stewardship or supporter engagement.

· Experience using a CRM, fundraising database or supporter management system.

· Experience supporting events or coordinating projects.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

· Excellent organisational skills, to manage a varied workload.

· Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to develop relationships with relevant stakeholders.

· Ability to use initiative, problem solve and be a team player.

· Strong literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

· Excellent presentation skills.

VALUES AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

· Enthusiasm for Anne Frank, the Trust’s work including our commitment to youth empowerment.

· A deeply held belief in equality and diversity with a willingness to learn.

·A commitment to helping young people recognise and challenge all forms of prejudice.

· Willingness to travel regionally and across the UK and work evenings and weekends when required.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Educated to at least degree level or equivalent, ideally with a relevant professional qualification.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

· Enhanced DBS check on appointment

The application process is submitting your CV and a supporting statement outlining why you want to work for the Anne Frank Trust UK (no more than 1,000 words).

Please upload your CV and Cover Letter via the Charity Job portal.

The closing date is 28th August but we reserve the right to close the posting early if enough suitable candidates are found.

First stage interviews will take place in person in our London office on Monday 14th or Wednesday 16th September with a second stage in person interview to follow.

Salary: £33,537 pa
Contract: Permanent
Location: Battersea, London (Hybrid working with at least 50% office-based)
Closing date: 23rd August
Benefits: 28 Day Annual Leave (excl Bank Holidays), Generous Pension scheme (Ie, employee contribution 5%, employer contribution  10.3%), Enhanced Parental Leave

We are delighted to be working with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to recruit a Philanthropy Officer, an exciting opportunity to join one of the UK's leading animal welfare charities and play a key role in developing relationships with mid-value supporters.

As part of this exciting role, you will manage and develop a portfolio of supporters giving between £1,000 and £10,000 annually, building meaningful relationships through tailored cultivation, stewardship and engagement activities. You will lead on mid-value fundraising appeals and donor communications, manage supporter mailings, support the delivery of donor events, and oversee financial reconciliation and performance reporting. Working collaboratively with colleagues across fundraising, finance and supporter services, you will help maximise fundraising opportunities and contribute to the delivery of Battersea's ambitious income generation strategy.

To be successful as the Philanthropy Officer, you will need:
 

• Previous fundraising experience, or stewardship and supporter engagement experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create compelling donor communications and build strong relationships with donors
• Experience using CRM/database systems and managing donor data, alongside strong administrative, reporting and financial reconciliation skills.
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If you would like to discuss this role with us please email your CV or contact us and quote the reference 3062JP

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

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

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

Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) is a research and patient engagement organisation dedicated to creating a future where prostate cancer no longer threatens lives. Through research, innovation, policy & advocacy, and patient empowerment, we work to accelerate breakthroughs in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, while ensuring that the benefits of progress reach every community affected by the disease. Our goal is simple: to detect prostate cancer earlier, improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and transform the future of care for all men affected by prostate cancer.

Over the past three years, PCR has won:  

• Fundraising Charity of the Year (Large) at the National Fundraising Awards 2026 
• Excellence in Collaboration and Partnerships for our 'Real Talk' campaign with Ipsen at the PMEA Awards 2025
• Excellence in Healthcare Partnerships at the Communiqué 2025 Awards

We are seeking a strategic, proactive and relationship-focused Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager to lead the growth and delivery of our corporate partnerships’ portfolio. This role sits at the heart of our ambition to expand and diversify corporate income, building high-value, long-term relationships across a range of industries and cementing corporate fundraising as a core income stream for PCR.

PCR is at a key moment with our corporate fundraising activities as we are significantly expanding our engagement with a variety of industries and delivering meaningful strategic partnerships that drive income, raise brand awareness through impact-driven campaigns, and add value to our work through access to relevant services and expertise.

As PCR embarks on its new five-year strategy, this role offers an exciting opportunity to build on existing foundations and lead across the full breadth of corporate engagement – from new business strategy, prospecting and pitching, to developing employee fundraising and awareness activities, managing high-value partnerships, and shaping strategic, multi‑year opportunities.

You will work closely with colleagues in areas such as Marketing & Communications, Events & Community, and Major Donors, and play a central role in identifying cross-team opportunities, leading excellent supporter stewardship and embedding effective partnership management across the charity’s programmes of work. You will be responsible for growing the new business pipeline, developing compelling propositions, managing key corporate relationships and driving cross-team collaboration that enables meaningful engagement and sustained income growth.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in corporate fundraising or partnership development, with a strong track record of securing and managing corporate partnerships, developing new business pipelines, and building relationships across multiple stakeholders and workstreams. Above all, they will be driven by the opportunity to connect organisations with impactful work that improves outcomes for people affected by prostate cancer.

