Partnership development executive jobs in City of london, england

Director – Jamma Wellbeing

Build the model. Prove the impact. Scale through partners.

Jamma Wellbeing is looking for an exceptional Director to lead the organisation through its next stage of development.

This is an opportunity for an experienced, entrepreneurial leader to bring their judgement, experience and vision to work closely with a passionate Founder and Board to shape the future of an ambitious wellbeing charity.

Jamma Wellbeing exists to empower people so they can navigate life with greater confidence and choice. At the heart of our work is Brain Smart®, a practical wellbeing education framework that makes complex psychological ideas understandable and useful. Brain Smart is already being delivered through partnerships in prisons, schools, communities and workplaces.

We now want to build on that foundation.

The opportunity is to help build and deliver Jamma Wellbeing’s future model: delivering a sharper strategy, developing a strong operating model, building the right partnerships and creating a sustainable route to greater impact.

For the right person, this is much more than a conventional charity Director role. It is a chance to help build an organisation capable of changing how practical wellbeing education is delivered — taking useful, evidence-informed ideas to more people through trusted partners.

The role

The Director will lead Jamma Wellbeing from its current stage into a focused, sustainable and scalable organisation.

You will work closely with the Founder and team, while having real responsibility for translating ambition into delivery.

Key priorities will include:

• turning Jamma's strategy into a clear and executable plan;
• developing Brain Smart and its supporting infrastructure into a compelling, partner-ready proposition;
• building and leading high-quality partnerships across primarily education, public services, communities and other relevant sectors;
• establishing a sustainable income model, including licensing, partnerships, grants and public-sector opportunities;
• personally leading important early partner relationships and negotiations;
• building a small, capable team and network of specialist support;
• strengthening the systems required for safeguarding, quality assurance, accreditation, evaluation and reporting;
• creating clear measures of impact and using evidence to determine where Jamma should invest, adapt, expand or stop; and
• representing Jamma credibly with partners, funders, commissioners and other senior stakeholders.

Commercial responsibility is an important part of the role. We want to increase Jamma's reach and impact, but to do so in a way that is financially sustainable and protects the quality, integrity and safety of the programme.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a builder.

Someone who is energised by creating something that does not yet fully exist, who can see the big picture but is equally comfortable turning ideas into plans, decisions, partnerships and measurable results.

You are likely to bring:

• significant senior leadership experience in an organisation that has grown, transformed or developed a new operating model;
• a strong track record of turning strategy into delivery;
• experience developing significant partnerships and generating revenue;
• strong commercial judgement, including propositions, contracts, financial management and senior-level negotiation;
• experience building teams, systems or capabilities in an evolving organisation;
• confidence working with Boards and senior stakeholders;
• strong financial literacy and a disciplined approach to priorities, investment and performance; and
• a well-developed network across the UK, including relationships across the private, public and/or philanthropic sectors.

Experience in education, youth, health and wellbeing, charities, social enterprise or public-sector commissioning would be valuable, but we are equally interested in strong leaders from outside the traditional charity sector who are attracted by the opportunity to apply their experience to social impact.

Experience of licensing, accreditation, train-the-trainer or another partner-led scaling model would also be an advantage.

The kind of leader who will thrive here

You will be commercially astute but purpose-led; ambitious but pragmatic; collaborative but prepared to make decisions.

You will be comfortable working in an organisation where not everything is already established.

Most importantly, you will care about creating something useful and enduring — an organisation capable of improving wellbeing, particularly for young people, at meaningful scale without losing the simplicity, quality and humanity at the heart of its work.

About Jamma Wellbeing

Jamma Wellbeing is a registered charity with a simple vision:

A future where understanding and shaping your wellbeing is a basic life skill for everyone.

We work through trusted organisations and partners to bring practical wellbeing education to the people and communities they already serve.

Our emerging model is deliberately designed for scale: Jamma develops and improves the programme, materials, accreditation, safeguarding, quality and evaluation framework, while partners bring the audience, setting and trusted local delivery capability.

If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape an organisation, build a sustainable model and create meaningful impact at scale, we would like to hear from you.

Please apply with your CV and a covering letter (max 2 sides A4)

Interviews by video, will take place on the 16th, 17th or 18th September and if successful, a second in person interview will take place during the week commencing 5th October in Surrey.

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.

• Reports to: Chief Executive Officer, working closely with the Programmes Lead and Finance & Governance Lead.
• Hours: We anticipate appointing this role as a 2 days per week (0.4 FTE) employee. However, we are also open to hearing from experienced freelance fundraising professionals who are interested in delivering an agreed programme of work on a consultancy basis, equivalent to approximately one day per week.
• Salary: Employee: £27,000–£31,000 FTE (£10,800–£12,400 pro rata for 2 days/16 hours per week), depending on experience. Consultancy: Day rate to be agreed, depending on experience and scope of work.
• Location: Remote, with approximately two consecutive days per month at our office in Liverpool and occasional travel for meetings or events.
• Contract: 24 month fixed term (with the intention to extend, subject to funding).
• Probation Period: 3 months
• Line Management: This role has no line management responsibility.

About Worldwide Radiology

Worldwide Radiology is a UK registered charity working to improve access to high-quality diagnostic imaging in low- and middle-income countries.

Working alongside hospitals, universities and health partners around the world, we develop practical, sustainable solutions that strengthen radiology services and improve patient care. Much of our work is delivered through a global network of volunteers and long-term partnerships.

We're at an exciting stage in our development. Over recent years our fundraising income has grown significantly, but we're now looking to broaden and strengthen our funding base so we can increase our impact.

This new role offers the opportunity to become Worldwide Radiology's dedicated fundraising lead, helping shape the next stage of the organisation's growth.

