Trusts and grants fundraising manager jobs

Derby Cathedral is seeking a Strategic Fundraiser to join our collaborative and committed team at a pivotal moment in our history. With the Cathedral’s centenary approaching in 2027, this is an exciting time to help shape our future.

We are looking for a proactive individual with a ‘can do’ attitude to lead fundraising efforts, working closely with the Senior Management Team to secure essential financial support and drive long-term sustainability.

As part of the Senior Management Team, you will design and deliver innovative campaigns, events, and initiatives aligned with our Strategic Development Plan and vision for financial resilience.

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a passionate and dedicated team, playing a key role in shaping the future of one of Derby’s most iconic Grade I listed landmarks.

With both operational and strategic objectives for this post, we are seeking someone with a 'can do' attitude who is passionate about making a difference in our communities we serve.  The sucessful individual will work with stakholders, both internal and external and have a strong collborative attitude, as well as working with the values of both the Cathedral and Church of England. 

Recently successful with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Chapter, the Cathedral's governing body, is entering into a new phase of creating financial resilience and long term sustainability.  This post will play a pivotol role in shaping the future of our Grade 1 historic building.

Head of Programmes and Impact for the Maritime Children's Foundation

Hours: Around 21 hours per week (flexible working available, including term-time only) Contract: Permanent  Location: Mix of office (Basepoint, Northfleet), Maritime schools (Greenwich–Medway) and some home working.

Lead. Shape. Demonstrate Impact.

Now that the Maritime Children’s Foundation has been established for a year, we are ready to take our programmes and evaluation to the next level. We are seeking a Head of Programmes and Impact – a strategic, passionate leader who can ensure our initiatives deliver the very best for disadvantaged children and families.

This is a unique opportunity to lead and shape our programmes, embed robust monitoring and evaluation, and play a pivotal role in ensuring every Maritime child thrives.

About Us

The Maritime Children’s Foundation was established to provide the extra support that families and children experiencing disadvantage need, so that all children can get the best start in life. In just a year, we’ve launched initiatives that are already making a difference – from baby and toddler support, to community ambassador programmes, to free Saturday Skills Academies and secondary transition support.

We are proud to be part of the Reach Foundation network, meaning our work is already influencing national thinking and practice. With your leadership, we will continue to innovate and demonstrate meaningful impact both locally and nationally.

The Role

As Head of Programmes and Impact, you will:

• Oversee programme delivery – ensuring our current initiatives, from early years to secondary transition, run smoothly and achieve the best outcomes.

• Lead design and development of future programmes that respond to the needs of disadvantaged families across Maritime schools.

• Embed impact and evaluation – creating a clear Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework that captures both data and lived experience.

• Demonstrate impact – producing reports that inspire funders, inform strategy, and showcase the difference we are making.

• Collaborate with stakeholders – from schools and community groups to funders and local authorities, ensuring our work is evidence-based and community-led.

• Support fundraising – providing compelling impact evidence to strengthen bids and future funding opportunities.

You’ll report directly to the CEO and work closely with the Partnership Lead and the wider Maritime Academy Trust central team, as well as spending time in our 13 schools to see our programmes in action.

Who We’re Looking For

• An experienced programme or impact lead with a strong track record in design, delivery, and evaluation.

• Someone passionate about tackling disadvantage and improving outcomes for children and families.

• A strategic thinker who can translate vision into practical delivery plans.

• A collaborator who builds strong partnerships and brings communities into the heart of programme design.

• Someone confident in turning data and evidence into accessible, inspiring reports.

What We Offer

• Flexible, supportive, and family-friendly working arrangements.

• Opportunities to work across schools, communities, and with national partners.

• A chance to shape innovative programmes that are already gaining national attention.

• Wellbeing initiatives and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.

• A small, passionate team where your work will have a visible, meaningful impact.

Ready to Apply?

Join us and be part of a growing Foundation dedicated to disrupting disadvantage and creating brighter futures.

For more information, please see the full job description in the attached candidate pack. Apply today — and help us make sure every Maritime child gets the best possible start in life.  We may interview and appoint as applications are received, so don’t delay!

Maritime Children’s Foundation embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and the successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and online checks in line with safeguarding guidance.