As part of representing PCR, the role may involve UK-based travel, including attendance at meetings, conferences, briefings, and key industry events.

Key Responsibilities

New Business Development & Pipeline Growth

• Lead the development and delivery of PCR’s corporate new business strategy, identifying, qualifying and prioritising high-value prospects across diverse sectors, including finance, retail, technology, hospitality, manufacturing and professional services.
• Own and manage a structured new business pipeline, ensuring prospects are recorded, stewarded and progressed according to agreed KPIs, income targets and strategic priorities.
• Develop tailored propositions, outreach strategies, cultivation plans and pitch materials that secure interest in Charity of the Year (COTY), strategic partnerships, sponsorship and employee fundraising opportunities.

Corporate Partnership Management & Delivery

• Lead the delivery and account management of high-quality partnership activity across events, campaigns, sponsorships, corporate donations and fundraising initiatives, ensuring partners receive excellent stewardship and clear impact reporting.
• Oversee planning and activation for employee fundraising and engagement activities, working closely with the Events & Community team to maximise partner participation, supporter experience and income.
• Lead the development of proposals, stewardship reports, presentations and corporate-specific content that demonstrate impact, deepen engagement and inspire continued support.
• Establish partnership governance requirements, including creating partnership agreements, managing renewals, tracking financials and reporting progress against milestones.

Cross‑Team Collaboration

• Lead cross-team collaboration with colleagues across PCR to build cohesive supporter journeys, integrated cultivation opportunities and shared approaches to partnership delivery.
• Oversee the development of bespoke fundraising assets, employee engagement materials and corporate-specific supporter journeys.
• Identify potential high‑value prospects within existing public fundraising audiences and internal networks, ensuring warm leads are effectively stewarded.

Corporate Patient Representatives Programme

• Oversee PCR’s growing Corporate Patient Representatives programme, ensuring effective planning, recruitment, scheduling, logistics and feedback processes are in place.
• Ensure high-quality governance, tracking and stewardship of Patient Representatives to strengthen engagement, manage risk and enable sustainable expansion of the programme.

Content Development & Insight Gathering

• Lead the development of corporate-focused case studies and materials, including themes such as workplace health, EDI resource groups, “men’s health in business” and partner-specific stories.
• Use insights from existing and prospective partners to inform product development, partnership offers, event design, stewardship improvements and future income growth.
• Work closely with Marketing & Communications to develop and update PCR’s corporate partnership webpages and create engaging content for social media.

Representing PCR

• Represent the Partnerships Team at corporate meetings, stewarding events, industry networking sessions and cultivation opportunities.
• Help amplify PCR’s mission and vision, contributing to the wider strategy of positioning PCR as a compelling and values‑aligned corporate partner.

Skills and Competencies

Our ideal candidate would have the following:

Experience

• Significant experience leading and managing corporate fundraising activities including relationship development, partnership or supporter engagement.
• Proven experience researching, assessing and converting prospects into new business opportunities.
• Demonstrated experience building and managing relationships internally and with senior external stakeholders, with the confidence to engage new prospects and nurture established corporate contacts.
• Experience leading or overseeing events, campaigns or employee fundraising activities.
• Experience developing pitches, proposals, reports or persuasive written materials that secure new or grow existing partnerships.
• Experience working cross‑functionally – ideally with fundraising, marketing, research and/or programme delivery teams.
• Experience managing income and expenditure budgets and tracking/reporting financials.
• Confident using CRM systems and maintaining accurate, organised records of pipeline activity.
• Confident using Microsoft Office suite, in particular Word, PowerPoint, Excel.
• Understanding of GDPR and UK fundraising regulations.
• Ability to identify and escalate risks, while proactively identifying opportunities for improvement.

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to build rapport quickly, influence senior stakeholders and adapt messaging for different audiences.
• Confident working independently, using initiative to research areas of work and proactively identify solutions.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities, deadlines and stakeholder needs.
• Strategic and creative problem-solver, able to identify opportunities, develop compelling propositions and think commercially about partnership value.
• Strong collaborator with the ability to lead work across departments and bring colleagues together around shared partnership opportunities.

Personal Attributes

• Purpose driven, enthusiastic and committed to delivering excellent experiences for corporate partners and supporters.
• Curious, proactive and solution-orientated, with the confidence to take initiative and make sound decisions.
• Values‑led and aligned with PCR’s mission to improve outcomes for people with prostate cancer.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑moving environment with shifting priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Able to work independently, manage competing priorities and lead collaborative work as part of a team.
• Willingness to attend events that occasionally may be outside of typical working hours.
• Willingness and ability to undertake UK travel for meetings, events and cultivation.

