Senior philanthropy officer jobs

Team: Philanthropy & Partnerships

Location: Homebased with some travel for meetings & events

Work pattern: 21 hours per week over 3 days Monday to Friday, specific days can be discussed at interview

Salary: Up to £22,539.57 per annum (pro rata of £37,565.95)

Contract: Permanent

We are the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. All over the country, our enthusiastic employees, volunteers, and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.

Will you join us and make life better for cats?

Responsibilities of our Senior Corporate Partnerships Development Officer:

• The successful candidate will lead the development of new, long-term corporate partnerships, supporting the implementation of the corporate partnerships fundraising plan and increasing sustainable net income for Cats Protection.
• The Senior Corporate Partnerships Development Officer will be pivotal in driving new income for the charity, working as one with teams across the charity to identify new opportunities for potential corporate funding support.

About the Corporate Partnerships team:

• We sit within the Marketing & Income Generation directorate.
• The corporate partnerships team is split between new business and account management, made up of driven, passionate and dynamic corporate fundraisers
• We currently have a team of one full time Senior Corporate Partnerships Development Officer and a Corporate Partnerships Development Manager, in addition to a Lead Corporate Partnerships Manager who oversees the entire corporate partnerships team
• You will be managed by the Corporate Partnerships Development Manager, and you will work alongside another Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer to achieve a joint team target

What we are looking for in our Senior Corporate Partnerships Development Officer:

• Significant corporate partnership fundraising experience generating new business within a charity setting
• Extensive experience of developing strong relationships with supporters/ clients/colleagues
• Experience of presenting business proposals in person and via conference call
• Experience of managing commercial participators agreements, negotiating updates and changes where necessary 
• Excellent networking skills
• Familiar with the CIOF codes of practice relating to corporate partnership fundraising

What we can offer you:

• range of health benefits
• 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service.
• Salary Finance, which empowers you to take control of your financial wellbeing.
• and much more, which you can learn about 

Interested? Here’s how to apply:

Application closing date: 15th March 2026

Virtual interview date:  From 24th March 2026

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment. Please note, applications received after the closing date may not be responded to.

If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience does not align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate. 

If successful, your recruitment journey will include:

1. Anonymised application form

2. Virtual interview via Microsoft Teams

3. Final stage virtual interview

Please note, the process may change slightly dependent on application numbers. We will inform you of any relevant changes.

Prospect Research Officer
Contract type: Permanent
Full time: 34.5 hours, we are open to a conversation about how you work these hours
Location: Hybrid between home and our London office (typically 1 day per week in office)
Salary range: £37,000 - £40,000

Are you a naturally curious researcher who loves turning insight into opportunity? Do you have a talent for writing high‑quality briefs and building strong, collaborative relationships?

We’re looking for a Prospect Research Officer who can help unlock transformative income to support people living with cancer.

About us

At Macmillan you'll find talented people working together to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. We're going all out to find even better ways to help even more people who need our support. Our values are at the heart of who we are and everything we do, inspiring our thinking and guiding our actions.

Our new organisational strategy sets out how we’ll fight even harder to make every pound raised count for even more. With your help, we’ll transform cancer care for good.

About the role

This is a pivotal role within our newly established Prospect Development and Insight function, giving you the opportunity to shape how we identify, research, and prioritise the high‑value prospects who can make transformational gifts to Macmillan.

You will be responsible for feeding high‑quality insight directly to fundraisers, supporting them to grow pipelines, prioritise approaches, and unlock opportunities across corporate partnerships, philanthropy, and trusts. You’ll use a wide range of research techniques and tools to identify prospects, evaluate their potential, support risk management through due diligence, and provide concise, high‑impact briefings for fundraisers and senior leaders.

Key responsibilities:

• Identify and qualify high‑value prospects using press scanning, wealth screening, network mapping, and research tools.
• Produce clear and concise prospect profiles, briefings and event research for fundraisers and senior stakeholders.
• Conduct due diligence on prospects and donors, assessing risks and escalating where appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with fundraisers to support pipeline development, prioritisation and movement of prospects.
• Provide market insight and trend analysis to help shape fundraising strategy and highlight new opportunities.
• Ensure all research activity complies with GDPR, the Data Protection Act, and internal policies.

