Fundraising Lead

Location: Home-based in either Manchester or London, with occasional travel within the UK
Salary: £40,000–£45,000 per annum, depending on experience
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Working pattern: We offer a fully flexible working environment
Annual leave: 25 days of annual leave per annum, plus 3 additional days over Christmas
Additional benefits: Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

We are also open to applications from people interested in undertaking this role on a fractional basis.

The role

We are looking for a proactive and resourceful Fundraising Lead to help Common Purpose grow and diversify its income.

Working closely with the Managing Director of Social Value and the CEO, you will identify funding opportunities, develop relationships with prospective funders and write compelling applications to trusts, foundations and statutory funding bodies. You will also explore opportunities for corporate partnerships and philanthropic giving.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys finding opportunities and turning them into funding. You will take responsibility for researching prospective funders, building and managing a pipeline, developing persuasive cases for support and submitting high-quality applications. You'll work with colleagues across Common Purpose to understand our work, gather evidence of its impact and communicate why it matters to potential funders. You'll need to be organised, an excellent writer and confident managing your own workload, with a clear focus on securing income.

What you'll be doing

• Find funding opportunities: Research trusts, foundations, statutory funding programmes and other potential sources of income, identifying opportunities that align with Common Purpose's work.
• Write funding applications: Develop compelling cases for support, prepare and submit high-quality applications, and manage the associated deadlines.
• Build the funding pipeline: Track opportunities, applications and decisions, prioritising activity according to potential value and likelihood of success.
• Develop relationships: Build and maintain relationships with funders and explore opportunities for repeat funding, multi-year awards and longer-term partnerships.
• Communicate our impact: Work with colleagues to gather evidence and develop persuasive funding propositions that demonstrate the value of our work.
• Manage funding and reporting: Monitor income against targets, maintain accurate records and ensure funder reporting requirements and deadlines are met.
• Explore new income streams: Identify potential opportunities for corporate partnerships, major donors and other forms of philanthropic support.
• Work collaboratively: Coordinate with colleagues across the organisation to identify funding opportunities and ensure fundraising activity supports our wider priorities.

What you'll bring

We're looking for someone with fundraising experience, excellent writing skills and the initiative to identify opportunities and turn them into income.

You will bring:

• Fundraising experience: A track record of researching, developing and submitting successful funding applications, ideally to trusts, foundations or statutory funding bodies.
• Excellent writing skills: The ability to produce clear, persuasive applications and make a compelling case for support.
• Initiative: The ability to research prospective funders, spot opportunities and build a pipeline proactively.
• Relationship-building skills: The confidence to engage with funders, understand their priorities and develop productive relationships.
• Commercial awareness: The ability to assess funding opportunities, prioritise your time and focus on those with the strongest potential.
• Strong organisation: The ability to manage multiple applications, deadlines and reporting requirements accurately.
• Analytical skills: Experience of tracking funding opportunities and income, with an understanding of budgets and restricted and unrestricted funding.
• A collaborative approach: The ability to work with colleagues to develop funding propositions and communicate the impact of our work.
• An interest in our purpose: A motivation to help secure the resources that enable Common Purpose to deliver its work.

All applicants must also

• Have excellent written English and verbal communication skills.
• Be comfortable working independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Be confident using Microsoft Office and digital tools.
• Understand the importance of fundraising compliance, including relevant requirements under the Code of Fundraising Practice and GDPR.
• Be able to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Be willing to travel within the UK occasionally, as required.
• Be committed to Common Purpose's independent and non-aligned approach to its work.

What we offer

• Purpose: The opportunity to help fund programmes that create meaningful change for individuals, organisations and communities.
• Ownership: The opportunity to shape and develop our fundraising activity.
• Variety: Exposure to a diverse range of funders, organisations, sectors and partners.
• Flexibility: A remote-first and flexible working environment.
• Growth: The opportunity to develop new funding opportunities and build lasting partnerships.
• A global network: The opportunity to work with colleagues, participants and partners across different countries and contexts.

About Common Purpose

Common Purpose is a global non-profit organisation working to build a more inclusive, connected and effective society.

We believe that many of the biggest challenges facing the world cannot be addressed by any one organisation, sector or community working alone. Progress depends on people with different experiences, perspectives and forms of influence understanding one another and finding new ways to work together.

For more than 37 years, we have brought people together across sectors, backgrounds and generations to challenge assumptions, build understanding and develop the ability to address complex social and organisational challenges.

Through our programmes and partnerships, we create opportunities for people to encounter different perspectives, understand the realities facing others and see beyond the boundaries of their own experience. We help people recognize the influence they hold and use it to make a positive difference.

Our work has reached more than 90,000 professionals and nearly 75,000 students worldwide.

As a non-profit, we are committed to extending the reach and impact of this work, ensuring that more people and communities can benefit from it.

Next steps

If you are a fundraiser who enjoys spotting opportunities, writing compelling applications and helping organisations secure the funding they need, we'd love to hear from you.

Please send us your CV and a cover letter explaining why you're interested in the role and what you would bring to Common Purpose. We'd particularly welcome examples of successful funding applications or funding you have secured.

We welcome applications from people interested in full-time or fractional working arrangements. If you would prefer a fractional arrangement, please tell us a little about the working pattern you have in mind.

Common Purpose is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and will consider candidates based on the relevance of their skills, experience and potential.

If you have any access requirements during the recruitment process, please contact us at hr@commonpurpose.org.