Major gifts manager jobs

Smile Train is the world’s largest cleft-focused organisation, supporting life-changing surgery and comprehensive cleft care for children and adults globally. Through its unique local model, Smile Train has supported more than 2 million surgeries and works with medical partners across 75+ countries to deliver sustainable, high-quality care.

The UK plays a vital role within this global organisation, contributing significant income, insight and strategic input. The programme is performing strongly, with income expected to reach c.£14–15m this year, underpinned by a successful individual giving and legacy programme.

Smile Train is now entering its next phase of growth in the UK, with a clear opportunity to build and strengthen high-value income, particularly across major donors, mid-value giving and trusts & foundations. We are seeking a Director of UK Fundraising to lead this next stage – shaping strategy, strengthening delivery and building a more balanced, sustainable income portfolio over time.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer in New York, you will lead the UK fundraising programme and team of six, sitting at the heart of a global organisation. You will combine strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, setting direction while personally driving key relationships and opportunities at the highest level.

With a strong foundation in place and growing investment in the UK, this is a significant opportunity to build high-value fundraising from a relatively early stage, while contributing to a global fundraising strategy and organisation with exceptional scale and impact.

As Director of UK Fundraising, you will:

• Lead and deliver the UK fundraising strategy, aligned to global priorities
• Drive income growth across all streams, with a particular focus on high-value fundraising
• Develop a more structured, relationship-led approach to major donors, mid-value giving and trusts & foundations
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of high-value donors and prospects
• Lead, develop and bring clarity to a UK team of six staff
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting and performance management
• Work closely with global colleagues to translate strategy into effective UK delivery
• Act as a senior ambassador for Smile Train in the UK

Essential skills and experience:

• A strong track record of developing and delivering successful fundraising strategies, including high-value income streams
• Proven success in securing major gifts and building long-term donor relationships
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including forecasting and performance management
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, including trustees or boards
• The ability to operate both strategically and operationally in a senior leadership role
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and communication skills

Desirable:

• Experience working within a global or matrix organisation
• Exposure to mass fundraising or individual giving programmes
• Experience contributing to organisational or multi-market strategy development

Experience working in an international or globally distributed organisation is strongly preferred. This will include experience of effective collaboration in a global organisation ensuring strategic alignment with headquarters and across global teams.

Employee benefits

Benefits include:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Up to 7 days paid sick leave per year
• Interest free Travel to Work loan

Following the growth of the Income Generation team Severn Hospice is expanding.

Severn Hospice is a leading charity supporting people with incurable illness across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales. We are looking for an experienced, empathetic and relationship-focused Philanthropy Lead who wants to make a real difference by securing vital income for our caring services.

You will play a pivotal role in developing and growing our philanthropy programme by cultivating and strengthening meaningful relationships with mid- to high-net-worth donors, developing tailored engagement plans that inspire long-term support and securing significant and transformational gifts.

Being a strategic thinker, you will lead the growth of major gift income through a relationship-led approach that delivers sustainable fundraising over the long term. You will identify and develop new prospects, build a strong pipeline of supporters and confidently secure significant donations through compelling funding propositions and high-quality and personalised stewardship.

You will translate our priorities and impact into persuasive cases for support, creating bespoke supporter journeys that build trust, inspire long-term commitment, deepen engagement and connection to our cause and ensures donors feel informed, inspired and valued.

You will also be experienced in managing budgets, monitoring performance and maintaining accurate data and reporting in line with fundraising regulations and best practice.

Severn Hospice is a wonderfully rewarding place to work and if you’re dynamic, highly organised and passionate about building genuine relationships that make a lasting difference for our community, we would love you to get in touch.

Salary: £20,500–£23,000 pro rata (£41,000–£46,000 FTE equivalent), plus £2,000 London Weighting (pro-rated) where applicable

Contract type: Permanent; part-time (2.5 days per week, spread across 3–5 days)

Location: London, Birmingham or Bristol

Hybrid: Envision operates a hybrid working policy with one day per month in a regional office, plus an expectation to travel in and across regions for donor meetings, events and team training. 

Role: This is an exciting opportunity to lead the development and stewardship of Envision's major donor programme, playing a central role in securing and nurturing the significant philanthropic investment we need to fulfil our mission. 

As Philanthropy Manager, you will identify, cultivate and steward high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), building a well-researched prospect pipeline and securing five- and six-figure gifts through compelling proposals, presentations and face-to-face asks. You will maintain high-integrity, personalised stewardship for existing and lapsed donors, producing bespoke communications and impact reports that keep supporters connected to our work. 

