Partnership development manager jobs in Birmingham, west midlands

Royal Voluntary Service has an opportunity available for a Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships to join our team, working from home. You will join us on full-time, permanent basis, and in return, you will receive a salary ranging from £50,434 per annum.

About the Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships role:

Royal Voluntary Service mobilises volunteers to support people in need and the NHS. Our volunteers work with healthcare teams and in communities providing practical help and emotional support when people are struggling to cope.
 
About the Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy role:

This is a newly created, senior leadership role responsible for building and scaling a high-value income stream across corporate partnerships, high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, and philanthropy at Royal Voluntary Service.
 
The role will lead the development and execution of a strategy to generate £1m+ in sustainable annual income, with a strong focus on new business acquisition, strategic relationship development, and long-term value creation. 

What Makes This Role Attractive

• Opportunity to build a function from scratch with CRO-level sponsorship 
• High visibility across leadership and Board 
• Ability to shape a modern, commercially-driven fundraising model 
• Direct impact on scaling income and social outcomes

Hours: 35 per week, Monday - Friday. 

Location: Homebased with occasional national travel

This is what we're looking for:

Experience

• Proven track record of delivering £1m+ income targets in: 
• Corporate partnerships 
• Philanthropy / major donor fundraising

Skills & Capability

• Highly commercial with a new business mindset 
• Exceptional relationship builder with gravitas at senior level 

Leadership Style

• Proactive, entrepreneurial, and outcomes-focused 
• Comfortable operating in a newly created role with ambiguity 

This is what you'll be doing:
 
Income Generation & Strategy

• Develop and deliver a clear partnerships & philanthropy strategy aligned to RVS growth objectives 
• Own and deliver against a £1m+ annual income target, with defined pipeline metrics 

Corporate Partnerships

• Design and secure strategic, multi-year corporate partnerships (5–6 figure+ value) 
• Target organisations aligned to RVS mission (CSR/ESG agendas, employee engagement, volunteering) 

This is all the other great stuff you'll be getting:

• A salary ranging from £50,434 per annum 
• 26 days’ holiday (pro rata) plus paid statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Up to 2 days paid volunteer leave a year, through our employer supported volunteer scheme
• Ten weeks’ company sick pay following successful completion of probation
• A great pension scheme with 8% employer contributions
• 2 x Base Salary Death in Service Benefit, subject to qualification
• Enhanced Family Leave schemes
• An employee benefits package that gives access to an exclusive rewards website to get discounts and cashback online
• A 24-hour doctor line, financial support with dental/optical and other therapies
• A free and confidential employee assistance programme with up to six face-to-face counselling sessions included
• Opportunities to discuss flexible working
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
• The chance to make a positive, lasting impact that changes lives, communities, and society

If you feel have the skills and experience to become our Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy please click ‘apply’ today, we’d love to hear from you!

The closing date for this role is 1 May 2026. However, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received. Please do not delay your application we often get a lot!
 
Join Royal Voluntary Service and together we can change lives, change communities and change society.

Together for Short Lives is looking for a driven and creative Business Development Manager to develop and secure high‑value corporate partnerships that will help transform the lives of seriously ill children and their families. You’ll lead our business development strategy, build a strong pipeline of opportunities, and develop lasting relationships with prospective and existing supporters.

If you’re collaborative, tenacious and passionate about making a real impact in children’s palliative care, we’d love to hear from you.

Full‑time 1 year FTC | Hybrid (UK‑wide with travel to our Bristol Office) | £42,000

Purpose of role

The Business Development Manager will lead our efforts to secure high-profile, high-value partnerships with corporate organisations  that will generate vital income for children's palliative care. Securing new partnerships and growing our income requires exceptional collaboration skills; a driven, tenacious and resourceful nature; innovation and creativity; and a passionate determination to make a difference to the lives of children and families across the UK.

The main objectives are as follows:

1. Secure new corporate partnerships raising funds to support Together for Short Lives’ direct work, and our National Fundraising Scheme (raising funds on behalf of the UK’s children’s hospices).
2. Develop and deliver a business development strategy, including  prospect research, managing  a robust pipeline of opportunities, and developing a diverse range of business development products. 
3. Manage and develop relationships with a portfolio of individual contacts and organisations, including prospective and existing supporters.