About the Role

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious fundraiser ready to take the next step in their career and take ownership of fundraising within a growing charity.

As Worldwide Radiology's dedicated fundraising professional, you will lead our day-to-day fundraising activity across community fundraising, individual giving and trusts and foundations. You'll be responsible for planning and delivering fundraising campaigns, stewarding donors and writing funding applications that help sustain and grow our work.

You'll also support the CEO and Programmes Lead in developing larger strategic partnerships with major funders and corporate partners through research, proposal coordination and pipeline management.

Unlike many early-career fundraising roles, this position offers genuine ownership from early on. You'll lead fundraising across your portfolio while working closely with colleagues who have experience securing grants and developing partnerships, giving you the support and mentoring to develop your skills and confidence.

While we expect to appoint a Fundraising Manager on a part-time basis, we also recognise that an experienced fundraising consultant may bring a different but equally valuable skillset. We're therefore open to considering either model, provided the successful candidate can take ownership of our fundraising programme and help build the systems, relationships and pipeline needed to support Worldwide Radiology's long-term growth.

What Success Looks Like

During your first 12–18 months you will:

• Lead successful delivery of WWR's community fundraising programme, including the Big Give Christmas Challenge and other supporter campaigns.
• Develop and manage a healthy pipeline of trust and foundation applications.
• Build strong relationships with our existing donors and funders.
• Help diversify the organisation's income by developing new fundraising opportunities.
• Introduce systems and processes that strengthen fundraising as the organisation continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising (Lead)

You will take ownership of WWR's fundraising activity across your portfolio, working closely with the CEO while leading delivery day-to-day. Responsibilities include:

• Leading delivery of fundraising across community fundraising, individual giving and smaller trusts and foundations.
• Researching, writing and submitting grant applications to trusts and foundations.
• Managing relationships with existing trust funders and individual donors, including stewardship and reporting.
• Planning and delivering community fundraising campaigns, supporter events and online fundraising activities, including the Big Give Christmas Challenge and JustGiving campaigns.
• Developing opportunities to grow our supporter base and increase donor retention.
• Maintaining accurate fundraising records, donor data and reporting.
• Monitoring fundraising activity and providing regular updates to the CEO.
• Supporting the development of fundraising plans and identifying new income opportunities.

Partnerships (Support)

Working alongside the CEO and Programmes Lead, you will:

• Research prospective major trusts, foundations and corporate partners.
• Prepare briefing papers and background research ahead of meetings.
• Coordinate development of larger funding proposals by gathering information, managing timelines and tracking actions.
• Maintain the strategic funding pipeline and prospect tracker.
• Support follow-up from meetings, conferences and partnership discussions.
• Help identify opportunities to strengthen relationships with healthcare organisations, companies and strategic partners.

Person Specification

We recognise that no candidate will meet every criterion. If you can demonstrate most of the following, we'd love to hear from you:

• Experience in a fundraising, development or partnerships role within the charity sector.
• Experience researching and writing, or supporting the development of, funding applications to trusts and foundations.
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to write compelling funding applications and supporter communications.
• Excellent relationship-building skills, with experience working positively with supporters, volunteers, partners or external stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to maintain accurate records and manage information across multiple projects and deadlines.
• Comfortable working in a digital, remote environment and confident learning new systems, including fundraising CRM platforms.
• Enthusiasm for Worldwide Radiology's mission and the role of global health partnerships.

Desirable attributes:

• Experience delivering community fundraising campaigns or challenge events.
• Experience using fundraising CRMs or donor databases.
• Experience of the Big Give Christmas Challenge or similar match-funding campaigns.
• Experience supporting corporate partnerships or major donor fundraising.
• An interest in global health, healthcare or international development.

Why Join Worldwide Radiology?

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of fundraising within a growing international charity at an early stage in your career.

You'll have the chance to lead fundraising campaigns, develop relationships with donors and funders, and shape how fundraising grows over the coming years. At the same time, you'll benefit from the guidance and support of experienced colleagues, giving you the opportunity to develop your skills while making a tangible contribution to improving access to diagnostic imaging around the world.

We're committed to supporting your professional development through mentoring, networking opportunities and relevant fundraising training, helping you build the skills and experience to progress your fundraising career.

We offer:

• Flexible remote working.
• A collaborative, supportive team with minimal hierarchy.
• Opportunities for professional development and responsibility.
• Up to 4% matched pension contribution.
• 25 days Annual leave plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).

Do you believe communities should have a stronger voice in shaping services and opportunities? 💜🩵🩷

Compass Wellbeing CIC is looking for a new Non-Executive Director to join our Board and help ensure community voice, lived experience and partnership working continue to shape our strategy and decisions.

We are a small social enterprise (and subsidiary of East London NHS Foundation Trust) that helps communities thrive by bringing people, organisations and opportunities together, from earlier access to support, to employment and skills, to partnerships that make a real difference locally.

This NED role has a particular focus on strengthening our relationships with voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations.

📍 London (hybrid) | 🕐 c. 1 day/month | 💷 £250/day + expenses | Closing 3 September 2026, 10:00

You don't need previous Board experience. Community leadership, VCFSE sector experience or lived experience relevant to the communities we serve all count. What matters is a genuine commitment to social justice and inclusion, and the confidence to be a constructive, challenging voice in the room.
 

Director of Development

National Literacy Trust
Hybrid working with regular attendance in London
£90,000 per annum | Permanent | Full Time (35 hours per week)

Closing Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with the National Literacy Trust to recruit an exceptional Director of Development.
This is an incredible opportunity to join the organisation at such a pivotal moment in its growth. Reporting directly to the CEO and sitting on the Senior Management Team, the Director of Development will lead an established and high-performing fundraising function responsible for generating approximately £17m in annual income, while driving the next phase of growth and strengthening unrestricted income.

