Proposal and bid manager jobs in Edinburgh

A rare and exciting opportunity to support the fundraising and strategic development of a wide range of Charities in the UK, as part of a friendly and supportive consulting team.

Charity Fundraising Ltd provides a comprehensive range of fundraising, strategic consultancy and evaluation services to Charities and other not-for-profit organisations. Established in 2000, our services range from grant and contract bid writing and review, to developing fundraising strategies, developing M&E frameworks and undertaking project and programme evaluations. We also offer a range of strategic support, mentoring and training. We work with lots of amazing charities, both local and national, small and large, across the UK, covering themes such as: Homelessness; addiction; youth; community; disability; mental health; minoritised groups; medical conditions; heritage; environment and more.

We are seeking an exceptional fundraiser who can offer a strong track record of driving organisational growth in the voluntary sector. Multi-year experience in two or more of the following core service areas is essential:

• Achieving major grant funding from trusts, foundations, lottery distributors, public sector agencies or similar.
• Planning and developing successful contract tender submissions.
• Planning and developing successful fundraising strategies and action plans.
• Major Donor, Legacy or Corporate fundraising strategy and delivery

The role is varied and interesting - managing a portfolio of clients and supporting them directly or strategically with their fundraising, impact evaluation and organisational development. Our consultants are all employees and we work closely together as a supportive team, sharing and developing skills and knowledge. We anticipate the appointee may not hold experience across all core areas of our services. We will enable the appointee to focus on projects that play to their strengths and experience and provide further support and training as necessary.

Based from home (must be UK resident), with ad hoc client and team meetings/socials (all travel paid), mostly within England. All IT equipment provided. Full-time or part-time (minimum 0.8 FTE - 28 hrs).

Benefits include: 24 days paid annual leave (pro rata), 5% employers pension contribution, potential cash / annual leave bonus, CPD budget and paid CPD time + lots of opportunity to learn from our experienced consultant team.

Please note that applications will only be considered where the screening questions are fully completed.

Here's what some of our team say about working for Charity Fundraising Ltd:

"I don’t think I have ever worked with such a nice bunch of people, everyone has been very welcoming, supportive and just all round lovely" 

"I really enjoy working for CF because I get to work independently with a diverse range of interesting clients, and am also part of a great, supportive team - best of all worlds!"

“Supportive and fun team; and great to learn new ideas from others fundraising skills, knowledge and expertise”

"I love being part of such a passionate, professional team and who prides itself on building close working relationships with each other and with our clients."

Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy

Salary- £40,940 per annum

Location- Remote working in the UK, with regular travel to London and other parts of the UK.

Reporting to- Director of Fundraising

Contract- Full-time, permanent

Closing Date- 11th January 2026 at Midnight

Who we are?

Futures For All is the largest social mobility charity in the UK. We help to level the playing field between state and independent schools by giving all young people access to the same prestigious networks available to the top fee-paying schools. 

We believe that by inspiring young people to explore their ambitions through our speaker programme, facilitating access to multi-day experiences of the world of work, and supporting young people to successfully seize opportunities available to them, then we can make a profound difference to the lives of young people, their future happiness and prosperity. 

By 2028, our ambition is that every young person in the UK has access to high quality work experience. Yet today, less than half of young people leave secondary school having had any work experience whatsoever.

Role Summary:

Whilst Futures For All has been fundraising for all of our 15 year history, we are now at a point in which increasing voluntary income and diversifying our charitable income streams is vital to the charity’s long-term success.  The new role of Director of Fundraising took up management of the team in 2024, and is now in the process of building a bigger and brighter team to support increasing income over the next few years.

The Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy will play a pivotal role in raising funds from grantmaking trusts and HNWIs (philanthropists) towards the work of Futures For All.  They will go beyond simply writing applications and reports, to build relationships with prospects and donors, ensuring that each are guided through the solicitation cycle towards maximising their grant to the charity.  They will work closely with colleagues, volunteers and leadership to ensure each prospect/donor is engaged appropriately and accurate information is provided in a timely manner.  They will also support the overall function of the Fundraising team, supporting other forms of fundraising. They will build relationships with prospects and donors, ensuring that each are guided through the solicitation cycle towards making major donations. 