You will join a supportive and collaborative Philanthropy and Partnerships team that has grown income year on year, diversified its funding base and built lasting partnerships with a growing community of donors and supporters. You will champion the transformative impact of Essential Skills on young people from under-represented backgrounds, translating that impact into inspiring asks that motivate donors to give generously and sustainably. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Identify and qualify new major donor prospects and manage a healthy, well-researched pipeline 

• Secure significant philanthropic gifts working towards an annual financial target 

• Deliver personalised stewardship and high-quality communications for existing and lapsed donors 

• Coordinate donor engagement opportunities including events and programme visits 

• Contribute to income planning, reporting and Salesforce records management 

Essential Experience, Knowledge and Competencies: 

• Proven track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts from HNWIs at all stages of the donor journey 

• Demonstrable success in building and maintaining relationships with significant donors and prospects 

• Experience cultivating new relationships through networking, events and research 

• Ability to write high-quality, compelling donor-facing materials including proposals and impact reports 

• Strong project management and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities 

• Commitment to Envision's vision, mission and values 

Envision seeks to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. We actively encourage applications from candidates from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and from socio-economically less-advantaged backgrounds, as they are currently under-represented in our organisation. Envision graduates will be guaranteed a first-round interview. 

To apply, please submit your application via Charity Job. For an informal chat about the role, contact our Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, Robyn, whose contact details can be found in the application pack.

Deadline — Midnight, Sunday 17th May 

Please note: 

• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately we are unable to sponsor visas at this time. 

• We will only be contacting candidates who have been shortlisted for interview. If you do not hear from us, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. 

• Successful candidates will be subject to a full Enhanced DBS check and reference checks. 

- We will be interviewing as we go along, so early applicants are encouraged.  

- We also regret to inform you that, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we will be unable to provide you with feedback regarding your application.

Amnesty International UK (AIUK) has a simple aim: an end to human rights abuses. Independent, international and influential, we campaign for justice, fairness, freedom and truth wherever they are denied. If you want to use your skills, knowledge, and experience to help fight for human rights, you could be our new Corporate Partnerships Manager.

About the role

The Major Funding Partnerships Directorate is responsible for generating a significant part of AIUK's income, with an ambitious strategy to grow fundraising substantially between 2025 and 2030. The Corporate Partnerships Manager sits at the heart of that ambition - owning a portfolio of high-profile corporate partnerships and prospects, and bringing an entrepreneurial, impact-investing mindset to a competitive market.

This is not a conventional corporate fundraising role. You will develop creative propositions and identify new routes to value - inspiring companies to engage with Amnesty in ways that go beyond traditional charitable giving. Day to day, you'll cultivate senior relationships, shape bespoke value propositions, build and maintain a prospect pipeline worth at least three times your annual income target, and brief the Chief Executive and Senior Management Team ahead of C-suite engagements. You'll also lead on complex partnership negotiations and design high-impact events that deepen corporate engagement.

The human rights impact is real and direct: the income you secure funds Amnesty's campaigning and global advocacy - protecting people from unjust imprisonment and abuse of power around the world. The companies you bring on board don't just support a charity; they become active partners in that mission.

This role typically requires 1 day per week in our London office. More details can be found by downloading the job description from our careers portal.

The role may be for you if:

• You have experience in major partnership fundraising, with a track record of securing significant five to six figure gifts and growing high-value relationships.
• You can cultivate and engage senior corporate leaders, and are comfortable briefing the CEO and Senior Management Team to support high-stakes partnerships with C-suite contacts.
• You can develop insight-driven, commercially compelling cases for support - ideally within a campaigning or advocacy-focused organisation - that inspire companies to invest beyond traditional charitable giving.
• You bring an entrepreneurial approach to prospect research and pipeline development - spotting opportunities beyond the obvious, and building a forward-looking portfolio worth at least three times the annual income target.
• You collaborate positively and contribute to an inclusive culture, and have a good knowledge of corporate social responsibility programmes and/or social impact investing.

Our Commitment to you

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism (IDEA) are at the core of our values. We want to be an organisation that tackles structural inequality and prejudice as well as be an actively anti-racist organisation. This means taking a meaningful and equitable approach to supporting and developing you and others during your time with us.