Other

• This role requires in-person meetings and attendance at our office in central London. Candidates must be willing to travel into London and attend regular meetings with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of the challenges facing people affected by prostate cancer in the UK.
• Ability to use AI tools such as CoPilot to support the initial stages of ideas or concept development.

Benefits of working for PCR

• You will see the difference your work makes straight away, sitting at the heart of our corporate relationships and helping businesses engage across all our activities.
• We take career development and progression seriously, investing in great staff members. Our retention rate is 10x the sector average.
• Budgets follow results. When something works, we invest more, giving you the backing to scale effective and impactful activities.
• We value our people, with flexible working, private BUPA healthcare, a competitive pension, a dedicated training budget, and more.

How To Apply

Please apply by submitting your CV and a short supporting statement (maximum 600 words) outlining why you would like the role and why you think you’d be a good fit, giving examples of previous experience.

There will be a one two-stage interview process. The first interview will be online, and the second will be an in-person interview at our office in London.

For more information about the role, please contact our hiring team at the email provided in the full job description for an informal chat.

For more information about our organisation, visit the Prostate Cancer Research website, the Prostate Progress webpage and the PCR online patient resource, The Infopool.

PCR is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.

Role Overview

The Talent Set are delighted to partner with our client on a fantastic Senior Marketing Manager role. This position involves leading strategic, multi-channel marketing initiatives to maximise supporter engagement and long-term value, supporting the organisation’s Legacy and Mid-Value programmes through innovative and audience-focused approaches.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to a team responsible for delivering legacy and mid-value supporter programmes.
• Develop, implement, and optimise integrated marketing plans across channels, including digital, direct mail, email, and media, to meet ambitious targets for supporter acquisition, retention, and income.
• Oversee supporter journeys and stewardship strategies to deepen long-term relationships and increase lifetime supporter value.
• Analyse audience insights and campaign data to inform strategic decisions, optimise activity, and improve programme performance.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to maximise opportunities for supporter engagement and fundraising success.
• Lead the development of compelling content and creative that resonates with diverse supporter audiences.
• Manage programme budgets and resources efficiently, ensuring activities deliver strong return on investment.
• Coach and motivate a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Monitor programme performance, using insights and testing to refine strategies and ensure objectives are met.
• Maintain compliance with industry best practice, legal standards, and regulatory guidelines in all marketing activities.
• Manage high-profile campaigns, proactively addressing risks, challenges, and deadlines.

Person Specification

• Proven experience leading large-scale acquisition and supporter engagement programmes within the charity or international development sectors.
• Demonstrable success in managing and developing high-performing teams, with a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Extensive understanding of multi-channel marketing, including digital, mail, and telemarketing, with the ability to develop integrated, audience-led supporter journeys.
• Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting complex data to inform strategic decisions.
• Ability to prioritise effectively, balancing multiple projects and deadlines to deliver impactful results.
• Skilled in developing engaging content and creative across varied channels to inspire action.
• Experience managing significant marketing budgets with clear focus on measurable outcomes and return on investment.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and relationship-building skills, capable of working across teams and with external partners.
• Innovative, adaptable, and committed to upholding best practices in supporter stewardship and ethical fundraising.

What’s on Offer

Salary: £50,100-£55,400
Contract until December 2026
Hybrid working - 1 day a week in Central London

How to Apply

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

Commitment to Diversity

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

Salary: £48,576 (non-London) or £53,549 (London)
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Location: Hybrid – Edinburgh, London or Warrington (2 days/week in office)
Closing date: Friday 4 September
Benefits: Flexible hybrid working, generous annual leave entitlement, pension contribution

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Government, Multilateral and Climate Funding Manager to join Christian Aid, a global movement working to end poverty and injustice, supporting communities around the world to create lasting change. Reporting to the Partnerships and Business Development Lead, this is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in securing multi-million-pound funding partnerships that will help drive Christian Aid's climate justice and international development ambitions.

As part of this exciting role, you will lead the development of strategic relationships with government, multilateral and climate funding partners, including major bilateral donors, UN agencies and global climate funds. You will build and manage a strong pipeline of funding opportunities, lead complex bids and proposals, and work collaboratively with teams across the organisation to secure significant multi-year grants. You will also help position Christian Aid as a leading partner in climate finance, supporting programmes focused on adaptation, resilience, loss and damage, and nature-based solutions, ultimately maximising both income generation and global impact.

To be successful as the Government, Multilateral and Climate Funding Manager, you will need:

• A proven track record of securing multiple multi-million-pound grants and managing complex institutional funding opportunities.
• Significant knowledge and experience of government, multilateral or climate funding mechanisms, including humanitarian and international development donor funding.
• Outstanding relationship-building, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior-level contacts across a range of sectors.

If you would like to discuss this role with us please email your CV or contact us and quote the reference 3066HB.