We're looking for an ambitious, entrepreneurial fundraising leader who combines strategic vision and practical delivery. The successful candidate will be proactive and highly engaged, leading from the front to secure transformational partnerships, inspire teams and help shape the organisation's future.

About National Literacy Trust
The National Literacy Trust empowers children, young people and adults from disadvantaged communities with the literacy skills they need to thrive.
Working across schools, communities, prisons and workplaces, the organisation is the UK's leading authority on literacy. Its work is underpinned by robust research, powerful partnerships and an unwavering commitment to tackling the link between poverty and low literacy.
Following a period of significant growth, the charity is now seeking a new Director of Development to build on strong foundations, identify new opportunities, and lead an ambitious fundraising strategy that will expand impact and sustainability for years to come.

About the Role
As Director of Development, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the charity's fundraising and development activity.
You will inherit an impressive portfolio of corporate, trust and statutory supporters, whilst also being tasked with identifying new opportunities for growth, diversification and innovation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and delivering the National Literacy Trust's fundraising strategy and income growth plans
• Driving the acquisition and stewardship of major corporate partnerships, trusts, foundations and major donors
• Working closely with the CEO and senior colleagues to position the organisation for new funding opportunities
• Strengthening unrestricted income and expanding the charity's supporter base
• Leading, motivating and developing a talented fundraising team
• Building relationships with influential supporters, partners, senior business leaders and trustees
• Ensuring robust pipeline management, forecasting and income planning
• Acting as an inspiring ambassador for the organisation externally and internally

This is a high-profile leadership role offering significant scope to shape strategy, culture and long-term organisational success. 

About You
We're keen to hear from ambitious fundraising leaders who bring a strong track record of delivering sustainable income growth and building high-value relationships.
You will likely bring:

• Significant senior fundraising leadership experience
• A demonstrable track record of securing and growing high-value income
• Experience leading corporate partnerships and strategic fundraising programmes
• Strong commercial awareness and an entrepreneurial approach to identifying opportunities
• The ability to inspire, motivate and develop high-performing teams
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Experience working with senior leaders, trustees and external partners
• A hands-on leadership style, balancing strategic thinking with practical delivery

Most importantly, you'll be someone who relishes building momentum, thrives in ambitious environments and is excited by the opportunity to help transform lives through literacy.

How to Apply
To express your interest, please send your CV to Philippa.
Should your experience align with the requirements of the role, a member of the Charity People team will be in touch to arrange an initial conversation, discuss the opportunity in more detail and explain the full application process.

Key Dates

• Closing Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026
• First Round Interviews (online): Week commencing 7 September 2026
• Second Round Interviews (in person): Week commencing 14 September 2026

Charity People is a forward-thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We are committed to presenting opportunities to candidates irrespective of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation because we believe diverse teams create stronger organisations and greater impact.

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.

Responsibilities

People and Team Leadership

• Line manage the Fundraising Manager, providing regular supervision, support, and performance development

• Lead the planning and delivery of all-hands meetings and team development programmes, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture

• Maintain oversight of team resource mapping, ensuring capacity is well-managed across the organisation

Impact and Evaluation

• Lead the design and ongoing development of Routes' impact evaluation framework, ensuring it captures meaningful data about the difference our work makes

• Oversee the collection, analysis, and interpretation of impact data throughout the year, using findings to inform programme development and organisational decision-making

• Write and produce Routes' annual impact report, communicating our work and outcomes compellingly to funders, partners, and the wider sector

Income Generation

• Support the Fundraising Manager with grant applications, funder relationships, and income generation activity as needed

• Manage the sales pipeline for the mentoring programme, including prospecting, relationship development, and conversion of corporate and organisational clients

• Source and manage CSR partnerships, building relationships with corporate partners and ensuring existing partnerships are well-stewarded

Operations

• Lead on the creation, review, and approval of organisational policies, ensuring Routes' policies are up to date, legally compliant, and reflective of our values

• Oversee day-to-day office administration and organisational housekeeping

• Manage organisational insurance, ensuring appropriate cover is maintained and reviewed annually

• Oversee staff IT, laptops, phones, and software subscriptions, including troubleshooting and managing supplier relationships

• Draft and manage organisational contracts, including supplier, partner, and service agreements

• Lead on the conversion of Routes from a CIC to a CIO, working with legal advisors, the board, and relevant statutory bodies to manage the process

Strategy

• Contribute to the development and delivery of Routes' organisational strategy, bringing insight from your areas of responsibility

• Lead on the development and implementation of Routes' income generation strategy, working closely with the Fundraising Manager and Co-CEO

Communications

• Write thought leadership pieces for the Routes blog, contributing to Routes' voice and visibility in the sector

Leadership Development and Learning

• Take ownership of your own professional development, using the annual training budget to attend relevant training, events, and sector learning opportunities that strengthen your contribution to Routes and the wider sector

There are some areas of responsibility that sit under the other Co-CEO, but we would expect the person in this role to maintain some oversight or involvement in to enable smooth co-working between the roles. These are:

• Safeguarding: Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) when required, ensuring Routes meets its safeguarding obligations and that staff and volunteers are appropriately supported

• Finance: Attend and contribute to monthly finance meetings, planned by other Co-CEO, maintaining a clear understanding of the organisation's financial position and flagging any concerns to the Co-CEO and board

• Governance: Attend board meetings, providing updates on areas of responsibility and supporting the board to fulfil its governance function

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience in a senior leadership role within the charity, social enterprise, or public sector

• Demonstrable experience of managing and developing staff, with a coaching and supportive leadership style

