Senior trusts and foundations fundraiser jobs

Since opening its doors in 1871, Royal Albert Hall has stood at the heart of the nation’s cultural life. From the Suffragettes to Stormzy, Elgar to Einstein, the Beatles to Shirley Bassey, the world’s most influential voices have shaped moments of history on its iconic stage.

Today, the Hall continues to deliver an extraordinary programme spanning classical music, rock and pop, national moments and the spoken word. Each year, nearly two million people experience performances that entertain, challenge and inspire, creating unforgettable memories within one of the world’s most recognisable and celebrated buildings.

Looking ahead, the Hall has set an ambitious new vision to ensure it remains a place of dreams and determination, contemplation and celebration for generations to come. Central to this vision is the continued growth of its highly successful outreach programme, supporting emerging artists and deepening engagement with communities, widening access to the arts and strengthening the Hall’s social impact.

In support of this long-term ambition, a pioneering £50 million capital appeal was launched in late 2025. This 15-year estate plan represents a significant evolution in the Hall’s fundraising approach, creating an exceptional opportunity to expand its philanthropic reach, deepen relationships with supporters and secure transformational investment in the future of this much-loved institution.

Against this backdrop, the Royal Albert Hall is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Philanthropy to lead its philanthropic activity through an exciting period of growth and change. This senior role will drive income generation across major donors, trusts and foundations, and the Friends & Patrons programme, while playing a pivotal role in the success of one of the most high-profile capital appeals in the arts. The post offers a rare opportunity to deliver a step-change in philanthropic income and prospect development, helping to realise the Hall’s bold vision for the future.

As Head of Philanthropy, you will:

• Lead the Royal Albert Hall’s philanthropic efforts, overseeing a talented team and delivering an ambitious strategy that spans multiple income streams: major donors, trusts and foundations, events, and the Friends & Patrons programme.
• Play a key role in helping shape and deliver the Hall’s transformative £50M capital appeal, which represents an extraordinary opportunity to expand the Hall’s fundraising reach, significantly increasing the volume of prospects engaged and deepening relationships with existing donors. Your ability to inspire your team and personally steward key supporters will be instrumental in driving this evolution in the Hall’s fundraising approach.
• Primarily focus on securing new supporters and driving innovative approaches to growing the donor base. Cultivating existing relationships is also an important aspect of the role.
• Foster a supportive and high-performing culture within your team, using a coaching leadership style to maximise potential and ensure the delivery of ambitious income targets. Your leadership will be key to driving performance while maintaining hands-on involvement with major donors and high-profile supporters.

Essential skills and experience: 

• An accomplished philanthropic fundraiser and inspiring team leader with a proven track record of securing minimum 6-figure gifts from HNWIs. Examples should be clearly evidenced on your CV.
• Confident managing senior stakeholders, developing strategy, and working across multiple income streams to grow voluntary income.
• A leadership style that combines strategic oversight with personal involvement, enabling you to manage high-value relationships directly when needed, especially with key donors.

Arts fundraising experience is not essential.

Employee benefits include:

• 25 days per year annual leave (pro rata for part-time employees), with the opportunity to buy or sell up to five days holiday per calendar year
• Enhanced pay during maternity, paternity and shared parental leave
• Life assurance of 6 x basic salary
• RAH’s canteen offers free hot and cold meals, including vegetarian options, to staff whilst at work
• Employee Assistance Programme

Fundraiser
Hybrid - London, 2 days a week
c£55,000

This is a critical role in a progressive campaigning organisation. Your input will see the growth of the organisation through the development of a range of income generation streams. The successful candidate will be responsible for securing income from trusts, foundations, major donors and legacies, in addition to revising and developing the fundraising strategy. A key priority for this role will be identifying and maximising on opportunities with trusts and foundations through writing compelling applications to maximise on the funding opportunities available to the organisation from the diverse range of priorities they support.

The successful candidate is likely to bring a demonstrable track record in securing income from a range of sources, including trusts and foundations. You will enjoy leading and managing teams and working strategically as well as 'hands on' as your remit will include establishing relationships with new, existing, and previous funders.

Applications considered on a rolling basis. Please submit your CV in the first instance.

The Fundraising Manager – Trusts, Foundations and Major Donors, is an exciting new role at The Theatre Chipping Norton, that aims to use your experience and skills to take the strategic fundraising work of this busy arts venue into a new chapter. The position is part time requiring 17.5 hours of work a week - with a minimum of 1 day on site every 3 weeks (though more is very much welcome).

