Strategic development officer jobs in Belfast

Social entrepreneurs scaling their ventures face a specific set of challenges including income generation, hiring, governance, hard calls about growth and risk, all alongside scaling their social impact. We’re recruiting learning and enterprise development managers who’ve lived that journey themselves, to bring first-hand credibility and challenge directly to the entrepreneurs on our scale-up and scale-up-plus programmes.

You’ll hold ownership of SSE’s scale-up approach, shaping our learning content on strategy, profitability and the systems that hold a growing venture together – grounded in what actually works, not just what’s written down. Facilitation sits at the heart of this role. You’ll design and deliver learning programmes and group sessions for cohorts of entrepreneurs as well as leading 1-2-1 coaching and diagnostics, and delivering Action Learning Sets, SSE’s long-standing peer-coaching method (training provided).

We’re looking for people who’ve founded or led a VCSE with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more and held financial accountability such as statutory reporting to the Charity Commission and, where relevant, Companies House, reporting to a board or funders, and making hard calls about growth, income and risk.

You’ll succeed in this role if you believe in what social entrepreneurship can achieve and want to turn your experience into supporting social ventures to scale and create more impact in their communities and beyond

Job Title:  Head of Finance

Reports to:                        Chief Executive

Direct Reports:                 Finance and Business Administrator

Location: Remote – With some travel to attend meetings and events (mainly  in London but also other project areas elsewhere in the UK)

Salary: £46,542 Pro Rata

Hours: 3-4 Days per week

 About Alexandra Rose Charity 

We should all be able to eat healthy food. But right now, healthy options cost more than twice as much as junk food. It’s getting harder and harder for people to put good food on the table. In fact, the poorest fifth of UK households would need to spend 50% of their disposable income to eat the UK Government’s recommended healthy diet. Access to a choice of high quality, culturally appropriate fruit & veg is an essential building block for our mental and physical health. We need to put this right. 

We’re on a mission to give people access to their choice of fresh fruit & veg, in the heart of their community. At Alexandra Rose, we are proud to deliver a mix of practical, place-based projects and national advocacy to shape a fairer future, where everyone can afford and enjoy fresh fruit & veg with dignity. 

If this aligns with how you see the world, and you want to use your skills and experience to help us build towards it, you’ll feel at home here. 

About the role  

We are looking for an experienced Head of Finance to help deliver our mission and support the growth and consolidation of the charity. As a member of our Senior Management Team, you will play a key role in implementing our new strategy as well as managing risk.

You will take overall responsibility for the organisation’s financial management, working closely with the Chief Executive and the Treasurer.

You will provide effective finance partner support to other functions within the charity to support its fundraising, operations and development.

You will also be responsible for the line management of the Finance & Business Administrator, working with the Chief Executive to both oversee and support the governance and compliance services function of the charity.

We want our organisation to reflect the diversity of the communities we work in, and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds.

Interview Process: The selection process may include two interviews:

This is a pivotal senior leadership role with full strategic and operational accountability.  Leadership and exceptional communication skills will be critical as The DBR Foundation establishes and grows.  Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will have a proven track record and experience as a CEO or in a similar executive leadership position.  An extensive knowledge of the implementation of charity governance will be essential in this role. 

The Chief Executive Officer will be responsible for the drafting and implementation of policies and procedures, ensuring financial sustainability, overseeing activities, memberships, fundraising and advocacy.

The Chief Executive Officer will have responsibility for recruitment and establishing a new team, resources and managing key relationships in line with the overall strategic policies, direction, goals and budget, for the purposes of advancing The DBR Foundation’s objectives, purpose and identity worldwide.

