Senior bid manager jobs

Do you want to manage the fundraising strategy for the only charity dedicated to building a global community that supports board directors to advance climate and nature governance? 

Chapter Zero Alliance is at an exciting inflection point, supporting a high-impact chapter network active in over 70 countries through our programme: the Climate Governance Initiative. We are looking for a Senior Manager, Global Development to play a pivotal role in diversifying and growing our income, ensuring the long-term sustainability and impact of our mission. This is a unique opportunity to help us translate a critical global need into tangible, well-funded programmes that drive measurable change on corporate boards worldwide. 

Offer and Benefits 

• Salary: Up to £50,000 per annum 

• Contract: Permanent, Full-time 37.5 hours per week (0.8 part-time considered) 

• Location: Office-based / Hybrid within the UK (Central Cambridge-based office) 

• Annual Leave: 27 days, plus Bank Holidays and discretionary Christmas shutdown 

• Pension: Generous 8% employer pension contributions (no match required) 

• Wellbeing: Group life assurance, employee assistance programme and health cash plan 

The Role: Senior Manager, Global Development  

You'll bring significant development experience, strategic leadership and hands-on delivery to the identification, securing, and management of significant grants from philanthropic foundations, institutional donors, trusts, and statutory funders globally. You'll build and nurture high-value relationships, coordinate fundraising initiatives, and establish the robust infrastructure for effective grant management across our global network. 

Key Responsibilities - Drive Strategy and Deliver Impact 

• Fundraising Strategy and Pipeline Management: Contribute to the design of an ambitious global grant fundraising strategy and manage its implementation. You'll conduct market research, qualify new opportunities, and maintain a robust prospect pipeline to expand our existing funding base. This will involve the coordination and project management of outreach and engagement activities. 

• Proposal Development and Budgeting: Lead the creation of compelling, high-quality concept notes and multi-year funding proposals, aligned with funder priorities and including accurate, transparent budgets. 

• Donor Stewardship and Reporting: Be a key representative for Chapter Zero Alliance with funders, serving as a key liaison for funder-related operational queries. You'll work with the wider team to ensure timely and accurate narrative and financial reporting, managing communications to foster long-term engagement.

• Grant Management and Administration: Oversee our current funding portfolio, manage grant administration, collaborate with Finance on forecasting. 

• Internal Coordination: Facilitate and support our Development Working Group as well as manage core systems: CRM, funder contacts and documentation. Work closely with senior leadership, including the CEO, and project teams across our global network to align fundraising with programme delivery and provide critical performance analysis.

Who We're Looking For 

This role requires a dedicated fundraising professional with a proven track record of successfully securing significant grant funding. You're a strategic thinker and relationship builder with exceptional bid-writing skills and an innate ability to translate complex programme needs into compelling proposals. 

Essential Expertise 

• Significant experience working in institutional fundraising or partnership management within the non-profit or development sector. 

• Knowledge of the climate-related trust and grants sector internationally and in the UK. 

• Demonstrable track record of successfully achieving income targets (minimum six-figure funds, including multi-year grants) from philanthropic foundations, institutional donors, trusts or statutory sources. 

• Strategic relationship-building skills working with grant makers and partners. 

• Effective bid writing, delivering clear, persuasive, and well-structured proposals and reports tailored to align with grant priorities.

• Strong financial and strategic planning skills, including KPIs, grant compliance and reporting. 

• Sound understanding of the legal and regulatory framework governing fundraising within the charity sector, including the standards set by the Fundraising Regulator, the Charity Commission’s expectations around fundraising practices, and data protection obligations under GDPR. 

• Exceptional organisational and project management skills - you can navigate multiple deadlines and competing global priorities with ease. 

Desirable Skills That Will Set You Apart 

• Experience coordinating cross-departmental or cross-regional working groups. 

• A genuine passion for the global climate, development, or social impact sectors - understanding the urgency of our mission. 

• Experience using CRM/project management/fundraising databases. Core Competencies 

• Strategic thinking, planning and analytical skills, able to translate complex programme needs into compelling proposals. 

• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities. 

• Project management. 

• Able to balance short-term priorities with longer-term strategic activities. 

• High attention to detail and highly accurate. 

• Collaborative working style and proactive attitude. 

• Commitment to our mission, values, and ethical fundraising principles. 

The principles of diversity, inclusion, respect, responsibility and sustainability are at the heart of our charity. We want to support our people to balance their personal and professional lives and we believe our range of benefits encourages this. Nothing beats face time with our colleagues to promote creativity and collaboration; we’ve therefore adopted a blended working model of home and office arrangements.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to ensuring that all candidates are given the same opportunity to succeed regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, age or disability.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure you are eligible to live and work in the UK. 

Any information given will be processed for employment selection and statistical purposes in line with our Data Protection Policy. 

We are seeking our first Head of Fundraising to join our Senior Leadership Team, build the function and leave a legacy.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, you will lead on developing and delivering our fundraising strategy, with primary focus on trusts and foundations and corporate partnerships, with the potential to grow individual philanthropy in the future.

You will be a key ambassador for the organisation, building and managing strong, long-term relationships with funders who share our mission. You’ll bring vision, strategic clarity and emotional intelligence to developing compelling cases for support, always ensuring alignment with organisational goals and understanding that for us, income is a vehicle to impact.

You’ll manage and develop one Senior Officer initially, with the possibility that we may be able to expand the team as income grows. The Senior Officer post is currently empty, so we hope that you’ll be able to be involved in the recruitment of this post enabling you to shape your own team. You’ll also play a wider role in shaping the organisation’s strategy and culture as part of a collaborative and ambitious leadership team.

Key responsibilities:

Strategy and Leadership

• Lead development and execution of a fundraising strategy focused on trusts,foundations and corporates (with a possible addition of individual philanthropy further down the line).
• Act as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy, planning and culture, and supporting the Chief Executive to report to the board on fundraising.
• Manage, develop and grow the Senior Officer role; build a high-performing team.

Fundraising and Relationship Management

• Create and manage a pipeline of funding opportunities, securing multi-year grants and strategic partnerships that support our research, policy and delivery ambitions, and reflect our values.
• Lead the development of major funding bids - including drafting proposals and coordinating input from SLT colleagues and other relevant team members.
• Cultivate, steward and deepen relationships with existing and prospective funders, acting as a confident and credible ambassador.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues to develop strong proposals, cases for support and pitch materials, including engaging in depth with some of the complex research that we seek to fund.
• Represent the organisation externally — in meetings, networks and events.

Innovation, Growth and Sustainability

• Develop and test models to diversify income to enable impact – building on our current strategy, but bringing an open mind to exploring new activities.
• Embed fundraising monitoring, evaluation and performance reporting into the organisation; ensure transparency with senior leadership and trustees.
• Maintain close alignment between fundraising strategy and organisational strategy, ensuring funder relationships are ethical, values-aligned and sustainable.

About you: 

We’re seeking someone who is ambitious, driven and emotionally intelligent — a relationship-builder ready to step into a senior leadership role and leave a legacy.

Essential

• A proven track record of securing significant income from trusts, foundations and/or corporate partners.
• Experience in managing complex relationships with funders, with excellent stewardship and retention skills.
• Experience of running reliable due diligence processes to assess funding opportunities.
• Able to translate research, policy or innovation-led programmes into compelling funding propositions.
• Excellent project management skills, including the capacity to coordinate colleagues in developing complex fundraising bids.
• Some experience of line management, team development or mentoring.
• Excellent written, verbal and influencing skills, able to engage funders, senior leaders and colleagues.
• Strategic mindset, with capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• A genuine passion for the mission of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, and the empathy to engage with lived experience perspectives.
• Alignment with our collaborative and flexible working culture — able to work in a high-trust environment, collaborate openly with colleagues across multiple teams and contribute positively to team wellbeing and culture.

