Senior direct marketing fundraiser jobs in Birmingham
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For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.
We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.
If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.
Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.
About Lively Minds
Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.
Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.
Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.
Purpose of the Role
Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.
The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.
Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.
Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation
- Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
- Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
- Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
- Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
- Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability
Communications, Brand & Advocacy
- Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
- Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
- Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
- Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
- Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence
Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment
- Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
- Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
- Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
- Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
- Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities
Person Specification
Essential Experience & Skills
- 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
- Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
- Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
- Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
- Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice
Desirable Experience
- Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
- Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
- Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
- Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
- Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams
Behaviours & Ways of Working
- A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
- Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
- Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
- Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
- Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high
What We Offer
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- 25 days annual leave
- Health insurance
- Pension contribution
- Generous learning and development budget
- Flexible, remote working
Application Instruction
Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.
To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV
PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Timeline
Closing Date: 3rd September 2026
Our Stance
Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.
Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.
We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS MANAGER
Job Description & Person Specification
JOB TITLE:Trusts and Foundations Manager
SALARY:£35,000 per annum
HOURS:Full time - 37.5 hours, Part time – 22.5 hours
RESPONSIBLE TO:Charity Chief Executive
ACCOUNTABLE TO:Director of Fundraising
LOCATION:Hybrid working
WHO WE ARE
University Hospitals Birmingham Charity consists of four hospital charities supporting some of the busiest hospitals in Birmingham – Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital.
Being in hospital can be really tough physically and emotionally. This is why our hospital charities do as much as they can to help patients and their families feel as supported as possible during their treatment.
Each hospital charity provides the added extras that are "over and above" what the NHS can fund as standard. This includes life-saving equipment, state-of-the-art facilities, training and research, as well as free accommodation and patient comforts.
Across UHB Charity we are currently raising funds for a Total Body PET CT Scanner as well as our Children's and Newborn Appeals and Home from Home accommodation for civilians and military personnel, to name just a few.
As a Trusts and Foundations Manager you will help us raise much needed funds that will make a real difference to our patients and their families.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Trusts & Foundations Manager role is a hybrid position for University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, which is the official charity of Good Hope Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and Solihull Hospital and Community Services.
The Trusts & Foundations Manager will work closely with other members of the hospital charity, providing support to the fundraising team and the Charity overall.
Working as part of a team, the person in this role will have specific responsibility for researching and applying to grant-making trusts and foundations and identifying where the work of the charity meets the application criteria.
They will write or complete applications and build relationships with existing and potential funders. They will also be responsible for managing members of the team who are currently applying to Trusts and Foundations and supporting them with their applications. The Manager is also responsible for the Trusts and Foundations database and building on this.
This role would suit an experienced fundraiser looking to move into a management role, or a Fundraising Manager looking for an exciting opportunity at a hospital charity.
MAIN DUTIES
PRINCIPAL DUTIES
- Research trusts, foundations, and grant funding bodies to identify those where the application criteria match elements of the work of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) Charity.
- Prepare, write and submit a portfolio of persuasive Grant & Trust applications.
- Research and collate information and/or data required to make applications to trusts, foundations, and grant funding bodies, providing them with compelling cases of support.
- Establish and manage long term, effective and profitable relationships with existing and prospective funders by providing excellent donor and supporter care.
- Increase the pool of potential funders by using Trusts and Foundations sector knowledge and scoping of the funding landscape to identify new trust funders and increase opportunities for generating new income.
- Maintain and develop efficient ways of keeping trusts, foundations and grant funding bodies updated on the work of UHB Charity and the difference their support makes, to develop and maintain relationships and maximise short- and long-term support.
- Support the wider fundraising team with smaller grant applications and offer regular opportunities for them to apply to specific funders.
- Work to financial targets and undertake research as directed/agreed by the Director of Fundraising.
- Provide the Director of Fundraising with regular updates and monthly progress reports.
- Monitor application deadlines, submissions, acceptances/refusals, income received and ensure all information is updated accurately on the database.
- Inspire and motivate funders through the creation and delivery of regular communications, presentations and tours of the Hospital.