The DBR Foundation’s objectives are:

• The improvement of health by furthering the advancement of the theory and practice of Deep Brain Reorienting ("DBR")
• The relief of emotional and psychological distress wherever it may arise by the provision of appropriate DBR training and therapy
• The relief of poverty and distress wherever it may arise by the provision of humanitarian aid, by supporting other like-minded charities

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Strategy & Organisational Direction:

• Lead strategic initiatives and sustainable organisational long-term development
• Drive sustainable growth and measurable impact
• Lead organisational strategy and service development
  

Operations & Service Quality:

• Oversee all operational delivery
• Ensure members are equipped with relevant, up-to-date, and impactful resources

Financial Management, Corporate Governance & Regulatory Compliance:

• Provide strong financial oversight and sustainability planning
• Ensure regulatory, and governance compliance
• Performance and risk overview to the Board of Trustees

Business Development & Commissioning:

•  Income strategy and fundraising
• Grant applications and partnership funding
• Building relationships and funder partnerships

 People & Values:

• Build a high performing operational team
• Establish a culture that reflects the core values and culture of the Foundation

External Engagement & Stewardship:

• Act as senior ambassador and spokesperson
• Represent the Foundation across statutory, voluntary, education and health sectors
• Strengthen partnerships and influence

Essential Skills:

• Senior leadership experience in the charity, public or social sector
• Strong organisational and operational management experience
• Experience working with a Board of Trustees
• Proven financial oversight and budget responsibility
• Experience delivering organisational strategy
• Fundraising or income generation leadership experience
• Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills
• Commissioning and contract delivery experience

The Role

We are seeking a creative, organised and audience-focused Social Media Officer to help myaware develop a more coordinated, consistent and effective social media presence.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in how myaware reaches, supports and engages people affected by myasthenia, as well as families, carers, supporters, fundraisers, healthcare professionals and the wider public. The role will help move myaware’s social media activity from a reactive, team-by-team approach to a more planned and strategic function that supports awareness, fundraising, professional services, membership growth, community engagement and brand consistency.

Working closely with the IT and Digital Communications Manager, Fundraising, Professional Services and colleagues across the organisation, you will help plan, create, schedule and evaluate social media content across myaware’s channels. You will support the development of a social media content calendar, create clear and engaging copy, produce accessible and brand-aligned graphics, and help teams turn their knowledge, updates and campaign activity into content that works for myaware’s audiences.

You will also support the development of reusable templates, clearer content processes, social media reporting, and appropriate use of tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud and AI-assisted content creation. The role will involve helping myaware make stronger use of formats such as posts, carousels, Stories, Reels, short-form video, polls and direct-message-led campaign activity, while ensuring content remains accurate, sensitive, accessible and appropriate for a health charity.

The Social Media Officer will be predominantly home based within the UK, with occasional travel required. The role will work collaboratively across myaware to support awareness activity, fundraising campaigns, events, community engagement, professional services, membership activity and wider digital communications.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone with experience creating social media content for an organisation, charity, campaign, community group or similar setting. You will be confident writing clear and engaging copy for different audiences, using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, YouTube or similar, and creating or adapting simple graphics using tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud or equivalent.

You will understand how social media can support awareness, fundraising, services, membership and community engagement, and you will be able to plan and organise content across multiple priorities. You will have a good eye for clarity, accessibility, tone and brand consistency, and be comfortable working with colleagues across different teams to turn ideas into effective social media content.

We are particularly interested in someone who is creative but practical, organised and reliable, warm in their communication style, and sensitive when working with health-related or personal content. You do not need to know everything about myasthenia before applying, but you should be willing to learn about the condition and the needs of people affected by it.

Experience in a charity, health, disability, community or membership organisation would be useful, as would experience supporting fundraising or event promotion through social media, creating Stories, Reels or carousel content, using analytics to improve content planning, or supporting campaigns and awareness activity.

Most importantly, you will share myaware’s values and be committed to helping us reach, support and connect more people affected by myasthenia.

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

Who are we?

myaware is the only charity in the UK dedicated solely to the care and support of people affected by myasthenia. 

We are working hard to raise awareness of myasthenia, as it is a little-known condition. We provide support for people with myasthenia and their families, whilst offering advice and tips for living with the condition. 

We also fund the research that brings us closer to finding a cure as well as funding specialists nurses and advisors. 

Members of myaware have full access to a wide range of support services and events including our specialist benefits and welfare advisor. 

myaware supports people with myasthenia and their families.  We campaign for better medical services for people with myasthenia and work to inform medical professionals. 

The myasthenias are a group of neuromuscular conditions. They are rare but also manageable and can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or nationality. Myasthenia gravis, ocular myasthenia and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome are autoimmune conditions whereas congenital myasthenic syndrome is caused by an inherited genetic fault. It is thought that there are approximately 20,000 people currently living with myasthenia in the UK. 