You’ll need to be self-motivated, skilled at working autonomously and confident in your expertise, especially with regards to larger and multi-year applications to trusts and foundations, including arts and wellbeing funders. You will work alongside a full-time and successful Fundraiser (already in post) who leads on our Friends and Patron schemes, corporate giving and fundraising events. You will work alongside the senior management team to set fundraising budgets and targets across all areas, and will monitor and steer the whole fundraising function, alongside more specific and hands-on responsibilities, generating larger trusts and foundations applications and approaching major donors.

The role is suitable for candidates who are an experienced grants or trust fundraiser, ideally in the cultural sector, and motivated particularly by the social impact and outreach work that we deliver. You will have strong and up-to-date knowledge of the processes and priorities of major funding bodies to provide a strong pipeline of funding. You will be capable of reading and understanding financial reports and managing fundraising targets, as well as having excellent written communication skills. If you have experience working on capital fundraising projects, there may be opportunities for further work in this area, in connection with a significant new capital build project on a second site.

The primary responsibilities of the Fundraising Manager – Trusts, Foundations and Major Donors role can be summarised as follows:

1. To take ownership of the strategic and operational planning of the Fundraising department, by maintaining, growing and improving the current functions.

2. To develop and implement new and creative ideas for fundraising growth.

The person specification essentials can be summarised as you having:

- A strong track record in developing, securing, and maintaining relationships that have achieved fundraising results.
- Experienced in managing high level relationships.
- Experience of writing and reporting on Trusts and Foundations applications.
- A track record of demonstrating initiative and creativity to achieve desired outcomes.
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and partners.
- Proficient in using Microsoft Office software.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

Closing Date: 10:00 on Monday 19th January 2026. Interviews will be held during the following 2 weeks.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: £23.62 per hour

Expected hours: 17.5 per week

Benefits: Company pension

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chipping Norton OX7 5NL

About Edward’s Trust

Edward’s Trust is a local West Midlands charity providing support for bereaved children, young people, and parents. We have 36 years of experience and operate at the highest level, providing qualified counselling and holistic support for complex or prolonged grief. We do not set time limits and the service is completely free. We do not get Government funding; therefore, we rely on donations to keep this vital service going.

Our Values

RESPECT

We will act with integrity in all that we do, being mindful and considerate to all. We respect and remember those who have died. Respect is a constant that embraces diversity and uniqueness of experience.

HOPE

A feeling of trust in tomorrow. We embody, instill and empower a feeling of trust in tomorrow. Hope is the hand to hold. We have a vision that one day there will be a universal understanding of life-changing grief.

HOLISTIC

Complete and all encompassing. We acknowledge and respond to the needs of the whole person: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We recognise the total experience of grief, promoting a holistic approach to bereavement care.

SUPPORT

Enabling with compassion and care. We provide responsive support that is appropriate, relevant, and meaningful to each individual. Together in safety and strength. Encouraging society to respond appropriately to people facing loss and surviving bereavement.

EXCELLENCE

Embracing professional integrity and creative innovation. We are passionate about providing exceptional services and maintaining the highest standards in all that we do. Excellence is valuing people. We are committed to driving innovation and change.

Role summary

Here at Edward’s Trust, we are excited and committed to growing our service offer and fundraising whilst working with a small but mighty team.  We have strong and realistic foundations in the trusts and grants income stream and a secure base of income from long-term committed funders. These funders enable us to reach children and adults through our specialist counselling services and projects alike, but with a huge amount of new work in development, securing new income from trusts and foundations is a high priority for us. 

This is an exciting role at Edward’s Trust that will challenge and provide excellent career development opportunities for the successful candidate. This role will deliver essential stewardship to our growing portfolio of warm trust supporters, engaging with them to provide inspirational impact reporting to secure continued funding. Our new colleague will gain exciting CV enhancing experience through working and securing new grants for some of the larger funders which is where we wish this post to focus on.

You will support Edward’s Trust to develop its presence in the trust and foundations world, by working to agreed new business targets and contributing to the creation of a high-quality pipeline of new trust and foundation opportunities.  