• Experience of income generation in a charity or social enterprise context, including either grant fundraising, corporate partnerships, or programme sales

• Experience of designing or overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and producing reports that communicate impact clearly

• Experience of managing operational and governance responsibilities, including policy development and working with a board

• Experience leading teams in challenging, fast-changing and resource-constrained environments 

• Experience of working with or for communities facing marginalisation, discrimination, or structural disadvantage, and a deep understanding of the barriers refugee and asylum seeking women face in the UK

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to balance day to day operational oversight with long term strategic planning, ensuring that Routes’ work remains in line with values and objectives whilst responding to the changing needs of participants and the external landscape

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to write compellingly for different audiences

• Financially literate, with the ability to read and engage meaningfully with management accounts and budgets

• Highly organised, with the ability to manage a broad and varied portfolio without dropping the ball

• Comfortable working with data, both quantitative and qualitative, and using it to draw meaningful conclusions

• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust quickly with a wide range of stakeholders including funders, corporate partners, board members, and colleagues

• Sound understanding of CIC/charity governance and good practice, and the ability to make confident decisions independently while knowing when to consult

Values and Approach

• Deep personal commitment to gender equality, racial justice, and the rights of refugees and asylum seeking people

• Understanding of the importance of implementing trauma informed practices and a commitment to accessible working practices for all

• A collaborative leadership style that builds trust, shares power, and brings out the best in others

• Comfortable with ambiguity and change, able to hold complexity without becoming overwhelmed by it

• Honest, transparent, and accountable, someone who says what they mean and follows through on commitments

• Energised by working in a small, values-led organisation where everyone mucks in

Additionally, it would be desirable for you to be trained as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, but training on this can be provided.

A Note on Experience

We know that leadership experience takes many forms, and that people from marginalised communities,  including those with lived experience of the asylum system, are often underrepresented at senior levels in the charity sector despite having exactly the qualities and understanding this role requires. We warmly encourage applications from people who may not follow a conventional career trajectory but who can demonstrate the skills, values, and commitment we are looking for. If you are unsure whether your experience is the right fit, please do get in touch before applying,  we would rather have that conversation than miss out on the right person.

Imroc is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to provide strategic, values-led leadership as the organisation enters its next phase of development.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for someone who can combine a strong commitment to recovery and lived experience leadership with the strategic, organisational and commercial judgement needed to lead a relatively small, influential charity. Working closely with the Board of Trustees and senior colleagues, the CEO will shape clear priorities, strengthen organisational and financial sustainability, build future leadership capability, and create new opportunities for impact and growth.

The successful candidate will be joining an organisation with a distinctive philosophy and more than 20 years of experience influencing recovery-focused practice. Imroc works in England and globally, combining consultancy and organisational development, accredited training, coaching and mentorship, thought leadership, evaluation and research.

What Imroc does

Training – co-produced, practical and recovery-focused programmes designed to build skills, confidence and meaningful culture change.

Consultancy and organisational development – collaborative support that helps organisations embed recovery principles, co-production and lived experience into practice and organisational culture.

Research and evaluation – evidence-based work that contributes to learning across mental health and related systems and underpins Imroc’s training and consultancy.

Thought leadership and influence – sharing learning, challenging established practice and helping shape more inclusive and recovery-focused systems.

At the heart of Imroc’s work is a commitment to recovery, peer support, co-production/co-development, equality, diversity and inclusion, and lived experience leadership.

Purpose of the role

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for providing strategic, values-led leadership to Imroc, ensuring the organisation continues to influence and transform mental health systems through recovery-focused consultancy, research, training and innovation.

Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead the organisation through its next phase of development by creating a clear strategic vision, building sustainable partnerships, identifying new opportunities for growth and ensuring Imroc remains financially sustainable whilst remaining true to its values and recovery philosophy.

The CEO will lead Imroc through a period of organisational transition, strengthening organisational and financial sustainability, developing future leadership capability, and positioning the charity for its next phase of development.

They will inspire an inclusive, high-performing culture where people are supported, challenged and enabled to do their best work, ensuring Imroc continues to have meaningful impact both nationally and internationally

Imroc’s new Chief Executive Officer will:

Provide inspiring, values-led strategic and executive leadership;

Successfully lead Imroc through its next phase of organisational development and transition;

Establish clear strategic priorities and ensure these translate into organisational action;

Strengthen Imroc’s influence nationally and internationally;

Create new opportunities for sustainable growth and impact;

Build sustainable strategic partnerships;

Strengthen Imroc’s long-term financial sustainability;

Develop organisational and leadership capability;

Develop an engaged, confident and high-performing team;

Ensure lived experience leadership, peer support, co-production and recovery principles are meaningfully embedded across Imroc;

Champion innovation and thought leadership whilst enabling a wider range of voices across Imroc to contribute to its influence; and

Ensure Imroc continues to have a meaningful impact on mental health systems and communities.

Key responsibilities

Strategic and executive leadership

Provide strategic leadership to Imroc, ensuring the organisation remains focused on delivering its charitable objectives and long-term vision.

Work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees to set and deliver Imroc’s strategic direction, translating the organisation’s purpose and values into clear organisational priorities.

Provide effective executive oversight of organisational and operational performance, ensuring resources, systems and organisational capability support strategic priorities.

Continually scan the external environment to identify emerging opportunities, challenges and changes across mental health, health, social care and wider systems.

Translate strategic opportunities into innovative products, partnerships, and services that align with Imroc’s mission.

Ensure organisational structures, capabilities and resources continue to evolve to meet future priorities.

Lead Imroc effectively through organisational, cultural and strategic change.

Champion continuous improvement and innovation.

Leadership and culture

Lead an inclusive, compassionate and value-led organisational culture.

