Mass participation new product development manager jobs
About GNDR
We are the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), the largest global network of organisations committed to working together to improve the lives of people affected by disasters worldwide. Since being established in 2007, we have grown into a network of 2,010 member organisations across 132 countries, representing millions of people on the frontlines of hazards, climate change and mass displacement. Through transformative, evidence-led programming and powerful advocacy, we are driving climate action and disaster resilience alongside our members across the globe.
About the role
GNDR is seeking a motivated and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) as Head of Fundraising, Impact and Communications on a full-time basis for a fixed-term maternity cover of one year.
In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for driving forward GNDR’s fundraising and communications strategy, increasing our reach, impact, and income in alignment with the organisation’s strategic priorities.
You will lead a fully integrated function spanning fundraising, monitoring and evaluation, and communications. This includes ensuring a joined-up and collaborative approach to consistent, distinctive messaging and engagement activities. These efforts underpin successful fundraising outcomes and support GNDR’s wider organisational goals – particularly our work in influencing policy and engaging external decision-makers.
This maternity cover role comes at an exciting moment in GNDR’s journey. We are currently evaluating our existing strategy and designing a new five-year organisational strategy that will unlock fresh opportunities to deepen our impact, extend our reach and amplify our global voice.
The successful candidate will play an essential role in ensuring our fundraising, MEAL and communications operations remain strategically aligned and fully responsive to this evolving context.
Overall scope of the role
The remit of this post will cover the following core responsibilities:
- Sustainability and income growth
- Effective donor relations
- Funding proposals
- Impact measurement
- External communications
- Training and capacity building
- Leadership and governance
- Line management and team development
Candidate requirements
We are ideally looking for candidates who have the following core skills and experience:
- Fundraising & Communications: Proven success securing funding from donors, trusts and foundations, with strategic experience in NGO fundraising and communications
- Leadership & Strategy: Strong team leadership, capacity building, and strategic planning skills within humanitarian or development contexts
- Interpersonal & Cultural Agility: Excellent communicator, culturally sensitive, adaptable, and able to thrive in fast-paced, diverse environments
- Project & Proposal Delivery: Skilled in developing proposals, and producing high-quality reports and budgets
- Technical & Analytical Skills: A sharp analytical mindset and strong decision-making capabilities
- A strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and alignment to GNDR’s core values
Eligibility
We are accepting applications from candidates eligible to work in the UK. Candidates will need to be able to travel internationally when necessary.
This role will be predominantly remote. However, we are currently piloting a revised hybrid working model for our UK-based team, which includes monthly in-person meetups at a flexible workspace in London. This arrangement remains subject to the outcome of the ongoing consultation, with the trial period scheduled to conclude at the end of October.
Please note that all offers of employment at GNDR are conditional and subject to satisfactory background checks.
We welcome applications from candidates who meet most of the essential criteria outlined in the job specification below.
A full Job description is attached, or please visit our website.
Salary
The gross annual salary for this role is £56,098 per annum based on working full-time.
This is a one year, fixed-term full time contract.
Start date
We are ideally looking for candidates who are available to start in November 2025. However, we recognise that availability may vary due to individual notice periods, and we are happy to accommodate some flexibility where possible.
Interview
Week commencing 13 October
Please note: The interview process usually consists of two online stages which may include a role-specific task. Interviews are typically conducted by a panel of two to three members, including the Hiring Manager. Applicants are encouraged to advise us of any adjustments required to ensure the whole recruitment process is accessible and equitable.
Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
We are dedicated to creating a team that embodies the rich diversity of the society and communities we serve. Our commitment lies in cultivating an inclusive environment, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
We strongly encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented ethnicities, nationalities, socioeconomic circumstances, LGBTQIA+ and individuals with disabilities. We celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives that every candidate brings and are dedicated to ensuring fair and equitable opportunities for all.
We’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible for individuals of all needs and abilities. If you require any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us. Contact information are available on our website.
Find out more about our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion by visiting our website.
Our benefits and wellbeing
At GNDR, we are committed to cultivating a happy and healthy working environment for all our staff.
We provide a competitive salary and benefits package across all of our locations.
Find out more about our approach to wellbeing and our benefits by visiting our website.
Flexible working
In order to support and encourage a healthy work-life balance for our staff, we are happy to consider flexible working requests as part of our recruitment process. As a global organisation, most staff work remotely depending on their role and location.
If you have any questions on any of the above information or if you have any specific requirements that would enable you to participate more fully in the recruitment process, please contact our recruitment team. All contact information are available on our website.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Overview:
This role sits within a vibrant and ambitious fundraising team spanning major giving, trusts and foundations, prospect research, individual giving, community, events, legacies, innovation, and supporter experience. Together, we work to raise vital income for our three hospitals, helping them continue their life-changing work.
As Owned Events Lead, you will play a key role in developing and delivering a portfolio of our in-house fundraising events — from flagship campaigns like the St Thomas’ Abseil and Steps for Evelina, to new concepts we’re planning to pilot in the coming years. This is an exciting opportunity for a creative, hands-on event professional to shape original products, build memorable supporter experiences, and drive long-term income growth.
You'll be joining a forward-thinking team at a time of strategic growth, with the chance to make a tangible difference to how we engage supporters and grow our owned event programme for the future.
About us
Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, Guy’s Cancer Charity and Evelina London Children’s Charity are part of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation. Our collective mission is to build the foundations of a healthier society.
