Trusts and foundations bid writer jobs
How's your job search on our site?
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Help secure the future of a 120-year-old youth charity At The Shewsy, we support over 100 children and young people every day in one of the most deprived communities in the UK. Founded in 1903, we provide meals, mentoring, and a safe space, but more importantly, we build relationships that change lives. Our motto is “People Matter More Than Things".
We are now looking for a brilliant Fundraising & Engagement Manager to help us take the next step in building a stronger, more sustainable funding base so we can reach even more young people.
Salary: £40,000 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week (flexible working available and could offer 0.8)
Contract type: Permanent
Benefits:
-
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
-
NEST Pension
-
Benefits & Discount Portal
-
22 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
-
Professional Training & Development
The Role (and why it matters) This isn’t just about writing bids behind a desk. It’s about being a visible, energetic advocate for The Shewsy. You will champion our work face-to-face, engaging our local Everton community while nurturing our historic, vital ties with Shrewsbury School and the Old Salopian network. You will balance persuasive in-person communication with high-quality grant writing to unlock new opportunities and bring ideas to life.
What you’ll be doing
Building Relationships & Community Engagement
-
Actively network and build face-to-face relationships with local businesses, community members, and potential corporate partners.
-
Nurture and expand our vital relationship with the Shrewsbury School community and Old Salopians to encourage legacy giving, regular donations, and matched-giving support.
-
Champion and support community fundraising events and campaigns, including our highly successful Big Give Christmas Challenge.
Securing Grant Funding
-
Build and manage a £200,000+ annual funding pipeline by researching and applying for grants from trusts and foundations.
-
Write high-quality, compelling, and tailored funding applications.
-
Maintain a live pipeline of funders, tracking applications, success rates, and deadlines.
Telling Our Story Powerfully
-
Turn powerful frontline youth work into compelling narratives for both written bids and in-person presentations.
-
Work with staff to capture impact, stories, and data to strengthen how we evidence our outcomes.
What success looks like (Year 1)
-
Strong, active relationships established with the Shrewsbury School community, Old Salopians, and local Everton stakeholders.
-
A £200k+ funding pipeline established and actively managed.
-
Consistent monthly/quarterly bid submissions balancing quick wins with strategic applications.
-
Increased repeat funding, multi-year grants, and diversified community income.
Who we’re looking for You might already be a community fundraiser, a bid writer looking to step out from behind the screen, or someone ready to step up.
Essential
-
Exceptional in-person communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences from local residents to major donors.
-
Experience writing successful grant applications in the charity sector.
-
A track record of securing funding from trusts, foundations, or major donors.
-
Highly organised, able to balance desk-based bid writing with out-and-about relationship building.
-
Ability to work independently and make things happen.
Desirable
-
Experience in youth, community, or social impact organisations.
-
Knowledge of the Liverpool funding landscape.
-
Experience with community campaigns or matched-funding appeals (e.g., the Big Give).
The kind of person who thrives here
-
You care deeply about young people and social impact.
-
You are proactive, outgoing, and don’t wait to be told what to do.
-
You spot opportunities others miss and can turn a conversation into a compelling bid or a new partnership.
-
You want your work to actually make a difference.
We create a safe, welcoming space where young people and our community can grow in confidence, skills and ambition.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
SMART CJS – Trust and Foundations Bid Writer
Role Overview
Are you committed to supporting people who are homeless or rough sleeping?
Are you proactive with a positive attitude?
Job Title: Trust and Foundations Bid Writer (with some responsibility for corporate fundraising)
The salary will be in the range of £36,000 to £42,000.
Hours: 37 hours per week
Term: Permanent
Location: Working from our office in central Bedford, with some provision for remote working.
About SMART CJS
Founded in 1997, we are a charity that provides safe spaces for people who are facing or experiencing homelessness, are rough sleeping or have fallen on tough times. As times have changed, our services have adapted and grown, but we’ve always kept the people we support at the centre of all that we do. We believe that everyone needs a little help sometimes and, with trust, respect and honesty, people can make incredible changes. Our vision is to transform communities so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential, participate in and contribute to all aspects of life. Our mission is to provide safe spaces to work with vulnerable people within our communities, empowering them to make positive changes and take control of their lives.