We are looking for an experienced finance professional wanting a new challenge that offers flexibility and purpose. CHASE Africa is a growing international NGO seeking a dedicated and qualified Part-Time Finance Manager to join our small, friendly team in Somerset.

This is a unique opportunity for someone with extensive financial expertise, who is seeking a part-time position where they can apply their skills to a meaningful mission.

About CHASE Africa

We are a UK-based international NGO with ambitious plans for growth. We work through local partners in East Africa to improve health and wellbeing in marginalised communities, focusing on reproductive health, and a one-health approach that also incorporates environmental protection.

We are a small but dedicated team, committed to a collaborative approach to partnership. We're currently going through an exciting period of transition and growth, with a new CEO in 2022, a new charitable structure in 2023, and registering of a new entity in Kenya in 2025. Our income is forecast to exceed £1 million in 2025. Your role will be vital in helping us achieve our future goals.

The Role

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will oversee all financial aspects of our UK and international operations. This is a critical role that ensures our financial stewardship is sound and our systems are effective.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.

• Ensuring timely and accurate bookkeeping and preparing monthly management accounts.

• Preparing statutory accounts and managing the annual audit process.

• Managing donor grants, including producing budgets for applications and preparing financial reports.

• Ensuring compliance with UK charity financial regulations (Charity SORP).

• Providing financial capacity-building support to our in-country partners.

About You

You are a qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA) with at least five years of experience in financial management, including some in the charity or NGO sector. You have a strong working knowledge of UK charity financial regulations and are proficient with accounting software, especially SAGE, and Microsoft Excel.

You are a proactive self-starter with excellent analytical and communication skills, able to work both independently and as part of a small, dynamic team. Most importantly, you are committed to CHASE Africa’s mission to improve health and wellbeing in East Africa.

What We Offer

• An opportunity to shape a growing organisation during a critical period of transition.

• A flexible, hybrid working arrangement with the potential for occasional travel to our programme countries.

• The chance to contribute your skills to a mission-driven organisation that is making a real difference.

• Pro-rata benefits including 28 days of paid holiday (plus bank holidays), a contributory pension scheme, and enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption benefits after one year of service.

FEMALE TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS MANAGER
ANAWIM
BIRMINGHAM

• Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010 applies.
• This post is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
• Fixed term for two years initially

Job Title: Trusts and Foundations Manager

Location: Anawim, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12 9RJ (hybrid working available)

Grade: Anawim Scale Point 36-42

Salary: £35,753-42,165 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week

Responsible to: Head of Development

From our Birmingham centre, Anawim provides trauma informed services including holistic support and advocacy to enable women to reach their potential

Our Vision statement: A world where women are safe, free, valued and equal members of society.

Our Values:

· Anawim believes in the intrinsic value of every person and welcomes each women without judgement

· We are deeply committed to listening to our women and building services around their needs

· We help women to navigate the complex challenges they are facing and we do all that we can to support them for as long as they needs us

· Anawim empowers women to make positive changes to turn their lives around, helping them, one step at a time – to become independent

· We want the best for our women and to make sure their basic needs are met. We won’t rest until we’ve done all we can to keep them safe.

Key aim of the job role:

The role will drive Anawim’s trusts and foundations fundraising, ensuring vital income to sustain and grow Anawim's services. You will build on relationships with existing funders and identify new funders to raise significant funds from trusts and foundations, including six- and seven-figure funders. You will have a proven track-record of making successful high-quality, creative funding applications. You will work collaboratively across teams to ensure funding is aligned with operational needs and identify any funding gaps.

Alongside income generation, you will provide leadership, coaching, and strategic guidance to colleagues. This role is crucial in securing long-term, flexible income that enables Anawim to continue to deliver its essential work.

For more information, please visit our website to download the Job Description & Person Specification and an External Application Form.

Deadline: We reserve the right to close this vacancy when the position is filled so we highly recommend you get your application in as early as possible.

Interview: We will be interviewing as applications come in.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £35,753.00-£42,165.00 per year

Senior Trust and Statutory Fundraising Officer
Hybrid – Islington, London (2 days in-office)
£35,000 - £38,000

Are you driven by a passion to protect our planet? Are you looking for a new Trust and Statutory Fundraising role? Bamboo Fundraising is delighted to be partnering with the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

EIA investigates and campaigns against environmental crimes, including illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, climate-damaging refrigerants, and ocean pollution. Using undercover investigations and evidence-based advocacy, they work to expose wrongdoing and push for stronger environmental laws and enforcement globally.