Key Accountabilities:

• Become an expert in Edward’s Trust current activities and future plans
• Manage a portfolio of trust supporters, providing outstanding stewardship, and ensuring relationships deliver against agreed objectives to enhance the long-term relationship.
• Prepare and deliver engaging bids and reports to share impact and inspire future support.
• Work cross-organisationally to support projects and reporting and to help shape and develop appropriate projects for funding (alongside the Head of Fundraising and Service Delivery Manager).
• Build good working relations with key staff and Trustees of established trust supporters.
• Thank supporters promptly and ensure that progress reports and updates are received by supporters as and when required.

We are open to Flexible Working Requests which can be discussed during interviews. 

The University of Oxford aims to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Philanthropy plays a critical role in enabling Oxford to maintain and build on its status as a world-class centre of learning.  The Development and Alumni Engagement Office (DAE) at the University of Oxford has been successful in raising funds from a broad, international range of donors. All support enables the University to achieve its key aims of advancing excellence in research and teaching.

Within DAE, the Foundations and Corporations team is a pan-University fundraising team focused on building and maintaining successful philanthropic relationships for the University’s priorities. Funding secured supports posts and key research areas such as the environment, health and societal challenges, as well as scholarship support for postgraduate students. We work closely with our colleagues in specialist fundraising teams as well as those in business partnerships, innovation teams and research services. 

This is an exciting time to join our Development and Alumni engagement team. The role of Senior Development Executive – Foundations and Corporations will support the University to establish and grow new philanthropic relationships with charitable trusts, foundations and corporations across a range of subject areas and themes, from global health and climate change, to civil society and the role of AI. Funding secured will support capital projects, academic posts, innovative research and enable talented students to undertake further studies at Oxford. To achieve this, you will have the support of excellent colleagues across DAE as well as wider academic, departmental and professional service staff at Oxford.

About you

You are an experienced philanthropic fundraiser with a strong track record of securing major gifts, a confident approach and the ability to think creatively. Your ability to build rapport and relationships swiftly will enable you to lead on major gift fundraising (securing donations of £500k-£1m+), working with a range of donors (corporates, trusts and foundations). Your ability to establish credibility and foster trust across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders will be key to your success. Your strong experience of building philanthropic partnerships with organisation donors will be key. Experience of work in higher education is desirable. Above all, you will share Oxford’s mission and be driven to create meaningful impact through philanthropy.

What We Offer

Your happiness and wellbeing at work matters to us, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including:

· Flexible hybrid working

· An excellent contributory pension scheme

· 38 days annual leave

· Membership to CASE

· Training and development opportunities

· A comprehensive range of childcare services

· Family leave schemes

· Cycle loan scheme

· Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

· Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loan

You could be helping to deliver philanthropic support that funds breakthroughs in science and health, enables new public policy and interventions, or facilitates education for the next generation of leaders in their fields. If this sounds like the kind of challenge you’ve been looking for, we’d love to hear from you.

Application process:

· Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.

· Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application in your own words, in PDF format (maximum of 2 pages; no AI-written applications, please) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.

Only applications received before 12.00 noon on Tuesday 13 January 2026 can be considered.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21 January 2026, in person in Oxford.

Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.

Are you an experienced fundraising professional who thrives on understanding the vision for a project, preparing funding bids and leading fundraising initiatives?  Are you excited by the idea of working with faith communities to figure out how to fund the projects that matter to them? The Finance Department of the Diocese of Leeds is recruiting a Senior Grants and Fundraising Officer. Based at Hinsley Hall, Leeds. More details at the Diocese of Leeds website. First interview to be held on Wednesday, 4 February 2026.

We are looking for a new business focussed part time Global Trust Fundraiser to join a small team and play a critical role in securing funding from diverse sources to support the charity with their innovative development initiatives.

The ideal candidate would bring senior-level fundraising experience from a similar role at an NGO, organisation, or charity with an established network of executive relationships in major foundations.

This is a remote working role offering £60k pro rata

The charity
A passionate international development charity, dedicated to to collaborating world wide to make a lasting social impact.

The Role
Relationship Management
Oversee the complete grant lifecycle, from initial lead to application to reporting and closeout.
Build and maintain relationships with current and prospective donors, program officers, and other key stakeholders.

Applications & Fundraising Development
Lead the development of high-quality grant proposals, ensuring proposals are compelling, well-written, and tailored to meet the requirements and priorities of each donor.