Why Join Us?
We believe in diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.
Benefits include:
- 27 days Annual Leave (rising to 30 after 3 years) + Bank Holidays (pro rata)
- Generous Pension scheme (after successfully completing a probation period)
- Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
- Access to a Charity Worker Discount scheme
- Access to the company health and wellbeing service including support with mental health, legal advice and more
- Access to an online GP service
We require all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This job description will be supplemented by annual objectives which will be developed in conjunction with the post holder.
The Role
SMART CJS is looking to recruit a Trusts and Foundations Bid Writer. The successful candidate will also have some responsibility for corporate fundraising with businesses based in Bedford and beyond; this responsibility will be shared with our Community and Corporate Fundraiser.
The main responsibility, though, will be to generate income by writing bids to charitable trusts and foundations, and to statutory funders.
The role will include researching and identifying charity trusts and similar bodies which are able to make an award to SMART. It will also include keeping abreast of developments in fundraising in the charity sector as a whole, especially in the field of grant awarding and, to a lesser extent, of corporate giving.
There will be a probationary period for the role. As it generally takes six months for a grant to be awarded (though some arrive more quickly), the probationary period will need to be for a minimum of seven months, though its precise duration can be negotiated with the successful candidate.
Training will be given; the scope of the training will depend on the candidate’s previous experience.
This is an exciting opportunity to join SMART’s friendly and dedicated team. You’ll need to be able to manage your time effectively; the role is primarily self-directed. We envisage that you’ll be working primarily from our offices in Prebend Street, Bedford, though you'll be able to work from home for some of the time as well. Given the nature of our work, personal resilience is important; some of the stories we use when applying for funding can be emotionally challenging.
Our fundraising comes from regular gifts, donations from the community (individuals and groups), and corporate bodies (businesses). The majority of our fundraising income comes from grants. There will be a realistic target for the amount you need to raise; this will reflect the performance for grant applications in the charity sector as a whole and it will not be unrealistic. Fundraising is not an exact science; the assessment of performance against the targets will be fair and reasonable. The final responsibility for SMART’s fundraising rests with the trustees; they appreciate and understand the complexity of the issues involved.
Main Purpose of the Role
You will work closely with the CEO, the Chair of Trustees, the Head of Business and the fundraising team. The post involves gathering information, writing the bids, tracking the progress of submissions, and reporting back to grant awarders on how their money has been spent, if they require this.
There will also be a responsibility for corporate fundraising. This will involve building relationships with businesses in and beyond the Bedford area. The responsibility for this will be shared with our Community and Corporate Fundraiser.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising and Bid Writing
- Research and identify suitable grant and funding opportunities from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory bodies.
- Write and submit high-quality funding applications and proposals in line with SMART’s strategic priorities.
- Work collaboratively with service leads and front line teams to gather accurate, up-to-date data and service information for applications.
- Tailor the applications to the funder’s criteria, using storytelling effectively.
- Manage a pipeline of applications and submissions, ensuring deadlines are met and income targets are tracked.
- Maintain and build relationships with key funders, providing timely reports and updates on grant-funded work.
- Work to realistic targets and be able to provide feedback on these.
- Organisational Development and Support
- Contribute to the strategic development of SMART’s income generation plans.
- Support development of strong internal bid and grant management systems.
- Monitor success rates and provide monthly reporting on funding performance to the Head of Business and to the Chair of Trustees.
- Represent SMART CJS at funding briefings, webinars, and networking opportunities where appropriate.
Other Responsibilities
- Participate in SMART’s performance management and appraisal process.
- Attend the monthly meetings of the Fundraising Committee (a sub‑committee of the Board of Trustees).
- Comply with health and safety policies and procedures.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role, as required by the CEO, the Head of Business or the Chair of Trustees.
Person Specification
Whether you’re already an experienced bid-writer, or whether you think this is something that you could learn to do effectively, we’d like to hear from you. You need to have excellent skills in written English and be able to write in prose that’s clear and readily understandable to the general reader. The criteria for each grant awarder are different; you need to be able to match your bid to what they would like to fund (homelessness, mental health, relief of poverty, women’s issues and so on). You need, then, to tell SMART’s story in a way which appeals to each funder.