About you

The successful candidate will bring:

• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to summarise complex information clearly and concisely.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style.
• Excellent IT, database, research, analytical and organisational skills, including the ability to manipulate data to extract insights.
• Good awareness and understanding of the current corporate and philanthropy fundraising landscape.
• An enquiring mind, with the ability to challenge conventional thinking and draw out fresh perspectives on opportunities for donor development.

The following skills are nice-to-have but can be developed in‑role:

• Experience in prospect research, including identifying and prioritising prospects, network mapping, due diligence and developing gift capacity ratings.
• Experience using relational databases, ideally Raiser’s Edge.

In return, we offer a range of benefits including:

• 25 days holiday plus flexible bank holiday options, increasing by 1 day every year of service up to 30 days
• Pension matched up to 7.5%
• 120+ learning and development offers, with access to external professional qualifications
• Flexible working patterns, such as compressed hours, flexibility to work earlier or later around our core working hours of 10am-4pm
• Holiday buying and selling scheme, life insurance, free wills, retail discounts and much more

Recruitment process

Application deadline: 23:59 on Sunday 15th March
Interviews: Virtual Interviews will be held on the week commencing 23rd March (exact dates TBC)

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed.

So we can support you to be your best during the application or interview process, please contact Macmillan TA Team for advice and reasonable adjustments.

We welcome applications from everyone who meet the criteria and strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Macmillan. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy along with our internal employee representation body, ‘Our Voice’ and 8 Employee Network groups help us promote fairness and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.

Our vision is of a society where everyone has the opportunity to live a rewarding and fulfilled life.

Are you our next Chief Executive?

• Are you passionate about addressing issues around poverty and inequality?
• Do you have the experience and skills needed to lead this innovative place-based funder?
• Are you a creative thinker who thrives on working collaboratively and collegiately?

If so, then you might be the right person to lead Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving.

About Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving

Established over 500 years ago, Cripplegate Foundation has become a pioneering, place-based grantmaking foundation with a reputation for innovation and making a difference. It created Islington Giving, which was the first scheme of its kind, to work with residents and a coalition of funders, businesses and voluntary organisations to create better solutions to the challenges of poverty and inequality. We make grants of over £2 million a year and we have become a major influencer in the grant-giving sector, achieving significant progress, such as:

• Raising over £12 million since 2010.
• Partnering with Islington Council to promote community development and support residents
• Developing innovative and participatory grant programmes
• Pushing forward with ambitious Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals

It’s an exciting (and challenging) time to join us!

Given the challenges in Islington (and beyond), the next few years promise to be pivotal in shaping our future and there are many opportunities for the new Chief Executive to make a difference, including:

• Leading on considerations around the changing political landscape
• Working creatively and innovatively to explore the strategy for the coming years
• Building on our programme of Social Impact Investing and ethical Investing
• Leading a passionate, professional and committed team

About the role and person 

The new Chief Executive could be someone with senior management experience who is ready to lead an organisation for the first time, or they may already have experience of being a Chief Executive.

Whatever your background you will need to demonstrate, amongst other things:

• Experience of leading and managing in a collaborative and collegiate style
• Skill at creating and delivering cross-sector partnerships
• An entrepreneurial style and a record of income generation
• A deep understanding of the issues arising in inner city areas, gained through lived and/or professional experience
• A pioneering, creative and innovative style and a commitment to DEI

If you feel you fit the role and are motivated by our work then we’d be excited to hear from you. Please find out more by looking at the Candidate Information Pack. 

Role description:

The Senior Philanthropy Officer will play a key role in delivering ambitious income growth by securing philanthropic support from individuals, trusts and foundations, and corporate partners.

Managing a mixed portfolio of high-value prospects capable of making five-figure and above gifts and above, the postholder will cultivate, develop and steward long-term relationships as well as identify and secure new opportunities.

We are looking for a self-motivated and proactive Senior Philanthropy Officer who thrives on building strong, long-lasting relationships. You will be an excellent relationship builder, someone who is curious and able to identify opportunities to strengthen relationships, and who demonstrates resilience when working towards ambitious fundraising goals. You will convey a genuine passion for Southampton Hospitals Charity and feel confident sharing our vision and impact with others.