£42,479 - £49,976 (dependent on experience)

Hybrid (Poole) or Home Based

Ref: 20668

About us

At the RNLI, our mission is simple but powerful: to save lives at sea. Every role plays its part in making that happen — including this one. If you’re passionate about creating meaningful partnerships and using digital channels for good, this could be your next step.

About the role

As our Influencer Manager, you’ll lead the way in helping us reach new audiences through trusted, authentic voices. You’ll work with teams across the RNLI to deliver campaigns that inspire support, encourage safe behaviour around the coast and inland waters, and shine a light on the work of our crews and lifeguards.

From spotting the right influencers for a campaign, to shaping creative briefs, managing relationships, and protecting our reputation — you’ll play a key role in making sure our messages are clear, engaging, and aligned with our values.

What you’ll be doing

• Delivering our influencer strategy and finding new opportunities to share the RNLI’s story.
• Building strong, authentic relationships with influencers and content creators who align with our purpose.
• Creating clear briefs with compelling messages and ensuring that content reflects both the RNLI brand and each creator’s individual voice.
• Managing contracts, budgets, usage rights and deliverables to ensure value for money.
• Keeping a close eye on risks and working with colleagues to manage any issues quickly and responsibly.
• Acting as a subject matter expert on compliance, safeguarding and regulatory standards.
• Coaching and supporting teams across the RNLI to help build confidence in influencer activity.
• Setting clear KPIs, analysing campaign results and reporting on the difference your work makes.
• Contributing to the out‑of‑hours social media rota and supporting wider digital activity when needed.

About you

You’ll thrive in this role if you’re someone who:

• Understands how to create meaningful partnerships with influencers.
• Is confident negotiating and managing relationships with agencies and talent.
• Can balance creativity with responsibility, safeguarding and brand protection.
• Uses insight and data to inform decisions and demonstrate impact.
• Works well with others and can bring people along with new ideas.
• Believes in the power of digital communication to keep people safe around the water.

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a charity with a clear purpose and a proud heritage. You’ll work alongside dedicated colleagues and volunteers, all committed to making a lifesaving difference.

In return, we offer:

• A supportive and inclusive working culture.
• Opportunities for learning and development.
• The chance to use your digital expertise to genuinely save lives.

For more information and to apply, please visit our jobs page.

Closing date: 5 April 2026.

Interview date: w/c 20 April 2026.

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.

We are looking for an inspiring Support Services Manager to lead our supported housing schemes, ensuring high‑quality, person‑centred support for women and children across our services.

If you are passionate about transforming lives, improving service quality and leading dedicated teams — we’d love to hear from you.

About the Role

As Support Services Manager, you will:

Lead and develop high‑quality support services

• Provide operational leadership across supported housing schemes
• Ensure trauma‑informed, person‑centred support plans and risk assessments
• Monitor KPIs, contractual compliance and service performance
• Drive service improvement and co‑production with clients

Manage, motivate and develop staff

• Line manage Support Workers and Volunteers
• Ensure supervision, training and performance management
• Support recruitment and staff development across the region
• Build a strong, motivated and skilled team

Champion safeguarding & risk management

• Act as a safeguarding champion across supported housing
• Ensure robust risk assessments, incident reporting and GDPR‑compliant records
• Support staff to maintain the highest safeguarding standards

Ensure housing & compliance excellence

• Work closely with Estates teams to maintain safe, compliant accommodation
• Support quality improvements across physical properties and service delivery

Build impactful partnerships

• Liaise with local authorities, commissioners, health partners and referral agencies
• Represent Life at case conferences, multi‑agency meetings and contract reviews
• Identify and respond to new referral opportunities

Drive quality, governance & reporting

• Produce performance reports and maintain audit readiness
• Support strategic growth and contribute to the department’s business plan
• Promote Life Charity within local communities and public forums

Manage budgets & resources

• Monitor expenditure and support resource planning
• Support with funding bids and service redesign
• Work with finance teams to ensure clients receive appropriate financial support

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

Essential experience & skills

• Experience managing or delivering support and/or care services
• Understanding of supported housing and estates management
• Strong knowledge of support planning, risk assessment and safeguarding
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage at all levels
• Strong organisational, leadership and problem‑solving abilities
• Ability to work independently, handle pressure and prioritise workloads
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Full UK driving licence

Desirable

• Relevant housing qualification (e.g., CIH Level 4)
• Experience working in a charity environment
• Experience in troubleshooting or service improvement roles
• Good strategic awareness

About Life: 

Life is a national pregnancy support charity that helps over 60,000 people a year. Through our services, we help people – whoever they are – to meet pregnancy or pregnancy loss with courage and dignity so they can flourish. 