Futures for All (formerly Speakers for Schools) seeks an individual with experience working with high-value supporters and strong relationship-building skills to become our new Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy.  With an exceptional network of senior stakeholders and volunteers, the potential for growth in fundraising is great.

As the UK’s leading social mobility charity, we’re on a mission to help state-educated students nationwide to reach their potential by providing work experience placements and inspirational talks. 

If you’re an enthusiastic, self-motivated, team-player with experience of major donor fundraising, then this is the role for you.  You’d join the team at a time of progression, with a new, focussed plan for the organisation targeting growth in our work experience and inspirational school talks. For this to be successful, we need to grow and diversify our income, particularly from grants and gifts, and are growing the fundraising team from 3.5 to 5+ members to support this increase.

Your role as Senior Fundraising Manager will be to help identify, cultivate, ask and steward philanthropists and grantmaking trusts, working with the Director of Fundraising, Fundraising team, wider colleagues and volunteers to ensure they are solicited to the highest possible standards. The team will support you and there’ll be training on offer to help you succeed.

If you are an expert communicator and relationship-builder, you could join an ambitious, collaborative team, passionate about raising funds to increase the richness of state education and level the playing field for children across the UK.

Key Duties / Responsibilities

Strategic Purpose

• Fundraising from grantmaking trusts and foundations – build and maintain a pipeline of trust prospects and donors with potential to give £10k+ per annum.
• Fundraising from major donor individuals – building relationships with prospects and donors leading to gifts of £5k or more.
• Collaboration – working with colleagues, Ambassadors and Trustees to engage potential supporters, attend events and solicit donations.
• Proposals and reports – develop and deliver accurate and inspiring fundraising applications and reports meeting and surpassing donor and prospect expectations.

Engagement

• Stewardship – work closely with the Donor Relations Manager to ensure all trust donors are stewarded effectively.
• Collaborate with staff, volunteers and leadership – ensuring you have an expert knowledge of the work of Speakers for Schools and can communicate it passionately and accurately to prospects and donors.

Delivery

• Events – utilise and support fundraising events to create a culture of giving and fundraising within Futures For All. Working alongside the Events Co-ordinator to identify attendees and shape engagement events.
• Data and reporting – ensure information on donors is correctly recorded in Salesforce, and supporting KPI and other reports created by the Director of Fundraising.
• Other duties – supporting the work of the Fundraising team and wider organisation as required.

Education / Experience / Knowledge

Essential

Experience of making the direct asks for funds from prospective donors.

Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to cultivate and steward philanthropic relationships effectively.

Experience of compelling proposal and report writing for a grantmaking and philanthropy audience.

Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Enthusiastic and a self-motivated team player.

Desirable

Proven ability to raise income from grantmaking trusts, manage a portfolio of established and new trust donors, achieve targets as part of a fundraising business plan.

Experience working in a social mobility or education-focused charity.

Proven ability to engage philanthropists and senior volunteers and speakers who support these approaches.

Futures for All Values:

Passion: 

We are committed to levelling the playing field for young people across the UK, creating social mobility and tackling disadvantages.

Agility: 

We challenge our ideas of what is possible in order to better meet the needs of those we support. We are human, make mistakes, learn, evolve and adapt.

Integrity: 

We act with empathy and bring our authentic selves to work every day. We value and respect the talent, time and intentions of those we work with.

Collaboration: 

We are one team with one mission and only by working together can we deliver better outcomes for young people. We support each other unconditionally and feel motivation in shared success as well as individual progress.

Diversity: 

We know it takes people with different ideas, strengths, identities, interests, and cultural backgrounds to make our organisation succeed. We encourage constructive debate and critical friendship.