You need to have excellent inter-personal skills and be able to work as part of a team. While there is a strong element of self-direction in the role, you need to be able to work closely with senior management and also with the trustees; the trustees have the final responsibility for fundraising in the charity.
You will need, too, to have a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to have a genuine interest in homelessness and the work of the charity, and a commitment to improving our clients’ lives and wellbeing.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About You.
You will be a self-motivated and proactive senior trust fundraiser, excited about this new role and achieving our ambitious fundraising goals – approaching it with good humour, resilience and resourcefulness, and confident in your skills and abilities.
Professional, reliable and highly organised, you will enjoy working collaboratively, able to inspire and support colleagues, and have a strong team ethos.Outgoing and engaging, you will be able to convey a passion for nature and wildlife to different audiences and feel confident when sharing our vision and impact with others. You will be able to nurture and develop relationships with key stakeholders, including those we do not already have a relationship with.
You will have a strong knowledge of Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent and be able to work/travel throughout the county.
We welcome applications from senior trust fundraisers, bid writers from the commercial sector and senior fundraisers from major donors or corporate partnerships who can demonstrate transferable skills and knowledge, and success at the income levels required.
About the Role.
We are investing in our Fundraising and Development team to deliver an ambitious 5-year fundraising strategy. The Trusts and Philanthropy Manager is pivotal in securing philanthropic support from trusts and foundations, legacies, major donors, and corporate partners.
Over the strategy period you will be responsible for developing annual trust and grant income to £500,000+, by securing grants of five figures and above and gaining multi-year donations.Using your experience in creating strong cases for support, including unrestricted costs, and pipeline development, you will work with two part-time colleagues to increase annual income from major donors, legacies and corporate partners to £250,000+ (excluding exceptional legacy gifts).
With curiosity, you will identify funding opportunities and reach new audiences. You will thrive on building strong, long-lasting relationships, cultivating donors through verbal and written communications, and managing stewardship events.
As a senior manager, you will have budget responsibility, report regularly, and mitigate under performance.You will ensure joined-up planning and delivery, developing fundraising relationships across income streams, and you will enjoy line management, collaborating with others, and leading project groups to deliver targets on deadlines.
A typical week is expected to include at least 2 days from our Wolseley Head Office, 1-2days in Staffordshire to secure new support and meet donors, the remaining time worked remotely, with flexibility as required.
About Us.
“Staffordshire Wildlife Trust protects and enhances the wildlife and wild places of Staffordshire and promotes understanding, enjoyment and involvement in the natural world.”
A registered charity established in 1969, we are one of 46 county Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK and are supported by over 18,000 members.
The Trust owns or manages 45 nature reserves covering an area of over 1900 hectares. We have around 140 staff, based in six locations around the county including our Headquarters at Wolseley Bridge, Stafford, with our work divided into four departments: Conservation Delivery & Engagement, Fundraising and Development, HR & Support Services, and Resources. The Trust has a diverse workforce including site wardens, wildlife surveyors, community and education officers, catering, retail and administration.
In addition, we have a trading company which looks after the trading side of our business. This includes a café at The Wolseley Centre, charity shops in Leek, Penkridge and Codsall, and a retail shop in the Wolseley Centre.
We’re Wild About Inclusion! To us, this means inspiring, empowering and engaging people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and abilities, to change the natural world for the better. It means creating workspaces where difference is celebrated, everyone can be themselves and flourish, just like nature.
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is committed to keeping children and young people safe, you can see our policy on our website.Safeguarding and protecting our visitors, customers, members, staff and volunteers is the responsibility of every trustee, employee, and volunteer at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. For applicable roles, applicants must be willing to undergo checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the eligible level.
Disability Confident Employer. As a Disability Confident accredited employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for vacancies. We particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within our sector, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities.
At SWT, we are committed to creating a safe environment where discrimination, bullying, and harassment are not tolerated. We expect everyone to uphold, respect, and support our zero-tolerance policy.