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

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

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

Assistant Head of Fundraising (Public Fundraising)

Salary £57,574.79 per annum

LocationLondon/Hybrid

Weekly Hours35

The Vacancy

Job Title: Assistant Head of Fundraising (Public Fundraising)

Location: London/Hybrid

Salary: £57,574.79 per annum

Weekly Hours: 35

Reference: YMC1212513

An exciting moment to join us

YMCA England & Wales is entering one of the most exciting chapters in its fundraising history, launching our ambition to create 10,000 new homes for young people. Working alongside local YMCAs, we will support the development of new accommodation across the federation, helping young people move towards independence.

This role sits at the heart of that ambition.

You will lead the fundraising behind two critical components of the 10,000 Homes programme:
• Securing income from the public to build and sustain a central Centre of Expertise (mobilisation team), supporting local YMCAs to develop and deliver housing projects.
• Raising capital from individual supporters, mid-level donors and major donors to grow a replenishing national fund that provides upfront investment to unlock housing developments across the federation.

At the centre of this is the 10,000 Homes Fund: a bold, housing-focused proposition that offers the public a clear and tangible way to support young people into safe, stable accommodation. You will be responsible for growing this proposition, ensuring it resonates strongly with supporters and inspires giving at all levels.

You will lead an integrated public fundraising approach, bringing together individual giving, mid-level and major donors into one compelling, housing-led narrative. A key part of the role will be translating a complex, federated model into a simple, emotional and compelling case for support that connects with people’s motivations to give.

We’ve established strong early foundations and are now ready to scale. This role offers the opportunity to take a high-potential public fundraising proposition to the next level -expanding its reach, deepening supporter engagement, and unlocking significant new income.

We are looking for someone who is creative, data-driven and passionate about engaging the public to drive meaningful change for young people. We’re looking for someone comfortable working in a federated environment, with the ability to simplify complex ideas into compelling messages for the public.

The role

As Assistant Head of Fundraising (Public Fundraising), you will lead and inspire a team of talented fundraisers, deputising for the Head of Fundraising and taking ownership of our most ambitious programmes:

The 10,000 Homes Fund driving forward our flagship proposition across individual giving, cash appeals and mid-level audiences.

Major Donors shaping the strategy for high-net-worth relationships, new giving circles and development boards.

RoomSponsor, YMCA’s flagship regular giving product, now in its third year of an ambitious growth strategy. You will oversee a unique partnership model across 45 local YMCAs, support the income distribution process, and see first-hand the impact of your work through a programme that directly supports young people with safe accommodation.

Legacies working with the Senior Fundraising Manager and Head of Fundraising to define and grow what is set to become a landmark legacy programme.

This is a hands-on leadership role: you will set direction, manage budgets, develop your team, while also being prepared to step into delivery when it matters most. You will balance strategic oversight with practical execution, ensuring programmes are both ambitious and deliverable.

About you

You are an experienced public fundraising professional with a strong track record in individual giving or direct marketing, alongside a well-developed understanding of major donor fundraising. You know how to bring different disciplines together behind a single proposition and deliver results.

You are an effective and confident leader, able to build, motivate and develop high-performing teams. You create clarity, set high standards, and support others to do their best work, stepping in when needed and leading from the front.

You are at your best when driving a clear proposition forward. You are excited by the opportunity to take a compelling idea and translate it into something that engages the public, inspires generosity and delivers sustainable income.

You are energised by a challenge, comfortable with complexity and working in a federated environment, where success depends on strong relationships and shared ownership. You are skilled at working with partners, whether agencies, internal stakeholders or local YMCAs, and know how to align people around a common goal.

You combine strategic thinking with operational delivery. You are data-driven, using insight and performance to shape your decisions, and confident working with (and occasionally building) financial models to plan, test and scale activity. You bring both creativity and discipline, generating new ideas while ensuring they are grounded, deliverable and effective.

Above all, you are a strong communicator and influencer. You can simplify complex ideas into clear, compelling messages, build confidence with colleagues and stakeholders, and position fundraising as a critical enabler of impact.

Why join us now

YMCA is the oldest and largest youth charity in the world, serving communities across England and Wales every day. The fundraising team is geared up for success, the strategy is set, the proposition is proven, and the results are already coming in. What we need now is a leader ready to take this momentum to the next level.

YMCA England & Wales is committed to equality and valuing diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Our recruitment process is anonymised and candidates' names are hidden. Safer recruitment is important to us and the successful applicant will be asked to provide two references. They will also be required to complete a safeguarding self-declaration, safeguarding training and undertake a DBS check.