Foster an environment where people feel supported whilst also being appropriately challenged to achieve high standards.

Lead with authenticity, integrity, and a strong commitment to recovery principles.

Ensure Imroc’s values, recovery philosophy, commitment to EDI, peer support, co-production/co-development and lived experience leadership are reflected throughout organisational culture, priorities and decision-making.

Build leadership capability through coaching, mentoring, and development.

Promote collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement across consultants and colleagues.

Ensure difficult conversations are approached constructively, respectfully, and in a way that enables growth.

Business development and external influence

Build and maintain strategic partnerships across the NHS, voluntary sector, academia, research organisations and wider system partners.

Proactively identify and create new business opportunities, strategic partnerships and sources of sustainable income that increase Imroc’s impact and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.

Represent Imroc nationally through networking, speaking engagements, conferences, and stakeholder engagement.

Position Imroc as an influential, values-led and recovery-focused thought leader, creating opportunities for colleagues and people with lived experience to contribute to Imroc’s external voice and influence.

Support the development of bids, proposals, and strategic partnerships that align with Imroc’s values and expertise.

Build relationships that open opportunities for others across Imroc to develop and deliver new work.

Financial sustainability

Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and Board to ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and organisational performance.

Ensure effective stewardship of organisational resources.

Support and enable income generation through consultancy, partnerships, grants, and other opportunities.

Ensure strategic and operational decisions take account of Imroc’s long-term financial sustainability.

Governance

Maintain a strong and effective relationship with the Board of Trustees.

Maintain oversight of effective strategic governance frameworks, ensuring clear accountability, effective decision-making, and appropriate organisational assurance.

Ensure the organisation meets all legal and regulatory obligations.

Support Trustees through timely reporting, strategic advice, and effective governance.

Promote high standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

People leadership

Lead, support, and develop senior colleagues.

Build organisational capability and succession planning.

Create an environment where people are empowered to contribute their expertise.

Encourage collaboration whilst maintaining accountability for delivery.

Lead through periods of change in a way that maintains engagement, organisational confidence, and effective delivery.

Create the conditions in which lived experience leadership, peer support and co-production are valued and embedded across the organisation.

Person specification

Essential experience

Significant senior executive leadership experience, including experience of organisational and operational management.

Demonstrable experience of leading organisations through significant organisational, cultural or strategic change, while maintaining staff engagement, stakeholder confidence and organisational performance.

Experience leading organisational strategy and change.

Experience working effectively with Boards or Trustees.

Experience developing and leading high-performing teams.

Experience building strategic partnerships and influencing senior stakeholders.

Experience contributing to organisational financial sustainability and identifying opportunities for sustainable growth.

Experience within mental health, health, or social care.

Essential knowledge and skills

Strong strategic thinking and commercial awareness.

Excellent relationship building and influencing skills.

Ability to identify future opportunities and translate these into organisational priorities.

Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Ability to lead with both compassion and accountability.

Strong judgement and decision-making skills.

Ability to manage complexity and ambiguity.

Demonstrable commitment to values-led leadership and to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, recovery principles, peer support and co-production/co-development within organisational culture, leadership and decision-making.

A strong understanding of recovery philosophy, peer support, co-production and lived experience leadership.

Demonstrable understanding of lived experience leadership and the ability to value and embed lived experience in all aspects of the role and the work of the organisation.

Personal experience of mental health challenges, either personally or as a family member/carer, together with an ability to reflect on how this experience influences your values, priorities, and practice.

Desirable experience

Experience within consultancy or professional services.

Experience of research partnerships or academia.

Experience of public speaking and thought leadership.

Experience securing funding, consultancy opportunities or strategic partnerships.

Experience working internationally.

Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience.

Personal attributes

Authentic and values-led leadership.

Curiosity and a commitment to learning.

Creativity and innovation.

Resilience and adaptability.

Collaborative leadership.

Courage to make difficult decisions.

Ability to inspire confidence and build trust.

Commitment to Imroc’s recovery philosophy.

A commitment to sharing power and ensuring lived experience meaningfully informs organisational leadership and decision-making.

The ability to balance strategic leadership with practical executive leadership required within a relatively small organisation.

Recruitment process and timetable

Timing & Activity

Wednesday 19 August – Sunday 6 September  - Application window

Monday 14 September – Wednesday 16 September  - First stage interviews (subject to change)

Monday 21 September – Wednesday 23 September  - Second stage final interviews (subject to change)

How to apply

To apply for the Chief Executive Officer role, please submit:

your current CV; and

a covering letter setting out your interest in the role and how your experience, skills and approach align with the requirements set out in this candidate pack.

Application details

Salary - £90,000

Location - London - Hybrid

Where to apply - Directly to this advertisement 

Contact for an informal discussion - Kathryn Wileman. Clover HR

Interview arrangements - First stage and second stage Imroc interviews will be arranged virtually.

Accessibility and inclusion

Imroc’s work is grounded in inclusion, equity, co-production and lived experience. Candidates are encouraged to let the recruitment team know if they require any reasonable adjustments or other support to participate fully in the recruitment process.

Find out more

More information about Imroc, its work, publications, training, consultancy and research is available at their website 

This role leads two of the most consequential shifts in our 2026–2028 strategy. First, our move from a narrative-based to an evidence-based organisation: designing our impact measurement framework, leading the rollout and adoption of the Impact Hub (our custom CRM and data platform), and embedding data-driven decision-making across every team. Second, the community around our programmes: the trusted community and education referral partnerships that bring young people to us, and the structured alumni community that keeps them connected, supported and contributing after they complete our programmes.

WHAT YOU OWN

• Impact framework : the organisation's impact measurement framework, metrics and indicators.

• The Impact Hub (CRM) : the platform, its roadmap, adoption and supplier relationship.