Main Responsibilities:

• Manage, grow and steward a mixed portfolio of individual major donors, trusts and foundations, and corporate partners capable of making five-figure gifts and above
• Identify and cultivate new high-value prospects, developing tailored engagement and solicitation strategies aligned to charity priorities
• Build strong, trusted relationships with donors, clinicians and senior hospital stakeholders to develop compelling philanthropic asks and stewardship reports
• Grow philanthropy pipeline, focusing on increasing multi-year support and improving the quality, volume and success rate of applications
• Support the Director of Income Generation and Marketing with the delivery of donor stewardship and cultivation events
• Work closely with colleagues across hospital engagement, community fundraising, legacy and in-memory giving and grants to ensure joined-up planning and delivery
• Maintain accurate records of donor engagement, pipeline activity and income forecasting using the CRM system
• Monitor trends in philanthropy, trusts and major giving, adapting approaches in response to changes in the external funding environment
• Act as a professional ambassador for Southampton Hospitals Charity, representing the organisation with credibility

Person Specification:

Knowledge and Experience

• Proven experience of securing philanthropic income at the five-figure level or above
• Experience working within a charity, NHS charity or not-for-profit organisation
• Demonstrable success in managing and developing relationships with major donors and/or trusts and foundations and/or corporate partners
• Experience of producing high-quality funding proposals, cases for support and impact reports
• Track record of managing fundraising portfolios and delivering income against targets

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate information clearly and compellingly
• Strong relationship-building skills, with confidence engaging clinicians, senior stakeholders and donors
• Outstanding organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities
• High attention to detail and strong project management capability
• Confident use of CRM systems and fundraising databases

Personal Qualities

• Self-motivated, proactive and able to work effectively on own initiative
• Collaborative and relationship-led, with a strong team ethos
• Professional, reliable and highly organised
• Resilient and adaptable
• Passionate about improving patient outcomes and supporting NHS staff

Job Summary

The Philanthropy Manager will develop a philanthropy strategy, building on the partnerships and resources already in place. You will develop a pipeline backed up by robust prospect research (some administrative assistance will be provided), and instigate a cultivation and stewardship programme, typically adopting a staged approach to major asks.

You will be accountable for the acquisition, development, and stewardship of high value supporters for CUF, both individual philanthropists and non-statutory grant-making bodies. You will develop and strengthen relationships with existing donors, as well as identifying warm prospects currently not supporting CUF financially. A key part of your role will be meeting and engaging major donor prospects to grow the pool.

You will engage with Trustees and senior leaders, to identify and nurture Christian philanthropists and grant body decision-makers within their spheres of influence.

You will lead on developing cases for support and writing grant applications, helped by the wider staff team.

The successful candidate will be a self-starter with high levels of motivation, and the ability to both develop and operationalise strategy as a member of a small team. You will have a track record of successfully initiating, managing and developing relationships with High-Net-Worth individuals and grantmaking bodies, and securing donations and grants, via proposals or through face-to-face meetings, as required.

How to apply

For an informal conversation about this role and for more information, please contact our Deputy CEO, Adam Edwards please see job pack for details. 

To apply, please email an up-to-date CV and covering letter (please note that only CV’s accompanied with a covering letter will be considered for shortlisting) of no more than 2 pages, outlining your relevant skills and experience, relating to the listed responsibilities and person specification to: HR Officer, please see job pack for details.

Closing date: 17:00 Tuesday 24th March, with interviews to be held on 2nd April online.

Overview
The Talent Set are delighted to partner with the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) on a fantastic Senior Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager role. This pivotal position will work to accelerate their corporate and individual major gifts programme. Taking a thoughtful, supporter-first approach, you’ll secure six-figure gifts that drive real change for people as they become parents across the UK. 

You’ll join at an exciting moment, as the charity enters its 70th Anniversary year!

Working closely with our Chair of Trustees, Chief Executive and Head of Fundraising & Partnerships, you’ll help unlock new networks and opportunities. You’ll be the key link between internal and external conversations — taking ideas from first spark, through a brilliant ask, and into smooth delivery — while also helping to build the infrastructure that makes high-value fundraising work at scale (KPIs, reporting and supporter management). 

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies to cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, partners, and stakeholders.
• Identify new funding opportunities and partnership prospects to expand the organisation’s reach.
• Lead engagement activities, including events and campaigns, to increase visibility and support.
• Collaborate across teams to develop compelling proposals, reports, and presentations.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on partnership outcomes to inform future strategies.
• Represent the organisation at external events and forums, strengthening its presence in the sector.