Please be aware we may not accept applications if we have reason to believe they have been wholly produced using generative AI tools
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is a registered charity.Charity No: 259558.
Closing Date: 9am on Monday 30th March 2026
Interviews: 1st stage - MS Teams call during the recruitment period
2nd stage -Wed 8 April or Fri 10 April 2026
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Philharmonia Orchestra is seeking a talented and driven Trusts and Foundations Co-ordinator to help the Development team deliver growing, sustainable fundraised income. Working closely with an experienced senior grant-writer, the Trusts and Foundations Co-ordinator will steward existing funders and develop funding applications for:
-
Our programme of 150 concerts a year, including landmark multi-disciplinary concert series;
-
Our award-winning Learning & Engagement projects that engage over 15,000 people annually;
-
Our talent development programme through which we help improve representation in the talent pipeline;
-
Our sector-leading visionary digital and immersive technology programme including our multi-award winning and globally recognised Virtual Orchestra (VR) immersive experiences.
This role will suit someone ready to move on from an entry-level position within a Development team, keen to work in a fast-paced environment, and enthusiastic about taking on their own set of fundraising targets and application deliverables. It is an opportunity for an enthusiastic fundraiser to work within an experienced, inspiring team, to work closely with and learn from one of the most experienced trusts and foundations fundraisers in our sector, and to play a transformative role in a thriving orchestra that on the occasion of its 80th anniversary is already looking ahead to Philharmonia at 100.
Key Responsibilities and Tasks
The primary responsibilities of the Trusts and Foundations Co-ordinator are fundraising from and stewarding Trusts and Foundations, achieved by undertaking the following tasks:
1. Delivering the Trusts and Foundations fundraising strategy, with a particular focus on:
-
Identification and cultivation:
-
Producing lists of prospects to share with the Development Board, via the Director of Development.
-
Identifying opportunities for cultivation at projects, events and concerts.
-
Application development:
-
Responsibility for developing small to mid-range Trust, Foundation and statutory applications up to £25,000 including copy development, application budget creation (using signed-off source budgets), and sign-offs from project manager and line manager.
-
Maintaining a strong momentum of application submissions, aiming to fundraise a year ahead of project delivery where possible.
-
Collaborating with Development colleagues to agree stewarding responsibilities, review prospects, report on Trust & Foundation income vs. targets and identify prospects whose giving objectives align with the Philharmonia’s work.
-
Working closely with colleagues in the Learning & Engagement, Concerts and Marketing departments to build strong, collaborative working relationships in order to source project information to support the development of funding bids.
-
Stewarding
-
Ensuring timely report development and submission, to maximise re-application rates.
-
Ownership of accurate and comprehensive Trust, Foundation and Statutory accreditation in all collateral and online.
-
Proactive and consistent conduit between prospects and the Philharmonia, managing invitations to supported projects and ensuring consistent, warm and professional relationship management.
2 Ensuring efficient administration of Trusts and Foundations fundraising, including:
-
Managing all Trusts and Foundations pledges and grants on our CRM Tessitura, and ensuring data capture and processing is in line with GDPR and other privacy laws.
-
Population and updating of Trusts and Foundations submissions, stewarding and reporting tracker.
-
Accurate records of all correspondence held in SharePoint.
Other tasks include
-
Representing the Philharmonia externally when required.
-
Undertaking any other duties reasonably required by the Philharmonia.
Skills
Essential:
-
A passion for the arts and belief in their ability to have a positive transformative effect on people’s lives.
-
An enthusiasm for fundraising.
-
A strong work ethic.
-
Excellent writing skills with the ability to form a persuasive case.
-
Experience in writing fundraising communications.
-
Experience of working within a team in a collaborative and supportive manner.
-
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written), with an ability to adapt style for different audiences and members of the orchestra’s circle of supporters and senior volunteers.
-
Commitment to the mission, vision and values of the Philharmonia.
-
Understanding of fundraising and data protection regulation (including GDPR and the Fundraising Regulator).
-
Credible experience using a CRM system to record and report on moves management.
-
High-level of IT literacy, including the Microsoft 365 suite.
Desirable:
-
Knowledge of the Philharmonia and its work.