Events and Networking and Representation
Effectively convey the charity mission, vision, and programs to potential donors, organising fundraising events while overseeing teams of volunteers and probono partners.

The Candidate
Senior-level fundraising experience from a similar role at an NGO, organisation, or charity.

Extensive existing network of senior executives with major global foundations and organisations.

Proven track record of identifying and closing deals for 6 - 7 figure gifts.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Our aim is to respond to all successful applications within 5 days. If you havent been contacted within 5 days your application has been unsuccessful, but we positively encourage you to apply for any other positions that you may see in the future.

We apologise that we cannot contact everybody in person but thank you in advance for your interest.

Third Solutions encourages applications from individuals of all ages & backgrounds. Appointment will be made on merit alone but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK. Third Solutions acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment & an employment business for temporary recruitment as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies & Employment Business Regulations 2003.

Trusts Manager

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Salary in the region of £40,000 - £45,000

38 days’ holiday |Defined contribution pension scheme | Hybrid working

For over 120 years, RADA has stood at the forefront of dramatic arts training, nurturing generations of actors, directors, writers, producers and technical artists who have gone on to shape the worlds of theatre, film and television. Access and diversity are at the heart of who we are, and we are deeply committed to ensuring talented students from all backgrounds can experience our training, uplifting the greatest range of voices and perspectives.

This is an exciting time to join us. Our vision and strategy focus on sustainability and inclusion, foregrounding excellence, equitable practice and wellbeing, and empowering artists. Alongside developing our growth strategy, estates strategy, industry partnerships and international offer, we are addressing two urgent priorities: investment in our estate and in bursaries to ensure all talented students can thrive. This is in addition to raising unrestricted funding for RADA’s core activity. At the same time, we are building a renewed alumni strategy, creating opportunities for graduates to connect, collaborate and shape the future of our industry.

We are seeking an experienced trusts fundraiser to join our Development team at a pivotal point in our journey. As Trusts Manager, you will play a key role in supporting the delivery of RADA’s future fundraising growth by developing and stewarding long-term relationships with a portfolio of Trusts and Foundations to unlock transformational support for RADA’s mission and future. Reporting to and working closely with the Head of Grants & Fundraising Services, you will support with the creation of the Trusts and Foundations annual strategy, and will confidently seek out and secure new mid-level gifts.

The ideal candidate will be a confident and proactive fundraiser from an arts/cultural or higher education context and with a track record of gifts at the five-figure level. Your persuasive communication skills, attention to detail, and willingness to take initiative will be important drivers in this role. In addition, your ability to build relationships and inspire trust with RADA’s leadership and senior volunteers will be key to your success.

If you are excited by the opportunity to shape the future of dramatic arts training, and to make a lasting difference through life-changing work, we would be delighted to hear from you.

For a confidential conversation about this exceptional opportunity, please contact our recruitment partners at Richmond Associates. For further information, key dates, and how to apply, please visit the Richmond Associates website and download a detailed candidate pack.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to help you in your application or with our recruitment process.

We are taking positive action by guaranteeing an interview to any applicant who self-identifies as being from a Black, Asian or Global Majority background, and/or who self-identifies as D/deaf or disabled, and has experience as a development department lead or deputy lead in the cultural and Higher Education sectors. If you regard yourself as having these characteristics, please state so clearly on your supporting statement.

Closing date for applications: 09:00 on Monday 12th January 2026

#trusts #trustsfundraiser #trustsmanager

About us

King’s Maudsley Partnership

The King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People will transform understanding and treatment of young people’s mental health through a unique collaboration between specialist clinicians from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and leading academics at King’s College London. These experts lead the world in approaches to mental health – with the largest group of mental health scientists and clinical academics in Europe. There is no other collaboration in the world with this breadth of skills and ambition. Through this unique partnership, clinicians and researchers will collaborate even more closely to find new ways to predict, prevent and treat mental health disorders. This will benefit children locally, nationally, and across the globe. This role will sit within the Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement team within King’s College London.

Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement (P&A) provides a fundraising and alumni engagement function in support of King’s College London. We are proud to work with colleagues across the university and its health partners to help them serve society through world-leading education, research and healthcare.  Our work also includes a partnership with the Maudsley Charity in support of children’s mental health initiatives between the university’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust.