050 Partnerships Manager

Reporting to: Fundraising Lead
Hours: Full Time (35 hours per week)
Key Relationships: Products Manager, Stewardship Manager, Fundraising Lead, Director of Development, CEO, COO, Trustees, External Partners
Location: Remote Working, with national travel requirements for meetings, events and collaboration.

Overall Purpose

The Partnerships and Philanthropy Manager will both raise money to support the sustainability of NHS Charities Together and contribute to supporting NHS Charities to increase their income.
The focus of the role is on developing and leading partnerships with corporates and philanthropy.

Overall Objectives

• To generate income across a portfolio of corporate partnerships and charitable trusts and foundations
• To support NHS charities to raise income from partnerships
• Work flexibly as part of a Development Team, supporting the range of fundraising and income generation that the team targets.

Key Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities of the role holder are as outlined below:

Partnership Development & Delivery

• Manage the range of existing partnerships across corporate and philanthropic audiences, creating and implementing bespoke solicitation and stewardship plans, generating income for the organisation or NHS Charities
• Translate our work into compelling and bespoke cases for support, making relevant and appropriate asks and soliciting multi-year strategic partnerships
• Identifyand develop new partnership opportunities whichbenefitour organisation or NHS Charities
• Develop opportunities for and deliver sponsorship income for our activity and events

Collaboration & Sector Support

• Work collaboratively with member NHS Charities to understand their fundraising needs, challenges, and opportunities.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders across the sector, supporting them to understand the most appropriate role for partnership-based fundraising
• Share learning and best practice from partnership relationships to inform future developments and sector growth.
• Contribute to supporting NHS Charities to raise their income, providing advice and guidance 1:1 and through supporting the delivery of member events
• Where required support the delivery of paid for consulting support to NHS charities on fundraising
• Keep abreast of trends in fundraising within and beyond the health sector.

Leadership & Financial Management

• Establish clear objectives, KPIs, and evaluation frameworks for all partnerships
• Monitor the performance and financial return of our partnerships work, producing regular reports and insights to inform decision-making.
• Provide effective line management to team members, ensuring they have clear objectives, professional development, and deliver high performance.
• Manage budgets as required, monitoring income and expenditure to ensure targets and forecasts are met, and reporting any variances promptly.
• Produce regular performance and income reports and insights to inform strategy and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the effective running of the team, and participate in relevant training and team meetings.
• Ensure donor records are kept up to date on the fundraising database, and ensure our CRM records of key relationships are maintained
• Ensure all appropriate due diligence is undertaken and necessary gift agreements are in place.
• Ensure that all fundraising activity complies with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice and relevant legislation.

Cross-Team Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Liaise with teams across the organisation to collaborate on member facing activity and ensuring our product offers fit with our member segmentation approaches.
• Support the team on other fundraising activity, for example around events, or in the cultivation and recruitment of individual donors

Competencies

Teamwork – ‘One charity’, working within and across teams

• Collaborates across teams, ensuring our activity is aligned with our wider support of members.

Building trust and respect – listen, feedback and learn

• Models our values through their work, seeking to support colleagues and understand their perspectives.
• Proactive, and adaptable to support the wider work of the organisation as required.

Responsibility – owning your part in our success

• Demonstrates commitment to delivering exceptional partnerships.
• Takes responsibility for developing and leading successful relationships which generate income.

Professionalism – creating an environment to achieve success

• Takes a learning approach to ensure we continually improve.
• Upholds the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and transparency, ensuring we always work within the Fundraising Code.

Stakeholder focus – understanding the needs of our key stakeholders and audiences

• Passionate about supporting NHS charities and helping them to increase their income.
• Seeks to understand the needs of NHS charities, shaping our support to maximise our impact in supporting them to raise income.
• Ensures our own fundraising does not compete with members.

Acumen – Sound decision-making

• Adapts and shapes partnerships based on learning to deliver success.
• Identifies and shapes member support around what is most effective.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Fundraising Qualification, Chartered Institute of Fundraising, or equivalent
• Significant experience of fundraising, and the role and theory of fundraising through partnerships and/or philanthropic relationships
• Experience of securing significant partnerships of at least 5 figures from corporate partners, individuals or family foundations and managing relationships with major supporters
• Knowledge of the current philanthropy and High Net Worth Individual and/or corporate landscape and insight into future trends
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Creative thinker with a commercial mindset
• Collaborative working style with excellent stakeholder management skills
• Experience managing and developing team members.
• Influencing skills, with experience of working across teams or partner organisations.
• Experience of database management and using a fundraising CRM system
• An excellent communicator, in person and in written work
• Experience working within an NHS charity or large health-related fundraising environment.
• Experience in building credibility with senior external stakeholders and managing relationships with diplomacy
• Experience managing external relationships with suppliers

Other duties

• Visibly live NHS Charities Togethers values, including our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Carrying out the duties of postin accordance withNHS Charities Togethers policies and procedures on Health and Safety and take responsibility for ensuring personal health and safety.
• Working flexibly, prioritising workload, and working effectively as part of a team. Demonstrating an ability to work calmly and effectively when under pressure of tight deadlines, to deliver work on time and to a high standard.
• Adhere to relevant legislation, best practice, policies, and processes including, but not limited to charity law, the fundraising regulator, GDPR and professional codes and standards.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of duties. The need for flexibility is required, and the post holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee’s skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed.

