Trusts and bids fundraiser jobs in Birmingham

Head of Development 

Department: Development
Line Manager: Director of Audiences and Growth
Reports From: Development Officer, Freelance Bid Writer
Salary: £43,000 - £52,500

The Belgrade theatre has big growth plans with a vibrant programme; we are proud of our reputation for excellent stewardship and donor care. We are a National Portfolio Organisation, funded by Arts Council England, and enjoy the support of many individuals, trust and foundations and corporate supporters. We are now looking for an ambitious, creative, and energetic fundraiser to help take us into our next chapter. You might be an experienced Development leader or someone looking to take that next step, or perhaps this could be a lateral move from another related sector. We are open to discussing flexible working patterns, and you will be able to shape the role around your particular skills and experience. 
 

You will have the full support of the CEO, senior team and Board of Trustees, and we will work with you to ensure you continue to develop in your professional practice. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that your work is making a real difference in supporting the Belgrade Theatre realise its Story of Change and continue to build on our co-creation model of developing theatre by and with the people of Coventry.

You will be joining us at an exciting time whilst we build the production of our new co-created show Nanny of the Maroons, and your skills and expertise in fundraising and income-generation activity, will support us to launch this production in a way that can have real impact for the people of Coventry; whilst shaping a sustainable future for the organisation, and achieving an annual revenue funding target of £450K. 
 

This is a hands-on role focused on delivering fundraising activity, supporting income generation through campaigns, events, partnerships and donor stewardship. You will build meaningful relationships with donors, partners, and funders, working on strategies that support artistic ambition, creative learning and community engagement programmes, and long-term organisational growth. 
This role will suit someone who is organised, proactive and confident in delivering fundraising activity, and who can bring practical ideas that connect with Coventry’s diverse communities.
 

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Director of Audiences and Growth, CEO, Artistic Director and Director of Producing and Co-creation. This role will line manage the Development Officer and oversee freelance bid writers. This role needs to have constructive relationships with all departments within the business including working closely with the audiences, marketing and communications team and colleagues across Box Office, Finance and Front of House. You will deliver a programme of fundraising activity including memberships, small, mid-scale and larger trusts and foundations, community fundraising, sponsorship and local business partnerships.
 

External: Trusts and Foundations, Donors, High Net worth individuals, Members, Individual Giving, Stakeholders, Volunteers and Business Networks
 

Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership 

• Develop and deliver a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organisational priorities 
• Lead on income diversification across individual giving/membership, major gifts, legacies, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, campaigns and events 
• Set and monitor annual income targets with clear KPIs and reporting structure

Fundraising Campaigns & Income Generation

• Develop and deliver audience-focused fundraising campaigns that support theatre programming, community engagement and audience development.
• Identify and implement practical income opportunities, such as round-up donations, maximising Gift Aid and testing messaging at key audience touchpoints.

Events & Community Fundraising

• Plan, promote and deliver fundraising events including donor evenings and follow up donor cultivation, community fundraising activities and donor profile events 
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers to ensure events are well organised and provide a positive supporter experience.

Trusts, Memberships & Partnerships

• Research, write and submit applications to small, mid-scale and large trusts and foundations aligned with The Belgrade’s artistic, co-creation, educational and community activity to ensure we meet our target of 10% of turnover against fundraising activity 
• Review and refresh The Belgrade’s s membership schemes, sponsorship offers and local business fundraising opportunities.
• Develop proposals to support income from individuals, trusts and community partners.
• Establish and Develop a Legacy programme with the associated campaign 

Donor Stewardship & Supporter Care

• Support and steward donors, members and supporters through appropriate communication, recognition and reporting.
• Ensure donor recognition is accurate and visible across digital, print and in-venue materials.
• Experience of managing a varied pipeline of fundraising prospects, including identification of key internal and external milestones

Digital Fundraising & Communications

• Work with the Marketing team to create fundraising content for email, web and social media.
• Use storytelling to promote THE BELGRADE ’s charitable activity and encourage supporter engagement.

 
Monitoring, Reporting & Compliance

• Maintain accurate donor records.
• Track fundraising income and prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure all fundraising activity complies with GDPR, Gift Aid requirements and Fundraising Regulator guidance.