We are a committed team that brings together fundraisers working across different channels, alongside colleagues who promote King’s College London’s engagement with its worldwide alumni community. Our work is underpinned and enhanced by a range of dedicated professionals in supporting areas covering proposition development, supporter engagement, supporter operations and business operations.

We have an impressive, well-established track record of success in securing support that allows the university and partners to deliver on their missions. This includes our global, award-winning World Questions: King’s Answers campaign, which set the standard in the sector and enabled us to raise substantial funds to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. Ambitious and innovative, the team has won awards such as a CASE Platinum Award for Fundraising and a CASE Gold Award for Donor Relations and Stewardship. We are strongly values-driven with a focus on sustaining an excellent and supportive culture, which we see as key to creating a successful team that can support the university and its partners in making a real and positive difference to the world we live in.

More on King’s College London 

King’s College London is an internationally renowned university delivering exceptional education and world-leading research. The university is dedicated to driving positive and sustainable change in society and realising our vision of making the world a better place.  Through its commitment to exceptional education, impactful research and genuine service to society, King’s College London is creating positive change in its communities, both in London and on the world stage. The Strategic Vision 2029 looks forward to King’s College London’s 200th anniversary in 2029 and sets out ambitious plans in five key areas: 

• Educating the next generation of change-makers;
• Challenging ideas and driving change through research;
• Giving back to society through meaningful service;
• Working with our local communities in London;
• Fostering global citizens with an international perspective. 

About The Role

We are looking for an exceptional Senior Philanthropy manager for Trusts and Foundations to join the King’s Maudsley Partnership (KMP) fundraising team and secure significant long-term philanthropic investment for children and adolescent mental health research and treatment.

The King’s Maudsley Partnership will have its home at Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People in south London, opening in early 2026. The partnership brings together clinical and academic excellence in a unique collaboration between the UK’s largest NHS provider of specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (the Trust), and King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), the leading child and adolescent mental health research team in Europe – with Maudsley Charity as its charity partner alongside other leading philanthropists.

The Centre has been partly funded by philanthropy via a successful capital campaign secured in excess of £30m, and this role will work with the new Director of King's Maudsley Partnership, Professor Philip Shaw, and colleagues across the Trust, IoPPN, Maudsley Charity and KCL fundraising department to ensure philanthropic income continues to be a significant driver of change.

The partnership is local, national and international in scale and ambition. Serving a local population which is among the most ethnically, socially and economically diverse in the world, our mission is to find new ways to predict, prevent and treat mental health disorders for Children and Young People (CYP) and then maximise translation of research and evidence into improved services locally, nationally, and globally. The ambition of the partnership and quality of partners attracts leading clinicians, scientists, allied professionals and students from all over the world.

As Senior Philanthropy Manager for Trusts and Foundations, you will lead on cultivating and stewarding high‑value relationships with charitable trusts and foundations to secure six and seven-figure gifts. The role will focus on developing compelling proposals grounded in evidence and impact, managing a robust pipeline of donors and prospects, and ensuring timely reporting that builds long‑term confidence in our work. You will take a leading role in navigating and maximising the value of a complex institutional and multifaceted partnership, managing multiple stakeholder relationships with professionalism and strategic insight. By aligning funder priorities with our mission to transform children and young people’s mental health, you will drive significant philanthropic income that fuels innovation and accelerates change.

The role is employed by King’s College London and reports to the Associate Director, KMP and will work across the partnership where necessary. We operate a unique and powerful model, which brings together fundraising for our partnership across major and principal gifts, and trusts & foundations, with a developing portfolio of mid-level and corporate supporters.

Our Director leads the team and represents fundraising at the highest levels including reporting at various boards and committees.

This is a hybrid role. However, postholders will be expected to spend at least two days per week onsite at King’s or Maudsley Campus/Pears Maudsley Centre when the Centre opens in 2026,

This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week but candidates wishing to work a 28hr week will be considered). You will be offered an indefinite contract.

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience in fundraising from trusts, foundations and statutory funders, ideally in the Higher Education or health/research sector, with a focus on six and seven figure donations.
• Experience of growing a fundraising pipeline, with an emphasis on building new relationships with previously ‘cold’ prospects and managing a cultivation through to solicitation and stewardship.
• A proven track record of using initiative to secure major grants and donations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong powers of persuasion.
• Experience in preparing budgets, monitoring project expenditure and delivering clear impact reports

Desirable criteria

• Experience managing complex institutional partnerships
• Knowledge of the UK children’s mental health landscape

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community. In P&A we want to build a diverse team, which represents the communities served by the organisations we support. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements, including part-time, compressed hours and/or job shares, as appropriate and in the context of the business needs associated with the role.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

Closing date: 11 January 2026.