Our services include:  

• Supported housing and community support   
• Counselling and skilled listening   
• Free pregnancy tests and baby supplies  

Our values :

All our work is underpinned by the following universal human values: 

• Humanity – All people are special and equal 
• Solidarity – We’re with you and for you 
• Community – We’re better together 
• Charity – Doing good for one another 
• Common good – Building a better world 

Information about the role: 

For further information, please see the attached job description. 

Salary: £34,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week over 5 days

Location: Home Based with Extensive Travel across the Midlands and South East England

Benefits:  

At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:  

• Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours) 
• Birthday Leave  (applicable after 1 years service)
• Additional annual leave for long term service  
• Company Pension Scheme  
• Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge 

Safeguarding and Equality: 

Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.   

We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.  

The role

We’re looking for a dynamic and commercially minded Corporate Partnerships Manager to play a role in growing Cruse’s corporate partnerships portfolio. Working within the Income Generation and Communications Department — and embedded in our Partnerships Team — you will lead the development, management and growth of impactful, long-term corporate relationships that help Cruse support more bereaved people every year.

In this role, you will spearhead the recruitment of new corporate partners while maximising the value and reach of existing partnerships. You’ll create compelling partnership propositions, negotiate mutually beneficial agreements, and provide exceptional stewardship that ensures every partner feels valued, inspired and fully connected to our mission.

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and covering letter, which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages. 

Please note that your application may not be considered if you do not submit a CV and supporting statement.

The closing date for applications is 6th April 2026 with interviews taking place on a rolling basis.

We reserve the right to close the advert early, as interviews will be held as suitable candidates apply.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 10th April 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online: 

· Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice

· Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders' Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email.

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.   

About Spear

We launched the award-winning Spear Programme over 20 years ago, and there are now 18 Spear Centres across the country, equipping unemployed 16–24-year-olds facing barriers to employment with the skills and mindset they need to secure work and thrive in the workplace.

Spear operates a joint venture model with churches across the UK to run our Spear Centres. Some Centres operate in collaboration with independent charitable trusts, while others are run directly with the local church (both referred to below as ‘Spear Church Partners’ or ‘Church Partners’).

About the role

We’re looking for a new Church Partnerships Manager to join us for this northern based role, with travel across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in driving national growth by developing and nurturing partnerships with churches across the North of England. You will be at the forefront of developing new relationships with potential early-stage partners, inspiring churches to engage with our mission, and supporting them through the pipeline, and helping to establish a diverse and thriving network of church partnerships.

We are looking for a confident relationship-builder who can engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders, particularly church leaders, and who is comfortable working in a dynamic and evolving environment.

Key information:

• Salary: £37,000
• Location: Remote with once a month travel to London for team meetings and regular travel in the North of England
• Full-time, 12-14month Fixed Term Contract, with the possibility of extension
• Closing date: Friday 10th April, 09.00am (we interview on a rolling basis and will close the role early if we find the right candidate)

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with Us Pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• A practising Christian, passionate about personally representing the values and beliefs of Spear, and our mission to equip and support young people facing barriers to employment
• Strong leadership ability with the confidence to make effective decisions
• Outstanding people skills and emotional intelligence, capable of quickly winning trust and confidence, as well as network, influence and negotiate with church leaders and a range of audiences, internally and externally
• An understanding of the needs and workings of churches and their leaders, and the ability to innovate, build our growth strategy and generate new partnerships
• An excellent communicator (both written and verbal)
• Excellent initiative and a self-starter, with the ability to operate flexibly in a changing and dynamic environment and in response to the support needs of each partner
• Strong organisational skills including the ability to establish appropriate processes and structures and to manage multiple priorities to meet targets and deadlines
• Strong quantitative skills including ability to work with and interpret impact data, fundraising pipelines and basic financial information
• Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint competent and experience of/ability to use databases

CQC Registered Manager (Independent Living/Domiciliary Care) 
Location: Remote – National  
Contract: Full Time | Permanent
Salary:  £33,000 - £35,000 per annum
Requirement: Full UK Driving Licence essential

A leadership role with heart.

