Senior regional corporate partnership executive jobs in Bristol
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Head of Fundraising & Philanthropy
Permanent | Full-time (37.5 hours per week) - Flexible working arrangements considered.
Salary: £45,056–£49,417 (dependent on experience)
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Bristol (Hybrid working)
Help Transform the Future of Rivers Across the Bristol Avon
This is a rare opportunity to build something that will have a lasting impact.
Over the past several years, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) has become one of the UK's fastest-growing Rivers Trusts, securing investment to restore rivers, reconnect habitats, reduce flooding and engage communities across the Bristol Avon catchment.
Now we're ready for the next stage of our journey.
We are looking for an ambitious and experienced fundraising leader to build and lead an entirely new area of our organisation - developing sustainable voluntary income that enables us to do more than project funding alone can achieve.
This is an opportunity to create something from the ground up. You will shape our fundraising strategy, diversify our income, build long-term relationships with supporters and partners, and unlock investment that will directly improve rivers, wildlife and communities across our region.
If you're motivated by building successful fundraising programmes with genuine environmental impact, we'd love to hear from you.
About Bristol Avon Rivers Trust
Founded in 2012, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust works across the Bristol Avon catchment to restore rivers for wildlife, people and the local economy.
Everything we do is guided by the best available science and a catchment based approach, working across entire catchments to improve biodiversity, climate resilience, water quality and flood resilience.
Since 2023, the Trust has experienced significant growth. We now employ around 20 staff, deliver approximately £1.3 million of projects annually, and work alongside local partnerships, farmers, landowners, communities, local authorities, businesses and government agencies.
Our ambition over the next five years is even greater.
To deliver our Strategy 2025–2030, we need to complement our strong track record in project funding with a sustainable programme of unrestricted and philanthropic income.
About the Role
Help shape the future Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART).
This is much more than a fundraising role.
You'll have the opportunity to design and lead BART's long-term fundraising strategy, creating entirely new income streams that will support restoration of rivers, education, community engagement, project development and organisational resilience.
Our immediate priority is to diversify our income beyond project grants by growing:
- Individual giving
- Philanthropic and charitable foundation support
- Corporate partnerships
- Major donors
- Legacy giving
- Unrestricted income opportunities
While these priorities have been identified strategically, we are looking for someone with the experience and creativity to refine the approach, test new ideas and build a sustainable fundraising programme for the future.
Success during your first 12 months will include:
- Developing and launching BART's fundraising strategy
- Building a compelling case for supporting the Trust’s work
- Establishing a strong pipeline of unrestricted income opportunities
- Growing relationships and excellent communications with supporters and funders
- Embedding fundraising across the organisation
- Creating clear KPIs and reporting frameworks with the CEO and Trustees
This is a highly strategic position reporting directly to the Chief Executive.
The successful candidate will work closely with an engaged Leadership Team and supportive Board of Trustees, who recognise fundraising as a strategic priority for the organisation's future growth.
Our CEO has extensive experience securing major grant funding and developing partnerships, and will work closely alongside you to help establish and grow this new function.
As with any investment in fundraising, success will be measured against mutually agreed objectives and long-term growth rather than immediate financial return. We recognise that developing sustainable fundraising takes time, and we are committed to supporting the successful candidate to build a lasting programme.
What You'll Be Doing
You will:
- Develop and implement BART's Fundraising and Philanthropy Strategy.
- Diversify unrestricted income from individuals, trusts and foundations, philanthropy, corporate partnerships, legacies and other voluntary income streams.
- Develop a compelling organisational Case for Support aligned to BART's Five-Year Strategy.
- Work with the CEO and Leadership Team to establish fundraising priorities and KPIs.
- Lead fundraising campaigns, communications, and supporter engagement initiatives.
- Manage and develop BART's supporter journey using our Beacon CRM system.
- Work closely with our Trust Administrator, who provides administrative support to the organisation, including support for CRM administration and fundraising processes.
- Coordinate fundraising activity across the Trust and ensure opportunities are maximised.
- Build strong relationships with major donors, funders and strategic partners.
- Ensure compliance with the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice.
- Report regularly to the Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.
Why This Role is Different
This is an opportunity to build a fundraising programme with exceptional foundations already in place.
You will benefit from:
- A highly respected and growing environmental charity.
- Strong project delivery with proven environmental impact.
- An experienced CEO with a successful track record of securing significant funding and developing strategic partnerships.
- A supportive Board committed to growing fundraising.
- A database managed through Beacon CRM.
- A recognised and trusted regional brand with significant opportunities for growth.
You'll have genuine freedom to shape the future direction of fundraising at BART.
About You
We're looking for someone who is ambitious, entrepreneurial and excited by creating something new.
You'll ideally have:
- At least five years' experience in fundraising or philanthropy.