Person Specification

• Demonstrates excellent relationship-building and communication skills.
• Organised with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.
• Has a proactive approach to identifying opportunities and solutions.
• Strong understanding of philanthropy and nonprofit funding landscapes.
• Adaptable and culturally sensitive, with a commitment to inclusive practices.
• Possesses strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience in fundraising, stakeholder engagement, or partnership management is desirable.

What’s on Offer
Salary: 45,000
Location: Remote, with regular travel to corporate and major donor meetings

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.
Commitment to Diversity

The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

Location: Contracted to our Peterborough office with the flexibility for hybrid working
Contract Type: 12-month fixed term contract – maternity cover
Full time: 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £36,000 - £42,000 depending on experience
Benefits: We want all our employees to feel valued and engaged and are committed to offering a positive working culture along with a good work-life balance. As well as ensuring we pay our employees fairly, we offer the following benefits: Flexible working, Generous annual leave, Private Medical Insurance, including dental and optical, Pension Scheme, Sick Pay, Death in Service, Employee Assistance Programme, Bike Loan Scheme, Cycle2Work Scheme, Eyecare, Discount Portal.

Closing date: Sunday 29 March 2026

Telephone interviews will be held week commencing 30 March and in-person interviews will be held in Peterborough week commencing 6 April 2026

No agencies please

Be a part of an energetic and vibrant team who are driven by the desire to improve the lives of people living with kidney disease. Our vision is the day when everyone lives free from kidney disease.

This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who thrives in a fast paced, ambitious environment. We want to prevent kidney disease from becoming a public health emergency and find better treatments for kidney patients sooner.

We are looking for a talented philanthropy manager who will be responsible for a portfolio of prospects and donors to build long lasting and highly engaged relationships. Working closely with the head of philanthropy and the major appeals manager you will play a key role in growing our income from major donors over the next 3-5 years by building a pipeline of new and existing donors and securing five and six-figure gifts.

This external facing role will manage our mid to high value prospects and donors and you will build personal relationships though understanding donor motivations, delivering tailored funding proposals and communications, and creating a bespoke donor journey with the aim of increasing their giving and connection to the cause.

We operate a hybrid, flexible working style and regular weekly office attendance is encouraged. The role is contracted to our Peterborough office. You will also be required to regularly attend external meetings and events.

If you are interested in the position, please complete the online application form and submit together with your CV.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone and encourage applications from all sections of the community.

About Kidney Research UK:

Kidney Research UK is the leading charity in the UK focused on funding research into the prevention, treatment and management of kidney disease. Our vision is the day when everyone lives free from kidney disease and for more than 60 years the research, we fund has been making an impact. But kidney disease is increasing as are the factors contributing to it, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, making our work more essential than ever.

At Kidney Research UK we work with clinicians and scientists across the UK, funding and facilitating research into all areas of kidney disease. We collaborate with partners across the public, private and third sectors to prevent kidney disease and drive innovation to transform treatments.
Over the last ten years we have invested more than £71 million into research. We lobby governments and decision makers to change policy and practice to ensure that the estimated 7.2 million people living with all stages of kidney disease in the UK have access to the most effective care and treatment, and to make kidney disease a priority.

Most importantly, we also work closely with patients, ensuring their voice is heard and is at the centre of everything we do, from deciding which research to invest in to how we plan our priorities and our work across the charity.

Those patient contributions are vital, always helping us and our partners to understand what life is like with kidney disease, always ensuring we see the patient behind the treatment and always reminding us that behind every statistic and every number is a person – the patients and the carers who inspire our mission and push us forward to make a difference and change the future of kidney disease.

You may have experience of the following: Philanthropy Manager, Partnerships Manager, Head of Philanthropy, Head of Partnerships, Fundraiser, Senior Fundraising Officer, Fundraising Manager, Head of Fundraising, Major Gifts, Corporate Partnerships, Business Development Manager, Charity, Charities, Third Sector, NFP, Not for Profit, etc.

REF-227 011

Harris Hill are delighted to be partnering with UWS, an award-winning global education organisation bringing community-led schooling to some of the world’s most remote populations. Following a record-breaking year and the launch of their ambitious 2025–2030 Programmes Strategy, UWS is entering a hugely exciting phase of growth — and they’re now seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Senior Philanthropy Manager to help shape the next chapter.

The Opportunity

As Senior Philanthropy Manager, you will lead and evolve UWS’ high-value giving strategy, driving transformational income and long-term supporter engagement.