-
Proficiency in fundraising databases.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Vacancy
We are looking for an entrepreneurial and proactive Partnerships Manager with a strong instinct for business development and a track record of turning opportunities into significant funding partnerships. You will be energised by identifying new prospects, opening doors and building relationships with trusts, foundations and corporate partners. Creative and strategic in your approach, you will be comfortable shaping compelling propositions and developing confident high seven figure funding asks that resonate with large philanthropic donors.
You will also be a mature, thoughtful and kind manager who can lead and develop a high performing team. We are looking for someone who can set ambitious targets, encourage initiative and create an environment where colleagues feel trusted, motivated and able to grow, while playing a central role in expanding and diversifying a major global funding portfolio.
JOB PURPOSE
The Partnerships Manager will be a key position within the fundraising team, managing key private donors and co-leading on developing and implementing a new business strategy focused on significantly increasing trust and foundation and corporate funders.
They will also be working with SLT members to put together strategic seven and eight figure grants and strategic plans to engage large global donors to support Start Network programming.
The Resource Mobilisation team works collaboratively with those in programmes to manage internal and external relationships, adopting a coordinated approach when it comes to donor management and reporting.
The Partnerships Manager, together with the Head of Resource Mobilisation, will set and deliver a strategy that maximises trust and foundation and corporate funding and set a clear path to bring in new donors and increase income substantially over the coming three years. Currently the funding portfolio you will be managing is over £30million from 13+ global donors. This means this role is personally responsible for engaging and retaining 60% of our donors. This role will set a strategy to increase income according to targets, maximise donors plus retain all key strategic donors through robust engagement plans. Beyond this, the person in post will line manage three with scope for growth in 2026.
Additionally, across 2026-2028 and beyond they will lead on the development of an employee engagement offering with our corporates and corporate foundations in order to create a new avenue of unrestricted funding.
Beyond this, we expect this role, to lead on behalf of the resource mobilization team key global events, particularly Skoll / Marmalade and Shift the Power. In collaboration with the Institutional Funding Manager they will also plan our activities London and NY Climate Weeks. They will set the plans and strategy for the organization to engage with these events and work with Directors, CEO, Heads of, and coordinate cross organisational plans for this together with our Head of Advocacy and Influence.
Finally, this role will act as a key point of contact for the communications and advocacy teams and will need to make sure donor requirement and visibility will be taken into account across teams projects and strategies.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Increase new business from trusts and foundations and corporate funders
- Lead on the development of an innovative strategy together with the Head of Resource Mobilisation and Director of Business Development to identify and drive new business from trusts and foundations and corporates.
- Responsible for growing our funding from new geographical areas (focus on US and Asia) and sectors (Insurance) – and set a plan that will enable the diversification of our funding portfolio.
- Oversee the development and implementation of an employee engagement offer in order to create a new avenue of unrestricted income and boost the interest of corporate donors.
- Drive high quality prospecting of new potential funders across the organisation by working with and guiding heads of teams and the CEO strategically to engage with this task.
- Oversee how the organisation engages strategically with large trusts and foundations and corporates (potential giving 7 and 8 figures).
- Co-lead on the planning of key global events with our external affairs team such as Climate Week (New York and London) and make sure we have a cross organisational strategic approach to these events.
- Oversee the strategy to catalyse new relationships with middle sized trusts and foundations and corporates with a potential giving of 6 figures.
- Set a plan to attract more flexibility funding that can enable the organisation to catalyse key strategic projects that fall out of our programmes.
- Lead on developing positioning for corporate partnerships (insurance, finance, and tech industries), new areas of business for Start Network.
- Lead on the business planning process for the Trust and Foundations and Corporates Team.
- Manage large event budgets and make sure resources are used effectively.
- Work with programmes teams and colleagues to understand funding needs and develop creative ways to position and pitch areas of Start Network such as hubs, innovation etc.
- Work with programmes teams and finance team to drive and support the development of robust budgets and narrative proposals for large and medium sized asks.
- Attend and speak at key advocacy events, representing the resource mobilisation team as required, in order to meet donors and advocate for Start Network’s mission
Ensure high quality stewardship of current philanthropic donors
- Responsible for the overall stewardship of several high giving trusts and foundations (6, 7 & 8 figures).