Benefits

• Generous holiday allowance
• Perkbox account (global benefits and rewards platform)
• Group Life Assurance after 6 months of service 
• NEST workplace pension scheme
• Free inhouse staff benefits and welfare advice 
• Investment in your personal and professional development
• Annual salary review

Application instructions

Candidates should submit their CV and tailored covering letter by: 11:30pm on Tuesday 25th August 2026.

Provisional interview dates will be week commencing: 07.09.2026

Interviews will be held over Microsoft Teams.

Applications submitted without a tailored cover letter will not be considered.

This post, due to its nature, duties and responsibilities, will be subject to an enhanced check by the DBS. This is funded by myaware.

This organisation supports anonymous recruitment. That means hiding your personal identifying information, removing bias from the hiring process.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.

About Us
The National Landscapes Association represents and supports the UK’s National Landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) - places where we want nature and people to flourish together. These living, protected landscapes are vital to the UK’s nature recovery, climate resilience, sustainable farming and wellbeing.

We work collaboratively and inclusively to ensure these treasured places are protected, restored, and accessible to all. We are looking for a proficient and motivated individual to help drive it forward.

About the Role

The Development Officer will support the delivery of the Association’s income generation and partnership strategy, helping to diversify and grow funding streams across corporate partnerships, philanthropy, grants and strategic collaborations. The role exists to support the identification, development and stewardship of partnerships, with a particular focus on outreach to secure private finance and build long-term relationships with partners, investors and philanthropic funders alike. You will play a key role in supporting the full partnership lifecycle, from prospecting and engagement through to proposal development, account management and delivery.

This role is for an enthusiastic and proactive development professional, who is looking to grow their experience in partnerships, fundraising and income diversification within a purpose-led organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Outreach and pipeline development: Support proactive outreach to corporate partners, funders and investors through research and identification to build a strong pipeline of opportunities that are successfully managed through a tailored engagement approach.
• New business and proposal development: Support the development of high-quality partnership proposals, drafting compelling narratives and supporting materials aligned to potential funder interests and organisational requirements.
• Partnership and stakeholder management: Support the management of existing partnerships, ensuring strong relationships are developed and maintained and that outputs are delivered as agreed, assisting in monitoring, comms and impact reporting.
• Events representation, networking and engagement: Attend and represent the Association at events, conferences and networking opportunities, helping to raise the profile of National Landscapes as an investment opportunity within the nature and environmental sector.
• Income diversification trend and insight monitoring: Support the exploration of new income streams and partnership models, including private finance and blended finance approaches, monitoring market trends, funding opportunities (both corporate and philanthropic) and competitor activity to inform strategy.
• Team support and collaboration:Work closely with the Head of Partnerships and Fundraising, the Development Team and wider Association Team to deliver programme priorities and contribute to a collaborative, supportive and high-performing team culture.

See the role description for more information, including the person specification.

Why Join Us?
At the National Landscapes Association, you’ll be part of a passionate and forward-thinking team making a meaningful impact. You’ll gain experience working dynamically alongside experts across the UK, and help shape the future of our most valued landscapes.

The School for Social Entrepreneurs backs people with purpose — entrepreneurs building organisations that change their communities. We're looking for a National Partnerships Lead to work directly with our CEO, driving high-priority national funding partnerships, diversifying our income, and building the relationships that fund our impact. 

You'll identify major funding opportunities, negotiate with trusts, corporates and government partners, and lead complex proposals from first conversation through to a signed agreement — including the budgets, risk assessments and value propositions behind them. You'll also act as a sounding board for the CEO, pressure-testing ideas and sharpening how we tell our story to funders. 

We're looking for sustained experience supporting a CEO or senior leader, a track record of leading multi-million pound funding initiatives end-to-end, and the versatile writing skills to move between board papers and detailed funder tenders without losing accuracy under pressure. Sharp budgeting and numeracy matter for this role, alongside real comfort building trust with senior external stakeholders. 

This position is for someone who thrives on ambiguity, enjoys solving complex problems, and wants their work to directly fund entrepreneurs changing their communities. 