We offer the opportunity of an “Ask Us Anything” Teams call on the 6th January at 12pm.

​This roles with have two interview stages, a standard skills-based interview  and test followed (for up to two appointable candidates) by a Core Values interview.

​First stage interviews are due to be held on 23 January 2026. Core Values interviews are due to be held on the 27 January 2026’

Dancers’ Career Development (DCD), the national charity that enables and empowers dancers to thrive professionally and personally leading up to and beyond their performance careers, seek a Fundraiser.

DCD’s Fundraiser will work closely with the Executive Director and be instrumental in increasing fundraised and revenue income. 

Our ideal candidate will be a creative thinker with an open mindset to propose and explore new avenues of fundraising and income streams.

This role is ideally suited to a self-starter with a passion for the performing arts, who is motivated to make a tangible difference to the quality of dancers’ lives.

If you are excited by this opportunity and resonate with DCD’s values, please get in touch; we would love to hear from you.

Contract: Full-time permanent role

Salary: £35,000 per annum, pro-rata

Start date: As early as possible

Location: This is a remote working role, with monthly in-person team meetings which take place in London or Birmingham. Due to additional in-person events and meetings, as appropriate to the role and usually in London, the Fundraiser should be either based in London or within commutable distance.

Benefits: 23 days holiday pro-rata plus Bank Holidays (increasing to 28 days with length of service), 5% Employers contribution to pension scheme, Health & Wellbeing package, Professional Development opportunities.

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by 9am, Thursday 22 January 2026

Info: Download job application pack from our website for full job spec and how to apply.

Prospect Research Manager

Are you an established and confident prospect research professional with experience within the charity sector? Do you have a track record in identifying and qualifying prospects across philanthropy, corporate and/or trust markets? Are you able to communicate and present complex information to different audiences? If so, we have the perfect role for you.

We are recruiting a new Prospect Research Manager to join our team on a part time, permanent basis for 3 days per week (22.5 hours). Here at Mencap we understand that some of our office based colleagues can do their role from a range of locations, which is why we like to be flexible. We only ask for this role that you can commit to 1 day in our London Office per week, plus attend any other meetings when required.

The Prospect Research Manager will lead the development and delivery of prospect research to strengthen Mencap’s pipelines for trust, philanthropy and corporate fundraising teams in order to enable sustained income growth. Reporting into the Senior Philanthropy Manager, this post works closely with trust, corporate and philanthropy teams whilst working regularly with teams across fundraising, including community, events, fundraising operations and legacy teams.

Core responsibilities:

· Devise and implement targeted prospecting strategies to identify and qualify potential trust, statutory, corporate and philanthropy prospects.

· Support fundraisers through prospect management, portfolio development and network mapping.

· Deliver insightful prospect research to inform cultivation and engagement strategies.

· Maximise use of CRM system (Salesforce) and analytical tools to deliver high-quality reporting and to support forecasting and pipeline planning.

· Monitor and interpret external and internal trends and influences to ensure Mencap’s prospect pipelines are managed optimally.

· Work collaboratively to identify and qualify potential philanthropic donors from across the fundraising directorate.

· Deliver training to fundraisers on matters of prospect research, as the need arises.

Your Experience

· Strong understanding of the UK philanthropy, trust and corporate giving landscapes, including trends, motivators and vehicles for giving.

· Detailed knowledge of research tools and techniques including wealth analysis in a fundraising environment.

· Understanding of the regulatory landscape in which research exists, and the need for compliance and sensitivity.

· Established experience in delivering prospect research within the charity sector, with a track record in identifying and qualifying prospects across philanthropy, corporate and/or trust markets.

· Curiosity, creativity and innovation in exploring new sources, methods and connections.

· Skilled communicator, able to present complex insights clearly, persuasively and succinctly. Familiarity with CRM systems, ideally Salesforce.

· Extensive knowledge of compliance requirements including GDPR, Fundraising Code of Practice and others.

*More information can be found on the job description.

Why join Mencap?