New colleagues receive 27 days leave annually (29 after five years), as well as bank holidays (pro rated for part time) and 3 wellbeing days. 2-5% employee pension contributions are matched at 6-9% and we offer 6 months full pay for family leave. We offer flexible working such as compressed work patterns and job shares.

Apply for this role

This vacancy advert may be taken down from job boards earlier than the stated deadline if a high standard of applications is received (if you have started an application in our portal, you will still have opportunity to complete it by the original deadline).

We welcome applications from everyone and particularly encourage applications from people from an ethnic minority background, and people with a disability to help us achieve a balanced representation in our workforce, especially at senior grades.

To reduce bias in our shortlisting process, AIUK operates an anonymised application process. If for any reason you prefer to apply in a different format, or require adjustments in the process, please get in touch. To support all candidates to perform their best at interview, we send questions 24 hours in advance. We are a disability confident organisation.

Visit amnesty.org.uk/jobs for application guidance and information on benefits, recruitment inclusion and hybrid working.

Thank you for your interest in the Philanthropy Manager role at Imperial Health Charity. We are seeking a skilled and highly motivated Philanthropy Manager to join our small but passionate, and collaborative fundraising team. This is a critical role, responsible for generating income and building meaningful relationships with major donors, trusts and foundations and corporate partners.

You will lead on identifying, cultivating, and securing new gifts at the five-figure-plus level, while delivering exceptional stewardship to your portfolio of supporters. This will include creating bespoke impact reports, organising hospital site visits, and curating exclusive engagement opportunities and events.

As Philanthropy Manager, you will also develop and deliver a range of compelling fundraising propositions that enable our hospitals to achieve more for patients, families, and the North West London community. Working closely with colleagues across the Charity and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, you will manage major capital projects, donor led projects and appeals from inception through to delivery and evaluation.

We are looking for a proactive self-starter with high levels of motivation, who thrives in a collaborative environment and brings fresh ideas to a small, ambitious team.

The Talent Set are partnering with an ambitious Health Charity to recruit a Philanthropy Manager on a 12-month fixed-term contract. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing fundraising team and play a key role in increasing major donor income during an exciting period of development and momentum. Working closely with senior leadership, trustees and colleagues across the organisation, you’ll develop compelling cases for support, create tailored donor journeys and secure five and six-figure gifts that help drive transformational impact.

What you’ll do:

· Manage and grow a portfolio of mid to high-value donors and prospects

· Secure five and six-figure gifts through strategic cultivation and stewardship

· Build a strong pipeline of new opportunities and future supporters

· Develop compelling proposals, presentations, applications and impact reports

· Work closely with senior stakeholders, including trustees and executive leaders

· Identify opportunities through networks, events and strategic relationships

· Use data and insight to inform decisions, maximise engagement and increase income

· Monitor budgets, income and pipeline performance accurately

· Line manage and develop a Philanthropy & Partnerships Assistant

About you

· Proven success securing major gifts of five figures and above

· Strong relationship management skills with high-value donors and senior stakeholders

· Experience developing donor pipelines and managing portfolios effectively

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills

· Skilled in creating persuasive funding proposals and presentations

· Strategic, proactive and highly organised

· Confident working collaboratively across teams

To be considered for this position please apply with your CV as soon as possible, regrettably please note we may not be able to reply to each and every application.

We are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices that ensure equal opportunity for everyone, regardless of race, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age or gender. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and will happily make reasonable adjustments to always ensure a fair process.
 

At Bookmark, we have a simple vision: we want every child to read. We have seen significant growth over the past few years, building a network of engaged supporters and an effective Partnerships Board. As we pass the halfway mark of our three-year strategy, we are recruiting a major donor fundraiser to play a key role in the growth of our philanthropy programme, securing and developing relationships with high-net-worth individuals that change the story for children. 

This individual will join a successful team, stewarding and cultivating existing supporters as well as managing a pipeline of prospects through their giving journey. You will work directly with the Head of Fundraising and be responsible for your own portfolio of major donors, trusts and family foundations. By August 2027 Bookmark aim to have reached 500,000 children with our literacy programmes, you could be part of that incredible goal.

Experience in philanthropy is welcome but not essential. We are equally interested in candidates with a strong track record of managing high-value relationships and delivering excellent stewardship in commercial or client-facing roles.