£29,500 - £34,750 per year

Permanent, full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Hybrid working with regular travel to our London Bridge Office

What the job involves

Join our successful Philanthropy fundraising team and make a real impact! We're seeking an exceptional Philanthropy Executive to join our established team. In this role you’ll engage small to medium sized trusts and major donors, connecting them to the difference they can make to thousands of men and their families facing prostate cancer.

Together with the Senior Philanthropy Executive, and Philanthropy Managers, you will liaise with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that you put together high-quality funding proposals, that will inspire supporters to make generous gifts, which will significantly improve the lives of men facing prostate cancer.

As a Philanthropy team, we work hard to support and motivate each other. We’re inclusive, enthusiastic, open, helpful and driven. We’re looking for someone who shares our passion to achieve success and work collaboratively.

What we want from you

We're looking for an effective and proactive communicator who can create engaging, compelling content that connects with a wide range of audiences. You'll be comfortable building positive relationships with colleagues, supporters and external partners, adapting your approach to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

You'll have strong organisational skills and experience managing competing priorities, enabling you to deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines. You'll also bring experience of working with income and expenditure targets, using sound judgement and commercial awareness to maximise opportunities and achieve results.

We're particularly interested in someone who takes initiative and enjoys identifying new opportunities for growth and improvement. You'll be motivated by finding creative solutions, embracing change and contributing ideas that help us work more effectively and increase our impact.

Above all, you'll be an enthusiastic team player who enjoys working collaboratively, thrives in a dynamic environment and is excited by the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to our mission.

Why work with us?
Every man needs to know about the most common cancer in men – prostate cancer. It’s a real and present danger that takes over 12,000 of our dads, grandads, brothers and friends each year.

Prostate Cancer UK is the largest men’s health charity in the UK. We have a simple ambition – to stop prostate cancer damaging lives. We invest millions in research to revolutionise testing, treatment and care. We’re blazing a trail to a screening programme that could save thousands of lives with regular, accurate tests for all men at risk. And we work tirelessly to spread the word about risk and offer specialist support to people living with the disease.

Work with us and you’ll see your efforts pay off as we give men and their families the power to navigate prostate cancer.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

At Prostate Cancer UK we’re committed to righting health inequalities across the UK, starting with those faced by Black men. This includes ground-breaking research into Black men's risk and working with communities directly to overcome barriers to the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. To make this happen, we're dedicated to being an inclusive, proactive organisation, as we strive to be Allies to Black communities. We’ll achieve this by advocating and working alongside those communities to promote change. We're also working to be Allies to each other, not only protected groups. In 2024, we launched our New Allyship Training Programme. All colleagues at Prostate Cancer UK will be trained to act and identify as an Ally.

We've also signed Business in the Communities Race at Work Charter, as a dedication to our Black health equity work and wider EDI priorities. As a signatory, we're responsible and accountable for driving positive change.

How and where we work

Colleagues attend the office at least four days per month (pro rata for part-time colleagues) to collaborate, build relationships, and support projects and decision-making. You can choose where to work the rest of the time. Travel to the office is a commute, so we pay our own travel costs.

Additional in-person attendance will be required during your first few months for induction and training, to support you to learn the role and get to know colleagues.

We trust colleagues to work flexibly while balancing personal commitments with the needs of the charity, and we are committed to making reasonable adjustments for colleagues with a disability, neurodiversity, or a long-term physical or mental health condition.

How to Apply
Visit our Prostate Cancer UK Careers page to learn more about this role and the benefits we offer. On the vacancy advert, you’ll find everything you need to know about the role, how to apply, and what to include in your application.

You can also download a copy of the job description and access the link to our careers portal to submit your application by visiting the website via the apply button.

The closing date is Sunday 16th August 2026. Applications must be submitted by 23:45 UK time.

Interviews: By arrangement. Currently scheduled for the week of Tuesday 1st September 2026.

Prostate Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1005541) and in Scotland (SC039332). Registered company number 02653887.

ThinkForward is recruiting an Director of Fundraising and Strategic Partnerships to help lead our team delivering our unique programme supporting young people into further education and employment. 

About the Role

Our Director of Fundraising and Strategic Partnerships is a pivotal executive leadership role, that will transform income generation into a partnership-led growth engine for ThinkForward.