At Mencap, you can bring your whole self to work. We are committed to inclusion, kindness and continuous learning, and we believe that when our people feel supported and valued, they can do their best work.

If you’re ready to make a difference, please get in touch today by providing an up-to-date bespoke CV that demonstrates all your relevant skills and experience. 

The role will close on the 18th January and we will look to hold first stage interviews week commencing 19th January. There will be a second stage interview to follow week commencing 26th January.

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.

Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.

For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.

At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues.

Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere.

· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation.

· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes

· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves.

We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies.

We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

In September 2025 Oxford opened its new home for humanities, the state-of-the-art Stephen A.  Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. Building on our successes in recent years, we are growing the team with a new senior fundraising role that will work with world-class academics and artists in our faculties and in the Centre’s cultural programming.

In addition to housing a Humanities Library and 7 academic faculties, the Schwarzman Centre includes a world-class, purpose-built concert hall space, theatre, cinema and ‘black box’ performance space, creating a new home for music, film, performing arts and visual arts in Oxford and transforming the experience for students, academics and the local community. The building will create a step change in the visual and performing arts in Oxford, establishing a central base for the Music faculty and History of Art department while offering exciting potential for collaboration with the Ruskin School of Art.

The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. We are looking for a new senior fundraiser to join our energetic team to raise major gifts for a range of posts, scholarships and other priorities across the Humanities Division.  Oxford is the world’s leading university for humanities teaching and research. The University’s scholarship in languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion, and the arts – from the earliest civilisation to the present day – enriches our understanding of humankind. Our research informs how we engage with historic issues and contemporary concerns, and contributes to our understanding of – and solutions to – some of the most complex global challenges, from climate change to the impacts of Artificial Intelligence.

 About the Role

This fundraiser will work closely with senior academics in the Humanities Division. The post will focus primarily on funding for posts and scholarships in the academic faculties as well as securing support for the activities of the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, including the programme of public events that will start taking place in the building from spring 2026. An interest and appreciation for the arts and humanities is essential. 

To Be Successful You’ll Need:

· To be an experienced development professional with a strong track record of securing major gifts and the ability to secure gifts in the range of £100k-£1m+

· Confidence to work with people from a range of backgrounds, both internally and externally

· The ability to think creatively in prospecting, cultivation and stewardship by identifying and maximising opportunities

· To work well as part of a team, with the capacity to work independently on projects and priorities

· A passion for the arts and humanities, and an awareness of the funding landscape in the UK and internationally

What We Offer

As an employer, we value the wellbeing and development of all our employees. We offer a comprehensive range of benefits, including:

· 38 days annual leave (including public holidays)

· Hybrid working arrangements for a healthy work-life balance

· Extensive personal and professional development opportunities

· Membership to CASE to support your professional development as an educational advancement professional

· Supportive childcare services and other family-friendly leave schemes for working parents, guardians and those with caring responsibilities

· Generous family leave for maternity, adoption, paternity, and shared parental leave

· Excellent contributory pension scheme for your financial future

· Salary sacrifice scheme for additional savings

· Subsidised sports centre membership to promote well-being

· Cycle loan scheme to encourage sustainable commuting

· Discounted bus and transit travel

In addition, you will have access to a vibrant community with social groups and sports clubs fostering an inclusive atmosphere.

 Application process:

· Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.

· Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application in your own words, in PDF format (maximum of 2 pages; no AI-written applications, please) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.

Only applications received before 12.00 noon on Monday 19 January 2026 can be considered.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on Tuesday 27 January 2026, in person in Oxford.

 Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.

Are you an exceptional major gifts fundraiser with a passion for securing philanthropic support for world-leading projects in children’s healthcare? Do you thrive on building high-value relationships and working closely with senior volunteers and philanthropists who want to make a profound difference?
 

Join one of the UK’s most successful philanthropy teams to help transform the lives of seriously ill children. This is a rare opportunity to work on a transformational campaign, inspiring major donors and influential supporters to help Great Ormond Street Hospital redefine childhood cancer care and treatment.
 

Salary: £44,795 per annum
Working pattern: Hybrid – minimum 2 days per week in the office

In line with our EDI strategy and Total Reward policy, salaries are set using sector benchmarking. To ensure fairness for all, we do not offer salaries above the advertised rate.

