Development Manager

The Degrees Initiative seeks a dynamic and experienced Development Manager in a new role to expand and diversify funding and drive the growth of an organisation focused on climate change and scientific capacity building in the Global South.

About Degrees

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that builds the capacity of the Global South to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM) geoengineering, a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that the Global South should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for over a decade, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim.

We seek a Development Manager to deepen and manage relationships with our existing funders and to help bring in new donors and partners to diversify our funding base. This position offers a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to increase the capacity of a field-leading charity, help empower researchers in the Global South, and contribute to one of the world’s most important climate debates. If you are an ambitious, relationship-driven fundraising leader with a passion about climate change, this is an opportunity to step into a role with purpose, international influence, and real impact.

Role

The charity is rapidly scaling up, recently doubling its annual support to £6 million. Degrees has partnered with leading climate change funders and research partners including the Quadrature Climate Foundation, Open Philanthropy, Crankstart, Navigation Fund, Outlier Projects, LAD Climate Fund and UK Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). Transparency of funding is essential to our work. We do not accept support from anonymous donors or funding from the fossil fuel industry. Fundraising for the organisation has been led by the Founder and CEO, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief of Staff, and the Chair of the Trustees with the support of an experienced Senior Philanthropy Advisor. We now seek a full-time team member to build on this base.

Reporting to the COO, and working closely with senior staff and the Chair, the Development Manager will support high-performing fundraising that secures multi-year, diversified funding. He / she will also introduce robust processes for pipeline management and donor stewardship and manage the complete donor lifecycle (from identification to cultivation to solicitation and stewardship) of a portfolio of top prospects. The post holder will receive initial onboarding support from the Senior Philanthropy Advisor. As fundraising grows, the team may expand in the future.

Initial priorities include expansion beyond the current donor pool, with a strong push to identify and engage new funders, and putting in place the systems (CRM, reporting cadence, key performance indicators) to support growth at scale. As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items will include:

• Work with the CEO, Chief of Staff, COO, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, programme staff and the Chair of the Trustees to help develop and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organisational objectives;
• Manage the fundraising pipeline, guiding the ongoing fundraising activities of senior staff and the Chair;
• Research and identify new funding opportunities from trusts and foundations, government funders, and multilateral donors in the development and climate sectors on an ongoing basis;
• Reach out to networks of donor advisors and established relationships for referrals;
• Initiate and manage contact with funding opportunities;
• Grant writing: Draft and coordinate the preparation and submission of grant proposals;
• Donor stewardship & reporting: Maintain excellent relations with existing funders by keeping them informed on charity and sector updates, inviting them to events, and ensuring the delivery of annual reports and notices;
• Ensure and manage ongoing formal grant reporting on behalf of the organisation;
• Often working with partners, plan and deliver fundraising events for existing and potential funders, particularly in the UK and US;
• Manage invitation lists, track attendance and ensure bespoke follow-up to attendees;
• Assist in the design of events that will inspire and engage funders while involving Southern experts in the Degrees research community;
• Coordinate all fundraising outreach and related programming for the Degrees Global Forum (a conference to be held in 2027);
• Create and implement structured processes across the entire fundraising and donor lifecycle;
• Develop and track KPIs, providing regular reports to senior staff and the Trustees;
• Be responsible for fundraising data, contacts and administrative records.

Qualifications

• At least ten years’ experience in fundraising or transferable relevant experience;
• A proven background of working with six- and seven-figure donors;
• Track record of helping secure income from a variety of funders;
• Strong organisational and project management skills;
• Experience and comfort with Microsoft 365, fundraising CRMs and other common software tools;
• Experience organising events;
• Ability to write clearly and communicate effectively in English with a keen attention to detail;
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, including an ability to work with people of all levels and backgrounds;
• Experience creating and maintaining fundraising processes;
• Ability to adapt and remain comfortable in a dynamic, remote start-up environment in a small organisation;
• Ability to travel internationally;
• Legal right to work in the UK;
• Experience successfully fundraising from climate donors;
• Experience with a strong network of international funders;
• Experience building and scaling a fundraising effort;
• Experience supervising staff (as we expect the team to grow in future);
• Experience with choosing a fundraising CRM system;
• Tech savvy and an eagerness to work with new software solutions;
• Knowledge of climate science, policy and SRM.

Benefits of working at Degrees

You will join a growing and dynamic charity operating at the intersection of climate change and global development. You will have the opportunity to contribute to a potentially high-impact issue by helping shape global conversations on climate science, empowering researchers in the Global South, and collaborating with some of the world’s leading SRM experts. The role is fully remote, allowing you to live anywhere within the United Kingdom. The charity has no central office and offers each employee up to £250 per month (including VAT) to cover co-working space costs. The team meets face-to-face at quarterly ‘awaydays’ in the UK, which are organised and paid for by the charity. Degrees provides an 8% employer pension contribution with no required employee contribution, which is generous by the standards of the UK third sector. The role includes opportunities for international travel. You will receive 25 days of annual leave per year, in addition to UK public holidays. If the charity closes between Christmas and New Year, you may also receive up to three extra days of leave. Personal development budget of £1,000 per year.

To apply

Please answer the questions below and attach a copy of your CV titling it "First name_surname_DM_CV". You will receive a reply confirming receipt of the application. The deadline for applications is 05 January 2026 (23:59 GMT). Successful applicants will be invited to an initial interview. Those progressing further will be invited to a second interview, which will include a presentation exercise.

The Degrees Initiative collects and processes personal data as part of the recruitment process. This information is used solely to assess your suitability for the role and to take necessary steps prior to entering into an employment contract. We rely on the lawful basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the UK GDPR (processing necessary for the performance of a contract or to take steps prior to entering into a contract). If your application is successful, your data will also be used to administer your employment. Your personal data will be handled confidentially and stored securely. We may retain recruitment data for record-keeping, future recruitment opportunities, or legal compliance purposes. Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to access, correct, or erase your data, and to object to or restrict processing, where applicable.