Job Description

Delivering the Philanthropy plan

• Work with the Director of Fundraising to grow the major donor portfolio within the wider strategy 
• Build and maintain a portfolio of existing and new major donors who give or can give £20,000 or more, ensuring a first-class cultivation and stewardship journey
• Line manage the Philanthropy Executive and support their professional development, providing direction, support and guidance
• Work with our Fundraising Research & Administration Intern to identify new potential Bookmark major donors, working with Trustees, senior stakeholders, and our wonderfully supportive Partnerships Board to secure introductions and make asks of prospective supporters
• Design and deliver creative events and activities to generate income, cultivate and steward donors
• Create compelling, relevant and tailored funding proposals, reports and collateral to inspire and inform donors, reflecting Bookmark’s strong brand. 
• Use Salesforce to manage the accurate recording, progression and forecasting of major donor relationships, enabling efficient reporting and KPI management

Work with the rest of the Fundraising team

• Work closely with the rest of the Fundraising team to ensure opportunities to maximise income for the fundraising team
• Devise and deliver annual plans, together with associated budgets, in line with the charity’s strategic objectives
• Work with the Senior Leadership Team, Chair of Trustees and colleagues across the charity to ensure major donor fundraising activity is aligned with the charity’s wider plans and objectives
• Ensure that all activity helps to build Bookmark’s brand and is always brand compliant
• Ensure Bookmark’s ethical fundraising policy is adhered to

Person Specification

Essential

• A successful track record in managing high-value relationships, including a proven track record of securing five-figure gifts
• Experience working towards and meeting, or exceeding, income targets
• Experience developing high value relationships through all stages of the giving cycle 
• A demonstrable ability to build internal relationships and use senior stakeholders (CEO, Trustees, Senior Leadership Team) to help progress major donor relationships
• Experience working on successful events that meet fundraising targets
• Great verbal communication skills, demonstrated by strong external and internal relationships. You will have the skills to influence, motivate and persuade people to donate
• Demonstrable experience of writing successful, inspiring, emotive, and technically accurate cases for support and proposals tailored to a high value audience
• Experience growing and managing a pipeline, planning for your portfolio and increasing income
• An understanding and ability to build budgets and work with financials
• Experience using of Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience using Salesforce, or another fundraising database

Bonus Points

• Major donor and/or Trusts & Foundations experience 
• Line management experience
• Experience working with a fundraising board or high value committee
• Experience managing and developing a high value giving circle
• Experience running matching campaigns or large mailings

Location: Minimum two days per week based at the Bookmark office (London), with flexibility around home working for the remaining days.

Contract type: Permanent - Full Time / Part-time (0.8/4 days) will be considered.

Salary: £40,000 - £42,000 (0.8 FTE - £32,000 - £33,600)

Reporting to: Director of Fundraising 

Application deadline: 11th May at 10am, but please note that interim shortlisting will occur on 29th April at 10am.

Want to know more?

We will be running an online session for anyone wishing to understand more about the role on Wednesday 22nd April at 2pm.  Please find the link to sign up on the relevant job description on our website.

Equality and Diversity

Bookmark is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and opportunity for flexible working arrangements to support team members from different backgrounds.

Bookmark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being and welfare of children and requires everyone associated with the charity, including all trustees, employees, and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the role, including references from past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

At Bookmark, we are a small but growing team of hard-workichang people, who care about what we do. We love to roll up our sleeves, try new ways of doing things, and support each other so that we can achieve our goals. If that sounds like you and you share our vision and values, we'd love to hear from you.

Safeguarding

Bookmark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being and welfare of children and requires everyone associated with the charity, including all trustees, employees, and volunteers to share this commitment.  Successful applicants will need to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the role, including references from past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Salary: £41,063 – £45,626 per annum
Contract: Permanent, full time
Location: Home based (with regular travel to London and across the UK)
Closing date: 8^th May
Benefits: 27 days annual leave bank holidays with the option to buy another week & additional December closure day, enhanced parental leave, Cycling UK membership, Medicash Healthcare plan

We’re very excited to be recruiting a Philanthropy Manager to join the team at Cycling UK and play a pivotal role in shaping and growing the organisation’s major donor and legacy fundraising programme.

This is a senior and influential role, offering the opportunity to build and embed philanthropy at the heart of Cycling UK. Working closely with the Head of Fundraising and colleagues across the organisation, you will help transform a developing programme into a mature, relationship-led income stream that delivers sustainable long-term growth.

You will lead the development and delivery of the philanthropy strategy, managing major donor and legacy pipelines, designing compelling stewardship and engagement opportunities, and securing high-value, multi-year gifts. The role combines strategic leadership with hands?on delivery and will suit someone motivated by building meaningful donor relationships, creating inspiring propositions and demonstrating impact.