Are you looking for a management role where you can see the impact you make every day in a worthwhile (and often overlooked) area? Where you can benefit from the specialist experience of a committed, established team around you AND be a part of the growth of a national charity? Where no two days are the same, but where each day makes a difference to people living with deafblindness and complex needs?

What you’ll be doing

As Registered Manager, you will be responsible for the day to day operational management of Deafblind UKs Independent Living/Domiciliary care Services, and community communicator guide support.

That means:

• Lead the day-to-day management of domiciliary care, independent living, and communicator guide services
• Deliver high-quality, person-centred support that promotes independence and positive outcomes
• Manage and develop Care Coordinators, Team Leaders, and support staff to drive performance
• Ensure full compliance with Care Quality Commission standards, including inspections, audits, and reporting
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local authorities, health professionals, and stakeholders
• Oversee care planning, reviews, and service delivery in line with individual needs and outcomes
• Manage service budgets, rotas, and resource allocation effectively
• Lead recruitment, induction, supervision, and ongoing development of staff teams
• Promote a positive, open culture with a focus on quality, safeguarding, and continuous improvement
• Monitor performance, manage risk, and implement improvement plans where required
• Ensure safe practices across all services, including medication, safeguarding, and health & safety
• Act as an ambassador for Deafblind UK, supporting service growth and development
• Participate in on-call duties and work flexibly to meet service needsI

In short — you’ll keep the service strong, the team motivated, and the standards high.

About you

You will need to have solid previous experience as a Registered Manager with CQC, along with:

• Experienced in supported living or regulated care
• Comfortable leading teams and juggling rotas
• Familiar with CQC regulations and compliance
• A natural communicator who can build strong relationships
• Level 5 Leadership & Management (or equivalent) or working towards

Never worked with deafblind individuals before? No problem at all. We’ll give you all the training you need.

What matters most is your leadership, compassion and drive to make services better.

What you’ll get in return

• 25 days annual leave plus Bank holidays (increases by a day at both 3 years of service and 5 years of service)
• Westfield Health – which includes the below:
• Cash reimbursement for a range of health-related costs that we all incur regularly, such as dental and optical costs, hospital in patient or day care, and more.
• Cover is for yourself, and certain cash benefits cover up to 4 dependent children
• A Doctor line giving access to a GP 24/7
• A discount scheme
• Gym membership discounts
• 24-hour employee helpline
• Workplace Pension - eligible employees are enrolled onto the workplace pension scheme

Why Deafblind UK?

We’re a national charity with a big mission: helping people with deafblindness live full, independent and connected lives.

From specialist support services to national advocacy, we work every day to create a world where sensory disabilities don’t limit opportunity.

And we do it with passionate people who care about what they do.

Manager, Sexual Health

Birmingham LGBT is an award-winning charity delivering services to the LGBTQ+ community in Birmingham and the West Midlands. We have recently moved into a new purpose-built centre in the Gay Village district. As we move into this new phase of our development, we are recruiting a visionary, strategic leader for our sexual health team, to drive organisational growth, manage day-to-day operations, inspire the team members and ensure the effective implementation of strategic and operational objectives.

Salary: approx. £34,000 per year, plus up to 5% matched pension contributions.

Working hours: 37 hours per week, with some evening and Saturday work.

Annual Leave: 25 days per year plus bank holidays.

We recognise the importance and advantages of diverse workplaces and communities, and we acknowledge under-representation in our workforce of Black, Asian and global majority people, people with a Romany or Irish Traveller background, and people with lived experience of migration. We particularly welcome applicants from those backgrounds, identities and lived experiences.

To apply, please go to our website and download an application pack, then send your completed application form and equal opportunities monitoring form by email to the email address on the application form.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 19 April 2026. Interviews for short-listed candidates will be held shortly after the closing date.

We are seeking an experienced and committed Youth Work Programme Manager to join The Kite Trust. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop impactful programmes that support and empower LGBTQ+ young people. The successful candidate will provide strategic oversight of our youth work provision, manage and support a dedicated team, and work collaboratively with partners to ensure our services remain inclusive, responsive, and effective. If you are a thoughtful and motivated leader with a strong commitment to high-quality youth work and creating safe, supportive spaces for young people, we would welcome your application.