• Data governance : data quality standards, validation protocols and UK GDPR compliance.

• Evaluation methodology : how programmes and services are evaluated, including external evaluation partnerships.

• Referral partnerships : the community and education referral partnership model and its members.

• Alumni strategy : the alumni engagement model, tiered support structure and Advisory Council.

• Organisational reporting : impact reporting to the board, funders and the public.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Impact Measurement & Evidence ~ Develop and own the organisation's impact measurement framework, defining metrics and indicators that reflect outcomes and effectiveness rather than interest or activity alone.

2. Organisational Insight & Foresight ~ Act as the organisation's insight lead: translate quantitative and qualitative data into organisational insight that shapes strategy, programme design and resource allocation.

3. The Impact Hub ~ Lead the delivery, rollout and adoption of the Impact Hub, including migration from Upshot, in line with the phased plan in the Data & Digital strategy : and own its roadmap as the organisation's insight platform thereafter.

4. Stakeholder Engagement Framework (Governance) ~ Act as guardian of the unified stakeholder engagement framework, defining the standards, data capture requirements and reporting consistency that all teams apply across our five stakeholder groups.

5. Community & Education Partnerships (Referral Pipeline) ~ Design and deliver the structured referral partnership model set out in the Talent & Engagement strategy, piloting quarterly cohorts of university, faith-group and community-organisation partners with clear MOUs, shared objectives and referral tracking through the Impact Hub.

6. Alumni Community & Engagement ~ Design and deliver a structured 12-month alumni engagement calendar with audience-segmented communications, supported by Impact Hub data.

7. Reporting & Funder Evidence ~ Produce evidence-based impact reporting for the board, funders, partners and public communications, supporting grant bids, corporate stewardship and the annual report.

8. Team Leadership ~ Line-manage the Data Administrator, Progression coaches and any future team members, providing guidance, training and performance oversight.

9. Organisational Leadership ~ Contribute to organisational strategy, annual planning and budgeting as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Read the full Job Description attached to see the full Key repsonsibilites, Person specification and 12 month success metrics.

About us

Community rail is a unique and growing grassroots movement made up of community rail partnerships, station volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives across Britain.

Together, these organisations and volunteers deliver a wide range of initiatives, from engaging young people and building confidence in rail travel, to improving accessibility, enhancing stations, supporting biodiversity projects and creating community spaces that bring people together.

Community Rail Network is the national membership and umbrella body for the community rail movement across England, Scotland and Wales. We empower, support and champion community-led partnerships and groups, helping them create social, environmental and economic value through their work.

Our team of 22 colleagues is based across Britain, working mainly from home while coming together regularly online and in person. We are a collaborative, values-led organisation, passionate about making a difference through community rail.

We believe in nurturing talent, supporting professional development and creating an environment where everyone can reach their potential while maintaining a healthy work–life balance.

About this role and your main responsibilities

We are looking for a compassionate, collaborative and creative leader to head up our work with members. Everyone on the team is here for our members, but you will lead the way in ensuring everything we do is driven by what members need, now and in the future, to help them develop, grow and thrive. You’ll also help ensure our members have a great experience whenever they are accessing our support and services.

As a member of the senior leadership team, you’ll actively contribute towards its collective work in driving organisational performance and success, including growing investment in our work so we can make an even bigger difference for our members and the communities they serve.

Please see the attached introduction from our Chief Executive and role profile for further information about the position, including its principal responsibilities and the experience, skills and attributes we are looking for.

Other information

The role will involve regular travel across England, Scotland and Wales to raise the organisation’s profile and engage with members, partners and key stakeholders.

There is flexibility on your location given the requirement to travel and that your office will be home-based. You will need to travel to in-person quarterly team meetings (usually in London or the north of England) and to Board meetings which alternate between online and London.

It is expected that travel will be by public transport and easy access to the rail network is therefore required to ensure journeys can be made sustainably. 

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of three months. 

Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.

As Individual Giving Senior Executive, you'll play a key role in developing and delivering multi-channel campaigns that inspire supporters to continue and deepen their relationship with the Charity. 

You'll manage a varied portfolio of appeals, supporter retention, development, upgrade, cross-sell and reactivation activity, working across channels including direct mail, email and telephone. From campaign planning and creative development through to analysis and reporting, you'll take ownership of projects that help grow supporter loyalty and maximise long-term income.

Working closely with colleagues across the Charity and external agencies, you'll lead on the planning and delivery of campaigns and supporter journeys that place supporters at the heart of everything we do.

This role also includes line management responsibility for an Individual Giving Assistant, making it an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build their leadership experience.

About us

At The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, we raise money to save the lives of people affected by cancer. The funds we raise support world-leading research, state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional patient care at The Royal Marsden, helping deliver breakthroughs that benefit people with cancer across the UK and around the world. 

We're entering an exciting period of growth, with ambitious plans to increase income, grow our supporter base and deliver exceptional supporter experiences. That's why we're looking for a talented Individual Giving fundraiser to join our Supporter Retention & Development team.

About you

We're looking for someone who combines strong direct marketing experience with excellent project management skills and a genuine passion for creating outstanding supporter experiences. 

You will have:

• Experience delivering successful Individual Giving or direct marketing campaigns, ideally focused on supporter retention and development. 
• Strong project management skills, with experience managing multiple campaigns, budgets and deadlines. 
• Confidence analysing campaign performance and using insight to inform future activity and testing. 
• Experience working with databases, data selections and campaign reporting. 
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with experience working with agencies and suppliers. 
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities. 

Experience of digital fundraising, mid-value giving or telephone fundraising campaigns would be an advantage, but is not essential. 