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

• Proven experience in major donor and relationship-led fundraising, with a strong track record of securing high-value gifts
• Understanding of legacy and trust & foundation fundraising, including pipeline management and stewardship
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with confidence engaging senior stakeholders and supporters

If you would like to discuss this role with us, please email your CV to [email protected] or contact us quoting reference 2945JP

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 and 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 reserves the right to close the application period early.
 

CUF wants to build flourishing communities and tackle poverty, by partnering with churches and groups all over England, and we are looking for a Philanthropy Manager to shape and grow a major gifts programme which has been identified as a key opportunity for growth. You’ll be working closely with our Head of Fundraising and Communications in a small team that values fundraising creativity, and has some great partnerships and resources for you to build on.

We’re seeking a motivated self-starter, with a track record of initiating, managing and developing relationships with high net worth individuals and grantmaking bodies, and securing 5 figure donations and grants.

You will find, and nurture relationships with, philanthropists and non-statutory grant-makers. Some of these will be existing donors, and warm prospects, and others you will identify by research (we’ll provide some administrative help). You’ll also engage with Trustees, and senior staff, to identify and nurture Christian philanthropists and grant body decision-makers within their spheres of influence.

You’ll develop cases for support and write funding applications (helped by the wider staff team) and will build a robust income pipeline based on relational asks, including in person. Stewardship is key, so we want a skilled communicator with great organisational skills. You’ll have a passion for local social action, and will thrive in our collaborative team culture.

How to apply

For an informal conversation about this role and for more information, please contact our Deputy CEO, Adam Edwards (please see job pack for details). 

To apply, please email an up-to-date CV and covering letter (we will only shortlist CV’s with a covering letter!) outlining your relevant skills and experience as relating to the responsibilities and person specification to: HR Officer (please see job pack for details).

Closing date: 5:00pm on Monday 1st June with interviews to be held on 16th June; whether online or in person to be confirmed.

Salary: £44,000 – £46,000
Contract: Permanent 
Location: London – hybrid working
Closing date: 26^th May
Benefits: Generous annual leave, 11% pension contribution, flexible working and the opportunity to play a pivotal role in a major philanthropic campaign

We are delighted to be partnering with a leading cultural and heritage organisation to recruit a Philanthropy Manager. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced major donor professional to join one of the best major donor fundraising teams in the sector at a pivotal moment. Reporting to the Senior Philanthropy & Partnerships Manager, you will focus on securing income from mid-to-major individual philanthropists, typically between £10k and £250k, while delivering an exceptional donor experience. You will also play a key role in supporting senior volunteers and campaign board members to act confidently as ambassadors and solicitors. This role would suit a confident, relationship-led fundraiser who enjoys working with engaged donors, senior volunteers, and colleagues across an organisation to deliver transformational impact.

To be successful as the Philanthropy Manager, you should have:

• Proven experience of securing five-figure gifts and above from individual donors
• A strong track record of managing donor relationships and delivering against income targets
• Excellent written and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage and influence at a senior level

If you would like to discuss this role with us, please contact us and quote the reference number 2963AJ.

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment is a specialist charity recruitment agency. We use our extensive sector knowledge and experience to match candidates to the most suitable charity roles. We are passionate about improving equality across the sector and take a relationship-led approach to recruitment.

If enough applications are received, our client reserves the right to close the role early.

Prospectus is excited to be partnering with our client in the search for a permanent Philanthropy Manager.

The organisation is a charity committed to improving social mobility in the UK. Their work is focused on improving social mobility through education opportunities. Their mission is to level the playing field for young people from low-income backgrounds so that they have a fair chance of accessing leading universities, apprenticeships, and jobs. With a three-pronged approach including programmes, research, and policy advocacy, the organisation supports nearly 12,000 young people each year and they have been able to work towards keeping social mobility high in the political agenda.

As the Philanthropy Manager you will predominantly manage the portfolio of Fellows giving at the being £15k, £5k, and £1k per year level, as well as relationships with donors giving much more. The Philanthropy Manager will be responsible for developing the alumni giving campaign and will spot opportunities for further cultivation and donor engagement throughout the philanthropy portfolio of the organisation. The Philanthropy Manager will be a true relationship management and will line manage a Philanthropy Assistant while reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, working closely too with the Director of Development.