This is a remote position but will require travel across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and the surrounding areas.

Contract Type: This is a full-time permanent position, working 32 hours within a 4-day working week. We are happy to discuss and explore flexible options and job share opportunities.

Salary: £34,936 – £40,311 depending on experience.

To find out more about the role, please review the application pack detailing the job description and person specification and apply via the link on our website.

We’re looking for an ambitious Partnerships Executive to help drive income by supporting and building profitable, long-term partnerships with individuals and organisations. Working within the Philanthropy and Partnerships team, the role of the Partnerships Executive is to deliver excellent relationship management to maximise income revenues.

To thrive in this position, you’ll need to:

• Manage a portfolio of corporate supporters <£10k ensuring they meet their maximum giving and engagement potential.
• Provide excellent relationship management and customer service support across all key audiences in partnership with the account managers.
• Deliver event support for flagship fundraisers such as our annual Dragon Boat Race, Corporate Sports Day, in-hospital volunteering opportunities and innovative Christmas campaign.
• Create fundraising and marketing materials, in partnership with the marketing and communications team, to drive new supporters and support existing partners. Including leading on a regular external Philanthropy and Partnerships newsletter.
• Provide operational support to the philanthropy and partnerships team, including desk based research and database management and reporting.
• Respond to fundraising queries (email and telephone) promptly and efficiently.
• Manage the philanthropy and partnerships teams’ presence on social media, including creating content which helps to promote impact, the charity and supporters.
• Support the team to deliver remarkable stewardship of all donors, including the management of our banking and thanking process and helping to create bespoke impact reports and materials.
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date records of activities and communications are captured on our CRM database (Salesforce) along with regular reporting.
• Provide general administrative support to the philanthropy and partnerships team as and when required.
• Build and maintain records of recognition milestones for supporters providing monthly reports to wider team for stewardship activity.

What we offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working to support work-life balance 

• Generous annual leave entitlement with additional leave for long service  

• Enhanced sick pay 

• Enhanced Maternity Pay 

• Employee Assistance Program and Lifestyle Savings

• Free flu jabs 

• Cycle to work scheme 

• Charity events throughout the year 

• Employer enhanced auto-enrolment pension scheme with 8% employer contribution 

• Ongoing commitment to education and professional development 

The Charity is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.  

Successful candidates will have access to vulnerable beneficiaries therefore the role is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.  

If you think you have the qualities we are looking for and the desire to contribute, please download the Job Vacancy Pack and then send us a CV and covering letter explaining how you meet the criteria for the role and making clear why you would like to be considered for it. 

We will be interviewing for this role on Thursday 16th April at our Charity Office based in Birmingham City Centre.

Brake is the national, acclaimed charity tackling the daily, horrific carnage of deaths, injuries, and air pollution on roads. Traffic is the biggest killer of young people worldwide, poisoning our lungs and contributing hugely to the climate emergency. Brake’s vision is that people get around in safe and healthy ways. Our values require us to be evidence-based, aim high, and work collaboratively. We have a 30+ year reputation for shouting out for positive change, advising government, encouraging action in communities, and delivering the UK’s National Road Victim Service for bereaved and injured families. We work with schools and families, communities and companies to champion the cause of road safety and raise awareness of key road safety issues.

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious fundraising manager and team leader, with a strong track record across all aspects of community fundraising. You excel in designing and delivering donor journeys that generate six‑figure income and strengthen our campaign voice through collaborative work with a wide range of stakeholders.

Reporting to the Chief operating officer, this role will take responsibility for leading the charity’s Fundraising function, which sits as part of our Income generation team. This role will include delivering toward your own individual targets as well as line management of two team members (Community relationship fundraiser and Events and fundraising officer) to cover all income linked to fundraising (such as community fundraising, company fundraising, Brake led fundraising events, and fundraising attached to Brake campaigns and projects such as Road Safety Week) and may include working with the Corporate partnerships team lead to support other income generating activity.

What we offer

· A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day shutdown period between  Christmas and New Year, pro-rata for part-time working patterns)

· Birthday day off (taken any time)

· Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave

· Death in service benefit

· Pension

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Flexible working

· A rewarding role with purpose

· Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees

At Brake, we are committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace where all colleagues feel valued, respected, and supported. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and life experiences, and particularly encourage candidates from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities to apply.