Diversity at our core

Futures for All is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating discrimination.

About You:

• Have the ability to raise income from HNWIs , manage a philanthropy portfolio of established and new donors, building strong relationships and confidently making the ask.
• Experience in creating inspiring and informative bids to grantmakers, utilising your written communication skills.
• Comfort in working with, and engaging HNWIs and business leaders who will donate and help the organisation to succeed.
• Be able to develop strong relationships with the charities senior stakeholders and staff, identifying opportunities for growth and innovative engagement.

Bid Writer

Service: Business Development Team

Salary: £32,635 - £36,158 + £480 homeworking allowance FTE per annum (£26,108 - £28,926.40 per annum for part time, 29.6 hours per week + £384 homeworking allowance)

Location: Homebased

Hours: 29.6 hours per week (part-time, 4 days) to be agreed upon successful appointment

Contract: Permanent

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

Main Responsibilities:

The Business Development Team provides a specialist support function to enable the organisation to achieve its growth objectives. We promote the strategic growth of the organisation by supporting the retention of existing work and securing new contracts via competitive tender, trusts, grants and statutory fundraising.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Bid Writer or someone with equivalent writing experience/knowledge to join us and write applications that fully articulate Family Action’s offer.  The post works closely with other organisational functions and the rest of the Business Development team to convey service models and content to funders.

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):

• Produce quality written material in easy-to-understand ways; convey ideas graphically and tailor documents to specific audiences
• Ability to establish effective working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
• Experience relevant for your effectiveness in the role might be from various sectors and disciplines.  If you are passionate about supporting us to submit high-quality tenders and applications, achieving success rates whilst engaging with our services to contribute and evidence the impact of their work for inclusion in submissions then we would like to hear from you

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement of 30 working days plus bank holidays pro-rata

- up to 6% matched-pension contributions

- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions

- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers

- cycle to work scheme

- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

·       Apply via our website by following the link and clicking the ‘Apply’ link to fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: Monday 5th January at 9am

Interviews are scheduled to take place w/c 12th January virtually

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates. We are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action because we know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and we strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Can you help us keep changing lives and breaking the cycle of reoffending for good? With demand for our work continuing to grow, we are excited to be welcoming a Fundraising Manager to join our team.

In this role you’ll work closely with our CEO and operations team to deliver our annual fundraising targets, focusing on trusts and foundations, major donor and corporate giving and the occasional fundraising event/external opportunity.

We are a small staff team with a large cohort of volunteers and we are all passionate and committed to our mission to stop reoffending and ensuring the best outcomes for the men we support.  We don’t have an office and staff are either home based or work in one of the prisons, depending on their role.  We stay connected through regular team meetings (online and in person), 1-1 line management support and ongoing training. This post would be home based but you will need to be able to travel to attend occasional meetings in London, West Midlands and Oxfordshire.

This is new role for Trailblazers, and we are looking for someone whose values align with the charities and believes in the impact of our work. You will be proactive, a good communicator, with a talent for building relationships and full of ideas.  You will be experienced in all aspects of trusts and foundations fundraising which is the main source of income for the charity.  Experience of diversifying income streams, major donor/corporate giving and creative ways of engaging new and existing donors would also be required.  You’ll have the freedom to shape and implement your own systems and processes and lead on developing a fundraising strategy, with full support from the CEO and wider team.

Harris Hill is proud to be partnering with the Community Land Trust Network to recruit a New Business, Partnerships and Innovation Manager — an exciting opportunity to join a highly respected national charity championing land justice, community ownership and social equity.