At Bipolar UK, we believe that no one should face bipolar alone. Every day, we work to ensure that people affected by bipolar can access the understanding, support and information they need to live well. As the UK's only national charity dedicated to bipolar, we reach around 10,000 people each month through our peer support services, online community, information resources, research partnerships and campaigns to improve diagnosis and access to care. 

We're entering an exciting period of growth and are looking for a passionate Senior Partnership Officer to help us build the partnerships and funding needed to expand our impact. Could you help us create a future where everyone affected by bipolar has access to timely support and specialist services? 

As Senior Partnership Officer, you'll play a pivotal role in developing and managing high-value relationships with corporate partners, major donors and strategic supporters. You'll identify and secure new partnership opportunities, create compelling funding propositions and steward supporters to deepen their engagement with Bipolar UK. Your work will directly help us reach more people affected by bipolar and deliver life-changing support across the UK. 

Key Details

Location: Flexible, home-based with occasional travel to events and team meetings. 

Hours: 35 hours per week. 

Salary: £35,000 depending on experience. 

Annual Leave: 25 days plus Bank Holidays (with an additional day accrued per each year of service)

Reporting to: Strategic Partnerships Manager. 

What You'll Be Working On

• Building and securing new corporate fundraising and strategic partnership opportunities. 
• Developing tailored partnership proposals and delivering engaging pitches to prospective supporters. 
• Managing and growing relationships with corporate partners, major donors and strategic allies. 
• Working with colleagues across services, fundraising and communications to develop innovative partnership opportunities. 
• Providing excellent stewardship through meetings, events, impact reporting and regular supporter engagement.
• Recording and tracking partnership activity through Salesforce and supporting effective monitoring and evaluation.

This Job Is For You If...

• You're a confident relationship builder who enjoys connecting with supporters and stakeholders. 
• You have experience securing income through partnerships, fundraising or business development. 
• You can create compelling written proposals and communicate persuasively with a range of audiences. 
• You're highly organised and able to manage multiple opportunities and projects simultaneously. 
• You're motivated by making a meaningful difference to the lives of people affected by bipolar. 

At Bipolar UK, we value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. If you're excited about the role but don't meet every requirement, we'd still love to hear from you. Together, we can ensure that more people affected by bipolar receive the support they need.

Motivated to make a difference and connect communities through sport, you'll be a proactive natural connector who thrives on helping others succeed. With effective communication and organisational skills, you'll confidently support grassroots groups and build lasting impact across the East. Join Sported as a Regional Delivery Officer and you could be playing a vital role in the heart of our Field Team.

About the role

As the key contact for Sported groups across Buckinghamshire, Bedford, Essex or Hertfordshire, you'll play a vital role in helping community led organisations grow, become more sustainable and maximise their impact. You'll build effective relationships with these groups, understand their challenges and opportunities, and connect them to the support, resources and funding they need to thrive. This involves welcoming new groups to our network and supporting existing ones to develop.

Working closely with colleagues, volunteer consultants and partners, you'll help deliver projects and programmes that strengthens and develops them and creates positive outcomes for people and communities. You'll also contribute to volunteer engagement, partnership development, grant administration and project evaluation, while ensuring accurate records and data are maintained across your area.

 About You

Are you passionate about the power of sport to strengthen communities and change lives? We're looking for someone who is enthusiastic about supporting grassroots organisations, ideally within sport (but please still apply if not in the sport sector), and who shares our commitment to inclusion, equality and positive social change.

You'll be a confident relationship-builder with a proactive, solutions-focused approach and the ability to build trust with a wide range of people. Organised and able to manage competing priorities, you'll be comfortable working independently while contributing to a collaborative remote team. You will  also possessing a working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and have experience of database management. 

Apply to be part of our team

Benefits 

Joining Sported means becoming part of a passionate, supportive team dedicated to ensuring there are opportunities for everyone, improving health and wellbeing, ensuring communities are empowered. We believe in creating a positive environment not only for the people we support, but also for our colleagues. That's why we offer flexible, home-based working, generous annual leave, a pension scheme, wellbeing support, and opportunities to give back through paid volunteering days. With paid study leave, wellbeing days, and ongoing learning and development opportunities, you'll have the support you need to grow professionally while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. At Sported, you'll be part of an organisation where your contribution truly makes a difference.