Desirable

• Experience of major donor fundraising, or exploring new income streams.
• Experience of reporting to a board, including of producing high level board papers and working with high profile stakeholders.
• Knowledge or networks within the essential services, health, research, policy or grant-giving sectors.

Terms:

• Reporting to: Chief Executive
• Staff supervised: One team member, who we hope you will be able to be involved in recruiting
• Annual Gross Salary: £64,800 (employees who are not London-based receive the same salary, including London weighting, but cover their own travel costs to the office, typically twice a month)
• Location: Either London-based, with two days per week in Money and Mental Health’s East London office, or home-based with the ability to travel to London at least twice per month. The role will also require some travel for meetings.
• Hours: Both full-time and part-time applicants considered, at a minimum of four days per week. Job shares, consolidated hours and other flexible working arrangements will be considered. Please indicate your preferred working hours on application.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Holidays: 28 days per year (including 3 days between Christmas and New Year when the office is closed), plus bank holidays
• Pension: Opportunity to be enrolled in the workplace pension scheme (subject to meeting standard auto-enrolment qualifying criteria). After enrolment, the charity contributes the equivalent of 5.5% of monthly gross salary, subject to an employee contribution of at least 2.5%.
• Other benefits:
  • Every team member has a personal training budget, with many internal training opportunities.
  • Cycle to Work and season ticket loan schemes.
  • Enhanced maternity/paternity/parental leave terms, offered at an equal rate: employees eligible for statutory maternity/paternity/shared parental pay receive 90% of earnings for up to 12 weeks.
  • Rental deposit loan scheme.
  • A flexible working culture: core working hours are 10am–3pm, with flexibility outside these times (agreed with management) for employees to distribute working hours across the week.

Senior Head of Trusts & Foundations – Bloomsbury Football Foundation | London

700,000 young people in London are growing up in poverty, facing inactivity and mental health crises. At Bloomsbury Football Foundation, we’re using football to help tackle these challenges and build resilient, connected communities – already reaching over 6,200 children every week.

We’ve grown fundraised income from £0.75m to £3.5m in three years – and now we’re aiming for £8m by 2028. Trusts & Foundations is our biggest income stream, and we’re looking for a first-rate fundraiser to take it to the next level.

As Senior Head of Trusts & Foundations, you will:

• Lead and grow our £2m+ trusts portfolio
• Write outstanding bids and reports that inspire multi-year, high-value commitments
• Manage and mentor two bright trust fundraisers
• Work with our Director of Fundraising and CEO to secure transformational grants
• Harness AI innovation to boost the pace and quality of our work

We’re looking for someone with a proven track record of winning major multi-year grants (six- and seven-figure), exceptional writing skills, and the ambition to help make Bloomsbury the UK’s most effective fundraising team.

Salary: £58,000–£90,000 (or £42,000–£55,000 for a ‘Head of’ level candidate)
Location: Camden, London (with great staff perks, socials, and match tickets)

Full job description available at Bloomsbury Football Careers page. 

WCCM seeks to appoint an experienced, creative, and highly motivated Grant and Major Donor Fundraising Manager to lead fundraising and grant management across a global organisation dedicated to the teaching of Christian Meditation.

Working to the Executive Director, you will interact with our decentralised finance, marketing and communications staff and volunteers.  

Together, you will nurture Major Donor relationships and create and manage appropriate donor stewardship schemes and rationalise our income streams.

You’ll ensure grant reporting and management is kept on track whilst developing targeted proposals for new funding from sympathetic donors in the arena of Trusts and foundations.  

You will work to support both our teaching and resourcing of meditation and the running of our retreat centre in Bonnevaux, near Poitiers in France.

An excellent writer with excellent financial and budgeting skills, you will be adept at pulling together relevant, succinct and compelling information for our donor reports and bids.

You’ll work with communications staff to develop impactful donor communications which enhance our accountability and inspire renewed major donations.  

You will have a demonstrable track record in winning grants as well as in the stewardship of major donors.  

Occasional trips to France.

Interest in Christian Meditation/Spirituality an advantage.