About the Role

Accountable to: Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £45,200–£55,200 (depending on skills and experience)

Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract, with potential to become permanent

Working Hours:

· 3 days / 21 hours per week (with reduced duties), or

· 4 days / 28 hours per week
Working pattern negotiable

Location: Remote/home-based

This newly created role will play a pivotal part in expanding the charity’s income and influence. You will:

• Lead on new business development, nurturing existing supporters and securing new partnerships with developers, housing associations, local authorities, funders and other stakeholders.
• Shape and grow their consultancy and service offer, helping reduce reliance on grant funding.
• Support the roll-out of their Growth Lab, working with practitioners and community groups to develop innovative models, products and services for Community Land Trusts.
• Capture insights, impact and learning to strengthen the case for scaling these innovations.
• Work closely with the CEO on funding proposals, partnership development and strategic initiatives.

This role offers variety, influence and the chance to help shape a major area of the charity’s future work. The team operates fully remotely, with a warm, collaborative culture and a strong focus on wellbeing.

About You

They are looking for someone who:

• Has experience in partnerships, business development, philanthropy or account management — and enjoys turning opportunities into long-term relationships.
• Communicates with clarity, confidence and professionalism across sectors including business, charity, local government and community groups.
• Is entrepreneurial, proactive and excited by innovation and co-creation.
• Shares a commitment to social justice, equity and community-led change.

Key Dates

• Closing date: Monday 5th January 2026
• Interviews: Week commencing 12th January 2026

How to Apply

Please email Hannah Laking at Harris Hill to request the full job pack, or you can download it directly from this advert. If you’d like to learn more about the role, you’re welcome to book a call with Hannah. Alternatively, you can simply send your CV and supporting statement which must follow the structure outlined in the job pack before the closing date, and Hannah will get in touch.

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

For the full recruitment pack and application form, please visit our website. We can only accept applications via our website portal. 

ABOUT CAUDWELL YOUTH

Not all young people have the same opportunities in life.

Caudwell Youth exists to level the playing field for young people at risk.

We support at-risk young people who are care experienced, have mental health challenges, or are at risk of exploitation or offending.

WHAT WE DO

Caudwell Youth shapes young people’s futures by providing person-centred support to at risk 11 to 24-year-olds through volunteer-led mentoring for up to 18-months, alongside a targeted intervention programme.

Our mentoring service is designed to ensure every young person feels safe, heard and supported. Each young person gains a trusted adult (a trained volunteer) who meets with them once a week to support them as they take steps towards a more positive future.  

This year, we have supported more than 400 young people.

Our vision is to help every young person at-risk in the UK. We give young people the time, trust and support they need to shape a positive future, no matter their starting point.

ABOUT THE ROLE

To support the Deputy CEO in ensuring the effective delivery and growth of Caudwell Youth’s services.

To oversee the management of operational programmes, ensuring high-quality, person-centred support for young people. To contribute to business development, leading expansion via statutory grants and contracts.

On appointment, you are expected to have significant knowledge and professional experience of your area of specialism and the ability to quickly take on significant responsibility very quickly.

KEY DUTIES

Strategic and External Leadership:

• Lead the effective delivery and development of Caudwell Youth’s programmes, in line with our strategic plan.
• Build and maintain relationships with funders, and strategic partners, with support from the Deputy CEO.
• Identify and secure new funding opportunities, leading on public sector bids and tenders, in line with our strategic plan
• Ensure a youth participation and evidence-based approach in all aspects of service delivery and development.

Services:

• Develop, oversee and report against Operations department budget and plans.
• Oversee operational systems, risk assessments and data to ensure services are safe, needs-led and effective.
• Ensure safeguarding policies are embedded across delivery, acting as DSL if required.
• Support and develop high-performing teams, ensuring training, appraisal, and performance management frameworks are in place.
• Ensure that all programme delivery is trauma informed and person-centred
• Oversee quality assurance processes, ensuring consistent standards across all delivery regions.
• Lead on operational compliance, including health & safety, data protection, incident reporting and regulatory requirements.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and high-quality practice across the organisation.
• Ensure that programmes are monitored and evaluated effectively and that reporting requirements are met, working with the fundraising team as required

Business Development:

• With support from the Deputy CEO, develop plans to implement a growth strategy focused on securing statutory contracts.
• Act as a key point of contact for commissioners, local authorities, and strategic partners.
• Identify and respond to commissioning opportunities across local government (crime, education, and health sectors) in line with our strategy.
• Lead on bid writing, proposal development, and contract negotiations for statutory contracts and grants
• Work with finance and fundraising teams to create budgets, proposals and tender submissions for statutory contracts
• Be responsible for starting up and implementing new funded programmes to ensure quality in delivery
• Identify new trends, emerging needs and opportunities for partnership projects.