Why join us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your fundraising career at one of the UK's leading cancer charities and help The Royal Marsden to revolutionise cancer treatment through groundbreaking research, and deliver world-leading care.

We offer:

• 27 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with service
• Hybrid and flexible working (60% home working)
• Generous pension contributions
• Enhanced maternity and adoption pay
• Life insurance
• Employee assistance programme
• Subsidised canteens
• Access to learning and development opportunities
• A supportive, collaborative and values-led culture 

Our values

We're proud to be Respectful, Kind, Ambitious, Purposeful and Versatile. If you share our values and want to use your fundraising skills to make a meaningful difference to people affected by cancer, we'd love to hear from you. 

Apply today and help us make life-saving breakthroughs happen for people with cancer, now and in the future.

This is an exciting new opportunity to help empower young people aged 8–16 to take action, build confidence and develop new skills through our youth-led programmes in schools.

The Programmes Executive will play a key role in supporting our community of primary and secondary schools throughout the school year. You will help design and deliver Bite Back in Schools, ensuring a positive and engaging experience for young people, their teachers and their schools whilst making sure the programme achieves meaningful impact.

Alongside day-to-day programme delivery, you will contribute to a range of initiatives across the organisation, including supporting an exciting collaboration with the School Food Project and helping to coordinate and support wider organisational events such as our youth residentials.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working with young people, is proactive and adaptable, and is ready to learn and grow at a leading youth-led health charity. You’ll be motivated by helping young people turn their ideas into action and seeing the difference that makes in schools and beyond.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme delivery 

• Schedule and organise visits to schools, agreeing agendas with the schools in advance to include meeting pupils and teachers, leading feedback sessions and focus groups and supporting the development of their social action campaigns. 

• Schedule and deliver assemblies with primary and secondary schools participating in the programme, coordinating with our Bite Back ambassadors.

• Support the School Ambassadors with travel logistics as they deliver assemblies in schools across England and Scotland.

• Deliver training and webinars for schools where necessary. 

• Maintain and regularly update programme management software and associated data to ensure accurate and up to date information for all participating primary schools.

• Ensure successful end-to-end support for the 5+ primary schools participating in the programme throughout the 26/27 school year.

• Celebrate and share examples of best practice and impactful social action projects amongst our community of schools. 

Relationship management 

• Provide ongoing support to both primary and secondary schools throughout their time on the programme, building strong working relationships with participating schools. 

• Support communication with all primary schools, providing a point of contact for the coordinator and lead teacher in each school. 

• Support monitoring and evaluation through creation of surveys, ensuring completion of baseline and end of year surveys, and analysis of data submitted (working with our Impact & Evaluation Manager).

• Provide timely responses to school queries and alert the Programmes Manager of any potential risks.

• Proactively seek feedback from teachers and young people on our programmes.

• Ensure opportunities for schools to engage in at least two one-on-one meetings with our team during the school year. 

• Build productive relationships with programme partners.

Project support 

• Help coordinate our relationship with our partners in The School Food Project, including Chefs in Schools, School Food Matters, Food Foundation & Jamie Oliver’s Group.

• Support the national rollout of the Bite Back in Schools Primary programme, translating insights and evidence from two successful pilot programmes into engaging assemblies and high-quality resources that drive effective programme delivery and impact.

• Provide support to Programme Manager in the delivery of projects, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and scope.

• Provide ad hoc input to evolving organisational requirements as directed by senior team members.

Event support 

• Support the planning, coordination and delivery of Bite Back events throughout the year, including travelling as required to meet the operational needs of the Youth teams.

• Coordinate the logistical arrangements for youth residential events, including travel, accommodation and other practical requirements.

• Contribute to event planning and preparation, including resource ordering, coordination and ensuring all materials are organised and available in advance.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate would have the following:

Essential

• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders at the individual level and in representation of the organisation.

• Strong organisational and project management skills, with excellent time management, ability to manage competing priorities and attention to detail.

• Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages and language to resonate with different audiences.

• A willingness to build relationships across sectors, with young people and adults.

• Experience of creating resources which are engaging for young people.

• Experience of youth facilitation and/or delivering training.

• Experience in presenting and delivering content, ideally to young people such as an educational, heritage or other  setting, for example such as leading assemblies and workshops.

• Demonstrated experience planning and coordinating events, including logistics, stakeholder communication, and on-the-day delivery.

• Confident public speaker or willingness to learn.

• Ability to travel across England and Scotland when required (occasional).

Desirable

• Proven experience coordinating programmes in partnership with external stakeholders, fostering strong collaborative relationships to ensure successful delivery and shared outcomes.

• Experience of working with CRM systems.

• Strong understanding of the education sector and experience of working with schools and teachers.

• Experience in drafting compelling copy and uploading content to digital platforms.

• Understanding of youth social action and extracurricular programmes.

• Interest in campaigning, social justice, food, and child health.

• Experience with design tools like Canva. 

The Development Manager role brings the opportunity to an avid fundraiser and resource mobilization professional to manage the strategic fundraising efforts of IFIP to build, sustain, and grow the organization’s institutional pool of funders by aligning development strategy with the organization’s mission, goals, key programs, and initiatives. This position plays a critical role in enhancing our sustainability efforts through identifying, cultivating, soliciting, grant writing, and securing funding support in accordance with IFIP’s strategic framework. 

Position Title: Development Manager 
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer 
Location: Remote (Europe)

OrganizationSummary 

International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) is the only global philanthropy network dedicated to shifting power, mobilizing resources, and building partnerships to amplify Indigenous leadership and to support the self-determination and rights of Indigenous Peoples.