Purpose: To lead and embed a strategic partnership ecosystem that delivers sustainable, diversified income growth; access to commissioned and place-based funding; scalable delivery routes; and increased influence in policy
and practice. The post holder will personally originate, shape and close major funding and partnership opportunities with senior stakeholders.

Strategic Focus: Act as executive relationship lead for government, local authorities, commissioners and major stakeholders; increase access to public-sector funding, commissioning and multiyear partnership agreements; diversify income across statutory, corporate and trusts and foundations funding streams; turn system-level partnerships into delivery settings, national reach and more young people supported.

Why it Matters: The role enables ThinkForward to move from transactional partnerships to system-level influence and secure a share of £1bn+ public funding flows linked to youth outcomes.

What We're Looking For

Experience: Senior leadership in fundraising, partnerships or public-sector engagement; securing six- and seven-figure multi-year partnerships; Board-level influence across public, private and voluntary sectors.

Executive Capability: Exceptional relationship-building, commercial thinking and the ability to shape complex funding propositions in political, policy and commissioning environments.

Leadership: Able to lead high-performing teams, build pipeline and CRM discipline, and balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

Knowledge and Attributes: Understands public-sector commissioning, place-based funding and the charity funding landscape; outward-facing, entrepreneurial, values-driven, collaborative and systems-oriented.

Application Details

Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: £75,000PA
Location: London/Hybrid

For more information about ThinkForward and the role you could play as our Director of Fundraising and Strategic Partnerships, please download the attached job specification. 

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter (maximum two pages) either via Charityjob. Your covering letter should tell us why you're interested in the role and how your skills and experience match the person specification outlined in the job description.

We look forward to hearing from you.

This year marks 10 years since Makan was established as an independent organisation providing transformative education to strengthen the movement for Palestinian liberation. It is a pivotal moment for a new Director to lead the organisation, as Palestinians continue to face the ongoing genocide, dispossession, and unprecedented repression. The need for transformative education on Palestine has never been greater.

At Makan, we have seen this reflected in the extraordinary growth of our programmes. Over the last three years, demand for our educational workshops has risen by 300% and in 2025 alone we worked with over 3,500 people across the globe – with artists, trade unions, students, educators, journalists, community organisers, and human rights networks, people whose voices shape public understanding of Palestine. Through our trainings, educational resources, and long term partnerships, we help people deepen their understanding of how settler colonialism, apartheid and displacement shapes the lives of Palestinians, and how these forces connect to broader global struggles for freedom and justice.

We are looking for an experienced Director/Co-directors to drive the organisation forward at this critical moment for our work. You’ll provide leadership and direction in delivering Makan’s strategic vision and objectives, furthering the charity’s programmes and communications; and overseeing its organisational growth and development, in line with its values and ethos.

You will be responsible for the overall impact, performance and collaborative culture of Makan; confident in representing the charity to a variety of stakeholders, including partners, media, major donors and other supporters; and able to provide effective support to the Board to ensure the organisation has the infrastructure, governance and resources in place to secure long term sustainable funding, develop the resilience of the charity, and deliver high-quality, impactful educational programmes.

For a full job description, please review the Makan Director appointment brief.

Senior Partnerships Officer

Do you have experience of successfully developing new major donor/client relationships or corporate partnerships, either in a charity or business environment? Are you confident in asking for and securing gifts or financial commitments?

If you do and have outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, then apply today and join a nature restoration charity, whose mission is to restore beavers to regenerate our landscapes.

Position: Senior Partnerships Officer

Location: Remote, resident in mainland Britain

Hours: Part-time; 3 days per week

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £29,403 per annum, pro rata

Closing Date: 9.00 am on Monday 24th August. We reserve the right to interview candidates and close the ad ahead of the closing date, should a strong candidate be identified.

Interview Date: Online interviews will be held on Monday 14th September. You will be asked to give a short presentation to the interview panel and may also be given a task to undertake prior to or during the interview.

About the Role

The Senior Partnerships Officer (SPO) will work closely with the Chief Executive (CEO) and Fundraising Lead (FL) to ensure the charity has sufficient funding to achieve its mission. This primarily involves developing new donor relationships and partnerships to grow fundraising income streams. The fundraising strategy focuses on high-value grants, gifts and partnerships. We recognise that the lines between major donors, corporate partners and family foundations are often blurred. Therefore, the charity have chosen not to silo work in this way and instead have created a new role focused on developing new relationships across all these income streams. The focus of the role is on ‘winning new business’ and will suit an entrepreneurial candidate with experience in business development, and/or building new corporate or philanthropic partnerships. 