We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our work and enable us to deliver the best possible support to individuals and families affected by road trauma. As a proud Disability Confident employer, we don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it.

If you are passionate about making a difference and share our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we want to hear from you.

Please note: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders with offences that are unspent. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at interview.

Take a look at our comprehensive job description for more details of this exciting role.

Join us today and be part of the solution!

Role Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to shape Shine’s strategic direction while managing the operational delivery of our services for children, young people, and families aged 0–25. Building on the success of our Little Stars/Ser Bach programme for members aged 0–12 and the development and extension of the FIRE (Friendship, Independence, Resilience, Empowerment) programme for those aged 13–25, you will play a key role in shaping the future of our support for children, young people and their families.

Working across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you will lead the delivery of an established, evidence-based programme that improves health, social, and emotional outcomes for those living with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and associated conditions.

You’ll lead a passionate team and work closely with Shine’s Adult Services Team (25+), Health Team, Wales and Northern Ireland Managers and wider colleagues across the organisation to ensure work is coordinated, complementary, and beneficial to members. At the same time, you’ll forge strong partnerships with NHS professionals, statutory services, and voluntary organisations—driving collaboration that will support our vision of providing consistent, high-quality support for children, young people and families nationwide.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Team Management
• Programme Development & Delivery
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
• Member Support & Engagement

Please see the full Job Description & Person Specification below and on our website. 

Benefits to working at Shine:

• Competitive salary: Review due April 2027
• Regular working hours, and no shift work (some very occasional weekends or evenings)  
• 3% pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year
• Additional annual leave awarded for ‘long service’
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
• Broadband allowance for home-based roles
• Life insurance after 12 months’ employment  
• Access to our Employee Support Programme and Mental Health First Aiders 
• Support to learn and develop 

How to apply 

Shine is a Disability Confident employer and will offer guaranteed interviews if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the job. 

If you would like to discuss the role with our Deputy CEO, Gill Valentine, please contact Shine to arrange a convenient time for a call. 

To apply please submit your CV and supporting statement, which should outline your interest and explain how you meet the role criteria. 

We understand that you may wish to use AI tools to help you with some aspects of your application but we do expect tailored applications which are personalised to your experiences and not generic applications which are completely AI generated. We encourage candidates to be transparent about AI usage in their applications. 

*Please note applications without a supporting statement will not be accepted* 

Closing date: Thursday 16th April 2026 at 11pm 

Interviews:  Monday 27th April 2026  

Please note: we reserve the right to interview suitable candidates before the closing date, therefore we encourage applications as soon as possible. 

Role outline and purpose

The Partnerships Manager is responsible for managing and growing sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships.  Developing high-value strategic partnerships to deliver income and additional support, in line with our overarching objectives and ambitious income targets.

This role is part of the Together with Trussell programme, the goal of which is to build stronger connections with our supporters, partners and donors in order to increase funding, campaigning, and other forms of support for our work.  As a member of an enabling programme, this role is focused on the successful delivery of the Together with Trussell programme outcomes, which underpin and enable the outcomes of our 5 external programmes – together contributing to the fulfilment of our long term vision of a UK without the need for food banks.

Role responsibilities

· Provide day to day relationship management for a portfolio of partnerships ensuring that all activities comply with applicable law and the Code of Fundraising Practice.  Aligning closely to ensure Trussell’s obligations to partners are met.

· Assess and create growth opportunities for partnerships, maximising income and delivering on our overall charitable strategy and objectives.

· Work with colleagues across directorates to ensure that partnerships deliver tangible impact and that partners have the resources to enable them to communicate benefits to employees, customers and other stakeholders.

· Participate in regular 1:1s and annual reviews, contributing to the identification of objectives and targets, and monitoring of progress towards them.

· Actively contribute to a culture of innovation, resourcefulness and best practice to make the best use of time and skills in the team.

· Lead on team projects that support our team goals, helping to contribute to the development of team resources in support of our aim of delivering bigger, better partnerships.