Act with Integrity. Champion Inclusion. Transform Together. Drive Change.

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly candidates from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQ+ communities, disabled people, and those with lived experience of tackling inequality. We believe diverse voices are essential to creating meaningful and lasting change.

Please see the job pack, where you’ll find details of roles and responsibilities, and required skills and experience.

The closing date for this role is 5pm on Friday 11th September

Sported is an equal opportunities employer, and we warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities, as well as people with lived experience of tackling inequalities, because we value the insight and strength that diverse voices bring to creating meaningful change.

We want you to feel comfortable and supported throughout the recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to help make the process more accessible for you, please let us know. 

We want every candidate to have the best opportunity to showcase their skills. That's why we use a anonymous recruitment process and provide interview questions in advance, supporting a fair, transparent and inclusive selection process.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Cause4’s Development Team as a Development Manager, supporting a varied portfolio of charities and social purpose organisations with fundraising, strategy and organisational development.

This opportunity provides a fantastic opportunity for someone to work as part of a passionate and hard working team to hone their consultancy skills to fast track into more senior positions within the organisation.

The role offers the chance to work across multiple sectors including arts, heritage, education, health, sport and community organisations, helping clients to develop fundraising strategies, secure funding and build sustainable income streams. Alongside client work, you will play an active role within the wider Cause4 Development Team, contributing to research, organisational planning, training delivery and business development activity.

This position offers broad exposure across a wide range of organisations, fundraising disciplines and consultancy projects, making it an excellent opportunity for someone looking to accelerate their career within the charity or consultancy sectors.

THE OPPORTUNITY WHO THIS ROLE MAY SUIT

• This role could particularly suit: Someone looking to step into their first consultancy or Development Manager role.
• A fundraiser wanting broader experience across multiple organisations and income streams. Someone currently working in the charity, arts, education or cultural sectors looking to transition into consultancy.
• An ambitious individual seeking a fast-paced role with clear progression and development opportunities.
• An existing manager looking to build their consultancy skills to fast track into more senior positions in the sector.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising & Client Support

• Supporting a portfolio of clients with fundraising strategy development and delivery.
• Writing compelling funding applications, Cases for Support and donor-facing materials.
• Supporting funding approaches to Trusts & Foundations, statutory funders, corporates and individual donors.
• Conducting research into prospective funders, partners and opportunities.
• Supporting the development and delivery of fundraising events and engagement activities. Building positive relationships with clients, funders and wider stakeholders.
• Supporting the delivery of fundraising training and wider Cause4 programmes.

Research & Consultancy

• Producing high-quality research, reports and briefing papers.
• Supporting the development of programme ideas, evaluation frameworks and measurable outcomes.
• Contributing strategic thinking to fundraising campaigns and organisational development projects.
• Supporting wider consultancy and innovation work across the organisation.

Team & Organisational Development

• Contributing to Cause4’s business development and growth activity.
• Sharing knowledge, expertise and fundraising insight across the team.
• Supporting the wider strategic and operational needs of the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Cause4 is a fast-paced consultancy environment offering significant opportunities for learning and career development.

Skills & Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates who are ambitious, adaptable and keen to grow within a consultancy environment. You may already have experience in fundraising, charity operations, programme delivery, arts administration, partnerships, research or strategy work.

We are looking for:

• Strong written communication skills and the ability to produce compelling, engaging and high-quality written material.
• Strong research and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to interpret and synthesise large and complex amounts of information and data from a range of sources.
• Experience within a charity, fundraising, arts, education or consultancy environment.
• An interest in fundraising, philanthropy and organisational development.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Confidence working with a range of stakeholders and building professional relationships.
• Strategic thinking, creative and problem-solving skills. Strong organisational and coordination skills.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience using online platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
• Alignment with our company values.

Experience across fundraising or income generation is desirable, but we are equally interested in candidates with strong transferable skills and the ambition to develop into a client-facing consultancy role.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV together with either: a Cover Letter (maximum two pages), or a Cover Video (maximum three minutes) to Ben Wilson, Director of Development and Enterprise.

The deadline for applying is 5pm on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

Please also include a completed Equal Opportunities Form downloadable from the Cause4 website.