This role blends strategic leadership with hands-on major donor fundraising. You will:

• Lead and deliver the Philanthropy Strategy in line with organisational priorities
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio generating c. £500k–£1m p.a.
• Secure six-figure and multi-year gifts
• Develop compelling, visionary cases for support aligned to UWS’ global education mission
• Work closely with trustees, senior leaders and global colleagues to unlock new high-value networks
• Line manage and develop the Events & Philanthropy Manager, ensuring events are strategically aligned cultivation tools

You’ll oversee forecasting, pipeline development, KPIs and budget management — ensuring philanthropy at UWS is both ambitious and operationally robust.

What UWS Are Looking For

UWS are seeking a philanthropy leader who brings:

• A proven track record of delivering at least £500k+ p.a. within major donor programmes
• Personal success securing six-figure gifts
• Experience building and managing strong donor pipelines
• Confidence working with trustees, senior stakeholders and high-net-worth individuals
• Strategic planning capability alongside strong delivery focus
• Line management experience or strong coaching capability

Experience within an international NGO or global development context would be advantageous, as would exposure to high-value events or development boards.

Above all, they are looking for someone who can cultivate transformational relationships and confidently lead a high-value programme through its next phase of growth.

Key Details

• Location: London (Hybrid – 2 days per week in office)
• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
• Salary: Competitive
• Reports to: Executive Director of Fundraising & Communications
• Line management: 1 direct report (Events & Philanthropy Manager)
• Closing date: 9am, Monday 16th March
• Interviews: w/c 23rd March (1st stage) and w/c 30th March (2nd stage)
• DBS required

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

We are seeking an experienced relationship driven Fundraiser to take ownership of a strategic role with real influence.  You’ll own the philanthropy and major gifts portfolio — identifying, cultivating and stewarding high-net-worth individuals, high-value corporate partners and trusts & foundations — and shape a compelling case for support that unlocks multi-year funding and strategic partnerships.

In this new role you will close significant gifts, steward long-term relationships and see the measurable difference your work makes to patients and families.

This role is for you if:

• You’re motivated by securing high-value support and building long-term philanthropic relationships.
• You enjoy high-touch, strategic stewardship and personalised donor engagement.
• You’re confident working with senior leaders, trustees and external stakeholders in fundraising asks.
• You want to design and deliver a major-gifts strategy that shapes organisational growth.
• You seek a role where commercial awareness, relationship-building and impact reporting matter.

What you’ll be doing:

• Developing and owning a 3–5 year philanthropy and major gifts strategy aligned to our priorities and targets.
• Identifying, qualifying and cultivating major donor prospects, corporate partners and foundation opportunities.
• Delivering a stewardship programme for legacy giving.
• Preparing bespoke proposals, briefing materials and stewardship plans for high-value supporters.
• Leading solicitation and negotiation of major gifts, multi-year pledges and corporate partnership agreements.
• Working with a trusts & foundations fundraiser on applications, reporting and relationships to maximise grant income.
• Working with CEO/Board to involve senior leadership in cultivation and asks; coordinating donor visits and stewardship events.
• Maintaining CRM pipeline, forecasting, compliance with donor agreements and reporting on performance.

What we’re looking for:

• 3+ years’ experience with a proven track record in major gifts, philanthropy or senior fundraising.
• Exceptional relationship-building, presentation and negotiation skills with senior stakeholders.
• Experience writing successful trust/foundation proposals and managing grant relationships.
• Strong strategic thinking, pipeline management and financial forecasting abilities.
• Excellent written skills for proposals, reports and personalised stewardship communications.
• Discreet, professional approach to donor confidentiality and ethical fundraising practice.

Why join us?

• Influence service delivery directly by securing funding that expands and sustains Hospice care.
• Lead a strategic, high-profile fundraising area with visibility to senior leaders and trustees.
• Opportunity to build and shape a major-gifts programme and leave a lasting legacy.
• Flexible working and the chance to build meaningful relationships across our community and partner network.

Location: Hexham, hybrid working will be considered.

Hours: Full-time, with some weekend and out of hours working

Reports to: Head of Income Generation

Closing date: 9 March

Interviews: 16 March

Working closely with Tusk’s US Development Executive from Tusk’s UK office, the "US Philanthropy Officer" position supports a broad range of fundraising initiatives, from major gifts and annual giving to corporate partnerships, foundation grants and especially events. This is an exciting opportunity to help advance Tusk’s mission by strengthening donor relationships, driving fundraising pipelines, and enhancing our US development efforts.

