Fundraising Manager – Trusts and Foundations

Action for Conservation exists to empower the next generation of environmental leaders — placing young people at the heart of action for nature and the climate. We are looking for a Fundraising Manager — Trusts and Foundations to take the lead on our income generation from trusts, foundations and statutory sources, ensuring our charity continues to grow sustainably and to bring the magic of nature into young people’s lives.

Key details

Contract type: Permanent, full-time
Start date: December 2026 or January 2027, exact date to be agreed
Starting salary: £38,035 – £42,203 depending on location and experience
Location: London, Bristol or Manchester (hybrid) would be preferred; we are open to a remote hire for the right candidate
Hours of work: 35 hours on a 5-day working week. We operate a 9-day fortnight scheme with every other Friday off. Some evening and weekend work will be required, for which time off in lieu (TOIL) can be taken.
Travel: Occasional travel to London and our other active regions for meetings and events

About the role

As Fundraising Manager – Trusts & Foundations, you will play a crucial role in shaping and implementing our fundraising strategy. You will work closely with the Fundraising Manager – Philanthropy and Partnerships and the Chief Executive Officer to grow and diversify Action for Conservation’s income, taking responsibility for our trusts and foundations revenue stream. You will be the driving force behind our grant applications and reports, producing compelling fundraising content that drives donor engagement and maximises income opportunities. You will be able to distill and transform information from various sources about our projects and programmes, including impact data, into readable, persuasive narratives about our work tailored to donor interests and criteria. You will also manage the trusts and foundations pipeline, from researching new prospects and identifying the most appropriate approach for each funder to coordinating grant administration, monitoring and reporting. Through everything you do, you will maintain and build on existing funder relationships and proactively nurture new ones, enabling us to attract and retain funders year after year.

We are looking for a driven and passionate individual with a track record of securing one-off and/or multi-year five- to six-figure grants, who is comfortable managing multiple prospects, deadlines and priorities. To succeed in this role, you will be a skilled and persuasive written communicator with a keen eye for detail, excellent organisation and time-management skills and a positive, flexible and highly proactive approach to your work.

Key responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of our fundraising strategy and annual fundraising plans in line with delivery targets, strategic goals and funding needs; monitor and report on fundraising performance.
• Grow and diversify income from trusts, foundations and statutory funding sources, taking the lead on identifying new opportunities, drafting compelling funding applications and managing the grant fundraising pipeline.
• Manage all grant administration, monitoring and reporting to funders, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and deadlines.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders from trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, encouraging ongoing and increased support.

Please see the Recruitment Pack for a full job description and the skills, knowledge and experience we are looking for.

Why work with us?

You will be joining a dynamic, mission-driven and closely-knit team who truly love what they do. It goes without saying that we work hard, but we also maintain a positive work-life balance and emphasize spending time in nature. Some of the benefits of working with Action for Conservation are:

• A 9-day fortnight, with every other Friday off
• Flexible working (with a possibility for a fully remote role for the right candidate)
• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays, increasing up to 30 days with each year served
• Up to 5 professional development leave days and up to 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Enhanced family and sick leave, and a workplace pension scheme with 4% pension contributions
• A robust training package and ongoing development opportunities to support your progression and career
• Regular team away days with the opportunity to spend time outdoors and gain practical conservation skills
• Opportunities to share your voice and shape the direction of our work

How to apply

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, 21 October at midnight. To be considered for the role, you must apply via our online application form. Click on the “Apply” button or visit our website to access the application form. Please note that interviews will be held remotely in the w/c 02 November.

Our commitment to diversity and Guaranteed Interview Scheme

Diversity is one of our core values as an organisation and we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity. We also recognise that the climate and ecological crisis disproportionately impacts minority and/or marginalised communities – yet these voices are largely underrepresented in the sector. Currently, the environmental sector is the second least diverse in the UK, with just 4.8% of employees from ethnic minority backgrounds. If the environmental movement is to succeed in creating a greener future that supports society as a whole, we need diverse voices at the heart of our programmes. We therefore encourage people from demographics that are currently underrepresented in the environmental movement to apply.

We particularly encourage applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds or living with a disability or long-term health conditions. We will offer an interview to any candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds or living with a disability who opt into our Guaranteed Interview Scheme when applying and who meet the essential criteria for this role.

If you would like further information, support with access requirements, such as an adjustment to the application or interview process, or an informal chat, please get in touch via [email protected].