In this pivotal role, you will partner with the Trust and Statutory Funding Manager and campaign teams to craft and implement a ground-breaking institutional fundraising strategy. You will have solid experience as a Trusts and Statutory fundraiser.

Your talent for identifying new funding opportunities and managing applications to statutory funders will be key as they secure essential support from UK, European, and US grant-making entities.

Your responsibilities will include: Exploring innovative funding prospects and presenting compelling opportunities. - Crafting application timelines and collaborating with internal teams to develop persuasive proposals that stand out. - Maintaining an organized grants database and reporting calendar to ensure seamless communication with our funders.

Your stellar written and verbal communication skills, along with your ability to build strong relationships, will empower you to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.

We’re looking for a proactive, detail-oriented individual who excels at managing multiple projects while consistently delivering high-quality reports. Ideally, you will bring a proven history in fundraising—particularly with statutory funders and a knack for distilling complex information into impactful narratives.

Join us in making a meaningful difference. Your contributions will play a critical role in our fight for the environment, helping us champion vital issues and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Application process: Send your CV to Katharine to book in an initial conversation. You will need a cover letter to make a full application.

As this role has already been advertised, we are reviewing CVs on a rolling basis.

We are looking for a dedicated and proactive Grants & Partnerships Fundraiser to help grow our support for some of the world's most marginalised children.

At Children on the Edge, we envision a world where every child thrives, no matter their geography, ethnicity, gender, or caste. Working hand-in-hand with communities in Bangladesh, India, Uganda, Myanmar, and Afghanistan, we support children in some of the toughest situations.

About the role

In the role you will be working with the Grants Manager to maximise funding from foundations and grant-makers (currently around £800,000 p.a.) and to support our partnerships with high-net-worth individuals. You will manage and grow a portfolio of funders while identifying and nurturing new relationships.

You will be responsible for prospecting new opportunities, writing compelling applications, and creating insightful narrative and financial reports to help us sustain a broad base of restricted and unrestricted funding for our work. This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated fundraiser to join a small, dynamic organisation and champion community-led programmes that create protective environments full of hope, life, colour, and fun.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have an interest in and understanding of community-led international development and a passion for Children on the Edge's approach.

You'll have excellent communication skills, a proactive and collaborative approach, and enjoy creating compelling applications and reports for funders. You should be results-driven and have the self-motivation and drive to meet deadlines, and an aptitude for financial reporting will be helpful.

We are responsive and adaptive at our core. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach here; we tailor our programmes to the unique needs of each community we partner with. To thrive in this role, you will also need to be a flexible and adaptive problem-solver, and be motivated to learn from others.

For full details see our Job Pack.

Drive Impact in Central London: Join BOST as our Fundraising & Communications Manager (FT) or split into two PT roles. Help raise £1.5m+ and elevate our public voice.

Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) is seeking a dynamic individual (or two!) to lead our fundraising and communications efforts. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of green spaces in central London while working with an award-winning charity that puts community and wellbeing at its heart.

About the Roles

Fundraising Manager (3 days/week or part of FT role)
Lead on securing an average of £1.5m annually from Trusts, Foundations, and Statutory donors. You’ll manage a robust funding pipeline, craft compelling applications, and steward donor relationships. Collaborating across BOST, you’ll optimise both restricted and unrestricted income and support strategic funding initiatives led by the CEO.

Communications Manager (2 days/week or part of FT role)
Champion BOST’s voice across platforms. You’ll manage content creation, brand strategy, marketing, and PR to raise our profile and improve external communications. From social media to newsletters and press outreach, you’ll ensure our message is clear, engaging, and impactful.

About Bankside Open Spaces Trust

BOST is an award-winning charity dedicated to creating and maintaining inspiring green spaces in central London. We bring people together to improve mental and physical wellbeing through community-led open space development. Our mission is to protect and enhance green spaces by involving local people in every step.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Manager – 60% of role

• Manage a pipeline of trusts, foundations, and statutory funders.
• Develop targeted applications to raise sustainable income.
• Deliver excellent donor stewardship and reporting.
• Peer review internal proposals and support impact measurement.
• Collaborate with staff to gather data for applications and reports.
• Research and approach new funding opportunities.
• Support CEO with corporate and individual donor development.
• Liaise with finance team to track restricted funds and spending.
• Maintain accurate records and database entries.