The US Philanthropy Officer will help identify and research prospects, support cultivation and solicitation strategies, and ensure thoughtful, timely stewardship for all supporters. The role will manage donor records and reporting through Salesforce, prepare acknowledgment letters, assist with events, and coordinate donor communications.

The successful candidate will come to the position with a proven track record in fundraising and strong administrative and organisational skills. This is a full-time role with the possibility of some working from home following your successful probation. The role will be based in the UK and will require some travel within the UK and occasionally to the US.

Job Purpose

This role sits at the heart of Operation Smile UK’s five-year strategy to deliver transformational growth across all income streams. As Senior Lead - Retention & Legacy Fundraising, you will be instrumental in delivering on three of the four core strategic priorities:

1. Build Regular Giving – retain and maximise value from the regular giving base

2. Drive All Donors to Legacy – ensure donors experience best-in-class stewardship, increasing their loyalty to the charity with an objective of feeding into legacy and long-term giving goals.

3. Maximise Growth Through Digital Fundraising Integration – leading the expansion and optimisation of digital growth for all existing supporters.

The Senior Lead - Retention & Legacy Fundraising is responsible for delivering Operation Smile UK’s strategic individual giving retention and legacy marketing programme. This role is key to driving income growth from our existing donors from the point of recruitment, maximising value and minimising attrition from the regular giving pool and generating and retaining legacy actions and prospects.

You will lead on the strategy, planning, delivery and evaluation of retention campaigns, with full accountability for managing significant budgets, agency partnerships and performance metrics.

You will support the development of the Legacy strategy, be instrumental in planning legacy activity and delivering legacy marketing for the existing supporter base across all income streams and methods of support, from Partnerships, Volunteers and public fundraisers.

This is a senior, hands-on role suited to an experienced Individual giving fundraiser with strong commercial acumen and a data-driven mindset.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Campaign Leadership

• Develop and implement the retention strategy, aligned with income targets and supporter growth objectives.
• Lead on the planning and delivery of campaigns across cash, donor stewardship, legacy prospecting and stewardship, welcome, conversion, reactivation and upgrade appeals.
• Lead on strategic development of the cultivation journey to ensure Operation Smile maximise growth through digital channels.
• Monitor and report on campaign performance, providing insight-driven recommendations to optimise results.
• Drive testing and innovation to expand existing approaches and introduce new ones within acceptable risk and return parameters.

Budget Ownership & Performance Monitoring

• Take full responsibility for retention and legacy budget management, income forecasting and cost control.
• Set, monitor, and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), reporting against ROI, value and response, retention and conversion metrics and long-term value across all supporter groups channels.
• Collaborate with the Senior Database Manager and the Director of Data and Technology to develop and maintain performance dashboards (e.g., Power BI) and support strategic data analysis, including both short term and long-term channel performance evaluation.

Line Management

• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to the Retention team, ensuring clarity of objectives, effective workload management, and professional development opportunities.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, annual appraisals, and performance reviews for direct reports, supporting their growth and accountability.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture, encouraging innovation, learning, and high standards of delivery.
• Provide strategic and operational direction to external agencies or freelancers working on retention projects.

Agency & Partner Management

• Manage day-to-day relationships with external fundraising and creative partners.
• Lead on the relationship with the external fulfilment agency working with multiple internal stakeholders to ensure an effective partnership is in place.
• Lead briefings, content sourcing, agent training, stakeholder approvals, and quality assurance processes.
• Negotiate contracts and hold suppliers accountable for delivery and performance.

Cross-Team and Market Integration

• Represent the retention and legacy programme in cross-functional planning meetings and contribute to a unified team culture focused on strategic delivery.
• Work closely with the Acquisition and Digital lead to deliver a seamless supporter journey from point of recruitment to donor communications.
• Work closely with the Philanthropy Manager to develop and manage the pipeline of HV/Major donors.
• Work closely with the Legacy administrator, Philanthropy Manager and Volunteer Manager to develop the legacy pipeline.
• Work closely to ensure all digital communications are aligned and support the retention strategy
• Act as a key liaison with colleagues across Operation Smile global markets, sharing insights and exploring opportunities to align strategy, co-develop creative, or pilot cross-market initiatives.

Compliance, Risk & Best Practice

• Ensure all campaigns meet legal, ethical and data protection requirements (e.g., GDPR, Fundraising Regulator).
• Act as a key contributor to organisational risk assessments relating to income performance and supplier performance.
• Keep up to date with sector trends, innovations and benchmarks to maintain best practice.

