Director of Fundraising and Partnerships

Salary: £67,000-£76,000, based on experience; 30 days' holiday, 10% employer pension contribution and other benefits

Location: Old Street, Central London

Closing Date: 8 November 2026

Closing Time: 5:00 pm

We are seeking an experienced fundraising and partnerships leader who can build the relationships, income base and organisational capability required for long-term success.

About the Impact Investing Institute

The Impact Investing Institute is an independent non-profit working to transform capital markets for a fairer, greener and more resilient future. Our Labs develop practical responses to societal challenges; our field-building work supports learning, networks and communities of practice; and our policy collaboration helps create an environment in which impact
investing can thrive. We bring together people across finance, philanthropy, business and government to achieve change that no organisation can deliver alone.

Why this role exists

This is a newly created Director-level role at a pivotal moment in the Institute's development. Over the last six years, the Institute has established itself as a trusted and influential organisation operating at the intersection of capital markets, public policy and impact. We are now entering our next phase: deepening our impact, strengthening our financial resilience and increasing our ability to influence the deployment of capital at scale.

To support this ambition, we are seeking an experienced fundraising and partnerships leader who can build the relationships, income base and organisational capability required for long-term success. This is both a strategic leadership role and a hands-on income generation role. The successful candidate will personally lead some of the Institute's most
important opportunities and relationships while building a high-performing function capable of sustained growth.

The Institute remains relatively small. Success will depend on combining vision with execution, deploying technology and AI effectively, maintaining rigorous disciplines and enabling a small team to secure income and partnerships disproportionate to our size.

We are looking for a leader who enjoys building and delivering, not directing from a distance. They will be comfortable shaping strategy one moment and supporting a major proposal, funder meeting or partnership negotiation the next. The role carries significant external visibility. The Director will be one of the Institute's principal representatives with funders, investors, family offices, foundations and strategic partners.

Working closely with the CEO, Board and senior colleagues, the Director will play a central role in shaping the Institute's future.

What you will deliver

Strategy and a diversified pipeline

• Develop and deliver a fundraising and partnerships strategy aligned with the Institute's c.£2m organisation's priorities and financial needs. Translate it into a focused plan with a balanced mix of new business, renewals and longer-term opportunities, prioritising income that strengthens organisational resilience.
• Build and manage a qualified pipeline across foundations, government, corporates, financial institutions and family offices.

Major funding and compelling propositions

• Personally lead the cultivation, solicitation and negotiation of major funding
  relationships, securing six-figure and multi-year commitments.
• Develop senior relationships, make the case for support and expand core, flexible and
  unrestricted income alongside programme funding.
• Work with programme colleagues to develop persuasive propositions and high-quality
  grant applications.

Partnership development and stewardship

• Build trusted, long-term partnerships through thoughtful cultivation, stewardship and renewal. Ensure supporters receive timely accounts of progress and impact, surface issues early and identify opportunities to extend successful partnerships.
• Maintain a consistent funder experience and involve the CEO, Board or colleagues where this can deepen relationships or unlock opportunities.
• Agree partnership commitments with delivery teams and maintain clear ownership of relationship management, reporting and follow-up.

Team leadership and effective operations

• Lead, support and develop fundraising and partnership colleagues, creating a collaborative and accountable team.
• Set priorities, allocate relationships and resources clearly, manage the fundraising budget and help colleagues build their confidence, skills and judgement.
• Maintain effective CRM records, pipeline reviews and income forecasts so decisions are based on reliable information.

Financial planning, risk and responsible practice

• Work closely with the Finance Director on income phasing, budgeting and cashflow planning.
• Oversee proportionate due diligence, funding risk assessment and partnership agreements. Ensure terms, restrictions and reporting obligations are understood before commitments are made, protect the Institute's reputation and escalatematerial risks or trade-offs.
• Leverage technology - including new AI tools - appropriately to maximise our efficacy.

Collective leadership and external representation

• Create a culture of fundraising at the organisation, and contribute to the senior leadership team.
• Deputise for the CEO on agreed external engagements and stakeholder relationships.
• Advise and equip the CEO and Board to support fundraising.
• Represent the Institute credibly with funders, partners and relevant networks.

What success looks like in the first 12-18 months

Within the first 12-18 months, the successful candidate will have:

• Developed and begun delivering a clear fundraising and partnerships strategy.
• Built a strong diversified pipeline across priority funding markets.
• Secured significant new six-figure and multi-year commitments.
• Increased the proportion and visibility of core and unrestricted income.
• Strengthened stewardship and renewal planning.
• Embedded effective CRM, forecasting and pipeline disciplines.
• Established a disciplined organisation-wide approach to business development and relationship management.
• Increased effectiveness through stronger systems, technology and AI-enabled working.
• Improved visibility of relationship, pipeline and funding intelligence.
• Built collaboration across Fundraising, Finance, Programmes and Communications.
• Built a confident, high-performing team.
• Enabled the CEO, Directors, Board and colleagues to contribute effectively to relationship development.
• Established a strong external profile with priority funders and partners.
• Strengthened the Institute's financial resilience and sustainability.

Person specification

Essential experience and capabilities

• A strong record of personally securing major funding, including six-figure and multi-year
• commitments, and developing relationships from initial engagement to agreement and renewal.
• Substantial fundraising experience in at least two of these areas: foundations, government, corporates and financial institutions. Ability to adapt propositions and relationship approaches to different supporters and funding models.
• Ability to develop and execute a fundraising strategy while remaining hands-on: prioritising opportunities, managing a pipeline and making sound judgements about income potential, effort and risk.
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and negotiation skills, with the credibility to engage senior stakeholders. Strong written and verbal communication, including the ability to translate complex work into persuasive proposals and funding cases.
• Experience of leading and developing colleagues and working collaboratively across programmes, finance and senior leadership. Ability to organise a shared portfolio, set clear expectations and sustain a supportive, accountable team culture.
• Sound financial and operational judgement, including budgeting, forecasting, CRM and stewardship discipline. Ability to assess funding restrictions, due diligence and partnership risks and work with colleagues to manage them.
• Commitment to the Institute's mission and independence, with an enterprising, practical approach and the judgement to balance ambition with delivery capacity. Confidence using digital tools and applying responsible AI with appropriate safeguards.
• Knowledge of impact investing, capital markets, sustainable finance or related social and environmental issues.
• Relevant funder or financial institution networks, and experience raising core or unrestricted support for a mission-led organisation, would be valuable but are not essential.

Our values and working culture

• Collaborative: we listen, share expertise and work constructively with colleagues and
  partners.
• Ambitious: we pursue meaningful change with imagination, drive and practical delivery.
• Independent: we protect our integrity, think critically and remain true to our mission.

Inclusion and accessibility

• We are committed to being an inclusive organisation and to building a team with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. We encourage applications from people who are under-represented in finance and policy, including (but not limited to) people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, people with long-term health conditions and disabilities, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and those with non-linear career paths.
• We welcome applications from people with disabilities and long-term health conditions and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.
• We also support flexible working and encourage applicants to raise any flexibility needs.

Authentic applications and use of AI

• AI tools may help you prepare an application, but your examples, experience and judgement must be your own. We assess specificity and authenticity, not generic polish. Use concrete evidence of your contribution and learning, and ensure any AI-supported material is accurate and reflects your voice.

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