Proposal and bid manager jobs in Edinburgh

Steamship Shieldhall is seeking to appoint an experienced freelance Commercial Manager to build new income streams to support the ongoing operation, conservation and sustainability of one of the country's most significant historic ships.

Shieldhall is berthed year-round in Southampton and welcomes passengers and visitors on board from 110 Berth in the Western Docks. She is capable of carrying up to 220 passengers and from spring to autumn each year operates a programme of public sailings ranging from two hour trips to full day cruises. She is also open for alongside events, and is available for private charters. In addition, she can be hired for use alongside such as for training activities, meetings, functions and filming.

The Commercial Manager will be responsible for identifying and realising new opportunities for revenue generation for Steamship Shieldhall, as well as supporting Shieldhall’s experienced volunteers with maximising income from existing activities.

This commission is an important element of the “Steamship Shieldhall: towards 2055, the next 10 years” project which is supported by a Development Phase grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.  The appointment is intended to cover both the Development Phase and the first two years of the Delivery Phase of our  project but will include a break-clause between the two phases. The Delivery Phase contract is contingent on a successful Delivery Phase grant application to the Heritage Fund

The successful candidate will have the right to set their own hours of work and will determine in agreement with the Shieldhall charity how best to undertake the work. This commision could be provided through self-employed individual, partnership or limited company.

Fawcett is recruiting a Fundraising Manager to own day-to-day fundraising delivery and help strengthen how fundraising works across the organisation. This is a manager-level role with real responsibility: bringing structure, judgement and follow-through to live fundraising activity, leading trusts and foundations as a core technical area, and helping develop wider fundraising opportunities over time.

You would work closely with our Head of Income and Organisational Development, who leads the strategic side of this work, while this role acts as its operational counterpart. We are looking for someone with strong fundraising experience, especially in trusts and foundations, excellent bid and report writing skills, and the ability to operate autonomously in a small organisation.

We know that women and people from marginalised backgrounds are less likely to apply unless they meet every requirement. If this role feels like a strong match for your skills and approach, we would encourage you to apply.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and proactive Trusts and Foundations Manager to join an ambitious and growing organisation at an exciting stage of development.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a high-value grants programme, securing significant funding from charitable trusts and foundations to support impactful services and future growth. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will shape compelling funding opportunities, build meaningful funder relationships and help deliver ambitious income targets.

The Opportunity

As Trusts and Foundations Manager, you will play a pivotal role in developing and delivering a focused, high-quality grants strategy. You will be responsible for identifying and securing new funding opportunities, developing persuasive cases for support and building long-term partnerships with funders.

You will manage the full grant lifecycle, from prospect research and application development through to stewardship and reporting, ensuring a disciplined and results-driven approach to income generation.

The role also includes line management responsibility for members of the Grants Team, supporting performance, development and delivery against agreed objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a targeted Trusts and Foundations fundraising strategy.
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of prospects, applications, reports and renewals.
• Research and evaluate funding opportunities to maximise success rates.
• Write compelling and tailored funding applications and proposals.
• Translate complex programmes and outcomes into clear and persuasive cases for support.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders, encouraging long-term engagement and repeat funding.
• Lead on funder reporting and stewardship activities.
• Work collaboratively across teams to develop fundable projects, budgets and impact reports.
• Monitor performance against income targets and continuously improve fundraising approaches.
• Line manage and develop members of the Grants Team.

About You

You will be an accomplished grants fundraiser with a proven ability to secure significant income from Trusts and Foundations.

You will bring:

• Significant experience securing five and six-figure grants from Trusts and Foundations.
• A strong track record of achieving and exceeding income targets.
• Excellent bid writing and proposal development skills.
• Experience building compelling cases for support.
• Strong relationship management and stewardship experience.
• Excellent research, prioritisation and pipeline management skills.
• Outstanding written communication and attention to detail.
• Experience of line management and team development.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations, compliance and data protection requirements.
• A proactive, organised and results-focused approach.

Salary & Benefits

• Salary: £38,000 -£43,000 per annum + £2,000 bonus
• Contract type: full time, permanent
• Location: flexible: once a quarter at Keele, Staffordshire. 
• Deadline: On rolling basis 

Recruitment process: Cv and Supporting Statement to

If this sounds like you, then please do get in touch ASAP!

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.

Hope for the Future is a dynamic UK-based charity working to drive democratic climate action. We are looking for a Fundraising Manager with the confidence to step into an established, successful system and keep our momentum going.

You will be a brilliant relationship builder, an organised manager of data and pipelines, and an excellent communicator who can write compelling narratives. Above all, you will be someone who collaborates naturally across a small, passionate team to champion a healthy culture of impact storytelling and income generation.

About Hope for the Future:

We support constituents, local groups, and national campaigns to secure ambitious action from local and national government by equipping them to have highly effective, relationship-building conversations with their politicians.