To be successful as the Philanthropy Manager you will have experience of building and managing donor relationships with individuals giving four-figures and above per year in a philanthropy team or other fundraising capacity through structured giving schemes. You will have experience of working with key senior colleagues across and organisation to secure major gifts and steward relationships and will have good knowledge of the UK fundraising environment, including trends in philanthropy.

This role is a full-time permanent position that will have hybrid working in the London offices for at least two days per week. The salary for this role is £42,025 to £48,000.  

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. Please let us know if we can help you with the application process in any way. We are more than happy to make any reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application then please contact Ryan Burdock at Prospectus.

If you are interested in applying to this Philanthropy Manager position, please submit your CV in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will send you the full job description and will arrange for a call and/or meeting to brief you on the role. You’ll then have all the information you need to formally apply. We are looking forward to connecting with you soon.

Prospectus is excited to be supporting our client in their search for a Philanthropy Manager.

Our client is a space for creative ideas, connections and the opportunity to make change. From small beginnings in 2008, they have grown into a global network of women and allies from all walks of life who are bonded by the collective aim to live in a world where women and girls’ equal rights and equal opportunities are the norm.

The organisation are reviewing applications and interviewing on a rolling basis. Please do apply now and we will be in touch!

This is a 2-year fixed-term contract role (with view to become a permanent position), paying a salary of £40,000 to £42,000 per annum. This is primarily a homebased role; the postholder is expected to travel to London at least twice a month for meetings and events.

The Philanthropy Manager will work closely with the Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships, and the CEO to develop fundraising opportunities and drive income via major donors, corporates, global foundations and special events. You will support with cultivating and stewarding key relationships and funders, deepening relationships and maximizing their potential by creating new funding opportunities and calls to action.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced high-value fundraiser and a confident relationship manager. You will have demonstrable experience in securing 5-figure gifts from major donors and trusts and foundations and a track record of working with high profile supporters.

If you are interested in applying to this position, please submit your CV in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will send you all the information you need to formally apply. We are looking forward to connecting with you soon.

Prospectus and the organisation are invested in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. Please let us know if we can help you with the application process in any way. We are more than happy to make any reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application then please contact Ariha Semontee at Prospectus.

What we do is extraordinary.

And we need a Head of Fundraising who understands all of that.

Let’s start with the obvious.

You’ll need a sense of humour for this job.

Because we work with animals and children — and both have a habit of humbling you, daily.

HorseWorld Trust rescues abused and neglected horses and gives them a second chance at a meaningful life. Some of those horses go on to support vulnerable children and young people — including those with SEMH needs, SEND and children in care — through our Discovery – Discover Horses, Discover Yourself™ programme.

What we do is extraordinary.
It is also muddy, unpredictable, emotional, joyful, heartbreaking, funny and deeply human.

About HorseWorld (the real version)

Horses are incredible animals. They’ve carried humans into war; it’s no wonder they can read exactly what a child needs, often before the child knows it themselves.

Sadly, some people still abuse and neglect them. That’s where the HorseWorld hug comes in. With us, horses are safe. They live out all year round, form herds, roll in the mud, escape occasionally (because… horses), and get to live like horses again.

Our 160-acre farm is minutes from Bristol and Bath, but feels like a different world. In winter, photoshoots and tours involve waterproofs and wellies. In summer, it’s an outdoor oasis.

We do serious work — and we also believe in joy:

· Horse Festivals

· Carol services

· Massive corporates on their knees pulling ragwort

We are kind, committed, slightly irreverent, and very proud of what we do.

Why this role exists (the honest bit)

We raise around £1.5m a year against operating costs of around £2.5m.

Fundraising needs to grow — but more importantly, it needs to work better.

This role exists to:

• grow sustainable, controllable income
• improve return on investment (ROI)
• focus on what actually delivers impact
• stop doing things that don’t (even if they’re well-loved)

You won’t be expected to perform miracles.
You will be expected to bring clarity, judgement and leadership — with empathy and humour intact.

The role (what you’ll actually do)

As Head of Fundraising & Communications, you will:

• Sit on the Senior Management Team and report to the CEO
• Lead all fundraising and marketing comms activity
• Take responsibility for income and cost-effectiveness
• Shape strategy, set priorities and make evidence-based decisions
• Personally steward a small number of key major donors and partners

You’ll lead a talented team covering:

· Individual Giving

· Major Donors & Philanthropy

· Corporate Partnerships

· Trusts & Grants

· Digital Content

• Data, CRM & Compliance

You’ll also work closely with our Heads of Equine Welfare and Discovery to fundraise for our work with vulnerable horses & children.