Person specification

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience (ideally 5+ years) in Individual Giving, Legacy or fundraising acquisition roles.
• Proven success delivering multi-channel (including digital) retention campaigns for both cash, legacy and regular giving donors with strong ROI.
• Experience managing external agencies and suppliers to high performance standards.
• Strong background in regular giving retention.
• Demonstrable experience managing and reporting on retention budgets.

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic thinker with excellent campaign planning and execution skills.
• Highly numerate and confident using data for decision-making and optimisation.
• Strong project and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proactive, self-starting approach with high levels of ownership and accountability.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to represent the organisation externally.

Desirable

• Understanding of retention and supporter journey optimisation.
• Familiarity with CRM, Dot digital and data system Donorfy.
• Experience with Power BI or other reporting tools.

First-round interviews are set for the week of 9th March 2026. We strongly encourage early applications.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We're a Disability Confident Committed employer, so we guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirements for the job.

At Operation Smile UK, we value individuals based on their performance and potential. We're dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that supports everyone's needs. We're happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the application and employment process, and we particularly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds.

If you need this document in a different format, require any adjustments, or need help with your application, please contact us (further details contained within the job description).

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Operation Smile UK knows fundraising could better reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the people the charity sector supports. If you don’t meet every requirement but believe your transferable skills align with the role, we encourage you to contact us for a conversation. 

We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of, age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We celebrate diversity and encourage you to bring your authentic self to Operation Smile UK. We are committed to supporting all applicants and ensuring a fair hiring process. All appointments will be made solely on merit, and we are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. 

Senior Fundraising Manager (Major Giving)

Salary£49,321.55 per annum

LocationLondon/Hybrid

Weekly Hours35

The Vacancy

Job Title: Senior Fundraising Manager (Major Giving)

Location: London/Hybrid

Salary: £49,321.55 per annum

Weekly Hours: 35

Reference: YMC1095733

We seek a strategic and relationship-driven Philanthropy fundraising professional with a passion for making a difference to young people’s lives. If you thrive on securing transformational gifts and building meaningful connections with high-value donors,  then YMCA England & Wales has an incredible opportunity for you to shape and lead our Major Giving programme as our new Senior Fundraising Manager (Major Giving).

About YMCA England & Wales

YMCA England & Wales supports 83 local YMCAs, advocating for vulnerable young people by providing essential building blocks for a better life—like a safe home, guidance, friendship, and employment skills. We are committed to ensuring fairness and opportunity for all, and through our collective voice, we influence national policy and media to improve the lives of young people across the country.

Fundraising at YMCA England & Wales has three pillars:

• Fundraising for distribution through initiatives such as our RoomSponsor programme and national partnerships
• Fundraise to support YMCAs and fund our policy, campaign and research work, which changes the lives of young people
• Help YMCAs fundraise themselves by providing assets, propositions, and advice for local fundraisers.

The Role

As Senior Fundraising Manager (Major Giving), you will lead the development and implementation of an ambitious new Major Giving strategy to secure and maximise funds from high-net-worth individuals. Your focus will be on nurturing relationships with existing donors while identifying and engaging new prospects, driving initiatives including Giving Circles and Development Boards.

You will work closely with senior leadership, Trustees, and key stakeholders to craft compelling cases for support, aligning with YMCA’s ambitious new housing strategy and broader organisational goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors, developing tailored engagement strategies to inspire long-term support.
• Plan and execute donor stewardship activities, including bespoke events, face-to-face meetings, and personalised communications.
• Work with senior leadership and Trustees to build strong relationships with philanthropists and high-value supporters.
• Develop and deliver compelling proposals, impact reports, and updates to donors.
• Identify and research prospective major donors, developing strategies to engage them effectively.
• Implement YMCA’s ambitious Major Giving Strategy which projects an ever more important focus for this area.
• Oversee the Major Giving income and expenditure budget, providing accurate forecasts and performance reports.
• Collaborate with colleagues across fundraising teams to align strategies and maximise income opportunities.
• Ensure robust data management within the CRM database, adhering to GDPR and best practices.
• Work cross-functionally to develop new fundraising products and giving opportunities, ensuring high-value philanthropy is embedded across the organisation.