Planning, Collaboration & Good Practice

• Contribute to the delivery of agreed annual fundraising plans, supporting our Audiences and Marketing team by tracking activity and progress against targets.
• Stay informed about THE BELGRADE ’s artistic programme and community work, working with colleagues across departments to support clear and relevant case for support.
• Build and maintain networks with fundraising colleagues in the arts and charity sectors, sharing learning and good practice with THE BELGRADE particularly at a local and regional level
• Contribute positively to THE BELGRADE ’s inclusive, collaborative and community-focused culture, supporting volunteers involved in fundraising activity where appropriate.
• Set company wide strategies to maximise individual giving around our Making Memories campaign for Pantomime and our Stage for All campaign that supports co-creation. 

General

• Keep up to date with emerging technologies and industry trends to improve efficiency and fundraising potential.
• Maintain a strong applicable knowledge of the theatre’s programme, strategy and business plan.
• Attend staff meetings / training as required.
• Adhere to policies and procedures and act as an ambassador for best practice.

 
What Success Looks Like

• Reaching our fundraising target of £450k
• Growth in philanthropic income year-on-year
• Strong donor engagement, both recruitment and retention
• Increase in size and diversity of membership base including renewal of lapsed bookers
• A motivated, high-performing development team 
• Clear, compelling fundraising messaging around The Belgrade’s case for support embedded across the organisation 
• A sustainable funding model that supports artistic excellence and community impact

The postholder will be required to work from the theatre in Coventry, although some flexibility for occasional working from home is available subject to the needs of the business.  This role may require working weekends and evenings for attendance at Guest Nights and Stakeholder Events etc. from time to time for which time off can be taken in lieu. 

Please note the job description for this position may be reviewed and amended to incorporate future business needs.

Person Specification:
Essential - the successful candidate will meet the majority of these requirements.

• Experience delivering fundraising campaigns.
• Experience stewarding and supporting donors or supporters.
• Experience writing successful funding applications.
• Experience planning and delivering fundraising or community events.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Understanding of fundraising compliance, including GDPR and Gift Aid.
•  Awareness of current fundraising trends and inclusive fundraising practices.
• Proactive, organised and hands-on approach.
• Confidence building and maintaining professional relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Commitment to inclusivity, ethical fundraising and community values.
• Collaborative, adaptable and solution focused.
• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors or supporters
• Experience using CRM or database systems to manage supporter data
• Willingness to embrace the Belgrade’s Brand Values
• A genuine interest in inclusive arts, music and social impact

Desirable

• Experience of developing new fundraising initiatives from conception to realisation
• Experience of budget responsibility and reporting on achievements against targets
• Knowledge and experience of major gift fundraising

Apply Now
Upload your CV and Cover Letter
In your cover letter, tell us: 

• Why you want to work for The Belgrade Theatre?
• What experiences and skills do you have that you feel will illustrate your suitability for the role 

Our Commitment to Equality
 

The Belgrade Theatre is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment for everyone. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences—including but not limited to individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, faiths or beliefs, disabilities, and neurodiverse conditions.

We believe that a diverse workforce enriches our creative community and strengthens our connection to the audiences we serve. Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do, and we strive to ensure that all employees and applicants feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their full selves to work.
 

If you require any adjustments, accommodations, or assistance at any stage of the recruitment or application process, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will work with you to provide the support you need to make your application journey as accessible and comfortable as possible.

If you are applying through the Disability Confident Scheme, please reference that in your cover letter or application

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FORM

The Belgrade Theatre is committed to ensuring equal opportunities, aiming to attract and work with staff from a wide diverse pool. The information that you give us on this form will be treated confidentially and stored on our HR database as statistical information only. This will be used to help monitor the diversity of applicants and to enable us to continue to develop policies and procedures regarding diversity and to submit required data to our funders. The information you supply will not be made available to anyone in any form other than anonymous data.

At the Belgrade Theatre, we are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone has equal opportunity to thrive and contribute to telling powerful, diverse stories that reflect us
as a vibrant community.