General:

• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion across the organisation.
• Undertake and identify training as required and take a positive approach to personal development.
• Fulfil the duties and responsibilities of an employee as regards to Health and Safety at Work, including own safety and self-management.
• Ensure good administration, record keeping and reporting of all work undertaken in line with data protection and other regulations.
• Undertake any other reasonable tasks deemed necessary.

For the full job description and to make an application, please visit our website.

Help us to grow our Environmental Education Charity’s impact and income by fundraising, allowing us to deliver our mission to create outstanding opportunities that inspire everyone to engage with and care for the environment. 
 

• The base location for this position is negotiable, with full remote working / home working a possibility.
• It’s a permanent full-time contract working an average 37.5 hours per week.
• Circa £30,197 per annum + excellent benefits – including 28 days leave + bank holidays, life assurance 5 x your salary, Health and Wellbeing Support and much more! See the full list below.
   

Love where you work!

We are a national charity established in 1943 to promote a better understanding of the natural world. 

Our aim today is unchanged – to create a world where everyone feels connected to the environment so they can enjoy the benefits it gives and make choices that help protect it. We do this by offering a wide range of education courses and materials, so that everyone – and especially young people – can increase their knowledge, understanding and love for the natural world.

We value each of our team members and understand that every role is vital to achieve our goals, so, we provide great benefits* to reward and support you while you work with us.

What you’ll be doing

Your focus will be to grow our charity’s impact and revenue streams by fundraising for environmental education, benefitting people and nature by securing funds from supporters, trusts/foundations, and businesses.

This will include building relationships with potential legators, inspiring supporters to maintain their commitment, eventually leaving the Field Studies Council a gift in their Will as well as turning strategic and operational priorities into practical funding bids.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Researching and identifying potential trusts/foundations/businesses as suitable external funders for designated target projects
• Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to draft fundraising bids, developing persuasive proposals and collating appropriate supporting documentation.
• Proactively develop positive, long-term relationships that grow Field Studies Council’s pipeline of prospects
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge and understanding of relevant governmental, sector and business opportunities to identify potential funding opportunities
• Fundraising administration including gift processing, donor thanking and stewardship
• Supporting at events and funding meetings, as required

Please refer to the vacancy pack for the full responsibilities of the position.

Where you’ll be based

The base location for this position is negotiable, with full remote working / home working a possibility. However, if you prefer working in office, we have Field Studies Centres throughout the country which you are also able to work from. We will also consider hybrid working options.

There may the occasional need to travel to meet with, colleagues, prospective funders and other stakeholders. We expect this to be limited, no more than once every 2-3 months.
 

Who we’re looking for

You will be passionate about our charity’s mission and understand the importance of Environmental Education.

It’s essential that you have experience working in a fundraising role or department. We need an experienced individual who is confident to write and submit successful fundraising bids to trusts, foundations and businesses.

You will also have experience creating and managing successful supporter journeys to optimise our donations, particularly legators.

As a natural at building relationships with internal and external stakeholders, you will be able to tell compelling stories to encourage individuals and organisations to support our aim to connect people to nature.

If this inspires you, we would love to hear from you.We look forward to your application.