- Experience developing fundraising strategies and delivering income growth.
- Knowledge of trusts, foundations, philanthropy, individual giving or corporate fundraising.
- Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills.
- Strong planning and project management skills.
- Experience using CRM systems (Beacon experience welcomed but not essential).
- Excellent written communication, storytelling and bid-writing skills.
- The ability to translate complex environmental work into compelling fundraising propositions.
- A passion for rivers and their recovery and creating meaningful impact.
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and Christmas closure.
- Holiday increases with length of service.
- 9% employer pension contribution.
- Life Assurance.
- Hybrid and flexible working.
- A supportive and collaborative team culture.
- Professional development opportunities.
Why Join BART?
Healthy rivers are fundamental to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, flood resilience and community wellbeing.
Joining BART means becoming part of a passionate, ambitious organisation that delivers measurable environmental change every day.
Most importantly, this role gives you the opportunity to build something with lasting impact.
The fundraising programme you create will enable thousands more people to connect with and restore rivers across the Bristol Avon catchment for generations to come.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Bristol Avon Rivers Trust is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported.
We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and communities, particularly those underrepresented within the environmental sector.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role before 11:59pm on Friday 17th July
Further Information
To learn more about our work, visit:
Bristol Avon Rivers Trust
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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!
Hope for the Future is a dynamic UK-based charity working to drive democratic climate action. We are looking for a Fundraising Manager with the confidence to step into an established, successful system and keep our momentum going.
You will be a brilliant relationship builder, an organised manager of data and pipelines, and an excellent communicator who can write compelling narratives. Above all, you will be someone who collaborates naturally across a small, passionate team to champion a healthy culture of impact storytelling and income generation.
About Hope for the Future:
We support constituents, local groups, and national campaigns to secure ambitious action from local and national government by equipping them to have highly effective, relationship-building conversations with their politicians.
Over the past decade, we have supported more than 10,000 people to engage with politics, over half of whom had never taken action beyond voting. Through training, strategic advice, and tools, we don't just change conversations; we tangibly influence policy.
You will have:
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A track record in Trust & Grant success: pulling together compelling data and case studies to write winning bids for large-scale grants.
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Exceptional written skills for drafting persuasive proposals and impact reports.
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A love of data to oversee our fundraising pipeline using our CRM (Beacon), working with organised spreadsheets, and clear, achievable timelines.
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The ability to support others to succeed and feel confident managing a direct report or mentoring colleagues on how to spot fundraising opportunities.
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The ability to balance the day-to-day writing tasks with big-picture financial targets .
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The ability to balance competing priorities in a fast-paced, small charity environment.
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A willingness to travel nationally and work occasional evenings or weekends as required for key events and funder engagement (claimable as TOIL).
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A genuine commitment to climate action and democratic engagement with grassroots communities.
It would be great if you also have:
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Experience supporting corporate partnerships or earned/consultancy income streams.
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Familiarity with Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks.
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An understanding of UK climate policy, nature campaigning, or the UK political system.
The Role
Your core focus will balance bid writing with strategy and comms management:
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Securing Income: Crafting and submitting high-quality, persuasive trust and grant applications (targeting five- and six-figure funding) and managing timely reports back to our current partners.
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Managing the Pipeline: Working closely with the CEO to track our fundraising goals, manage cash flow awareness, and keep our CRM system (Beacon) up to date.
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Supporting Earned Income: Helping to streamline the internal processes behind our paid consultancy and campaign training services, collaborating with our Policy & Engagement team to track leads.
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Leading People: Providing supportive, empowering line management to our part-time Digital Communications and Campaigns Coordinator.
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Looking Forward: As the contract nears its end, you will collaborate with the CEO to help us lay the groundwork for our next strategic fundraising cycle.
How to Apply
Please visit our website jobs page to submit your anonymised CV and cover letter.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
We warmly welcome applications from everyone and celebrate diversity across all backgrounds. If you don’t meet every single requirement listed, please don't let that deter you, we would still love to hear from you.
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Salary: £48,350 per annum (£29,010 pro-rata)
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Hours: Part-time (21 hours per week)
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Contract Type: 12-month fixed term (Maternity Cover)
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Location: Remote anywhere in the UK (or Sheffield Head Office/Hybrid working)
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Benefits: 30 days annual leave (pro-rata) + bank holidays, pension, wellbeing support.
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Closing Date: 13 July 2026 | Interviews: w/c 20 July 2026
Important Contract Notice: Please note that this is a temporary, fixed-term contract for 12 months to provide essential maternity cover. This is a non-permanent position.
(Please note this role is primarily remote, however there is the option for hybrid working at our head office in Sheffield. Some travel may be required for this role)
Registered Charity
11 - 20
Our mission is to equip people across the UK with the tools they need to have effective conversations with their local politicians on climate change
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.