Fundraising Lead (Football) in Camden Town

Our client is a football charity on a mission to transform the lives of young people through the magic of football, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to play regardless of ability to pay, and delivering programmes that support young people's development on and off the pitch.

The company's largest income stream is Trusts and Foundations, and this is where the Fundraising Lead will be focused.

This isn't a role for someone who wants to execute a plan someone else has already written.

You'll operate in a fast-moving environment where agility, independent thinking, and proactivity are essential.

You'll build and manage funder relationships, lead on significant funding bids, and help shape the strategy that drives our income forward.

AI is set to transform trusts and foundations fundraising.

We’re already developing the tools to harness it, and we need someone who will embrace that change enthusiastically, using technology to unlock new opportunities and accelerate our impact.

We’re working to achieve scale at a level no other sport-for-good charity in the UK ever has.

That means real responsibility from day one.

You’ll work closely with the Senior Trusts and Foundations Lead and Director of Fundraising, take ownership of how we work, and play a meaningful part in making our ambition a reality.

We move fast.

We expect you to move with us.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high quality writing: take responsibility for research, writing and impact data on significant funding bids, working closely with senior colleagues.
• Help develop persuasive, tailored proposals for new and existing funders.
• Own written follow-ups and support on regular funder communications, helping to deepen relationships and secure repeat funding.
• Undertake research and analysis: conduct in-depth research to identify new trust and foundation prospects aligned with our funding priorities.
• Support analysis of funder interests, eligibility criteria and previous giving to inform a targeted, strategic approach.
• Effectively coordinate and manage a supporter portfolio: track deadlines, grant requirements and reporting schedules across a large and complex portfolio of funders, ensuring documentation, supporting timely submissions and communications, and maintaining excellent attention to detail while juggling competing priorities and deadlines.
• Build trusted relationships: attend and contribute to high-level meetings with senior representatives of major foundations, represent the organisation at high-level discussions alongside colleagues, and lead presentations when appropriate.
• Work with senior colleagues and funders: collaborate directly with the Senior Trusts & Foundations Lead and the Director of Fundraising on funding decisions and major partnership negotiations; benefit from regular exposure to senior leadership on significant funding opportunities.
• Support team efficiency and continuous improvement: help rapidly scale our trusts and foundations pipeline, pioneer new approaches to funder engagement using AI, take the initiative to improve systems, processes and ways of working, with a strong focus on organisation, clarity and smart use of technology; actively contribute to a team culture that values feedback and learning.

Qualifications

• A strong academic background or equivalent professional experience.
• Graduate from a top university with a 1st or high 2:1 and high A'Level results.
• Proactive and self-motivated, comfortable taking ownership and working independently.
• Confident, with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to represent the organisation professionally in external meetings.
• Outstanding written communication skills – clear, persuasive and tailored to different audiences.
• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to synthesise information quickly.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and able to juggle competing deadlines.
• A fast learner who embraces feedback and continuously looks to improve.
• Eligibility to live and work in the UK with no future sponsorship required.
• 1-3 years' experience in a fast-paced environment – fundraising, sales, communications, consulting or similar.
• (Not essential, but nice to have) Experience writing proposals, bids, pitches or reports in any context.
• (Not essential, but nice to have) Familiarity with CRM systems or database tools.
• (Not essential, but nice to have) Experience using AI tools professionally.

Benefits

• Modern office in Camden Markets with free gym membership and local market discounts.
• Regular staff socials & monthly 'Team Talk' with pop-up catering.
• Opportunities to attend Premier League, WSL, FA Cup, League Cup, and Champions League football matches.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Salary sacrifice workplace pension scheme.
• 24 days holiday allowance, increasing by one day per year after two years' service.
• Funding toward training and five days of fully paid study leave.
• The chance to grow within a mission-driven organisation doing work that genuinely matters.
• #J-18808-Ljbffr