Quarterfive fundraising recruitment jobs
The Eikon Charity helps children and young people in Surrey to feel and be safe, heard, and supported. Through one-to-one support, group work, and programmes in schools, Eikon helps children build confidence, resilience, and the skills they will need to navigate life’s challenges.
This is a senior fundraising role within Eikon’s Trusts & Grants team, focused on generating significant voluntary income from charitable trusts, foundations, and local government funders. With an overall team target of £1m, this postholder will contribute around £250k per year through a mix of high-quality applications, strategic account management, and relationship building.
The role requires both strong bid writing skills (especially for complex, high-value and multi-year proposals) and excellent interpersonal skills to develop and steward relationships with funders. It offers the opportunity to take on more responsibility within the team, deputise for the Grants Lead when needed, and help shape Eikon’s fundraising approach.
As Senior Trust Fundraiser, you will:
- Raise circa £250k annually from a mix of trusts, foundations, and local government grant funders (restricted and unrestricted)
- Lead on developing a portfolio of high-value, multi-year funders, cultivating new prospects and strengthening existing relationships
- Research, write, and submit compelling, tailored proposals and reports
- Work collaboratively with the Grants Lead on strategic bids (e.g. The National Lottery Community Fund, Community Foundation for Surrey)
- Develop an approach for growing unrestricted income
- Actively network across Surrey to identify new leads and opportunities
- Provide excellent account management through regular reporting, funder meetings, and creative stewardship (e.g. site visits, events)
- Manage accurate pipeline and reporting on Donorfy CRM, supporting both team and board-level reporting
- Deputise for the Grants Lead at meetings where required
- Provide peer support to colleagues in the fundraising team
Ideal skills and experience:
- Proven track record in trusts and foundations fundraising (including complex, high-value proposals)
- Strong written communication skills, with the ability to present complex information persuasively
- Confident in building and maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders
- Comfortable independently representing Eikon at external meetings and networking events
- Strong organisational and time management skills – able to balance writing, relationship building, and reporting
- Collaborative, proactive, and adaptable; able to deputise when required
- Experience of the children, education, or mental health sectors desirable
- Based in or near Surrey, with willingness to travel regularly within the county
- Driving licence essential
Benefits include:
- 25 days annual leave (rising with service) plus bank holidays
- Enhanced sick leave and pay
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Safeguarding training and ongoing professional development opportunities
Helping young people feel safe, heard and supported





Calibre Audio is a national charity providing free, unlimited access to audiobooks for people who cannot read print due to sight loss, disability, or health conditions. Every day, around 1,500 books are distributed to children and adults whose lives are transformed by access to literature.
Long established as a trusted service with a respected legacy programme and consistent success with trusts and foundations, Calibre is now entering a new chapter. With a bold strategy, national debates on literacy and inclusion gaining momentum, and the 2026 Year of Reading ahead, this is a pivotal moment to grow income, raise their profile and increase impact.
This new role brings fundraising and communications together for the first time. By unifying storytelling, campaigns, and fundraising propositions, the Director will amplify Calibre’s voice, grow income, and ensure that profile-building and fundraising reinforce one another.
This is a strategic and hands-on role, setting direction, managing key relationships and leading change, while securing income and providing clarity and structure for the teams. You will benefit from strong CEO commitment, external consultancy support with bid writing, and the freedom to shape team structure and invest in growth.
As Director of Fundraising and Communications, you will:
- Sit on the Executive Management Team alongside the CEO, COO, and Head of Communities & Learning, driving strategy and cultural change
- Develop and deliver an ambitious strategy across both functions, aligning activity to drive income, membership growth, and visibility
- Build on Calibre Audio’s respected legacy programme, deepen trust and foundation partnerships, and explore untapped opportunities with major donors and individual supporters
- Personally manage and cultivate high-value relationships with trusts, foundations, and major donors, while shaping new opportunities in corporate and individual giving
- Strengthen legacy and in-memory giving, and oversee compelling member appeals
- Lead the development of a powerful case for support, positioning Calibre as a force for change in literacy, disability inclusion, and mental health
- Partner with the Head of Marketing to deliver bold, creative campaigns that amplify Calibre’s national voice and directly support fundraising
About you
This role will suit a senior fundraising leader who combines strategic vision with hands-on delivery.