Interviews: early December 2025

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People – Senior Trusts and Foundations Manager
Location: Hearing Dogs Head Office, Saunderton near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, with very flexible hybrid working.
Salary: £55,000 per annum.
Contract: Permanent, full-time hours. 

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, whose mission is to see a time when no deaf person feels alone, is seeking a Senior Trusts and Foundations Manager to develop and secure six and seven figure, multi-year grants from trusts, foundations and other institutional grant funders, e.g. the National Lottery.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has been creating life-changing partnerships between hearing dogs and deaf recipients since 1982. As well as acting as an ear to their partners and alerting them to sounds, the charity’s clever and expertly trained dogs help deaf people to live life with confidence and independence, whilst providing love, companionship and emotional support.

Following on from a strategic review, the charity is now building a new Income Generation Directorate, to enable them to transform many more lives across the UK. This role will be critical to help Hearing Dogs reach their goals to diversify income, grow their philanthropy programme and increase engagement and impact.

Reporting to the Head of Trusts and Foundations, this role will work as part of a small but high department to deliver objectives and income targets. The role will deputise for the Head of Trusts and Foundations as required and support in the development of the strategy for the department, working across the organisation with colleagues, senior staff, trustees and external trusts and foundation contacts. A key focus of the role will be making bids and writing applications to maximise financial support from charitable trusts and foundations in a team which has a target of £1.15m in 2025-26, growing to £2.1m by 2029-30.

The ideal candidates will have a substantial background in Trusts and Foundation fundraising within the charity sector and experience of delivering excellent stewardship with external stakeholders. You will have experience of large scale and complex (£ six/seven figure) bid writing for specific projects over multiple years. Excellent and persuasive writing skills and a sharp eye for details will be essential alongside strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills. You will be approachable, with a  ‘hands-on’ approach and a flexible ‘can do’ proactive attitude and, importantly, you will have a commitment to understand the needs of Deaf People and a commitment to our values and  culture.

This is an exciting opportunity to help Hearing Dogs shape and build a high-impact Trust and Foundations function at a moment of huge growth for the charity, with the flexibility of hybrid working remotely and spending time at Hearing Dogs’ stunning base head office near High Wycombe, with friendly and passionate staff and their four-legged friends.

If you want to lead the pack and help deaf people live well with hearing loss Please download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes details on how to apply.

Closing date: Wednesday 3rd December, 9.00 am. 

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is looking for someone to lead our Philanthropy & Partnerships programmes. It’s an exciting role, and an exciting time for SAS. We’re about to launch our new organisational strategy, and we’re in the final stages of implementing a new CRM (Dynamics).

We’re lucky to work with some of the most dynamic and innovative funders and partners in the UK and abroad, this role will maintain existing partnerships and develop new ones.

You’ll come into a well-established, talented and friendly team. We’re passionate about developing our people, and we’ll work with you to make you the best leader and fundraiser you can be. We’re looking for someone who has a caring and empathetic management style and enjoys coaching & mentoring their teams to help them grow and excel.

Working closely with the Director of Fundraising you’ll be responsible for developing strategies to inspire donors, and cultivating these relationships towards securing major gifts. You’ll take the lead on managing our larger Trust & Foundation & Corporate relationships, ensuring excellent relationship management to foster long term support for our work.

You’ll be a great communicator and influencer able to work effectively across the organisation, bringing together key stakeholders and working collaboratively to bring our work to life for existing and potential donors.

Working with our colleagues in Campaigns & Policy and Communities you’ll gain an excellent understanding of our work and impact and have the ability to use this information to craft compelling applications, donor materials and reports.

​Underpinning your success will be a positive and proactive attitude, a solutions-oriented approach and a willingness to undertake hands on work. 

• Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors with a primary focus of gifts of £100,000+
• Build excellent collaborative relationships with internal colleagues to collate information for funding proposals, impact reporting and stewardship opportunities.  
• Build and develop excellent relationships with our donors
• Work with our communications team to ensure we celebrate the support of our donors appropriately
• Maximise the use of SAS engagement opportunities (Parliamentary events, volunteer conferences, beach cleans, etc.) to cultivate prospects and steward donors to an exceptional standard
• Management of income & expenditure budgets and KPI tracking mechanisms 
• Leadership, line management and development of a team of 3 passionate fundraisers
• Development of strategy into detailed work plans and KPI tracking 

Excellent stakeholder management skills and ability to work with, and communicate effectively and professionally with a wide range of individuals from internal colleagues, institutional leaders and external collaborators, stakeholders and donors.

An ability to assimilate complex information and translate this into compelling funding bids and impact reporting through excellent written communication skills.

A working knowledge of major gift, corporate & trust & foundation fundraising, including identification, research, solicitation and stewardship.

Experience of managing, coaching and mentoring a team to develop individuals to be the best they can be.

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for a Finance Manager to join a very well-established animal welfare charity based in Solihull, with a second site in Wolverhampton. Working within a passionate and dedicated team, this role will suit an experienced finance professional with strong leadership skills and a determination to make a difference.

The organisation has been supporting dogs and the community for 133 years, employs eighty dedicated staff, and delivers vital services that improve the lives of dogs and humans alike. You’ll play a key role in guiding the charity’s financial strategy to ensure long-term sustainability.

Duties & Responsibilities

Lead and develop the finance team, ensuring effective management of budgets, forecasting, payroll, and statutory reporting.

Oversee financial governance and controls, ensuring compliance with charity and company legislation.

Provide strategic financial advice to the Executive Team and Trustees to support decision-making and risk management.

Manage the annual audit process and liaise with external auditors.

Oversee financial planning for bids, tenders, and funding applications, ensuring robust cost modelling and reporting.

What experience?

Ideally a fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA, or) with proven experience in a finance role.

Experience managing finance within the charity, not-for-profit, or SME sector.

Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to present financial information to non-financial stakeholders.

The main focus of the role is to secure income for large-scale capital investment at Stanley Arts; alongside developing and maintaining relationships with statutory funders and trusts who maysupport programming and core running costs of the
building. Funding bodies will include Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other voluntary sources, predominantly trusts and foundations.

The Development Manager will play a central role in securing income for Stanley Arts through two key areas:

1) Overseeing fundraising across trusts, foundations, statutory funders, corporate partners, and individual donors to support programming and core running costs.

2) Developing and delivering a major fundraising campaign to raise funds for a large-scale capital investment in Stanley Art’s future.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Development Manager will help shape the organisation’s strategic direction and ensure fundraising is embedded across the organisation. They will lead on individual giving and donor development, alongside capital, trust, and foundation fundraising.

Reporting to the Artistic Director/CEO, the Development Manager will line-manage and collaborate with the freelance Fundraiser, and work closely with the General Manager and Data & Insights Officer to ensure effective bid writing, relationship management, and reporting.

Experience & Knowledge
- Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience in a fundraising/development role, preferably 
within arts, heritage, or cultural organisations.
- Experience of individual giving programmes, including donor cultivation, 
stewardship, and retention.
- Proven track record of successful major funding applications to trusts, foundations, 
statutory bodies, and corporate funders.
- Knowledge of fundraising regulations, best practice, and ethical standards.
- Understanding of the role of fundraising in supporting organisational growth.

- Passion for arts, heritage, or cultural sectors.
- High levels of integrity and professionalism.
- Strong organisational skills, ability to prioritise competing tasks and meet deadlines
- Commitment to access, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Commitment to environmental sustainability 

Fundraising Manager

Domestic abuse is always unacceptable. We support everyone affected by it and we act to prevent it. As the Fundraising Manager for Behind Closed Doors, you will play a key role in developing and delivering a fundraising strategy aligned with the organisation’s vision, mission and values. This is an exciting and varied role with an opportunity for the post-holder to put their own stamp on it. As our Fundraising Manager, you will build on existing relationships with individual donors, community groups and corporate partners, as well as seeking new opportunities.