As part of our team, you will work alongside talented people from a mix of personal and professional backgrounds. We are a Living Wage employer and support flexible working, part-time roles and job shares. Though our ambitions are serious, this is a friendly place to work with lots of opportunities to meet and socialise with colleagues. We believe there is immense power in diversity and aim to recruit and nurture talent who think and act differently.
There is more information about working with us on our website, where you can read about:
• how we approach recruitment
• our team, culture and values
• the benefits of working with us and our approach to diversity, equity & inclusion, health & wellbeing, and learning & development
Overall purpose of the role
The Owned Events Lead plays a pivotal role in shaping and delivering Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity’s evolving portfolio of owned and virtual fundraising events — a strategically important area of growth for the organisation.
Working as part of a dynamic and cross-functional fundraising team, this role leads on the planning, execution and scaling of original event products — from large-scale mass participation experiences like the St Thomas’ Abseil, to creative, insight-driven virtual campaigns and supporter-led challenges. It’s a diverse, hands-on portfolio that brings together live delivery, digital innovation and product development.
With a clear focus on income growth, audience engagement and supporter experience, the role blends operational expertise, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking. You’ll work closely with teams across fundraising, supporter experience, digital, innovation and comms to pilot new ideas, improve performance, and build events that inspire action and loyalty.
This is a delivery-focused role requiring end-to-end event management experience — from logistics, safety and supplier coordination, to data-led decision-making, budget ownership and multi-channel stewardship. It’s an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on building things from scratch and wants to make a real and lasting impact on how we connect with our supporters.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and delivery of a portfolio of owned and virtual fundraising events — from concept through to post-event evaluation — ensuring operational excellence, creativity, and supporter satisfaction.
- Deliver large-scale in-person events such as the St Thomas’ Abseil, including venue and supplier coordination, safety planning, risk management, insurance, and on-the-day execution.
- Develop and grow virtual fundraising products, such as Steps For Evelina, drawing on insight, testing and digital best practice to create scalable, supporter-led experiences.
- Lead cross-functional project teams and working groups — aligning stakeholders across digital, supporter experience, innovation, comms and fundraising to deliver shared outcomes.
- Manage event budgets end to end — including forecasting, reforecasting, reconciliation and performance analysis — and use financial insight to inform decisions on where to invest, scale or refine.
- Lead on supporter acquisition for owned products, including paid digital campaigns (PPC, social), segmentation strategies, audience targeting and grassroots recruitment.
- Create and implement behavioural, insight-led supporter journeys — driving engagement and long-term value through personalised, multi-channel communications.
- Produce and maintain risk assessments, permits and compliance documentation, ensuring safe and well-managed delivery across all owned events.
- Build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams, suppliers, venues and agencies to ensure delivery is aligned, effective and on brand.
- Monitor KPIs and use performance data, feedback and market trends to evaluate success, inform future development and drive continuous improvement.
Work environment
- The post holder should expect to:
- Work in a hybrid hot desk environment, generally working 2 days a week in the London office and three from home.
- Be responsible for the input and maintenance of databases and files relevant to the post requirements.
- Will occasionally be required to attend events in the evening and at weekends.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Experience
- At least 3 years’ experience delivering owned, public-facing or virtual fundraising events, with full responsibility for planning, delivery, compliance, and performance.
- Strong track record in hands-on event delivery, including supplier and venue management, live production, logistics, and on-the-day coordination.
- Experience developing and implementing risk assessments, permits, insurances and health & safety documentation.
- Demonstrated success in launching new fundraising products — from concept through to live delivery — using innovation frameworks or test-and-learn methodology.
- Knowledge of digital acquisition, including PPC, paid social and segmentation strategies for events.
- Proven ability to lead cross-team project groups and manage external partners, contractors or agencies.
- Experience managing detailed budgets, with strong financial accountability and performance tracking.
- Expert in live event planning, delivery, and documentation — including compliance, health & safety and supplier contracts.
- Strong understanding of virtual fundraising best practices and digital supporter engagement.
- Confident using audience insight and supporter data to drive product development and communications.
- Clear grasp of behavioural communications and how to apply them across email, WhatsApp, SMS and face-to-face.
- Skilled project manager with the ability to juggle multiple workstreams, deadlines and priorities.
- Collaborative, solutions-focused, and able to build strong relationships across teams.
- Familiarity with fundraising regulations, GDPR, and Facebook Fundraising platforms is desirable.
Personal Attributes
- Strategic and delivery-focused — equally comfortable shaping the vision and getting stuck into delivery.
- Entrepreneurial and innovative — thrives on building new things and improving existing ones.
- Proactive and accountable — takes ownership and drives progress without needing close oversight.
- Calm and composed under pressure — especially during live delivery or external stakeholder engagement.
- Highly organised and detail-oriented — ensures everything is well documented, planned and communicated.
- Passionate about delivering exceptional supporter experiences and meaningful fundraising moments.
- Adaptable and resilient — thrives in a fast-moving environment and embraces change with a positive mindset.
Benefits
- Up to 12% employer pension contributions
- Annual personal development budget
- Annual health and wellbeing personal allowance
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and parental leave pay accessible without length of service requirements.
- Health and wellbeing programme that offers optional free yearly health check-ups.
- Support for healthy eating via fruit bowls and onsite lunch facilities.
- Agile working, flexible hours, and supportive IT kit.
- Shower facilities and bike lock area.
- Generous annual leave (27 days + bank holidays)
- Subsidies for glasses
- Employee Assistance Programme
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.