* Your benefits whilst working with us will include:

• Competitive salary 
• 28 days annual holiday entitlement plus bank holidays 
• Extra loyalty days dependent on length of service 
• Health and Wellbeing Support App which provides access for you and eligible family members to remote GP appointments, mental health consultations, physiotherapy and second medical opinions
• 24hr Counselling Helpline Service 
• Life assurance 5 x your annual basic salary
• Cycle to work and EV schemes
• Discounts and cashback opportunities
• Flexible working options where roles permit
• Quality learning and development opportunities 

The closing date for receipt of your completed application is 4 January 2026.
 

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we’re in receipt of sufficient applications. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted after the close date and interviews will be arranged accordingly

About Edward’s Trust

Edward’s Trust is a local West Midlands charity providing support for bereaved children, young people, and parents. We have 36 years of experience and operate at the highest level, providing qualified counselling and holistic support for complex or prolonged grief. We do not set time limits and the service is completely free. We do not get Government funding; therefore, we rely on donations to keep this vital service going.

Our Values

RESPECT

We will act with integrity in all that we do, being mindful and considerate to all. We respect and remember those who have died. Respect is a constant that embraces diversity and uniqueness of experience.

HOPE

A feeling of trust in tomorrow. We embody, instill and empower a feeling of trust in tomorrow. Hope is the hand to hold. We have a vision that one day there will be a universal understanding of life-changing grief.

HOLISTIC

Complete and all encompassing. We acknowledge and respond to the needs of the whole person: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We recognise the total experience of grief, promoting a holistic approach to bereavement care.

SUPPORT

Enabling with compassion and care. We provide responsive support that is appropriate, relevant, and meaningful to each individual. Together in safety and strength. Encouraging society to respond appropriately to people facing loss and surviving bereavement.

EXCELLENCE

Embracing professional integrity and creative innovation. We are passionate about providing exceptional services and maintaining the highest standards in all that we do. Excellence is valuing people. We are committed to driving innovation and change.

Role summary

Here at Edward’s Trust, we are excited and committed to growing our service offer and fundraising whilst working with a small but mighty team.  We have strong and realistic foundations in the trusts and grants income stream and a secure base of income from long-term committed funders. These funders enable us to reach children and adults through our specialist counselling services and projects alike, but with a huge amount of new work in development, securing new income from trusts and foundations is a high priority for us. 

This is an exciting role at Edward’s Trust that will challenge and provide excellent career development opportunities for the successful candidate. This role will deliver essential stewardship to our growing portfolio of warm trust supporters, engaging with them to provide inspirational impact reporting to secure continued funding. Our new colleague will gain exciting CV enhancing experience through working and securing new grants for some of the larger funders which is where we wish this post to focus on.

You will support Edward’s Trust to develop its presence in the trust and foundations world, by working to agreed new business targets and contributing to the creation of a high-quality pipeline of new trust and foundation opportunities.  

Key Accountabilities:

• Become an expert in Edward’s Trust current activities and future plans
• Manage a portfolio of trust supporters, providing outstanding stewardship, and ensuring relationships deliver against agreed objectives to enhance the long-term relationship.
• Prepare and deliver engaging bids and reports to share impact and inspire future support.
• Work cross-organisationally to support projects and reporting and to help shape and develop appropriate projects for funding (alongside the Head of Fundraising and Service Delivery Manager).
• Build good working relations with key staff and Trustees of established trust supporters.
• Thank supporters promptly and ensure that progress reports and updates are received by supporters as and when required.

We are open to Flexible Working Requests which can be discussed during interviews. 

Salary: £34,596.75 per annum

Location: Flexible – home or office based

Contract: Fixed term contract ending December 2026

Hours: Full time 37.5 hours

Closing date: Monday the 5th of January at 11:30pm

Are you able to write clearly and accurately drawing on a range of evidence?  Could you use those skills to support our Business Development team with tenders for statutory funding, including preparation work, research, and supporting with bid writing? Then join Shelter as a Business Development Officer and you could soon find yourself playing an important role within our Business Development team

About the role

Responsible for supporting the Business Development Team to generate statutory income and achieve its income target, you will be involved in a range of activities including producing content for bids, horizon scanning and maintaining the pipeline to inform income forecasting.  In collaboration with the Business Development Manager, you will undertake research into local needs and priorities in our service areas with a view to supporting the team in influencing commissioners and driving forward systems change.