- Oversee the development of quality reporting and updates for donors and make sure we have clear processes and systems for this to happen
- Responsible for making sure the resource mobilization team is creating informative and engaging updates across programmes for T&F and corporate donors.
- Work across teams to implement the insurance advisory group and make sure this group links back to resource mobilization strategies.
- Work with heads of teams to develop an engaging agenda for the insurance advisory group, taking into account the function and work with finance team to ensure appropriate expenditure of grant. Oversee the development of complex donor budgets and make sure they are ready for CFOO and Director approval.
- Support grant management function and work with finance team to ensure appropriate expenditure of grants.
- Work closely with the communications team in order to set up a strategic comms plan that will enable the organisation to position itself as a trend setter in the humanitarian sector, particularly around our core areas of work.
Influence externally
- Work with the Head of Resource Mobilisation and Director of Business Development to position Start Network strategically in global funding discussions.
- Engage key donors at strategic events and meetings.
- Work with the Head of Advocacy and External Affairs to coordinate advocacy messages for donors.
- Represent the organisation in key donor events globally, as required.
- Build knowledge and capacity within the organisation
- To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children.
- A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach.
- The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture.
Line Management
- To carry out effective line management of a team, including recruiting and training direct reports and having an active role in building an inclusive team culture in line with our values
- Oversee and manage high performing team.
- Coach and mentor team members, as appropriate, enabling them to fulfil their potential.
- Mentor hubs and in country fundraising manager, sharing and catalysing foundation and corporate opportunities for hubs.
- Ensure the organisation builds its capacity around donors’ compliance and policies.
- Deputise for the Head of Resource Mobilisation where required.
- Ensure all staff members in the Trust and Foundation and Corporate team have relevant objectives, targets and other KPI’s.
- Lead by example, building the team’s confidence, supporting them as appropriate and being a positive influence across the organisation.
- Drive a positive culture of fundraising within the Resource Mobilisation team and across Start Network.
Start Network Culture
- To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children
- A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach
- The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture.
This role description is non-exhaustive and includes any other duties that may reasonably be required for the role.
PERSON PROFILE
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- A well stablished fundraiser, with experience of developing relationships with a wide range of private funders (including 7-8 figure multi-year grants).
- A leader with management experience who can grow a team effectively.
- Good understanding the humanitarian sector and key stakeholders and can represent Start Network accordingly in global external event.
- An experienced bid writer who can oversee the process of bids creation and can write them when required.
- A person who is experienced in putting together multi million pound budgets, working across teams.
- An experience fundraiser who has managed large donors such as Gates, Hilton, IKEA.
- Experience in managing a £10m annual plus portfolio.
- Experience negotiating complex multi-million pound contracts.
- A confident speaker who can pitch and convince technical donors to fund our cause.
- A leader with experience in setting funding strategies and executing them
- Proactive and strong skills in business development, with experience of taking the lead on identifying and securing new funding opportunities.
- A creative eye, with skills and experience supporting and leading on the development and implementation of communications strategies for fundraising.
- An individual who is keen to be part of a smaller organisation, playing a significant role in furthering a collaborative fundraising culture, with the autonomy to try new approaches and build on existing relationships.
- A person who is target and output driven and is looking to set ambitious goals for themselves and the team and not afraid to try, fail and improve
- A fundraiser who enjoys working across complex proposals and donors requirements and is solutions focused
Desirable
- Experience in impact investment, insurance or blended finance
- Masters in relevant subject such as international development, international relations, etc.
- Fluency in Spanish or French and other languages
The Company
Start Network is made up of more than 90 non-governmental organisations across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to local and national NGOs. Our programmes allow members to deliver humanitarian action around the world.
Our mission is to create a new era of humanitarian action that will save even more lives. We aren’t driven by media headlines or political will, we’re here for the communities affected by and at risk of crises.
We are an organisation committed to doing things differently. For some roles, we need more technical humanitarian expertise, but for other roles, we are looking for relevant transferable skills, the right attitude, and a passion to bring change.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.