Who this role is for

You’ll probably thrive here if you:

· Are an experienced charity fundraiser who’s seen how things really work

· Understand that “more activity” is not the same as “more impact”

· Care about ROI and relationships

· Can make tough decisions without losing kindness

· Are both proactive and adaptable

· A great communicator and relationship builder

· Are comfortable talking to Trustees one minute and standing in a muddy field the next

· Can laugh when a horse wanders into a carefully planned moment (because it will)

You don’t need to be an equine expert — but you do need to like animals, people, and the beautiful messiness of both.

What we offer

· A genuinely senior SMT role with real authority and Board backing

· Space to think, not just react

· A values-led organisation that tells the truth

· A team that works hard, laughs often and cares deeply

-        Horses who will keep you grounded (sometimes literally)

Final thought

This is not a polished, corporate fundraising role.

It is a meaningful one — rooted in rescue, recovery, growth and second chances.

If you want to lead fundraising in a place where the work matters, the people are lovely, the horses are honest, and humour is not optional — we’d love to hear from you.

Key Details
Salary: £50,000 per annum depending on experience plus benefits
Hours: 35 per week (Mon–Fri, some weekends)
Location: HorseWorld Trust, Bristol
Reports to: CEO

 DBS required

Application Details

To apply for this role please complete the  application form (available to download from our website or contact us to request the form).

 This role is subject to a DBS check, and you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK. We are a Safer Recruitment organisation and this is mandatory.

The Sutton Trust is the UK’s leading social mobility charity. We believe every young person should have a fair chance in life, regardless of their family’s income, the school they go to or where they grow up. But today in Britain, the opportunity to succeed is heavily shaped by socio-economic background. Our mission is to change this. Our programmes empower young people to access life-changing opportunities, and our research influences national change to deliver a fairer future.

Each year, together with our university and employer partners, we support over 14,000 young people to reach their potential through our university, apprenticeship and career access programmes. And our support doesn’t stop there. We engage our thriving alumni community to help them to succeed in their professions and to act as advocates for social mobility.

Our rigorous and extensive research shines a light on barriers to opportunity from the early years to the workplace, and we strive to influence national policy change with evidence-based solutions to tackle educational and workplace inequality. Using insights from our programmes and research, we also test and scale new ideas in education and employment practice.

As an independent charity, our work is entirely reliant on the generous support of our community of donors. The need to support our work to tackle Britain’s low social mobility has never been greater.

Fundraising at the Sutton Trust

We are seeking a dynamic and confident Philanthropy Manager to join our high-performing fundraising team. The Sutton Trust is at an exciting point in our organisational journey, with a new Chairperson and ambitions to significantly grow our impact and fundraising as part of our 2030 strategy.

Over the past five years the impact of the Sutton Trust has increased, especially in our programme numbers, securing a relatively stable income of c.£6m over a number of years. In recent years this has grown to c.£7m, and our organisational strategy to 2030/31 will continue this fundraising trajectory to increase income to £12m. With a growing portfolio of philanthropic income from individuals – currently accounting for c.£1.2m – there is considerable enthusiasm and opportunity to build upon existing relationships and establish new ones in support of the work of The Sutton Trust.

Our fundraising approach will continue to focus on major gifts, harnessing and increasing our networks, and multi-year partnerships to leverage a range of drivers to secure philanthropic support. We anticipate utilising the structured giving schemes designed for our individual supporters to build a robust pipeline for future major gifts. This will include a focus on building out our newly refreshed Fellowship scheme and, importantly, working with the Head of Philanthropy to implement a segmented fundraising campaign with our 40,000 strong alumni community. Additionally, there is significant opportunity to build upon recent successes and further develop our approach to legacy fundraising.

Main duties

New Business

• Managing and growing the Trust’s Fellowship scheme through scoping, developing and securing new four and five-figure gifts from individual supporters, working closely with the Director of Development, Head of Philanthropy, and senior volunteers appropriately to secure and steward.

• Work with the Head of Philanthropy to identify and cultivate a prospect pool of potential donors at all levels, including utilising the CRM, current low-level donors, stakeholder network mapping through the Board and Trustees, as well as prospects research of philanthropists with an active interest in education/ social mobility.