Dataro are looking for a Partnerships & Marketing UK Manager to help grow their presence across the UK charity sector. This is a varied role that combines partnership development with hands-on marketing and events delivery, making it ideal for someone who enjoys building relationships, spotting opportunities, and turning ideas into action. 

Around 70% of the role will focus on partnerships and new business growth; identifying and developing collaborations that build pipeline and raise Dataro’s profile across the UK. The remaining 30% will focus on delivering marketing activity and events on the ground, from conferences and webinars to partner activations and community engagement. 

You’ll work closely with Dataro’s global marketing and partnerships team, with access to the tools, systems and support needed to make things happen. While the role sits within a global team, this position will play a key part in shaping and delivering activity specifically for the UK charity market. 

This role could suit people from a range of backgrounds. You might currently be working in corporate partnerships, marketing, partnerships, data, or events within a UK charity, or in a technology or service provider that works with the nonprofit sector. What matters most is that you understand how strong relationships translate into income and impact, and that you’re comfortable taking ideas from concept through to delivery. 

Importantly, you don’t need to meet every single element on the person specification to apply. If you have experience building partnerships, running sector-facing marketing activity, or working closely with charities - and you’re someone who enjoys spotting opportunities and making things happen - we’d love to hear from you. 

This is a great opportunity to join a growing organisation that still retains the energy and ownership of a startup environment, while working with charities across the UK to help them strengthen their fundraising and supporter engagement. 

Application notes

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.

To progress your application, please contact THINK Recruitment via the contact info in the pack to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date.

If you need assistance with downloading the pack, please scontact THINK Recruitment and our team will support you.

Timeframes 

Closing date for applications: Midnight 24th March

Virtual interviews – Tuesday 1st or Wednesday 2nd April 

Are you a highly organised project leader with a track record of developing rigorous and impactful processes? Do you want to lead the delivery of the nationally-recognised accreditation transforming mental health in higher education? This could be the role for you.

We’re looking for a methodical and strategic Programme Manager (Award) to manage the end-to-end delivery of University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) Award and act as key spokesperson for the programme. 

You’ll play a vital role in ensuring that the Award upholds its standards and values, and continues to develop and scale, supporting positive change for staff and students at universities across the UK.

About the role

• Lead the delivery of the nationally-recognised accreditation for mental health in higher education: the University Mental Health Charter Award.
• The UMHC Award recognises universities that promote the mental health and wellbeing of their university communities and supports them to continually improve. 
• You will own the end-to-end management of a complex, high-profile and impactful programme, balancing administrative excellence and strategic development.

Key responsibilities

• Drive the Award lifecycle, from onboarding universities, coordinating our network of assessors and managing the Award panel.
• Scale and continually improve the Award process, ensuring it remains rigorous, impactful and values-led.
• Act as key spokesperson and point of contact for universities and other stakeholders.
• Responsible for budget, risk and line management. 

What we’re looking for

• Proven track record of managing complex projects.
• Experience developing, maintaining and improving robust systems and processes.
• A rigorous approach to accuracy and quality control.
• Comfortable holding difficult conversations with stakeholders at all levels.
• A commitment to co-production, equality, anti-racism and an interest in mental health.

Find out more about the essential criteria for this role by downloading our Recruitment Pack from the documents section.

What you will gain

• The chance to contribute to a high-impact national programme supporting better mental health for university communities across the UK.
• Experience in a varied role with opportunities to learn and develop.
• A supportive and collaborative workplace culture that values wellbeing.
• Flexibility in how and where you work. 

How to apply
If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you!

1. Click “Redirect to recruiter”, then scroll to the 'Vacancies and volunteering' section of our 'Join our team' page to access the job listing.
2. Download the recruitment pack in the document section at the bottom of this page, where you’ll find more information about the role including responsibilities and person specifications. 
3. Download and complete our application form - instead of collecting CVs, we use an application form to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all. 
   1. Please refrain from including any identifying details in your application answers.
4. Upload your completed application form as a word document. 
   1. Please note that once you start your application on our portal, you will have 24 hours to upload your completed form. Before clicking 'Apply' and beginning the application process, make sure your form is fully completed and ready to upload.
5. Complete the Equality Monitoring Form.

Student Minds is committed to building an inclusive team and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and walks of life.