About You

We are looking for a highly motivated, strategic, and personable fundraising professional with a proven track record of securing major gifts. You will be confident in building relationships with high-net-worth individuals and passionate about delivering exceptional donor experiences.

You will have:

• Significant experience in major donor fundraising, with a track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts.
• Excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to engage and influence high-value supporters.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills, with experience in developing and implementing fundraising strategies.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to create compelling cases for support.
• Budget management and forecasting experience, with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, including Trustees and senior leadership teams.
• Knowledge of philanthropy trends, donor motivations, and fundraising best practices.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of an ambitious and growing fundraising team, with the opportunity to shape and lead YMCA’s major donor programme.
• Work for a charity that makes a real difference in the lives of young people and communities across England & Wales.
• Enjoy a collaborative and supportive work environment, where your contributions are valued and celebrated.
• Competitive salary and benefits package, with opportunities for professional development.

If you are passionate about philanthropy and have the skills and experience to drive major donor fundraising at YMCA England & Wales, we would love to hear from you!

To apply: please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role

Our recruitment process is anonymised and candidates' names are hidden. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. Safer recruitment is important to us and the successful applicant will be asked to provide two references. They will also be required to complete a safeguarding self-declaration, safeguarding training and undertake a DBS check.

First Give

First Give is a national charity that partners with secondary schools to inspire and equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to drive change. Through our structured programmes, students explore social issues, connect with charities, and take tangible steps to improve their community.

Empowering and equipping young people to meaningfully contribute to their community is a first step to addressing many of the challenges we face at this time of social disconnection and division. Our vision is of a more generous society where everyone is willing and able to give their time, money and skills to the causes they care about.

The Route to a Million Campaign

This is an exciting time for First Give, as we seek to expand and diversify our fundraising streams into Corporate and HNWI. To support this, we are launching the Route to A Million campaign in March, aiming to raise an additional £1.5 million over the next 3 years on top of our forecast income. The campaign is supported by a newly recruited campaign board, and the new Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships will spearhead the work required to achieve this target.

Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships

We are seeking a dynamic, strategic and entrepreneurial Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships to supercharge First Give’s next phase of income growth. This is a pivotal role at the heart of our mission, offering the opportunity to shape and deliver a multi‑year fundraising strategy that fuels real, measurable impact for young people and society as a whole. First Give is a small charity, with a growing fundraising team and big ambitions. You will therefore be someone who thrives in a start-up environment, brings new ideas to the table and is comfortable leading a brand-new team.

As the senior leader for all income streams, you will own and drive our major donor programme; unlock new philanthropic partnerships; and build a talented team across other income streams to achieve ambitious goals. Working closely with the Director and our emerging Campaign Board, you will play critical role in growing our £1m+ annual income, deepening donor engagement and building the culture, systems and relationships that will propel First Give into its next phase of expansion.

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional fundraiser who thrives in a values‑driven, high‑ambition environment and wants to make a lasting contribution to a fast‑growing education charity.

Contract: Full time (35 hours per week), Permanent

Salary: £60K (+£2K London weighting if applicable)

Location: This is a hybrid contract. The successful candidate will be expected to work from our London office or attend in-person meetings and host donors at school Final events as required. The remainder of the week can typically be worked remotely, with flexibility as required.

The students we work with come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and so do we.  We want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture, to empower our teams to achieve our vision drawing on the broadest possible range of experiences. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates from minoritised groups currently underrepresented on our executive team, particularly black and minority ethnic and disabled candidates.

Please download the candidate pack for more details, and don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like a chat about the role or any reasonable adjustments we can make before applying: contact details provided in the candidate pack.

A fantastic opportunity for a senior finance professional who wants to work in a charity where the employees are as important as delivering the mission. This role might appeal to an established accountant or auditor who would like to learn more about managing operations such as IT, human resources, charity governance and transformation management. There is scope for this role to grow with you over the next few years.

In 2026, we will be introducing a new version of our CRM system and we’d like to migrate from Sage Line 50 to Xero. We’re looking for someone who’s enthusiastic about embracing and managing changes to our systems.

You’ll bring energy and enthusiasm to the team, ensuring financial functions are carried out efficiently, effectively, accurately and in a timely way. You will be supported by a knowledgeable and experienced team. You'll focus on managing and improving financial processes, ensuring that the Leadership Group have up-to-date and accurate records for reporting to the Board, preparing the accounts for audit each year and improving processes.