Communications Manager – 40% of role

• Lead BOST’s communications, PR, and marketing strategy.
• Collaborate with web developers to keep the website fresh and relevant.
• Manage social media platforms and content calendars.
• Uphold brand and messaging consistency across the organisation.
• Design and disseminate marketing materials.
• Write engaging copy for projects and programmes.
• Produce regular newsletters and liaise with press contacts.
• Maintain organised records of contacts, images, and communications data.

Grants operations and data manager

Salary - £54,963 - £64,124 pro rata
Hours - Full-time / part-time (from 0.6FTE)
Benefits - Excellent package including 27 days annual leave + bank holidays

We believe that people’s sight matters and wish to strengthen our committed and passionate team by appointing a grants operations and data manager to join our grants and research team.

The grants operations and data manager is a newly created role, within Moorfields Eye Charity's grants and research team, to support, manage and develop grant funding operations. This is a really exciting time to join the team as this position will play a key role in the ongoing optimisation of the teams grants management system (Flexigrant, implemented 2024) and also the underpinning funding operations to support the delivery of our first grants strategy, due to be launched in early 2026.

We have ambitious plans. We have put into action a five-year business plan that is supporting our growth from raising and funding around £6 million annually to becoming a £10 million a year charity.

This is an exciting opportunity for the grants operations and data manager to bring passion and experience to our dedicated team, ensuring we have robust and effective processes to select and award the most impactful projects and programmes, and enable the monitoring of outputs, outcomes and impact.

Experience in grants management is essential and the successful candidate will be able to think creatively, plan, solve problems, and make effective decisions in a fast-paced environment.

About the role

You will be joining a supportive grants and research team who are committed to ensuring the charity has robust grant making mechanisms to determine best use of charitable funding together with monitoring and evaluating projects and programmes. 

You will be involved in optimising the grants management system and funding processes, driving effective data collection and reporting, and corresponding work-flows. The role is highly collaborative, requiring you to develop professional working relationships with stakeholders at various levels. It will suit a candidate who is dynamic and ambitious, confident delivering change, and in taking initiative.

About you

You will have an established track record in grant-making, ideally in a health or medical research charity. You will have experience in the full life-cyle of grants management and the delivery of grant-making programmes, working with complex data and databases. You will also have a keen interest in improving operational processes and developing/analysing reports for data driven grant making activities and showcasing the impact of funding.

You will be an effective communicator, able to build confident working relationships at all levels. You will bring strong interpersonal skills along with the ability to work collaboratively and to influence, lead others in matrix style working.

To apply

Your application should include your CV and your cover letter response (up to 500 words each) to the following questions:

› What attracts you to this role and Moorfields Eye Charity?
› How your experience applies to this role?

If you think you could do the role, but don’t have all the desirable experience, we would still welcome an application from you.

The closing date for applications is 16 September 2025.
Interviews are expected to be week commencing, 29 September 2025.

The Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager will play a central role in growing high-value income streams and building meaningful relationships with individuals, corporates, and grant-making bodies. Managing a small team and working closely with senior leaders and NHS stakeholders, you will develop and drive forward an ambitious programme of philanthropic fundraising to support the work of Sheffield Hospitals Charity. You will be joining us after the conclusion of the Master Cutler’s Challenge 2025, during which we have developed new relationships with corporates and individuals across the city. In recent months we have appointed a Trusts and Foundations Officer – who you will line-manage – who has a sound pipeline and projects to fundraise for. We also aim to bring in more capacity to this team over the coming 6-12months, to support with corporate and high value individual relationships. In summary, if you have the drive, you will have the opportunity to grow something special from the sound foundations we have laid. 

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Philanthropy and Research Officer to work as part of our Fundraising Team.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The Fundraising team is a dynamic group of fundraisers who are passionately committed to raising money for our life-changing work in the mental health and mental illness space. We have a diverse portfolio of income streams spanning Events, Community, Individual Giving, Legacies, In-Memoriam, Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Partnerships.