As a global community, IFIP educates, guides, and influences funders to practice a new paradigm of giving based on Indigenous values “The Five R’s of Indigenous Philanthropy” —Respect, Reciprocity, Responsibility, Relationships and Redistribution.Building on over 25 years of experience, IFIP is at an exciting moment of evolution and on a path to accelerate organizational capacity to implement our strategic plan, mobilize redistribution of resources, and increase advocacy for direct funding to Indigenous Peoples globally. 
 

Position Overview 

The Development Manager role brings the opportunity to an avid fundraiser and resource mobilization professional to manage the strategic fundraising efforts of IFIP to build, sustain, and grow the organization’s institutional pool of funders by aligning development strategy with the organization’s mission, goals, key programs, and initiatives. This position plays a critical role in enhancing our sustainability efforts through identifying, cultivating, soliciting, grant writing, and securing funding support in accordance with IFIP’s strategic framework.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Development Manager works collaboratively with senior management, staff, and consultants to ensure sustainability goals are achieved. The Development Manager cultivates prospects, sustains relationships, creates proposals and reports for funders to illustrate impact and spends most of their time engaging with prospective funders and supporters through both virtual and in-person interactions. 

The ideal candidate is a skilled fundraiser and a relationship builder with a strong understanding of philanthropic giving. They should be proactive and strategic, with a proven track record of securing mid-to-large multi-year funding, nurturing donor relationships, and effectively communicating the organization's mission and impact. Familiarity and commitment to IFIP's mission is essential. Experience working remotely and across multiple time zones is an asset. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Fundraising and Resource mobilization  

• Develop a comprehensive multi-year development strategy, including developing related guidelines and policies and ensure IFIP secures annual revenue goals.

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with funders and other donors, including foundations and other funders. 

• Responsible for the development, writing, and submission of compelling grant proposals. Manages full lifecycle of grants, from proposals to reports, ensuring fundraising goals are met annually. 

• Able to skillfully navigate donor relationships and the philanthropic landscape with nuance, big picture, and keen understanding of the shifting trends and perspectives.

• In coordination with senior leadership, organize, prepare and attend donor meetings and convenings in support of strategic initiatives. 

• Develop strategic fundraising initiatives, including events and campaigns and identify new opportunities for resource mobilization. 

• Develop, manage, and execute comprehensive fundraising plans that align with the organization’s goals, programs, and initiatives. 

• Coordinate with leadership on restricted gifts, proposal budgets with restricted allocations, and financial reporting to donors. 

• Establishes and maintains collaborative working relationships with IFIP’s team and consultants to maximize total revenue in service of the organization’s mission

• Collaborate with the Engagement and Communications team to enhance visibility and donor messaging efforts through our newsletters and communications platforms.

• Utilize a CRM for data collection, relationship management, and tracking donor interactions. 

• Manages information-tracking processes regarding acknowledgement, recognition, ongoing communication and continued cultivation of donors in portfolio.

Organizational Culture and Team Collaboration 

• Partner with the CEO to ensure IFIP’s strategy is reflected across fundraising plans, funder engagement and partnerships. 

• Foster a collaborative, results-driven, and accountability culture that empowers the IFIP team to deliver organizational goals effectively. 

• Contribute to a culture of teamwork by fostering collaboration and support of each other to accomplish tasks at hand, the annual work plan, and overall mission. 

• Bring a learning, attention to detail, initiative taking disposition and participate in organization-wide strategy and learning and contribute to operations efficiency to grow as an organization. 

• Able to adapt and excel in a multi-cultural and fast paced environment where team members take part and contribute to planning activities, including staff meetings, retreats, and strategy sessions. 

• Provide support when needed on organization-wide activities, such as Global Conference and high-level stakeholder events. 

• Adhere to organizational policies and procedures and responsible for own administrative tasks such as submission of receipts, reimbursement requests, scheduling, travel planning, etc. 

• Embody and uphold the 5 R’s (Respect, Relationships, Responsibility, Reciprocity, Redistribution) in working with external stakeholders and internal team members. 

Required Experience and Qualifications: 

• At least 8 years of experience in the development and resource mobilization sector. 

• At least 3 years of experience working in an international remote work environment with a multi-cultural team 

• Experience building partnerships and securing funding from bilateral and multilateral donor agencies is an asset 

• Track record of garnering new donors and substantial levels of funding per year

• Demonstrated experience in developing fundraising strategies and plans and excellent donor relations skills.

• Familiarity with donor database tools to track grants and donor relationships 

• Exceptional organizational ability, high attention to detail, results and solutions-oriented attitude are essential.

• Problem-solver, with high integrity and ability to communicate clear expectations and foster team collaboration. 

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills in written and oral forms and ability to articulate complex ideas effectively to diverse audiences. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. 

• Solid information technology proficiency with CRMs, remote meeting software, Microsoft Office Suite, and cloud systems for project management. 

• Experience travelling internationally to urban and rural areas where English may not be the primary language.

• Fluency in English.Fluency in a second language is an asset. 

Application Information: 

Job details: This is a full-time, remote position based in the greater London area. Employee may spend up to three weeks a year in Sacramento, CA for strategic planning and team building. IFIP's team, board, members, and stakeholders are based worldwide and distributed across multiple time zones. This role is based in London and follows UK working hours; however, occasional flexibility will be required for early morning or late evening meetings with colleagues around the world. Candidates must be based in the greater London area and be authorized to work in the United Kingdom.  

Salary: GBP £40,000 - £55,000, based on experience. IFIP typically makes offers within the beginning to middle of this range, depending on the candidate's qualifications and relevant experience. IFIP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.

International Funders for Indigenous Peoples is an equal opportunity employer committed to embracing a diverse, multicultural work environment and seeks diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious creed, physical abilities and other characteristic protected by federal and state laws.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until September 18th, 2026. 

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.