Deputy Director Funding Strategy

We are now seeking a proactive and purposeful leader, as our new Deputy Director, Funding Strategy.

In this role you will oversee our core funding strategy capability, ensuring The Fund stays ahead of change and remains at the leading edge of grantmaking practice. You would lead a multidisciplinary team working across our UK-wide organisation. Teams within your responsibility would include Funding Strategy Development, Funding Policy and Practice, Equity Diversity and Inclusion and Youth Voice. 

This is a crucial leadership appointment – you will be part of the Funding Strategy, Innovation and UK directorate leadership team, driving the ongoing development of funding strategy, policies and ways of working. You will have holistic oversight of funding strategy from inception to decision by executive and non-executive committees, and drive through into embedded practice.

We are looking for an engaging candidate, who can provide clear leadership to this vital brief. You will be responsible for representing the Fund, developing excellent relationships with senior level external stakeholders as well as actively engaging with and building constructive relationships with senior level colleagues across the Senior Management Team and all Directorates.  You will take the lead in understanding our progress in delivering funding strategy across a devolved context, identifying gaps and opportunities to go further in the delivery of our ambitions

This post is critical for the development and improvement of our overall funding strategy, driving the flow through into practice and working across the Fund to realise the ambitions we have set out.  We are looking for a candidate to promote a culture of experimentation, and collaboration that supports our priorities around equity, environmental sustainability, and community power and evolve our funding policies and practice —making them more open, insight-driven, and transformative. 

Interview details:

• Date: 11 November 2025
• Format: Online
• Location: UK-wide – We have a hybrid approach to working, work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices, these are Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Newtown.

If you would like to find out more about the role, there will be an online information session on Thursday 23rd October 16.00 -16.45. Please contact recruitment to book a space or to ask any questions about the recruitment process.

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential Criteria

• Experience of grant making and philanthropy at a senior level and understanding of the policy and sector context of the National Lottery Community Fund
• Significant experience of multi-faceted funding strategy development and translation into effective practice
• Leadership experience of at least one of the departments within span of control 
• Experience of embedding equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into all aspect of work
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders across public, private and voluntary sectors 
• Significant experience of working with non-executive Board and Committee members 

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a UK-wide context
• Experience of working within statutory and regulatory frameworks

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)