Senior donor relations manager jobs in birmingham

Hours: Available part-time (minimum 16 hours), in a job share or Full-time (see 'Flexible working')

Location: Flexible within the UK. Home-based, blended or fully office based (from our offices in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh or London).

Closing Date: 08:00 am (BST), 28 July 2025 

Ref: EM 1390

We are looking for a strategic and collaborative individual to join us as our Senior Manager – Strategy & Partnerships, a pivotal role in which you’ll lead the development and support the delivery of our energy access strategy.

Who we are

Energy Saving Trust is a leading and trusted organisation, dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, low carbon transport and sustainable energy use. We aim to address the climate emergency and deliver the wider benefits of clean energy as we transition to net zero.

At Energy Saving Trust we don’t just offer jobs – we offer careers. For our people, being part of the effort to address the climate emergency makes working for us truly meaningful and rewarding.

Here are some of the benefits we offer:

• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional leave earned through length of service

• Three extra days off over the Christmas period as a gesture of goodwill

• A competitive pension scheme with generous employer contributions

• Flexibility in our ways of working – work from home, in the office, or a mix of both, depending on your role

• Two paid volunteering days per year – a chance to give back to the causes that matter most to you

Please see our careers page for the full list of benefits we have to offer and why Energy Saving Trust is a great place to work. 

The role     

This is a pivotal role that will shape and drive the growth and diversification of our clean energy access work, including our flagship Low Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA) programme and the Efficiency for Access Coalition, managed in partnership with CLASP and funded by UK Aid via the Transforming Energy Access Platform and the IKEA Foundation.

What you’ll do

Together with the Senior Programme Manager, you’ll co-lead the Strategy, Policy and Partnerships work within LEIA, with a focus on strategy development and solidifying our role as a thought leader and key influencer. You’ll provide strategic direction and sector expertise to the energy access team to inform, support and guide programme delivery, ensuring a cross-workstream effort towards the achievement of overarching goals. Also you’ll lead the delivery of a range of strategic projects and stakeholder coordination activities.

Working with colleagues and partners you’ll lead the development of innovative and distinctive concepts and support fundraising efforts with a focus on initiatives that respond to needs, add value and deliver impact. You’ll nurture key stakeholder relationships and build and cultivate strategic partnerships to realise our strategic goals within and across key sectors, including energy, agriculture and humanitarian.

You’ll be an ambassador for Energy Saving Trust work, both internally and externally, working with colleagues to build our profile and position us for future growth.

What you’ll bring

• You’re values driven - you want and need to work for a cause that you believe in. And you’re passionate about tackling the climate emergency and energy inequality.

• You have a strategic mindset, can analyse and solve complex problems and present and deliver workable solutions. You’re self-motivated, able to prioritise your own work and possess a can-do attitude, a hunger to learn and excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• You have a collaborative spirit and an ability to inspire and manage joint working in complex, multi-disciplinary teams, in partnership with others. You’ve worked with or for major international donor funds, have a track record of delivering results and can manage a number of projects and tasks in parallel effectively.

• You have a deep knowledge of off- and weak-grid appliance technologies, market barriers and solutions in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia and a good understanding of international energy / climate policy, (Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreement), regulations, delivery and funding landscapes.

• You have an established network of key stakeholder relationships in relevant sectors, including donors, investors, programme implementers, private sector actors and academia, and a proven ability to build, nurture and influence relationships at a senior level.

• You have experience of realising new opportunities and fundraising from international donors. You understand the challenges that exist and possess a creative flair for designing high-impact initiatives to overcome them, in partnership with others.

• You enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and like your work to be collaborative and fun! You’re prepared for regular international travel, are experienced at working with diverse people from different cultures, backgrounds and fields, and comfortable working remotely, in geographically dispersed teams.

To apply, visit our recruitment portal via the apply button.

Applications close 28 July 08:00 am (BST). Interviews are intended to be held 4-6 August.

