Development Manager (Major Donors)

Breath HR; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity focused on mental health research is seeking a relationship fundraiser to manage and cultivate donor relationships. The role involves securing major gifts and developing impactful proposals. The organization offers a hybrid working model and generous benefits, emphasizing staff wellbeing and development.

Benefits

Wellbeing Allowance of up to £1200 per annum

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Counselling sessions via EAP

Pension contributions of 5%

Season Ticket Loan

Personal Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience managing 4 and 5-figure+ gifts from donors.
• Self-motivated and experienced relationship fundraiser.
• Ability to build relationships and inspire colleagues and donors.

Responsibilities

• Identify, cultivate, and secure major gifts from individual supporters.
• Develop written materials and proposals for prospective donors.
• Manage a prospect pool to steward and re-engage donors.

Skills

Exceptional communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Influencing skills

Education

Background or study in relevant fields of mental health sciences

Tools

Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge/NXT

Job description

Hybrid - London/Home/Travel to events

Vacancy listed21/05/2025

Details

ABOUT US:

MQ is the first major charity funding mental health research. By connecting scientists with supporters, together we strive to understand mental health, improve treatments and prevent mental illness.

We champion and fund world-class research to transform the lives of everyone affected by mental illness. By connecting scientists with supporters, together we strive to understand mental health, improve treatments and prevent mental illness.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

You will play an active role in identifying, cultivating, securing, managing and retaining donors, and soliciting major gifts, with the full support of the Executive Leadership Team and Chair of Trustees.

Here's a summary of your key responsibilities:

• Prospect and cultivate new individual supporters to donate 5 figure gifts using a variety of tactics, such as attending in person networking events, gaining introductions from our Development Board, Trustees and other senior supporters
• Personally manage a prospect pool of individuals to steward and re-engage to donate 5 figure gifts
• Maximise the partnership opportunities with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
• Develop written materials and proposals to engage prospective individual donors and report on the impact of their donations
• Develop stewardship and cultivation activities (e.g. webinars/ drinks receptions for mid-level donors)
• Use the support of senior leadership and members of the Board of Trustees to cultivate prospects as needed
• Work with colleagues to identify and scope new high value partnership prospects and application opportunities
• With the support of the Head of Development, develop and implement the donor giving strategy
• Report against income, expenditure and other targets
• Keep MQ’s central database up to date with all prospect actions
  
  

ABOUT YOU:

This role is for you if you are self-motivated and an experienced relationship fundraiser and driven to ensure that targets are hit and projects are delivered to the highest possible standards.

You will have demonstrable experience of managing 4 and 5-figure+ gifts from donors and be a sophisticated communicator with the confidence to build relationships with and inspire colleagues and donors.

Essential role requirements include:

• Exceptional communication skills particularly in understanding and translating complex information and turning it into compelling written proposals
• Demonstrates a commercial mindset
• Good interpersonal, influencing and relationship-management skills, at all levels.
• Willingness to attend networking events as required
• Experience of Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge/NXT is desirable but not essential.
• Background or study in relevant fields of mental health sciences

WHAT WE'RE OFFERING YOU:

In return, we offer a great working experience within a friendly team. Hybrid working (in the London office Mondays and Tuesdays, with the remaining days from home). We are located near Barbican Tube.

Plus, we offer lots of generous benefits and training opportunities.

We're a Sunday Times Top Company to work for.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit your CV and covering letter by the deadline.

Please note, we typically start interviewing within two weeks of the job advert going live. We reserve the right to close the job before the deadline based on the volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We believe in equality and inclusion and we welcome job applications from everyone, provided you meet the criteria for the job.

Safer recruitment is important to us and the successful applicant will be asked to provide two references. They will also be required to complete a safeguarding self-declaration and undertake a DBS check.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Flexible working: As a mental health charity, staff wellbeing is of paramount importance. We operate a core hours policy (10-4) to encourage flexible working and staff are mainly home based with the requirement to come into the office two days per week. A standard full-time working week is 35 hours, plus an hour for lunch breaks.

Holidays: Annual holiday entitlement of 28 days plus bank holidays.

Wellbeing Allowance: MQ provides an allowance of up to £1200 per annum for each employee to spend on activities that increase their wellbeing. This is paid through payroll and is taxable.

Cycle to work scheme: An interest-free loan is available to enable employees to purchase a bike and accessories, repaid via equal deductions from the employee’s salary over 12 months.

Employee Assistance Programme: All employees and their families have access to a 24-hour confidential advice and support line.

Counselling: Employees have access to a number of free face-to-face sessions, via the EAP scheme.

Pension: MQ makes contributions of 5% and employees make contributions of 3%.

Season Ticket Loan: An interest free season ticket loan is available, repaid via equal deductions from the employee’s salary over 12 months.

Personal Development: We value employee development and review individual training needs through our performance management system. HR also runs internal management development sessions for all staff.