Trusts & Grants have a strong track record at Rethink Mental Illness and a growing portfolio of supporters at Mental Health UK. The team is well-positioned to develop innovative funding propositions that support the future ambitions of both charities, working to achieve both in-year cornerstone grants and long-term, transformational funding. As a newly established programme, Philanthropy demonstrates exciting potential for both Rethink and MHUK, with initiatives spanning major donor and mid-value engagement. Corporate Partnerships have launched several exciting partnerships across both charities and that portfolio and team continues to grow.

How you will make a difference

Reporting to the Prospect Research Manager, you will identify and qualify new prospects across Philanthropy, Trusts & Grants, and Corporate Partnerships. You will carry out in-depth research using a wide range of sources, manage due diligence processes and ensure accurate data is maintained on our CRM systems. You will also work closely with the Interim Head of Trusts and Philanthropy to steward donors and deliver exceptional supporter experiences.

To be successful in this role, you will be an inquisitive, proactive and data-driven fundraiser who enjoys uncovering insights through research and crafting compelling communications that make a meaningful difference to donors.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

Harris Hill is thrilled to be partnering with a fantastic social welfare charity in their search for a Trusts and Foundations Officer to join their team.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a vital role in identifying, applying to, and stewarding trusts that provide budget-relieving funding. In this role, you’ll do more than raise funds, you will help drive change.

As Trusts and Foundations Officer, you will identify and research charitable trusts and foundations and write and submit high-quality funding applications. You will build and maintain strong relationships with funders through regular communication, updates and appropriate stewardship. You will also coordinate the preparation of timely, accurate and engaging grant reports, ensuring funder requirements are met and internal colleagues are supported in supplying relevant updates.

To be considered for this role you will need:

• Experience and successful track record of securing income from trusts and foundations
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities
• Experience of building and maintaining relationships with funders
• Excellent writing skills with attention to detail and experience in preparing structured, engaging and successful grant applications.

If this role sounds of interest to you and you want to have a chat and review the full job description, please do contact Dominic at Harris Hill on [email protected] or call him on 0207 820 7332

Salary: £32,682

Permanent, Full-time (35 hours per week)

Location: London with flexible hybrid working

Deadline: Monday 29^th September at 9am
Application process: Cover Letter and CV

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for fundraising, communications, and community impact? Vauxhall City Farm is looking for a visionary Head of Fundraising and Engagement to shape and drive the income and engagement strategies that will support our ambitious growth as we reach our 50th anniversary in 2026. As part of the Senior Management Team, you will play a pivotal role in developing our next five-year strategy, while leading fundraising, marketing, and events that bring our mission to life. This is a unique opportunity to lead in a purpose-driven organisation, championing innovation and impact in one of London’s leading city farms. 

We're looking for someone with:

• Proven senior leadership and stakeholder engagement experience

• A strong track record in growing income across fundraising streams

• Deep knowledge of charity fundraising, communications and marketing

• Experience managing teams, budgets, and complex projects

• Excellent strategic thinking and operational delivery skills

• Confidence working with Boards, funders and partners

• A collaborative, values-driven leadership style

• Strong understanding of governance, safeguarding and compliance

Prospectus is delighted to be supporting our client in their search for a new Trusts and Foundations Manager.

There is a school attendance crisis with 1.7 million children missing more than 10% of their schooling each year. This figure has doubled since the pandemic. Children are missing weeks, months, even years of their education, severely affecting their future life chances. This organisation looks beyond the classroom to tackle the underlying causes of school absence and get children back to school, ready to learn. Whatever it takes.

The post holder will be responsible for raising income from medium and large trusts and foundations, securing five and six figure grants. This is an exciting time to join the team, with the chance to build on an existing portfolio of supportive and long-standing funders. The role also offers scope for career development, with potential future line management responsibilities.

To be successful, candidates will need proven experience in trusts and foundations fundraising, alongside a genuine interest in the charity’s mission to get children back in school and ready to learn. Strong writing skills are essential for producing persuasive funding applications and reports, as well as the ability to manage a varied workload. The role requires a confident, approachable individual with excellent attention to detail and the ability to build strong relationships both internally and externally.

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. Please let us know if we can help you with the application process in any way. We are more than happy to make any reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application then please contact Jessica Stoddart at Prospectus.