About you

To succeed, you’ll be skilled at writing clearly and accurately and drawing on a range of evidence to produce compelling content for tenders, proposals and reports. You’ll be comfortable working on your own initiative or as part of a team, and happy to share your knowledge and skills to play your part in cross-team projects when required. The ability to use Microsoft Office programmes including Word, Excel and Outlook are also a requirement for the role.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. We are committed to offering fully flexible working to help all employees maintain work-life balance. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

About the team

The Business Development team (BDT) is the support function that leads, coordinates and supports Shelter business areas working to develop new and existing services to meet Shelter’s strategic goals.

The BDT team sits within the Income Generation directorate and will involve leading the development of high-quality statutory funding tenders, support growth through researching new markets and maintaining a strong pipeline of opportunities and contribute to strategic projects that embed continuous improvement.

You will collaborate with teams across Shelter including Services, High Value Partnerships and Finance, looking to enhance ways of working, building external partnerships that strengthen applications and delivery, along with influencing commissioners and funders to ensure opportunities align with Shelter’s strategic priorities.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit a CV and a supporting statement.

The supporting statement should include your responses to the points in the ‘About You’ section of the job description of no more than 300 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviours below throughout your responses:

• We work together to achieve our shared purpose
• We learn from our experiences and are open to risk

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to join Belong’s Senior Leadership Team as Director of Programmes, a pivotal role at the heart of our mission. You will lead the design, delivery, and impact of Belong’s programmes across England and Wales, ensuring they are strategic, inclusive, and evidence-based. Working closely with the CEO and senior colleagues, you will shape programme strategy, oversee complex portfolios, and drive systemic change that strengthens social cohesion nationwide.

As Director of Programmes, you will:

• Lead strategic development and delivery of Belong’s place-based programmes, ensuring alignment with our mission and values.
• Oversee programme design, implementation, evaluation, and learning to guarantee quality and measurable impact.
• Line manage a talented team of Programme Leads and Coordinators, fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment.
• Apply systems thinking to understand the interconnected nature of community, policy, and service ecosystems.
• Build and maintain high-level partnerships with funders, commissioners, local authorities, and community organisations.
• Represent Belong at national forums, events, and networks, championing our work and influence.
• Identify and pursue new opportunities for programme development and funding, supporting organisational growth.

This is a senior leadership position that combines strategic vision with hands-on delivery. You will play a key role in shaping Belong’s future and ensuring our programmes make a lasting difference to communities across the UK.

About You
We are seeking a visionary and experienced leader with:

• Proven experience in leading complex programme portfolios and delivering impactful initiatives.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning abilities, with a track record of shaping programme strategy.
• Excellent leadership and line management skills, with the ability to inspire and develop teams.
• Experience managing diverse stakeholders, from senior decision-makers to community partners.
• Familiarity with systems change and participatory approaches.
• Understanding of social cohesion, integration, and related social policy issues.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, able to translate complex ideas into accessible messages.
• Highly organised, diplomatic, and politically astute, with experience in income generation and bid development.

Desirable: Experience in areas such as Prevent, PCVE, community tensions, hate crime, or tackling misinformation.

Personal qualities matter too: we’re looking for someone passionate about improving cohesion and integration in the UK, collaborative and inclusive in their leadership style, and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Why Join Us?
At Belong, you’ll be part of a dynamic, values-driven team united by a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and connected society. We offer:

• 30 days’ annual leave
• Hybrid working (typically 3 days in the office)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly policies
• Opportunities for professional development and growth

Salary: £65,000–£70,000
Location: UK-wide (regular travel across England and Wales)
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
Closing Date: 12 January 2026

About Belong
Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network is the UK’s leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to building a more united and less divided society. We work with communities, local authorities, and national partners to strengthen trust, belonging, and resilience. Through innovative place-based programmes, research, policy influence, and thought leadership, we help create stronger, kinder, and more connected communities. Our growing membership spans local authorities, charities, civil society, and businesses, and we are proud to champion collaboration, diversity, and evidence-led approaches.