• Undertake prospect research across the spectrum of philanthropic income in collaboration with the Head of Philanthropy – including identification, due diligence, qualification, and creating briefings and outreach plans.

• Work with the Head of Alumni Engagement to proactively identify Sutton Trust alumni with the capacity and inclination to support our work, developing meaningful relationships, identifying relevant opportunities to deepen their connection to the Trust, and influencing alums to start and continue their giving journey.

• Work with the Head of Fundraising Operations and Head of Philanthropy to design, implement, and promote a low-level online giving journey, including automated stewardship activation.

• Supporting the Head of Philanthropy to implement a compelling legacy campaign.

• Work with colleagues across the Development team to identify, qualify, cultivate and secure prospects, using resources effectively where there are links between corporates, individuals, and trusts & foundations.

Account Management and Development

• Manage and grow the Trust’s Fellowship major donor scheme, creating meaningful, mutually beneficial and long-term relationships.

• Create meaningful and personalised donor plans for your portfolio, including reporting, regular written updates and in person meetings where appropriate.

• Working with the Director of Development and Head of Philanthropy to support the stewardship and management of the Board, and other major donors.

• Be accountable for achieving individual agreed income targets, looking for opportunities to grow funding and diversify philanthropic income.

• Support the Head of Philanthropy in developing high-quality Fellowship and philanthropy collateral and communications.

• Take responsibility for all elements of event management for individual donors, including creating, planning and managing events that create meaningful experiences for donors. This may include drinks receptions, small private dinners, panel events, and programme visits.

Fundraising, Line Management, Finance and Reporting

• Effectively line manage and coach the Philanthropy Assistant, supporting their development as a fundraiser.

• Work with colleagues to deliver impactful events to cultivate prospects and steward partners, with a focus on experience for individual supporters and prospects.

• Act as an ambassador for the Trust with external audiences, delivering presentations and providing expertise as required.

• Work with colleagues across Development and Finance to ensure accurate forecasting, income tracking, donor record keeping, and reporting for philanthropic income.

• Working closely with colleagues, provide philanthropy fundraising expertise to increase awareness of viable funding opportunities and develop organisational understanding of best practice when working with individual supporters.

• Ensure you and your line report appropriately follow policies and procedures on due diligence, Salesforce and data management, account management, stewardship, and reporting.

• Stay up to date with philanthropy fundraising best practice, embedding it across the Philanthropy team’s work, and keep abreast of developments and opportunities within the wider fundraising space.

• Other duties as necessary from time to time.

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have experience in:

• Experience building and managing donor relationships with individuals giving four-figures and above per annum in a philanthropy team or other fundraising capacity, and through structured giving schemes.

• Experience of all elements of the cultivation cycle, including prospect research via multiple sources, to develop a prospect pool of individual supporters.

• Experience of working with key senior colleagues across an organisation to secure major gifts and steward relationships, including making the ask for five-figure gifts.

• Experience of managing meaningful donor events and experiences, from concept to delivery.

• First-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust with gravitas and confidence in a range of settings.

• Excellent verbal and written communication, including the ability to write persuasive and engaging funding collateral, and to network with Sutton Trust stakeholders and donors to inspire and encourage giving.

• Experience of building or inputting into donor strategy and planning.

• Experience of managing line reports, including effective supervision, feedback and development.

• Experience with working with membership groups such as alumni, implementing online-giving schemes and supporting legacy campaigns (desirable).

• Strong analytical skills.

• Knowledge and experience of the education and/or not-for-profit sector.

• Knowledge of the UK fundraising environment, including trends in philanthropy and the different giving mechanisms utilised by individual donors (i.e. donor-advised funds, family foundations etc).

• Experienced at using Salesforce or other fundraising CRM software to accurately record funding relationships

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and our mission to increase social mobility.

• High degree of initiative and the ability to take responsibility for a range of philanthropy fundraising activity.

• Strong communicator, skilled at persuading others through writing and conversation.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Able to multi-task and prioritise multiple funder relationships.

• Able to work independently and as part of a team.

• Is eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• Contract: Full-time, Permanent

• Salary: £42,025-£48,000

• Working location: Minimum of two office days per week. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.

• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. This role is likely to also be required to attend events / meetings outside of normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends, in line with organisational policies.

Interviews

Applications should reach us by 10am, Monday 18th May, with first round interviews held with first round interviews held on Wednesday, 27th May, and second round interviews held on Tuesday, 2nd June. Both rounds will be held in our London office.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.