This role would best suit a creative and strategic mind who enjoys building relationships and inspiring others towards a united vision: to build lives free from domestic abuse. You will be joining a committed and dynamic team; line managing the Training and Development Coordinator, working within the senior management team and reporting to the CEO. 

Please download the recruitment pack for full details.

To apply for this position, you will need a comprehensive CV and supporting statement outlining your interest in the role and organisation, and how you meet the criteria laid out in the person specification. You can apply via CharityJob, or return both documents by Thursday 27th November via email with the reference ‘Fundraising Manager’ in the subject line.

Interviews will take place on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th December 2025, and will consist of a brief presentation and competency-based questions.

Behind Closed Doors is committed to improving inclusive recruitment practices. If you would prefer to apply for this position or express your interest in an alternative format (such as audio or video upload) or require any adaptions at this initial stage, please get in touch.

Behind Closed Doors is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A standard DBS disclosure will be required before taking up this position.

We’re looking for a supportive and proactive Centre Manager who can enable our passionate and committed London team to deliver an excellent service for the client gardeners.

 confident business development skills are required by our Centre Manager to identify new partnerships and expand our programme delivery to ensure the continued sustainability of the centre.

Creativity, problem solving, prioritising and the ability to manage a diverse workload, where each day is different, is key in this role.

Our Centre Manager in London will be based in our Battersea Park office. Option for hybrid role with up to 2 days remote working per week.

Appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check. Thrive complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice. Having a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an individual from working for Thrive.
 

Contract: Permanent 

Hours: 35 per week 

Location: Hybrid or home working depending on location 

Closing date:  19 November 

Interview date: w/c 24 November

Are you looking for a role where your skills can directly benefit families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people? 

Family Fund has an ambitious five-year growth strategy, which aims to expand and diversify our income to support the hundreds of thousands of families across the UK raising disabled or seriously ill children, experiencing an unrelenting squeeze – financially, emotionally and practically.

The role 

Family Fund is seeking a dynamic Statutory Funding Manager to lead efforts to grow our income from government and statutory funders. This includes proactively identifying new funding opportunities linked to government policies and programmes, collaborating with operational teams to develop strong funding proposals, and building positive relationships with potential funders to support the organisation’s growth objective. 

If you join us, you’ll be: 

• Working with Directors to deliver a clear strategic view on areas of opportunity 

• Proactively horizon scanning across the policy landscape by reviewing government papers, policy reports, consultations, etc. to identify opportunities where Family Fund can offer strategic solutions 

• Working collaboratively with operations and research colleagues to ensure high quality, targeted and compelling proposals 

•  Cultivating and managing a network of peers and decision makers in government departments to accomplish objectives 

About you

You’ll have a proven track record of meeting and exceeding income targets from statutory income sources, have significant experience or researching and writing tenders and the commercial ability to understand, set and meet financial targets. 

To be successful in this role you will have a positive approach to business development and a detailed understanding of the statutory funding landscape and how policy development links to funding.You’ll need to have creative and lateral thinking skills to identify and expand on opportunities to meet government needs through the capacity and skills of the organisation. 

We’re passionate and determined to connect with and support more families and are looking for an individual with a strong commitment to our vision and purposes.You will also need to be self-motivated, results driven and have a tenacious approach to securing income.

About us 

Family Fund is a great place to work for great people. We provide a challenging and rewarding working environment where every staff member can make their mark. 

We are a values based organisation and we aim to show our values in all that we do. Read our staff stories here, and see how our staff display our values every day. 

We commit to inclusion, equality and diversity and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. Family Fund is a Disability Confident Leader. We will invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the requirements for the role. If you have a disability, and are happy to let us know, please highlight this in your covering letter. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant and we welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community. 

How to apply 

When you’re ready to apply, complete the online application and submit a CV and a covering letter. Your letter will need to explain what skills and qualities you would bring to the team. 

For more information, please read and download the job description. 

The successful candidate must complete pre-employment checks that meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. This includes a right to work check and employment history verification. 