- Work with the Communications Team to obtain patient and family case studies and stories for use in Trust applications and impact reports.
COMMUNICATION
- Relaying accurate and timely information to the fundraising team, the Charity Chief Executive and Charity Trustees on a regular basis. Communicating with clinical and non-clinical staff within the hospital. Communicating with donors and fundraisers.
- Dealing with enquiries from the general public, disseminating information and ensuring that the appropriate action is taken, whilst maintaining the Charity’s policies and procedures.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Ability to present oneself in a professional manner as a representative of the hospital and the charity.
- To maintain confidentiality in all aspects of duty, including fundraiser and donor data.
- To maintain an accurate effective database, recording essential information and providing statistical data in accordance with guidelines and policy using Raiser's Edge, Microsoft Office, Word and Access.
MISCELLANEOUS
- To represent the Charity in a variety of different contexts and to a variety of different audiences.
- To ensure that a positive image of the hospital and the Charity is projected at all times
- To hold a flexible approach to working hours (the role will require the post holder to work evenings and weekends as necessary)
- To hold a flexible approach to work when asked to take on other fundraising or admin duties when the team needs to cover holidays, or at times of workload pressure
- To adopt a supportive and collegiate approach when working with the fundraising team and other colleagues within the hospital
The Trusts and Foundations Manager will also carry out other projects and duties as directed by the Head of Fundraising, Director of Fundraising and Charity Chief Executive.
NOTES:
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities but more an outline framework against which the post holder will be given flexibility to define the detail. Any changes will be the subject of consultation with the post holder.
All employees must adhere to and perpetuate Charity Policies and Procedures relating to:
- Health and Safety
- No Smoking at Work
- Equal Opportunities in Employment, including responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Your attention is drawn to the confidential nature of information collected within the NHS. The unauthorised use or disclosure of patient or other personal information is a dismissible offence and in the case of computerised information could result in a prosecution for an offence or action for civil damages under the Data Protection Act 1984.
Please note that employees are employed directly by the Charity and not the NHS.
Employees of the Charity are eligible to join a defined contribution pension scheme, to which the Charity will contribute 8% of an employee’s annual salary in addition to employee contributions.
Employees of the Charity are eligible for enhanced maternity and sickness pay.
Employees of the Charity receive 27 days holiday per year, plus Bank Holidays.
SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Excellent written skills with first class spelling
- Use of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Powerpoint along with other software packages
- Ability to match communication style with the varying needs of supporters
- Ability to work independently and under pressure, prioritising work to meet deadlines
- Ability to deal with heavy, unpredictable workloads
- Ability to recognise and reward people’s contributions
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the charity
- Problem solving
- Record keeping
- Non-judgemental attitude
- Accepts responsibility for own decisions
- Ability to represent the Charity at events and functions
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to influence people at all levels
- Understanding and respect for the importance of patient confidentiality
- GCSE English Language or equivalent
- GCSE Mathematics or equivalent
Desirable
- Educated to degree level or equivalent
- Qualification in trusts and foundations fundraising, creative writing or marketing
- Membership of the Institute of Fundraising
EXPERIENCE:
Essential
- Experience of exceeding/achieving targets in an income generation environment linked to Trusts and Foundations.
- Considerable previous experience in Trusts and Foundations fundraising and/or general fundraising gained in a charitable environment
- Demonstrable success of securing significant income and of achieving challenging financial targets
- Knowledge/experience of fundraising in a health-related field
- Experience of working with senior staff at Board/Trustee level
- Experience of developing new donor/sales relationships
- Experience in the charitable sector
Desirable
- Raiser's Edge donor database experience
- Experience in the hospital charity sector
- Experience of working and consulting with patients and/or medical staff
- Understanding of the NHS and wider health and patient issues
ADDITIONAL INFO
Essential
- A team player with a flexible approach
- Available to work out of hours if required.
Desirable
- Car driver with a clean licence
Registered Charity
21 - 50
Changing lives and saving lives for patients, families and staff at our hospitals
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.