Over the past decade, we have supported more than 10,000 people to engage with politics, over half of whom had never taken action beyond voting. Through training, strategic advice, and tools, we don't just change conversations; we tangibly influence policy.

You will have:

• A track record in Trust & Grant success: pulling together compelling data and case studies to write winning bids for large-scale grants.

• Exceptional written skills for drafting persuasive proposals and impact reports.

• A love of data to oversee our fundraising pipeline using our CRM (Beacon),  working with organised spreadsheets, and clear, achievable timelines.

• The ability to support others to succeed and feel confident managing a direct report or mentoring colleagues on how to spot fundraising opportunities.

• The ability to balance the day-to-day writing tasks with big-picture financial targets .

• The ability to balance competing priorities in a fast-paced, small charity environment.

• A willingness to travel nationally and work occasional evenings or weekends as required for key events and funder engagement (claimable as TOIL).

• A genuine commitment to climate action and democratic engagement with grassroots communities.

It would be great if you also have:

• Experience supporting corporate partnerships or earned/consultancy income streams.

• Familiarity with Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks.

• An understanding of UK climate policy, nature campaigning, or the UK political system.

The Role

Your core focus will balance bid writing with strategy and comms management:

• Securing Income: Crafting and submitting high-quality, persuasive trust and grant applications (targeting five- and six-figure funding) and managing timely reports back to our current partners.

• Managing the Pipeline: Working closely with the CEO to track our fundraising goals, manage cash flow awareness, and keep our CRM system (Beacon) up to date.

• Supporting Earned Income: Helping to streamline the internal processes behind our paid consultancy and campaign training services, collaborating with our Policy & Engagement team to track leads.

• Leading People: Providing supportive, empowering line management to our part-time Digital Communications and Campaigns Coordinator.

• Looking Forward: As the contract nears its end, you will collaborate with the CEO to help us lay the groundwork for our next strategic fundraising cycle.

How to Apply

Please visit our website jobs page to submit your anonymised CV and cover letter.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We warmly welcome applications from everyone and celebrate diversity across all backgrounds. If you don’t meet every single requirement listed, please don't let that deter you, we would still love to hear from you.

• Salary: £48,350 per annum (£29,010 pro-rata)

• Hours: Part-time (21 hours per week)

• Contract Type: 12-month fixed term (Maternity Cover)

• Location:  Remote anywhere in the UK (or Sheffield Head Office/Hybrid working)

• Benefits: 30 days annual leave (pro-rata) + bank holidays, pension, wellbeing support.

• Closing Date: 13 July 2026 | Interviews: w/c 20 July 2026

Important Contract Notice: Please note that this is a temporary, fixed-term contract for 12 months to provide essential maternity cover. This is a non-permanent position.

(Please note this role is primarily remote, however there is the option for hybrid working at our head office in Sheffield. Some travel may be required for this role)

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive fundraiser who enjoys both bid writing and relationship building.

Working closely with the Fundraising Manager, you will play a key role in securing income from trusts and foundations, supporting donor stewardship, and helping to grow community fundraising activity. You will contribute directly to the financial sustainability of the charity while helping more children gain access to books of their own.

The role is ideally suited to someone who is highly organised, a strong writer, and confident managing multiple fundraising activities simultaneously.

Are you an experienced Trusts and Foundations fundraiser seeking an exciting role in the nature and rewilding sector? Are you looking for a friendly, flexible and values-driven organisation where you can make a tangible difference and advance your fundraising career?  This opportunity could tick all your boxes! 

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity dedicated to making rewilding happen, as a solution to the biodiversity and climate crises. We work across Scotland, from the mountains to the sea and from the remotest communities to our urban centres. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes  and people thrive. 

In the five years since we were founded, we’ve established ourselves as a leading force for rewilding in Scotland: a charity that achieves outsized impact through our powerful storytelling and innovative collaborations.  We’re a small, agile and friendly team that works hard to:

• Drive support for rewilding – through our films, creative storytelling, conferences, training courses and political advocacy.

• Commit land and water to rewilding – by supporting over 100 landowners to enhance nature on their land, from crofts and community-owned sites to farms and large estates.

OUR FUNDRAISING 

SBP is a growing organisation with an exciting portfolio of nature recovery projects across Scotland.  Our key income streams include grants from charitable trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, philanthropic donations, corporate partnerships, regular giving and appeals. We have a strong track record in fundraising from trusts and foundations, and we are currently in receipt of grants from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other significant environmental funders. 

Our Fundraising Team comprises a Rewilding Investment Lead (who develops corporate partnerships) and a Trusts and Foundations Lead, led by our Fundraising Manager.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Trusts and Foundations Lead, you would establish and maintain relationships with a wide portfolio of charitable trusts and foundations, and be responsible for securing both project-specific and core income.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Identifying and researching funding opportunities, including due diligence as appropriate.