JOB PROFILE

JOB TITLE: Lead Trusts & Grants Officer

RESPONSIBLE TO: Senior Trusts & Grants Manager

HOURS OF WORK: Full time 35 hours per week

LOCATION: Home working/ Hybrid

DURATION: Permanent

SALARY / GRADE: £32,330

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Senior Trusts & Grants Manager

• Trusts & Grants Officer

• Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Communications

• Chief Operating Officer

• Senior Leadership & Service Managers

• Grant making trusts and foundations

• Major Donors

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Lead Trusts & Grants Officer is responsible for developing and delivering income from mid-value grant making funders, notably trusts and foundations. The role involves managing a dedicated pipeline of opportunities, writing and submitting compelling applications, and stewarding funder relationships. This position works closely with service teams to understand project needs and create accurate budgets and impactful funding proposals. This role will also provide direct line management to the Trusts & Grants Officer, supporting their professional development and ensuring the team's overall success in meeting fundraising targets.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising and Grants Management

• Pipeline Management: Lead on prospecting, developing and managing the mid-value trusts and grants pipeline, focusing on bids around £20,000 - £70,000, including multiyear grants, ensuring a consistent flow of opportunities to meet team income targets. Developing the skills and ability to manage higher value and more complex strategic bids.

• Application Writing: Develop and submit compelling, high-quality grant applications and proposals for mid-value funders, working closely with service teams, ensuring accurate budgets and income against Adoption UK’s strategic priorities.

• Stewardship: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with a portfolio of new and existing mid-value funders, providing timely and impactful reports to secure renewed funding, and developing relationships with key external contacts through excellent communication.

• Reporting: Oversee the accurate tracking of all applications, reports, and communications using team tracking methods, and the CRM database, providing regular progress updates to the Senior Trusts & Grants Manager.

• Collaboration: Work closely with the Senior Trusts & Grants Manager, the Trusts & Grants Officer, and service teams, to align fundraising activities with the organisation’s strategic priorities and annual income targets.

• Undertake other duties and projects as directed by the Senior Trusts & Grants Manager and Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications.

Team Management and Development

• Line Management: Provide line management and support to the Trusts & Grants Officer, including regular one-to-ones, appraisals, and professional development.

• Training and Mentoring: Guide the Trusts & Grants Officer on best practices for researching, writing, budgets, and stewarding of small-value grants.

Personal specification

Knowledge and experience

• Track record of successfully securing individual grant awards typically ranging between £10,000 and £50,000. (E)

• Knowledge of fundraising sector with specialist knowledge of grant making trusts and foundations, or similar grant/bid-writing experience (E)

• Experience in writing persuasive proposal documents and bids (E)

• Experience in developing and implementing fundraising policies and process to deliver strategic goals (E)

• Experience in supporting service teams to deliver complex projects on time and to budget (E)

• Experience in successfully stewarding multiple stakeholders including grant managers and major donors (D)

Qualifications and Education

• Graduate level or equivalent significant professional experience in fundraising/bid

Skills and abilities

• Ability to make decisions within area of responsibility, based on defined frameworks, policies, and procedures and/or based on knowledge of regulations and best practice (E)

• Shows good professional judgement (E)

• Can successfully operate matrix management of complex projects at a national level (E)

• Delivers high quality work with minimal supervision and direction (E)

• Able to communicate clearly and engage with stakeholders at all levels (E)

• Is successful in securing positive external relationships with stakeholders and supporters (E)

• Demonstrates personal credibility (E)

• Demonstrates experience and ability in impact reporting (D)

• Ability to research the sector to identify the best prospects (D)

• Has the capacity to deal with complex issues and is good at problem solving (D)

• An exceptional administrator with excellent organisational and writing skills (E)

• Self-starter, used to working to deadlines and delivering against KPIs (D)

Accountability

• Shows previous experience of achievement of income targets (E)

• Shows previous experience of excellent funder or similar relationship stewardship (E)

• Able to contribute to the development of income growth strategy and strategic goals (D)

Behaviours

• Takes pride in Adoption UK and promotes its values and mission in all interactions with external stakeholders.