This permanent, part-time role is ideal for someone with strong financial administration and bookkeeping experience who is committed to social justice and human rights. You'll be responsible for the day-to-day management of our finances, maintaining accurate records, supporting reporting and compliance, and providing financial information to help staff and trustees make informed decisions.

Join us and play a key role in supporting Just Fair's mission to secure economic, social and cultural rights for everyone in the UK.

The Belay Foundation supports adoptive, kinship and special guardianship families raising children who have experienced early developmental trauma, often alongside neurodiversity. Founded in 2020 from lived experience, Belay offers something many families struggle to find elsewhere: practical, in-home support and expert guidance that’s genuinely trauma-responsive, delivered by people who understand what these families are living through.

Why now? - Belay has just spent a year strengthening its foundations - redesigning services, building organisational capacity and setting an ambitious growth plan. The groundwork is done. What we need now is a permanent CEO with the vision to take a small, high-impact charity and turn real momentum into lasting change - for families and for how the sector understands and responds to developmental trauma.

About the role - You’ll provide strategic and financial leadership across a small team, working closely with an exceptional Board and Belay’s Founder, who remains closely involved as Services Director. You’ll lead fundraising and income diversification, shape Belay’s public voice and ensure the organisation’s trauma-responsive, DDP-informed model continues to deliver real impact as it scales.

This is a rare chance to take the helm of an organisation with an innovative model, a loyal community and genuine room to grow - and to leave your mark on how the UK supports some of its most vulnerable children and families.

This is a home‑based role, but applicants must be permanently based, and have the right to work, in the United Kingdom. For legal, tax, and operational reasons, we cannot consider applications from outside the UK.

Please see the CEO Application Pack for further details, including the full job description and the application/ interview process.

Amputee Network Development Officer – South West

Fixed term 12 months from starting date with potential to extend

Ensure that no amputee need cope alone

The Limbless Association is seeking a proactive, creative and resourceful Development Officer to enable the charity to extend its reach across the south west.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting individuals and their families experiencing amputation, through their rehabilitation, recovery and life beyond limb loss.

The Amputee Network Development Officer will play a pivotal role in the LA realising its outreach aims in the region. This role will build capacity across a range of outreach support activities, working closely with the Regional Development Manager (South), Services Development Lead and Volunteer Coordinator, to realise increased multi- stakeholder engagement, project reach, awareness of the charity and its services as well as working with the team to realise regional financial support of the LA’s work.

We’re looking for someone who:

· Is passionate about building strong outcomes focused relationships with a variety of stakeholders.

· Enjoys turning ideas into meaningful opportunities and actions.

· Can think strategically whilst remaining practical

· Understands the importance of lived experience and co-production

· Has a strong geographical knowledge of the south west of England.

· Wants to make a genuine difference

If you are motivated by improving lives with purpose and compassion, we would love to hear from you.

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.

We are looking for someone to contribute effectively to governing the organisation. You will have skills and experience in at least one of the following areas; housing development, property maintenance, strategic asset management or finance / treasury. Preferably, you will also have experience in the social housing sector.

About Hastoe

 Hastoe was established over 60 years ago and now manages more than 7,500 rented, shared ownership and leasehold homes, mainly located across the south of England from Devon to Norfolk. Since 1987 we have focused on being a leading rural housing specialist, helping to sustain rural areas by working in partnership with communities to deliver high-quality, affordable housing developments for local people. However, we still have properties in urban areas that remain important to us.

Our Business Strategy is focused on ensuring our homes are safe, that we deliver on our customer needs, and that we are sustainable as an organisation.

The role

As a Board Member you will be responsible for:

· Helping to set our strategic direction.

· Overseeing our financial and operational performance.

· Supporting effective governance and risk management.

· Ensuring regulatory compliance and customer focus.

· Acting as an ambassador and representing Hastoe.

The role is expected to require a time commitment of around 15 days a year, including an overnight stay to attend an away day. Our meetings are held during the day and generally in London. There may be occasional travel required to other locations, e.g for a scheme opening.

How to apply

Please submit your CV together with a covering letter which sets out your interest and related experience.

Please also include the names of two referees. Referees will not be approached until the final stages and not without your prior permission.

The closing date for applications is midnight on 20 September 2026.