You will bring:
- A strong track record of securing significant income from high-value donors and funders
- Expertise in developing fundraising strategies and compelling cases for support
- Experience of leading, or working closely with, communications and marketing teams
- The credibility and emotional intelligence to influence at senior leadership level
- Strong staff management skills, with the ability to build and lead a high-performing team
- The ability to unify and bring clarity to fundraising and communications
- This role offers the chance to seize momentum, tell Calibre’s story in new ways, and harness national conversations about literacy and inclusion
Employee benefits include:
- 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with an additional day at Christmas
- 7.5% employer pension contribution
At Calibre Audio, our mission is to ensure that everyone can enjoy the pleasure of reading, regardless of a print disability or health condition.
Supporting over 750 children and nearly 1,000 families annually, Acorns Children’s Hospice is a vital lifeline for families across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire during unimaginably difficult times.
Palliative care for children aged 0–18 is delivered at Acorns’ hospices in Birmingham, Worcester, and Walsall, as well as in family homes and other community settings. Acorns’ holistic, tailored approach is designed to meet each child’s clinical, emotional, cultural, religious, and spiritual needs.
Philanthropy at Acorns is at an exciting moment of growth. With strong foundations and warm networks already in place, the team is well positioned to elevate high-value fundraising. An upcoming appeal, major opportunities in capital and restricted giving, established relationships with influential philanthropists, and a proven track record with trusts and foundations all support ambitious, relationship-led fundraising.
This role offers a senior position within the fundraising leadership team, a collaborative culture, and the opportunity to shape and expand Acorns’ work with major donors and trusts. You will inherit a capable team, a warm donor base, and strong organisational support to focus externally and drive long-term income growth. This is an excellent opportunity to make a lasting impact on philanthropy at Acorns during a pivotal stage in their development.
As Head of Philanthropy, you will:
- Oversee the pipeline for all philanthropic income streams, ensuring regular prospect research and systematic cultivation
- Co-canvass with the CEO and Director of Income Generation, who are both actively engaged in major donor stewardship
- Oversee the restricted income process, ensuring full cost recovery and compelling propositions
- Play a key role on the Care Committee and as part of the fundraising leadership team
- Lead on governance and processes for philanthropic boards and high-value appeals, including the upcoming appeal
- Represent Acorns externally, building credibility and long-term relationships with senior supporters and funders
- Collaborate with colleagues across fundraising, retail and wider departments to maximise opportunities
We are looking for:
- Strong track record in major donor fundraising from HNWIs, ideally including six-figure gifts
- Trusts and foundations experience, including restricted income and bid processes
- Skills in pipeline management, with strong control of the cultivation cycle and ability to use CRM insight to drive action
- An excellent communicator, with the credibility to engage high-net-worth individuals and senior stakeholders
- A proven people manager, able to support and develop a small team while keeping the role externally focused
- Someone resilient and target-driven, who is able to sustain focus and momentum across long cultivation cycles
- A collaborative, strategic individual who is motivated by the opportunity to unlock transformational support for Acorns’ mission
Working arrangements: Hybrid, with 2 days per week rotating across hospice sites (Worcester, Walsall, Selly Oak) and potential for more based on business need, donor meetings etc.
Employee benefits include:
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (5 days holiday buyback scheme starting from April 2026)
- 7.5% employer pension contribution
- Life assurance scheme (2 x annual salary)
- Retail discounts (including the Blue Light card)
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted gym membership
- Access to expert financial health and wellbeing support
Suitable applicants will be contacted for a chat about the role and their relevant experience. For formal application, full support will be provided with cover letter guidance and CV improvements.
For your cover note via CharityJob, it would be helpful if you could provide brief notes pertaining to your experience in these specific areas:
- Major donor fundraising from HNWIs, ideally including six-figure gifts secured
- Trusts and foundations, including restricted income and bid processes
- Experience leading philanthropy fundraising teams
Acorns are partnering with QuarterFive for this appointment.