Philanthropy Officer - Hybrid/London

Location (UK): Office Hybrid - London

Hours: Full-time 35 hours per week

Salary: £33,698 per annum (London)

Contract type: Permanent

Travel: Occasional travel to other UK offices and volunteering events

Closing date: 23:59 hours, Monday 30 November 2026

Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis. We are looking for a motivated Philanthropy Officer to join our Philanthropy and Partnerships team, part of the Income and Engagement directorate. You will bring experience of identifying and cultivating significant prospects, writing compelling donor proposals and delivering thoughtful stewardship, and you will play a key part in growing the support we receive from major donors.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to help grow major giving at Arthritis UK. Reporting to the Philanthropy Manager, you will manage a portfolio of high net worth prospects and build a pipeline of new supporters with the capacity and inclination to give and deliver bespoke cultivation events. You will implement and monitor our mid-value giving programme for donors giving up to £10,000.00, and develop a programme of cultivation events, lab tours and engagement opportunities in partnership with other teams. Working closely with colleagues across Research, Public Fundraising, Finance and Supporter Care, you will package our priority projects for donors, create bespoke communications that reflect our organisational messages and keep our database accurate and up to date.

Events coordination will be a key part of the role, and you will support with the administration from start to finish, from venues, suppliers and budgets to invitations, guest lists, briefings, on the day coordination and follow up. Above all, you will build meaningful relationships with the donors and volunteers who make our work possible, bringing them closer to the research and support that is helping to create a future free from arthritis.

About you

If your knowledge, skills and experience include the following then we'd love to hear from you:

• Experience of researching and identifying prospects, and of devising and delivering stewardship plans that convert prospects into donors.
• Experience of packaging priority projects in an attractive way for different audiences, including writing compelling donor proposals and updates.
• Experience of prioritising your own workload across database management, event coordination and wider fundraising activity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to listen, absorb information and present with confidence.
• A proactive and organised approach, with the ability to work independently, manage event logistics and deadlines, and balance several donor relationships and opportunities at once.
• The ability to build strong working relationships and work collaboratively as part of a team, including coordinating colleagues, researchers and speakers for events.
• Financial literacy and an understanding of philanthropic fundraising and what motivates donors to give.
• Experience of securing philanthropic gifts or working in the charity sector would be an advantage, as would a genuine interest in improving the lives of people living with arthritis.

*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.

Benefits

Your excellent benefits include:

• Flexible hours, environments and working practices to promote a healthy work/life balance.
• Health and wellbeing support including the Employee Assistance Programme (free confidential 24/7 support with mental health, legal and financial queries).
• Simplyhealth cash plan.
• Supportive and inclusive culture, with a wide range of employee networks and support groups available to join.
• Learning and personal development opportunities.
• Employee supported volunteering.
• Competitive annual leave, with the option to buy/sell up to five days per year.
• Generous pension plan, with employer contribution of up to 10%.
• Life Assurance plan (4 x salary).

How to apply

You must be based in and hold the right to work in the UK to apply for this position. To apply you MUST submit: a concise, up-to-date CV along with an Application form demonstrating how you meet the key requirements set out in the job description and person specification for the Philanthropy Officer role. All sections of the application form must be fully completed. Email both documents as Word or PDF attachments by 23:59 hours, Monday 30 November 2026.

If you have a health condition that prevents you from following the steps above, please email us regarding alternative ways to apply.

Application deadline and shortlisting

We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales.

Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.

Interview

Interviews will take place via MS Teams. Dates to be confirmed. As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.

About us

We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part. There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as just a bit of arthritis. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.

Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.