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

· Experience and knowledge of Corporate and Trust Fundraising or applicable background

· Use of Salesforce or similar cloud-based software tool

· Funding awareness and knowledge of various corporate sectors, trusts and foundations

· Knowledge of what a successful partnerships campaigns entail

· The ability to create and deliver compelling proposals

· The ability to communicate effectively and to motivate commercial partners, trusts and foundations

· Excellent relationship management skills, working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and different teams

Behaviours and competencies:

· Demonstrates a commitment to the values of Trussell

· Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds

· Role models inclusive behaviours and values

· Demonstrates resilience, resourcefulness, flexibility and perseverance

· Analyses and communicates complex information effectively to different stakeholders

· Works with others as one team, actively listening and collaborating to achieve a shared vision.  Building strong internal relationships, sharing information and expertise

Key Stakeholders

· Partnership Development team

· Together with Trussell programme team

· Foodbank Resilience programme team

· Finance team

· Impact Measurement team

· Making Social Security Work programme team

· Corporate Partners, Trusts and Foundations

About this role:

We are seeking a motivated and experienced professional to lead our fundraising and partnership development activities, supporting the diversification and growth of income across both established and emerging streams. While the role will place significant emphasis on corporate fundraising, it will also involve the strategic development of grants and trusts. You will develop strong relationships with funders, identify new opportunities, and support our members to build their own grassroots fundraising capabilities.

Working closely with both colleagues and members, you'll help shape our funding strategy, develop high quality proposals, and ensure we have the systems and insight needed for sustainable growth. Your contributions will enable us to expand our work to engage and empower communities across Britain. 

In addition, you will help shape the guidance we provide to members of the community rail movement, strengthening their grassroots fundraising capabilities and approaches.

Main responsibilities

• Manage and grow corporate relationships for the benefit of Community Rail Network and its members, nurturing effective, lasting relationships that help community rail to deliver on its aims around community development, sustainable travel, and inclusion.
• Conduct prospect research to identify new corporate supporters and relevant grant opportunities, taking a proactive approach to cultivating new leads, building networks and flagging upcoming opportunities well in advance to ensure sufficient preparation time.
• Engage, listen and pitch to funders, understanding shared priorities, articulating the value of partnering with us, and securing continued or increased support. 
• Work cross-team to create strong proposals, using member and partner insights to identify funding needs and opportunities, and develop compelling cases for support and budgets.
• Develop joint grant applications by collaborating with colleagues, members and external partners to create bids aligned with our strategic aims and which recognise our current strengths, resources and prioritie
• Support strategic funding development, working closely with the senior leadership team to shape our approach and deliver against funding objectives and ensure it is understood by colleagues.
• Champion a positive fundraising culture and ethos, providing expertise and contributing member support, training, and events across the community rail movement.
• Contribute to wider organisational activity, including using major events and campaigns, such as the Community Rail Awards, to advance fundraising efforts.
• Develop and maintain effective fundraising systems, including funder reporting, review processes, and tracking KPIs to monitor progress and impact.

Skills, competencies and experience

1. Proven skills and experience in third sector fundraising, including corporate fundraising, grant management and funder reporting, with a broad understanding of the full fundraising mix and ability to spot new opportunities.
2. A demonstrable proactive approach to relationship building, with experience engaging and stewarding funders to create long-term mutually beneficial partnerships.
3. Strong proposal/grant application and report writing skills, able to tailor communication for different audiences and stakeholders to maximise clarity, relevance and impact.
4. Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to gather insight and inspire engagement both internally and externally.
5. Strong organisational and time management skills, able to balance multiple and competing  priorities and meet deadlines effectively. 
6. Experience of, or demonstrable understanding of, membership organisations, including the ability to balance member needs with our organisational objectives.
7. Appreciation of and commitment to community development, empowerment and sustainability, and the value of community engagement in relation to transport.
8. Solid understanding of KPIs, targets, budgeting, and risk management, with the ability to plan, track and evaluate performance effectively.
9. A proactive, positive and self-motivated mindset, able to work independently, collaborate well, and inspire confidence in others.
10. IT literate, with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, TEAMs, the internet and social media.

Other information

This post is home-based, but with travel (including occasional overnight stays) for team meetings, events, member engagement, and external meetings. This is a permanent position and includes a probationary period of three months from the date of appointment. Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising up to 30 days, plus Bank Holidays, in line with long service); pension with employer contribution of 3%; flexi-time working (core hours 10am-3pm); access to Employee Assistance Programme. 

We are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer.

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.