If you are interested in applying to this Trusts and Foundations Manager position, please submit your CV in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will send you the full job description and will arrange for a call and/or meeting to brief you on the role. You’ll then have all the information you need to formally apply. We are looking forward to connecting with you soon.

Join us at the Foundling Museum at a pivotal moment in its story. We are seeking an experienced, conscientious and collaborative Director of Development to lead our fundraising and strategic growth. 

With passion, creativity and realism, you will drive philanthropic support, nurture key relationships and be a key contributor to shaping the Museum’s future as we build on its unique heritage and national profile.

You will bring proven leadership, deep understanding of cultural fundraising and the ability to inspire colleagues, supporters and stakeholders to achieve income targets. This is a rare opportunity to make a dynamic impact on a museum with history, relevance and ambition.

Role Overview 

The Director of Development at the Foundling Museum will lead the Museum’s fundraising strategy, driving income generation to support its mission and programmes. This senior leadership role oversees all aspects of fundraising, including corporate sponsorship, individual giving, trusts and foundations, membership schemes, philanthropic campaigns and communications.  

The Director of Development works closely with the Museum's Director (CEO & Artistic Director), Trustees and key stakeholders to cultivate relationships with high-value donors, build strategic partnerships and secure sustainable financial support. As part of the Senior Management Team, this new role will work in collaboration with the Director of Finance (PT) and Director of Commercial and Operations (FT). 

Reporting directly to the Museum Director, the role involves managing a small development team (2FTE) and communications team, setting ambitious targets and achieving actual income goals, ensuring alignment with the Museum’s values and strategic priorities.

The Director of Development will play a critical role in shaping the Museum’s long-term financial resilience, leveraging the Museum’s reputation and impact to inspire and engage supporters from diverse sectors.  

Key duties 

Strategic Leadership 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising, membership and partnership strategy to support the Museum’s short and long-term goals 
• Work closely with senior leadership and the Board to align fundraising priorities with the Museum’s mission and strategic objectives
• Fundraising 
• Lead efforts to secure major gifts and corporate sponsorships, with a particular focus on individuals, trust and foundations, and corporates 
• Oversee the development of compelling proposals, pitches, and presentations to corporate and individual supporters, including negotiation of corporate and philanthropic agreements   
• Work with trusts, foundations, and statutory funding bodies to secure grants that support the Museum’s exhibitions, programmes and capital projects, ensuring timely and accurate reporting on all grant-funded activities
• Ensure that proper due diligence around potential donors is conducted in line with the organisation’s policies and compliant with the Fundraising Code of Practice of the Fundraising Regulator and other national bodies with which the Museum is registered
• Donor and Partnership Development 
• Identify, cultivate and secure new high-value donors of all types, including individuals, corporate partners, trusts and foundations and statutory funders
• Develop strong professional relationships with the Museum’s existing donors in a warm and personal atmosphere and in alignment with the Museum’s values
• Strengthen existing relationships with key stakeholders, including internal colleagues and board and committee members, to harness their relationships and foster a culture of philanthropy and understanding of fundraising across the organisation
• With the Director of Commercial and Operations, plan and deliver all major Museum events for key stakeholders 
• Lead the team to cultivate the membership base of the Museum
• Leadership & Team Management 
• Manage the fundraising team, providing guidance and support to ensure success in meeting income targets
• Manage the communications team to oversee the brand, marketing, media communications and related budgets
• Oversee digital communications, including website and social media, to increase income generation, philanthropy and partnerships
• Foster a collaborative and results-driven culture within the team, and with SMT across the staff
• Financial & Administrative Oversight 
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising activities, ensuring that targets are met and that funds are raised in line with the Museum's mission
• Oversee the fundraising budget and ensure efficient use of resources
• Liaise with the Director of Finance to ensure fundraising revenues are accurately tracked and accounted for 
• Ensure complete, accurate and timely processes are conducted around all fundraising activity, including gift administration and acknowledgement, Gift Aid, GDPR compliance, etc.
• Provide regular reports to the Museum Director and Board of Trustees on the Museum’s progress on key projects and targets as articulated in the Museum’s strategic plan
• Public Relations & Advocacy 
• Serve as a key ambassador for the Museum, deputising for the Director where appropriate regarding income generation, enhancing its public profile and strengthening its reputation in the philanthropic and corporate sectors 
• Represent the Foundling Museum at events, donor meetings and public forums 
• Keep up to date on best practice in cultural fundraising and charity sector fundraising and communications, and bring this knowledge back for institutional benefit 
   