To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Reasonable adjustments: We are a Disability Confident Committed employer. We want to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive of and accessible for, everyone.

If you think you may need additional support or reasonable adjustments made to any part of the recruitment process, please get in touch. 

Flexible working: We offer a range of flexible working arrangements, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements. There is no need to justify your preferred working pattern and we encourage our people to work in whichever way helps them to perform at their best.

We will be happy to discuss this and our blended working model at the interview stage with you.

Please note, that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this post. To apply for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK.

Diversity and inclusion

Energy Saving Trust is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone can be themselves, with support to be their best.

We strongly encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and with different identities and experiences to apply for roles with Energy Saving Trust.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and we ringfence a minimum number of interview slots for candidates who apply via the Disability Confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for a role.

Head of Institutional Relations and Governance

About Charity Right
At Charity Right, we are a focused and passionate international food charity on a mission to free people from the devastating effects of hunger. Since our founding, we have provided over 40 million meals across 7 countries, serving those who need it most with dignity and care.

Our Mission
We believe that no child should go to school hungry. Our single-cause focus allows us to be exceptionally effective at what we do best: providing nutritious school meals that keep children in classrooms and give them the opportunity to break free from poverty through education.

About the Role

This is a newly created leadership role responsible for developing and embedding the governance infrastructure and strategic partnerships that will position Charity Right as a credible and competitive organisation for institutional funding. The Head of Governance and Institutional Relations will be responsible for cultivating relationships with institutional funders, multilateral agencies, and foundations, while also leading internal governance and capacity-building efforts to ensure Charity Right is fully prepared to secure and deliver such partnerships.

The role will build and oversee the development of international branch offices where appropriate, ensuring alignment with partner eligibility requirements and regulatory frameworks. This role is cross-functional and high-impact, sitting at the intersection of compliance, strategy, fundraising, and programme delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Institutional Fundraising & Relationship Management

• Identify and engage potential institutional funders and foundations both in the UK and internationally.
• Lead the full lifecycle of institutional donor relationships—from prospecting and due diligence through to application, stewardship, and renewal.
• Build a comprehensive pipeline of funding opportunities aligned with Charity Right’s mission and delivery capacity.
• Work closely with Programmes, Finance, and Fundraising teams to coordinate compelling funding proposals and aligned delivery models.

Organisational Governance & Capacity Building

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of Charity Right’s governance framework to meet international standards for institutional funders.
• Identify and implement structural, policy, and procedural enhancements that elevate Charity Right’s readiness to enter and sustain institutional partnerships.
• Conduct periodic organisational assessments and produce recommendations to close capacity gaps identified by funders or prospective partners.

International Presence & Localisation Strategy

• Design and oversee the establishment of Charity Right branch offices in key geographies.
• Ensure all international branches are compliant with local laws, reporting requirements, and brand/mission alignment.
• Collaborate with legal and operational advisors to manage entity registration, governance structures, and oversight models in each country.

Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

• Develop and implement a formal institutional partnering strategy.
• Identify and vet strategic implementation partners that complement Charity Right’s delivery capabilities.
• Negotiate, draft, and manage partnership agreements ensuring alignment with Charity Right’s values and strategic objectives.

Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation

• Develop and implement a framework to monitor the performance and outcomes of institutional partnerships and funded projects.
• Ensure robust reporting mechanisms, including narrative and financial reporting, are in place.
• Regularly brief the CEO and Board on the status of funder relationships, branch development, and institutional readiness.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Significant senior-level experience in institutional fundraising, partnership management, or international development.
• Strong understanding of governance frameworks, compliance standards, and operational due diligence requirements for international NGOs.
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing funding from institutional donors.
• Experience in establishing and managing international offices, branches, or subsidiaries.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across departments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strategic thinker with strong project management and execution capability.
• Values-driven, with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusion.
• Familiarity with safeguarding frameworks, donor audits, and risk registers.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience working in humanitarian or faith-inspired development contexts.
• Legal, compliance, or public policy background.
• Existing network within institutional funding or global development sectors.