Key areas of responsibility include:

• New business development - acquiring prospective donors and partners
• Solicit gifts
• Relationship management & stewardship
• Be part of the Beaver Trust fundraising team

About You

You will be entrepreneurial and a self-starter, driven to build a network of meaningful relationships with prospective donors and supporters. Able to work independently and make decisions with little supervision.

You will have:

• Excellent prospect research skills, and an understanding of the motivations of donors and how to use this insight to create persuasive propositions and deliver compelling pitches.
• Experience of successfully developing new major donor/client relationships or corporate partnerships, either in a charity or business environment.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and be able to interact confidently and persuasively in a range of settings with existing and prospective major donors and partners.
• Experience of representing an organisation’s interests and advocating for them.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to move donors, supporters and partner organisations along a donor journey, from initial contact and relationship building to soliciting a donation and ongoing stewardship.
• Knowledge of all relevant fundraising, data protection and other regulations.
• Resilience and be a problem solver, able to withstand negative reactions and find solutions.
• The ability to think strategically and translate ambitions into actionable plans and delivery.
• Highly competent IT skills, preferably Google Workplace, and high standards for visual content.

All shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Tuesday 1st September 2026. If you have not heard from us by this date, please accept our thanks for applying and assume that you were not shortlisted on this occasion.

About the Organisation

Join a nature restoration charity, restoring beavers to regenerate our landscapes. Our client’s team is small with a diverse skillset and extensive experience in beaver ecology and restoration, human-wildlife coexistence, and policy. They provide practical solutions to help people to co-exist with beavers and influence legislation in Scotland, Wales and at Westminster that rebuilds ecosystems, improves river health, and strengthens climate resilience in a time of ecological and climate crisis.

Benefits include:

• 25 days holiday, plus Christmas day through to New Year’s Day paid, plus 6 days of floating holidays.
• Flexible approach to hours of work.
• Travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses will be met by the trust in
• Pension contribution of 3% of your total pay each month
• One-off contributions toward the cost of an ergonomic office chair and toward purchases of essential devices (laptop, mouse and smartphone)
• Monthly home working allowance, plus an annual contribution toward the maintenance and/or replacement of the essential devices.

We are committed to inclusive recruitment and are happy to make reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the environmental sector, including people of colour, disabled people, those from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities and all other protected characteristics

You may have experience in roles including Major Donor, Major Gifts, Corporate Partnerships, Major Donor Fundraiser, Major Gifts Fundraiser, Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser, Corporate Partnerships Lead, Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

Can you bring your experience of relationship building to help us secure investment which supports people experiencing homelessness?

This post is offered as a 12 month fixed term contract, or secondment for internal candidates until 26/10/2027 (Maternity Cover).

We are looking for a Senior Philanthropy Executive to help drive our ambitious fundraising target of over £3 million. Based in our Philanthropy Team, you will support engagement and income generation from more than 300 individual philanthropists, helping fund St Mungo’s vital services for people experiencing homelessness.

You will manage a portfolio of major donors, build high-value relationships, and work with colleagues across the organisation to grow philanthropic income. You will also play a key role in developing projects and strategies that strengthen our fundraising programme and support future growth.

In this role, you will:

• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects giving £1,000+.
• Build and maintain relationships with philanthropists, influential individuals and senior stakeholders.
• Help review and strengthen our high-value donor programme to maximise impact across major and high-value giving streams.
• Lead the team’s Emerging Donor Strategy, developing engagement through stewardship, prospecting, events and relationship building.
• Coordinate and attend networking events, raising awareness of St Mungo’s work and inspiring support from current and future donors.
• Work with colleagues and clients across St Mungo’s to deepen your understanding of our services and create compelling communications that showcase our impact, mission and values.

About you

We are looking for a proactive and experienced individual with excellent communication and relationship building skills. You may have a background in fundraising or business development, either way you will bring a strong track record of building senior level relationships and securing high level investment.

• You will be target driven, and can demonstrate impact in previous roles.
• You will have strong working ability with IT software and databases such as Raiser’s Edge NXT and Microsoft Office 365.
• Good time management, prioritisation and project management skills, interested in managing a varied workload.
• Your experience of coordinating and facilitating networking events will be beneficial.
• Overall, you will be dedicated to the overall aims and ambitions of St Mungo’s and working towards our fundraising strategy.

In this role you will be required to work flexibly for at least 2 days per week from our Central Office in Farringdon, London. This allows for in person collaboration, team building, line management and other relationship building opportunities. We support a flexible approach to work with opportunities for agile working for the rest of your week; from home, or other St Mungo’s London or regional locations. 

How to apply

To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.

To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website.

Closing date for applications: 10 am on 17 August 2026

Interview and assessments on: 7 – 8 September 2026

What we offer

• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
• Great Pay and Other Benefits

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.