Grants and learning officer volunteer roles in GL3 2BN

Second Life

We partner with communities to collect, trace, and recycle plastic, creating jobs and preventing pollution.​

Our growth so far has been powered by corporate partnerships.
But there's significant catalytic and concessional funding available for organizations doing exactly what we do, and right now we're not capturing it. We need the help of a Grant Writer & Institutional Funding Lead to change that. 

This is a high-leverage role for an experienced development professional who knows the climate, ocean, and circular economy funding landscape, and who can turn that knowledge into successful proposals. You'll own the full grant lifecycle from prospecting to reporting, working directly with the CEO and Program Director.

What you'll do:
- Map the global funding landscape relevant to Second Life: bilateral aid agencies, multilateral institutions, climate funds, major foundations, corporate foundations, impact investors offering grant capital, and prize-based funders.
- Build and maintain a prioritized funder pipeline with clear fit assessment, ticket sizes, timelines, and decision-maker contacts.
- Recommend which opportunities to pursue and which to pass on.
- Read and critically review our in-progress and recently submitted grant applications; provide structured written feedback and proposed edits.
- Lead the writing of concept notes, letters of inquiry, and full proposals.
- Translate field reality (collection sites, collector incomes, recycling pathways) into the language funders use (outputs, outcomes, impact, theory of change, MEL frameworks).
- Own grant reporting timelines and deliverables across all active grants
- Partner with marketing on funder-facing communications, impact stories, and thought leadership that strengthens grant competitiveness
- Build internal systems: proposal templates, internal library of strong language, proof points and reusable section, AI usage etc. so this function can scale.

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Position Overview

An exciting and unique internship opportunity to work closely with key senior operational staff in a respected UK international development charity; this position has strong vocational content for anyone looking to break into the international development sector with future possibilities of progression into roles within the UK and/or Madagascar.

The post holder will gain hands-on experience in international development, gain understanding and skills across a wide range of duties associated with programmes development, corporate fundraising, volunteer coordination, and practical charity management.

The internship spans a minimum of six months and is a remote role. The diversity of activities that will be undertaken provides training for an early-career development professional who can effectively and efficiently deal with a comprehensive range of tasks related to the complex world of overseas development work.

Reporting to: Grants and Administrative Assistant

Location: Remote

Commitment: Part-time, two days a week for a minimum of six months - with full flexibility to choose which two days you work, and the option to adjust or change those days as needed.

Salary: N/A (voluntary)

Responsibilities:

1. Supporting the Programmes & Partnership Manager in securing trust and foundation funding, which will include: performing donor research; drafting, proofreading, and editing grant applications and reports (in part or in full); and ad hoc administration relating to donor management.

2. Supporting the Corporate Liaison Officer to secure corporate funding, which will include: researching potential donor companies; supporting corporate facing marketing materials; and supporting creation of report and proposal materials.

3. Supporting the Managing Director and the Director of Programmes and Operation, to ensure the smooth running of the organisation, which will include: preparing financial reports and documentation; note taking at trustees’ meetings; supporting development of policy and procedural documentation; building on fundraising and networking opportunities; and supporting the recruitment process.

It should be noted that the successful candidate will take on a variety of tasks outlined above. While SEED Madagascar will make every attempt to tailor the tasks to the post-holder’s desired area of experience, this will be balanced by the priorities of the organisation.

Desired Knowledge/Experience/Skills/Qualifications

• Hold or be studying towards an undergraduate degree in or relating to international development (or have equivalent professional/experiential background).

• Knowledge and/or keen interest in development and/or conservation issues facing least developed countries such as Madagascar; previous experience living or working in a developing country would be an asset.

• Knowledge and/or keen interest in at least one of SEED Madagascar’s five core areas (community health; sustainable livelihoods; environmental conservation; education infrastructure and water, sanitation and hygiene); previous experience of community-based work would be an asset.

• Excellent analytical skills and ability to gather and assimilate information from various sources, compile documents (reports and proposals), and identify lessons learnt and best practice.

• Sound ability to adapt material for different audiences.

• Be able to conduct internet research.

• Be able to work both independently and as part of a team.

• Be able to financially support themselves for the duration of their internship as there is no stipend available for travel or sustenance.

• Strong written English is essential, French and/or Malagasy would be an asset.

• Be willing to take on mundane tasks such as drafting thank you notes for donors