• Demonstrates commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of role at all times.

• Contributes to an open and honest culture

• Encourages challenge and creativity, transparency and consistency.

• Leads by example.

• Offers outstanding service to members.

• Promotes cross-functional team working, sharing skills and knowledge

• Communicates clearly, seeking clarity when unclear and valuing the opinion of others.

• Values the opinion of others. Treating colleagues and other stakeholders with respect.

• Takes pride in own development, committed to achieving high standards and agreed objectives.

Fundraising Operations & Stewardship Manager (Maternity Cover)

Starting salary: £48,822 per annum

St Mary's University is embarking on an ambitious journey to establish one of the UK's most socially accountable medical schools, addressing deep-rooted health inequalities and training the next generation of doctors.

The Development Office is in Year 2 of a £20m high-impact campaign focused on major donors and charitable trusts and we are now seeking a dynamic Fundraising Operations & Stewardship Manager (Maternity Cover) to help drive the next phase of our campaign and join our newly formed development team.

As Fundraising Operations & Stewardship Manager, you will be the Development Director's key partner - shaping donor journeys, managing campaign delivery, and ensuring every gift is recognised and maximised. You'll help us build momentum with our closest supporters and ensure excellence behind the scenes.

We're looking for a confident, capable, and creative individual who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

You will bring proven skills in campaign coordination, donor stewardship, and event delivery, with the ability to manage budgets, pipelines, and CRM systems with precision. You are a natural relationship-builder with an eye for detail and a passion for making an impact.

If you would like the opportunity to play a leading role in helping shape something new and make a meaningful impact in just under a year, we'd love to hear from you.

This is a hybrid role based at St Mary's University, Twickenham, we are happy to discuss flexible working arrangements for the right candidate.

St Mary’s University is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Learn more about our EDI initiatives and work as a Disability Confident employer. Please view our detailed access guide by following the link: St. Mary's University | AccessAble

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. St Mary’s University is holding a work visa sponsorship licence however we will not always be able to guarantee a Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship. To avoid disappointment, please ensure you meet the requirements of the Points Based System before applying as we will not be able to provide advice on individual cases. 

Closing Date: 30 November at 23:00

Who we are 

Not all young people have the same opportunities in life.

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

They may be care experienced, have mental health challenges, be neurodivergent or be at risk of exploitation or offending.

Caudwell Youth is a dynamic new charity which has just celebrated its third birthday.

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 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. 

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 fundraising 

We have a compelling fundraising proposition. We were founded by billionaire philanthropist John Caudwell, who has pledged to match all donations and fundraising at 33%.

Our mentoring service is delivering exceptional outcomes for young people, and we are ambitious for the future.

This is a crucial time for Caudwell Youth’s fundraising function, as we are set to embark on a new strategy for national growth in the new year. For the financial year just gone, grant income accounted for around 28% of our fundraising revenue.

Our aim is to grow our charity sustainably, while continuing to meet the evolving needs of at-risk young people in ways that are effective and life-changing. This role will be a key part of that journey.

What we're looking for 

We are looking for an experienced grants, trusts and foundations fundraiser who can hit the ground running, both in solidifying and owning our valuable relationships with existing grant and trust fundrers and in exploring new opportunities.

You will also lead on the evaluation of our service impact across the organisation, gathering, analysing and presenting data to illustrate the valuable outcomes our services have for at-risk young people.

You will be a key team member in a dynamic and growing organisation and will help ensure the charity achieves its aims and objectives and fulfils its fundraising plan effectively.

More information about the role 

This role is home based, but you need to be able to meet with funders and our small but dynamic fundraising team.

These meetings may take place in London, or across our current operating regions (Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Slough, Luton and Milton Keynes).

We are happy to consider compressed and flexible hours requests.

How to apply 

Please follow the link to our website to read the full recruitment pack and find the application form.

All applications must be submitted via our website application form. Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you.