Person Specification  

Experience (required) 

• Proven leadership, ideally at least 5 years, in a similar role where philanthropic and grant income is central to the success of the organisation
• Extensive experience of shaping and implementing fundraising strategies that have delivered a step change increase in actual income
• A substantial fundraising track record in securing income from diverse constituencies and across funding types, including personal experience in securing major gifts and managing teams to do the same
• A demonstrable history of innovation and entrepreneurial approaches to identifying income generation opportunities and pushing organisations forward to increase income
• Proven experience of nurturing long and short-term funding opportunities and being the key point of contact for both
• Significant team leadership experience of creating, leading, inspiring and motivating a high performing team and collaborating with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders
• Strong performance management skills with a proven ability to develop, articulate and champion funding opportunities and gain buy-in among staff and key stakeholders, including board and committee members
• In-depth understanding of relevant UK charity and tax legislation, due diligence processes and policies relating to fundraising

Experience (desirable) 

• Extensive experience of fundraising in arts and / or heritage, preferably in the UK
• Knowledge of effective fundraising in Europe and the US, including tax-effective giving
• Thorough understanding of Data Protection legislation as it relates to fundraising, marketing and communications
• Experience of effective endowment and legacy fundraising strategies
• Personal characteristics and skills (required) 
• Ability to lead, motivate and inspire a fundraising and communications team 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills 
• Highly developed negotiation, influencing and persuasion skills  
• A natural networker who builds confidence and trust and can represent the Foundling Museum at the highest levels and garner respect within peer networks 
• Project management skills and ability to remove any organisational roadblocks that exist in relation to development 
• Resilient, diplomatic and resourceful in solving problems 
• Ability to prioritise and focus on the areas of greatest impact 
• Commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards  
• Strongly numerate with the ability to be entrepreneurial and take measured risks 
• Alignment to the Foundling Museum’s values, communicating clearly, transparently and consistently; having accountability and working as part of a collaborative team towards a common purpose 
• Enthusiasm and passion for the mission of the Foundling Museum and for the importance of increasing engagement with and access to the arts 

Conditions of Work and Benefits 

• £65,000-70,000 full-time salary, depending on experience. We are open to 0.8 FTE at a pro-rata salary.  
• Probation period of 6 months, and notice period of 3 months (1 month during probation)  
• This job will be based onsite at the Foundling Museum. For all our employees, there are opportunities for partial hybrid working if desired; we have an agreed minimum of 60% of working hours that must be onsite at the Museum. 
• Normal working hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm. This role requires some flexibility, including some mornings, evenings and weekends. 
• 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata) + bank holidays (pro rata) + Birthday leave (one day) 
• You will be eligible to join a group contributory pension scheme (3 months after your start date) 
• Free access to our fully-funded Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing – WISDOM 
• Training support from our online learning platform 
• Discount from the Foundling Museum Shop and local partner businesses 
• Free or reduced-price access to partner museums 
• Access to season ticket, rental deposit and cycle to work scheme loans (3 months from your start date) 
• Please also note that this job description will not form part of your contract or your terms and conditions of employment. Duties and requirements of the role may vary from time to time in accordance with the needs of Foundling Museum, its strategy and the directions from the Museum Director. 

  Application timetable   

• Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Monday 20th October 2025 
• First interview date:  Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th November 2025 
• Second interview date for shortlisted candidates: Monday 10th November 2025 
   

How to apply  

To apply please follow the link to our application portal where you will be asked to upload a completed copy of our standard application form you may also attach your CV if you wish. Please note that the job is being advertsised via CharityJob until the 10th October and after this date you will need to go directly to our website to apply where you will have until the 20th October to submit your application.

PLEASE NOTE: On the application portal, where it requests a CV, please ensure to upload your completed Application Form (required), your CV (optional) the Equal Opportunities Form (optional).  

Please get in touch with us if you have any access requirements or queries related to the application process details of how to do this are in the Job description.

If you wish to book a time to have a short informal conversation (phone or video) prior to application with the Museum Director her contact details are in the job description.

Please also note that any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references and  proof of right to work in the UK and also may be subject to a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.