• Networking, and building and stewarding relationships with prospective funders.

• Liaising with senior, project and finance staff to identify, prioritise and cost key fundraising needs.

• Managing a dynamic pipeline of applications matched to the agreed fundraising priorities.

• Preparing and submitting compelling expressions of interest and funding proposals, including accurate financial information as required. 

• Processing grant offers and ensuring income is recorded accurately. 

• Managing a schedule of reporting and stewardship deadlines to ensure timely feedback and thanks to funders. 

• Securing progress updates from colleagues delivering funded work, in order to produce high-quality reports that meet funders’ requirements.

• Seeking feedback in relation to unsuccessful bids, in order to guide and strengthen future proposals.

• Maintaining accurate and comprehensive records on our fundraising CRM database. 

• Contributing to the development of fundraising strategies, plans and campaigns. 

• Participating fully in Fundraising and SBP team meetings, events and cross-team activities as appropriate. 

Essential skills and experience:

• At least two years’ experience securing and reporting on grants from trusts and foundations, and/or reviewing and advising on grants within a grant-giving organisation.
• Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail. Experience writing compelling bids and reports that align with funders’ priorities.
• Ability to communicate confidently with funders and colleagues in a friendly and engaging manner.
• Experience using a variety of information management tools, including CRM databases and spreadsheets, to accurately record and manage information.
• Confident with numbers. Experience working with project and finance colleagues to develop project budgets.
• Able to organise day-to-day activities according to agreed priorities, manage a busy workload, and consistently meet deadlines.
• Demonstrable passion for nature and rewilding in Scotland.
• Able to maintain personal wellbeing, productivity and effective communication in a remote team.
• Share and demonstrate our core values (see below).

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience securing grants at £250,000 and over.
• Experience of using desktop design tools to create attractive materials that combine written content with imagery.
• Experience building and managing relationships with senior or strategically important stakeholders, e.g. Board members, CEOs.
• Proficient with DonorPerfect CRM.
• Experience developing complex, multi-year budgets for grant applications, including full cost recovery where applicable. 
• Experience using a range of tools and approaches to manage priorities, meet deadlines and hit targets.
• Experience with funders that support nature and climate causes.
• Degree or equivalent professional qualification within a relevant discipline.

OUR VALUES

Our values define us as a charity and guide our relationships with colleagues, partners, funders, supporters and wider interest groups. 

● We are passionate about Scotland and its huge potential for nature restoration.

● We are bold and willing to push boundaries to make rewilding happen. 

● We trade in hope and possibility, not fear and conflict. 

● We are inclusive and respectful, inviting everyone to join the conversation. 

● We are collaborative, building connections across interest groups to drive change.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary: £35,500 - £37,500 FTE, depending on experience. Salaries are paid on the last working day of each month by bank transfer and cover the period of the first  of the month to the last day of the month. 

Contract: Permanent position. 

Place of work: This role is home-based and will require a suitable home office working  environment. SBP will provide a laptop and additional equipment as needed. 

Travel: Attendance of team meetings held across Scotland will be required (typically two to three times per year), and the role may also involve occasional travel elsewhere within the UK. Travel expenses will be paid in accordance with SBP’s  expenses policy. Applicants must be based within a reasonable commuting distance and must have the right to work in the UK (we are unable to provide visa sponsorship). 

Hours: We are open to this role being full-time or part-time (minimum 0.6 FTE, equating to
22.5 hours per week).  Working hours are flexible. The nature of the post may require occasional evening and weekend work. Paid overtime is not routinely available, but time off in lieu will
be given. 

Flexibility: Subject to ensuring that the needs of the charity and the role are met, SBP endeavours to meet the flexible working needs of its staff. 

Holidays: 28 days FTE (pro rata for part-time), including public holidays, plus 5 additional office closure days between Christmas and New Year. 

Pensions: We offer a workplace pension scheme with a 5% employee contribution and 3% employer contribution. 

Probationary period: 3 months. 

Notice Period: 1 month during the probationary period, thereafter 2 months.

Training: SBP is fully committed to personal development and training and offers staff regular opportunities for both internal and external training. 

Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture is committed to equality of opportunity for all and we make recruitment decisions by matching our business needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage or civil partnership. We regularly review our recruitment practices to improve the accessibility of SBP, and we would welcome feedback from you. 

TO APPLY 

Please email your CV and a covering letter (maximum two pages). The covering letter should detail why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience equip you for
this role. 

Applications should be sent by 5pm on Monday 13 July.

Interviews will be conducted by video call on Monday 20 July. 

We endeavour to provide feedback on request to unsuccessful applicants. However, as a small charity – and depending on the number of applicants we receive – we may need to prioritise feedback to those candidates who are shortlisted for interview. 

Thank you very much for considering this role.