We love celebrating our successes and building our supporter base, and we already do it really well. However, there’s always room for improvement. Our ideal candidate will be a powerful storyteller and collector of data, energised by the prospect of making an impact on the lives of children and young people. You may already be an experienced fundraiser or someone with transferable skills that’s ready to pivot. Either way you’ll be our lead Trusts and Foundations contact; researching prospects, crafting appeals, managing relationships and reporting activity. You won’t do it alone, there’s a strong Head Office team, led by our Founder/Artistic Director and Chief Executive, plus a really cracking set of assets. You’ll also inherit a great funding pipeline, strong contacts book, and an exciting plan for our 2026 30th anniversary celebrations. We already raise more than £200,000 from Trusts and Foundations each year; we believe there’s scope to secure more. So if you like a challenge, love music and live for detail, this could be the role for you.
Persuasive Advocacy
Design and deliver a successful income generation plan and targets that enables the delivery of our ambitious strategic direction, with the CEO, Artistic Director and National and Regional Choir Producers.
Ensure our overall Case for Support remains compelling and up-to-date. In particular liaise with Producers on evaluation waves and with the Marcomms function to develop creative new storytelling approaches that will bring the impact we make to life.
Lead the application process for Trusts and Foundations and some statutory and corporate organisations, working closely with colleagues across the organisation to collate all necessary information, and compile final applications with detailed budgets and supporting material.
Provide timely receipts, invitations and reports to funding partners, in order to maintain productive and positive relationships with administration staff and Trustees.
Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising activities, aiming to deliver maximum impact and maximum efficiency.
Recommend and drive targeted additional cultivation activity, from the development of standalone investment materials (digital and hard copy) to receptions and events.
Represent NYCOS at internal and external networking opportunities, developing existing and identifying new institutional relationships.
Research and qualify further development opportunities in response to planned activity including artistic and creative learning programmes.
Work closely with colleagues to ensure that grants are spent in line with funding agreements.
Carry out any other duties as deemed appropriate by the Chief Executive .
Precise administration
Maintain accurate records of all grants and donations including the appropriate destination and Gift Aid Declarations using the organisation’s Customer Relationship Management system (CRM).
Manage budgets, prepare financial data and monitor incoming grant payments with the Finance Team.
Ensure the maintenance of up-to-date records, with the ability to generate and analyse data, and ensuring all data adheres to applicable legislation and guidance, including GDPR.
Produce reports for and make presentations to the Board of Trustees as appropriate
Skills & Experience
Essential
Exceptional writing and communication skills, with an ability to convey detailed information in a concise and compelling way.
Ability to work proactively and constructively with senior and junior colleagues to develop high-quality proposals and creative campaigns.
Experience in establishing and stewarding productive relationships with funders and/or other external stakeholders.
Exceptional attention to detail and organisational skills.
Ability to prioritise and meet regular deadlines whilst working under pressure.
Experience of budget development and management.
Desirable:
Track record of designing and implementing fundraising strategies with Trusts and Foundations (or other donor sources) to achieve sustainable revenue
Proven ability to manage, cultivate and grow a list of active and significant donors.
Track record of designing and implementing sustainable strategies to achieve successful revenue fundraising activities.
Experience of managing innovative fundraising campaigns (for example, via events or digital media).
Knowledge of relevant charity and tax laws.
Understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods and best channels to target audiences .
Experience working with young people and/or in the arts sector
Competencies
Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of people with our work
Exceptional influencing, negotiation and diplomacy skills
Ability to think and operate strategically and provide flexible solutions
Able to deliver to demanding deadlines and with a hands-on approach
Excellent IT skills including use of CRM
Ability to self-motivate, work as part of a small team, and support colleagues, even under pressure
Confident, resilient and resourceful, with the capacity to negotiate through personal influence
A commitment to excellence and professionalism
Appreciation of and support for the aims, values and ethos of NYCOS
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Chief Executive Officer - FoodCycle
Location: Vauxhall, London (flexible working; regular travel to Projects and for meeting with key stakeholders required)
Salary: circa £75,000
Contract: Permanent, full-time (35–37.5 hours per week)
Are you ready to lead FoodCycle through a period of consolidation and sustainable growth, protecting its volunteer-led, guest-centred model while building reliable income streams and scaling proven pilots?
About FoodCycle
FoodCycle is a national charity running volunteer-powered community dining projects that combine rescued surplus food, spare kitchen space and local volunteers to deliver free, hot, sociable three-course meals. Our work sits at the intersection of food-waste reduction, food-poverty relief and loneliness prevention. Nationally scaled but locally delivered, FoodCycle has grown rapidly, enjoys strong volunteer goodwill and is developing promising trading and schools pilots to strengthen sustainability.
As our next CEO you will:
• Shape strategy & impact - co-create and implement a clear 3–5 year strategy and a focused 12-month operational plan with measurable milestones.
• Stabilise leadership & culture - provide visible, warm and practical leadership across Projects; develop the senior team and protect volunteer trust.
• Secure financial sustainability - own the income strategy, diversify revenue across trusts, individual giving, corporate partnerships and trading, and present credible cashflow plans to the board.
• Build commercial & trading capacity - drive Manor House and other trading pilots towards viable, repeatable income models.
• Safeguard quality & risk - ensure robust safeguarding, food-safety and operational thresholds for opening new Projects.
• Raise profile & partnerships - act as FoodCycle’s principal ambassador to corporates, funders, local authorities and policy audiences.
Who you are
• A senior leader with experience stabilising and growing people-facing, delivery-focused organisations.
• Proven at generating income from multiple streams, with commercial fluency to develop simple trading models and convert corporate engagement into lasting partnerships.
• Financially literate - comfortable owning budgets, forecasting and discussing risk with trustees.
• Excellent at people and change management - able to build and motivate small national teams and large volunteer cohorts.
• Data-driven, curious and pragmatic - tests pilots, embeds what works and sets clear go/no-go criteria for scale.
• Values-driven and visible - passionate about food justice, guest dignity and volunteer leadership.
• Right to work in the UK and satisfactory DBS checks required.
Why FoodCycle?
• Lead a nationally recognised, volunteer-led movement tackling food waste, food poverty and social isolation.
• Play a pivotal role growing promising trading and schools pilots to create sustainable income.
• Work with an engaged Chair and committed board, and a small, passionate national team.
• Be part of a friendly, non-hierarchical culture where leaders are visible in Projects.
For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill at via the apply button with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 19th January 2026
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.