Key Responsibilities

• Own a personal target for fundraising, with a focus on securing five and six figure+ gifts and multi-year pledges from high-net-worth individuals and charitable foundations. 
• Proactively manage a prospect pool of existing and new potential supporters, ensuring your approach is based on donor and data insights, to ensure optimal supporter satisfaction and long-term engagement.
• Support cross-team fundraising activity, events and donor visits.
• Build excellent working relationships with donors and senior volunteers, to identify new prospects.
• Develop detailed proposals, impact reports and stewardship materials tailored to the interests of each supporter or prospect. 
• Act as a passionate ambassador for GOSH Charity and the Philanthropy team, maintaining the highest level of professionalism at all times. 
• Contribute to the wider fundraising team, taking a proactive approach to working in a high-performing and collaborative environment.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• A demonstrable track record of securing five figure+ philanthropic gifts.
• Experience managing relationships with senior volunteers, campaign boards or high-value fundraising committees.
• Outstanding relationship-building, influencing and presentation skills.
• A collaborative and supportive team player, committed to contributing positively to a high-performing culture.

About the Team
 

You will join our sector-leading Philanthropy team - widely recognised as one of the most high-performing and respected in the charity sector. We partner with some of the UK’s most generous and visionary philanthropists to transform the lives of seriously ill children.
 

Our talented and collaborative team of 20+ works closely with clinical leaders, researchers and fundraising colleagues to create inspirational opportunities for supporters. In partnership with senior volunteers and committees, we drive landmark campaigns including the £300 million Build It. Beat It. appeal and the Tick Tock Club, with exciting plans for a major new research-focused campaign on the horizon.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with World Vision UK. As a global Christian humanitarian charity, World Vision is dedicated to tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice, empowering children, families, and communities to thrive. Through advocacy, emergency relief, and long-term development, they bring hope and transformation where it’s needed most. At the heart of their mission is a deep commitment to demonstrating God’s unconditional love.

We are seeking a meticulous and strategic Prospect Researcher to play a vital role in supporting fundraising growth by identifying, validating and researching potential major donors, mid-level supporters, churches, trusts and foundations, and corporate partners. As part of the Fundraising and Marketing Directorate, you'll help unlock resources that transform lives and bring lasting change to vulnerable communities worldwide, contributing to World Vision's ambitious goal to impact 5.5 million lives and raise £100m in sustainable income by 2029.

In this important role, you'll proactively identify and qualify new major gift prospects using a range of internal and external sources, conducting detailed research to assess giving potential, affinity, and influence. Working closely with relationship managers across Major, Mid-Level, Trusts & Foundations, and Church teams, you'll ensure they have the insights and tools to prioritise prospects, build effective donor journeys, and steward relationships for maximum impact. You'll support systematic prospect management, provide concise, high-quality profiles and briefing notes to equip fundraisers ahead of meetings and events, and produce regular reports on the prospect pipeline and fundraising KPIs. You'll also contribute to horizon scanning, identifying new opportunities in the external landscape that align with World Vision's mission and fundraising strategy.

This is an excellent opportunity to use your research and analytical skills to directly support life-changing work with vulnerable children around the world.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Proven experience in the field of prospect research of major donor prospects
• Strong understanding of GDPR and ethical considerations in data gathering and donor profiling
• Expertise using CRM platforms for prospect tracking and portfolio management
• Ability to interpret and validate data from multiple sources

Come and be part of a mission-focused organisation where your research expertise will directly contribute to bringing opportunity, dignity and lasting transformation to vulnerable children and communities across nearly 100 countries. By equipping fundraisers with high-quality research, you'll help unlock resources that transform lives and bring lasting change to those who need it most.

This role is subject to a Enhanced DBS check, which will be carried out by the employer.

For more information, please contact Nick Thomas, Senior Consultant, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Your application should be submitted through the Charisma website and include your CV and supporting statement.

Charisma is committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment processes. If you have any reasonable adjustments or wish to apply for this role under the Disability Confident Scheme, please confirm in your application, or contact our Operations Teams separately. Charisma will ensure all candidates who disclose that they wish to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and that meet the minimum criteria for the role will receive an opportunity to interview with the Charisma Consultant representing the vacancy.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.

Location: Hybrid / Milton Keynes (2 days per week onsite)

Closing date for applications: Applications are being reviewed on receipt and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. When a suitable candidate is found the role will close, so please apply without delay to avoid disappointment.