Charity Manager (Founding)

Forward Assist Recruitment; Middlesbrough; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a pioneering charity as their Founding Charity Manager, responsible for shaping strategy, fundraising, and community impact. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a values-driven charity focused on transforming lives through training and support for individuals with lived experience of adversity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in fundraising and income generation.
• Strong partnership-building skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in charity operations and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the formation and governance of the charity.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies.
• Build partnerships across charity, public, and corporate sectors.

Skills

Fundraising

Partnership-building

Leadership

Community development

Strategy

Job description

Our client is passionate about the transformative power of training, promoting equity of learning through expert, tailored, engaging and values-led training solutions.

They want to lead the way in revolutionising frontline services, through collaboration and community, to create a national standard of high-quality values led training.

Job Title

(Founding) Charity Manager

Weekly Hours

Part time (2-3 days per week) increasing flexibly as the charity grows.

Salary

£35,000 pro rata with salary progression

linked to charity growth and income generation

Job Type

Permanent with potential progression to full-time Director/CEO role

Location

York base plus flexible remote working

About the Role

This is a rare opportunity to build and lead a new charity from the ground up — one with the power to change lives, shape practice and influence national conversations about lived experience and values-led training.

The Foundation is being launched under the umbrella of an award-winning values-led training organisation with a national reputation for trauma-informed and lived experience-centred practice. The Foundation will be an independent charity, working in close partnership to extend impact, reach and opportunity.

Our mission is to transform lives by enabling people with lived experience of adversity to become qualified, accredited trainers and leaders in their field. The

Foundation will fund scholarships, mentoring, CPD and community resources that help people build sustainable careers and contribute to better frontline practice.

As founding Charity Manager, you will lead this journey. You will shape the Foundation’s strategy, funding, partnerships and delivery — with a clear pathway to progress into the Foundation’s first full-time Director/CEO post.

Why this role matters

The Foundation will create life-changing opportunities for individuals and communities facing poverty, disadvantage and exclusion. It will:

Fund bursaries and scholarships for accredited training programmes
Provide mentoring, CPD and safeguarding support for new Associate Trainers
Build scaffolding and community resources to support lived experience leadership
Address poverty, education, community development and the relief of need through opportunity and empowermentThe Foundation will also contribute to national conversations about good practice, lived experience inclusion, trauma-informed approaches and values led training.

You will lead this growth, building a trusted and credible charity that centres lived experience, transforms opportunity and influences national practice.

Main Duties

Key Responsibilities

Launch and Governance

Recruit and develop a diverse and values-aligned Board of Trustees.
Embed governance documents and support effective Board engagement and reporting.Fundraising and Income Growth

Develop and deliver a strategic fundraising plan.
Secure initial funding to enable role growth, sustainability and impact delivery.
Identify and apply for relevant grants, partnerships and sponsorships.
Build and maintain strong relationships with funders and supporters.Partnerships and Relationships

Represent the Foundation in national and local networks.
Develop partnerships across charity, public, corporate and community sectors.
Build trusted relationships with referral agencies, community groups and lived experience networks.
Work in close partnership with the partner business, ensuring alignment, shared learning and joint impact.Operations and Delivery

Establish core systems for governance, finance, safeguarding, quality assurance and risk.
Oversee delivery of bursaries, scholarships and associated supports.
Monitor delivery and report against agreed charitable purposes and impact metrics.
Develop and manage Foundation communications, including website and digital presence, working with Transform’s team where appropriate.Growth and Sustainability

Shape a growth roadmap for the Foundation, progressing towards a fulltime Director/CEO role.
Plan and implement sustainable income streams and operational capacity.
Support Board development and organisational learning.
Position the Foundation as a trusted and respected charity influencing national good practice.

Person Specification

Relevant experience

Proven experience in fundraising, developing income streams and securing funding to support our mission.
Strong partnership-building skills, enabling you to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, from funders to community partners.
Hands-on experience in charity operations, demonstrating your ability to lead day-today activities, manage resources and ensure the smooth running of our programmes.Personal qualities required for the role

A strong leader, motivated by the opportunity to build a purposeful and values driven charity.
Experienced in launching or growing a charity, social enterprise, or similar organisation.
Proven track record in fundraising and generating income to support mission-led work.
Skilled at building effective relationships with funders, partners, Trustees, and communities.
Knowledgeable about governance, compliance, and charity operations, with the ability to navigate these areas confidently.
Combines strategic leadership with a hands-on approach to delivery, ensuring ideas become reality.
Highly collaborative and adaptable, demonstrating resilience and a strong set of values in all aspects of their work.
Passionate about supporting people with lived experience to thrive through education, opportunity, and community development.
Energised by the chance to shape a charity that will influence national practice and extend the impact of a respected, values-led organisation.How to Apply

A CV highlighting relevant experience, particularly charity leadership, fundraising and start-up roles
A short covering letter or voice note telling us:o Why this role excites you o How you would approach building the Foundation in its first year o Your vision for how the role could evolve into a Director/CEO post. o Your availability and preferred working arrangement.

Forward Assist Recruitment is operating as an employment agency. Forward Assist Recruitment is an Equal Opportunities employer; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds

Job Info

Job Title:

Charity Manager (Founding)

Company:

Forward Assist Recruitment

Location:

Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire

Posted:

Closes:

Jul 26th 2025

Sector:

Charity

Contract:

Permanent

Hours:

Full Time

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