Success Indicators

• Institutional Fundraising & Relationship Development
• Number of institutional funder relationships established (UK and international)
• Number of funding applications submitted per quarter
• Total value (£) of secured institutional or foundation grants annually
• Application success rate (%) across funding proposals submitted
• Donor retention and re-engagement rate (%)

Governance & Organisational Capacity

• Completion and implementation of key governance policies
• Improvement in organisational assessments conducted by external funders or partners
• Internal audit readiness and compliance rate
• Number of governance or compliance gaps resolved each quarter
• Staff training or briefings delivered on governance-related improvements

International Branch Development

• Number of international entities registered or formalised in target geographies
• Time taken from initiation to legal establishment of each branch
• Compliance rate with local registration, reporting, and governance requirements
• Annual cost-to-benefit ratio of each registered branch (qualitative + financial assessment)

Strategic Partnerships

• Number of partnership MOUs or contracts formalised
• Partner performance satisfaction score
• Number of co-designed or co-delivered proposals with partners submitted per year
• Strategic alignment index – measured via internal SLT reviews

Reporting & Monitoring

• Reporting compliance rate (%) with donor reporting deadlines and formats
• Timeliness and quality score of narrative and financial reports submitted
• Quarterly internal partnership performance reports delivered to SLT/CEO
• Monitoring framework adoption rate across new institutional projects

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Location: Remote Working
Salary: £48,000 – 54,000 per annum, depending on experience
Reports to: CEO

We are looking for a passionate and ambitious Head of Fundraising to lead and grow our voluntary income. Your focus will span the full range of fundraising activities, from statutory and trust funding to developing and increasing income across major donor giving, legacies, corporate partnerships, and individual giving.

This role offers an opportunity to shape how we communicate our value to funders and supporters, build long-term partnerships that reflect our mission, and grow a culture of income awareness across the organisation. It is a fantastic opportunity for an existing Head of Fundraising, or someone who feels ready to take the next step in their career and play a key role in shaping the future of our fundraising strategy.

As Head of Fundraising, you will work closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to increase philanthropic support and voluntary income. You’ll lead our efforts to diversify and grow income streams – securing support from individuals, corporates, and other partners – with a focus on innovation, sustainability, and long-term impact. You’ll be part of an organisation where you can see the direct effect of your work on the services we deliver to keep children safe.

You will lead and support a small team, bring fresh thinking and strong relationship-building skills, and work closely with project leads to ensure our funding reflects real needs and delivers real impact. You will be able to combine strategic and commercial awareness, with hands-on delivery.

This role will give you the opportunity and responsibility to build on our successful fundraising and extend our appeal to new donors as well as maintain our existing supporters. You will need demonstrable fundraising experience and the ability to work confidently as a strategic thinker as well as a practical fundraiser. You will come with strong ideas and skills to implement them.

If you’re driven by making a difference – especially, in the field of child protection and want to bring your fundraising leadership to a mission that matters, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll get from us

We offer hybrid working, with a minimum of 2 days in the office after one month in the position, a NEST pension, 33 days’ annual leave rising to 38 days (inclusive of statutory bank holidays following qualifying period), up to 5 days’ learning and development per year, flu jabs, eye tests, charity discounts, an employee assistance programme and the option of Benenden medical cover. We are proud to partner with the Living Wage Foundation and be an accredited employer of choice.

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting the vulnerable adults, children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe in creating a positive environment where our differences are respected and each of us feels valued for our contribution. Showing respect and consideration to all is part of our values and at the core of our culture.

As an inclusive employer, all qualified candidates will be considered regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or belief, age, socioeconomic background, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity and caring responsibilities, marital status, nationality and disability including invisible disabilities and neurodiversity. As part of our safer recruitment process, we actively remove bias from applications i.e. applications are anonymised prior to sharing with the recruiting panel and equal opportunity monitoring forms are removed from applications on receipt and retained by HR for analysis reporting.

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