*Our office is based in Manchester and we offer hybrid working for those able to travel there. However, this role is open UK-wide and can be worked remotely, with regular travel across England and Wales required.*

Lead policy and research projects that shape national conversations on cohesion and integration. Join Belong and help create lasting change across the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to take a pivotal role in delivering high-impact projects that inform practice and influence decision-makers. As Belong enters its next phase of growth, we are determined to deepen our impact, strengthen our resilience, and champion cohesion and integration at scale.

About Belong
Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network is the UK’s leading not-for-profit organisation focused on building a more united and less divided society. Established in 2019, we work across sectors to strengthen trust, belonging, and resilience in communities. Through research, policy influence, and place-based programmes, we connect people, places, and organisations to share learning and drive systemic change. Our growing membership spans local authorities, charities, civil society, and businesses. Belong is collaborative, evidence-led, and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The Role
As Policy and Research Lead, you will design and deliver research and policy projects that inform practice and influence decision-makers. You will produce high-quality outputs, translate evidence into actionable recommendations, and contribute to Belong’s thought leadership. This role combines strategic insight with hands-on delivery and offers the chance to shape national conversations on social cohesion.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy and Research Leadership

  • Lead the design and delivery of policy and research projects, ensuring quality, relevance, and impact.
  • Produce policy briefings, reports, consultation responses, and thought leadership pieces.
  • Translate research findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners.
  • Ensure projects are inclusive, participatory, and informed by lived experience.
  • Monitor policy developments and contribute to strategic positioning and horizon scanning.

• Stakeholder Engagement

  • Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, researchers, funders, and sector leaders.
  • Represent Belong at external meetings, events, and networks.
  • Support collaborative research and policy initiatives with partners and commissioners.
  • Contribute to dissemination of Belong’s work through events, media, and digital channels.

• Internal Collaboration

  • Support the Director of Policy & Research in developing Belong’s policy influencing strategy.
  • Contribute to organisational learning and cross-team collaboration.
  • Assist with proposal development and funder engagement.
  • Line manage junior staff or associates as required.

About You
We are seeking a strategic and thoughtful leader with:

• Proven experience in leading policy and applied research programmes.
• Experience working in or with government, think tanks, or advocacy organisations.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.
• Knowledge of cohesion, integration, and community development.
• Excellent project management and organisational abilities.
• Familiarity with participatory and inclusive research methods.
• Experience in income generation or bid development.
• Relevant qualification in public policy, social research, or related field.
• Ability to translate complex ideas into accessible messages.
• Politically aware and intellectually curious.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills.

Personal Qualities

• Passionate about improving cohesion and integration in the UK.
• Strategic and solutions-focused.
• Collaborative and inclusive.
• Practical, reliable, and detail-oriented.
• Committed to personal and professional development.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

Why Join Us?
At Belong, you’ll be part of a dynamic, values-driven team united by a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and connected society. We offer:

• 30 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Hybrid working
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly policies
• Opportunities for professional development and growth

Join us and help shape policy and research that builds stronger, kinder, and more connected communities across the UK.

Our office is based in Manchester and we offer hybrid working for those able to travel there. However, this role is open UK-wide and can be worked remotely, with regular travel across England and Wales required.

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Alongside this, you will contribute to developing a culture of learning, ensuring that insights and evidence generated by our research and evaluation activity feed back into the organisation, allowing UnLtd to iterate our work and be an impact-driven, agile, learning organisation. This is an independent role within a dynamic delivery organisation, so we are looking for an implementation researcher to help elevate our research to the next level.