Head of Planning

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION; Remote; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization in the UK seeks a Head of Poppy Appeal Planning to oversee a significant fundraising campaign. This role involves strategic planning, team leadership, and close collaboration with different departments to ensure successful execution and continual improvement of the Appeal. The position is mainly home-based, with occasional travel to London for meetings. Employee benefits include generous holiday, pension contributions, and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

28 days paid holiday plus bank holidays

Generous pension contributions

Flexible working options

Employee Assistance Programme

Professional development courses

Opportunities to volunteer

Travel loans and Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead planning and strategy initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal skills for relationship building.
• Experience in a high-pressure fundraising environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, reporting, and evaluation of the Poppy Appeal.
• Set strategic priorities to monitor KPIs and manage risks.
• Coach and motivate a small team to deliver results.

Skills

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Performance evaluation

Budget management

Job description

We’re looking for a Head of Poppy Appeal Planning to lead one of the UK’s most iconic fundraising campaigns. The Poppy Appeal is fast‑moving, high‑profile, and hugely impactful raising over £50 million in just a few weeks and this role is at the heart of making it all happen. You’ll be shaping the strategy, overseeing planning, and guiding a portfolio of change initiatives that ensure the Appeal not only hits its targets but continues to evolve and improve year on year. If you thrive in a busy, high energy environment where every decision matters, this could be the role for you.

Come and be part of the leading Armed Forces charity, making a difference to the lives of those who have served to keep us safe and protect our way of life.

In this role, you’ll take the lead on planning, reporting, and evaluation, turning insight into action to drive better performance and ROI. You’ll work closely with the Director of Poppy Appeal, the Transformation Office, and teams across fundraising, marketing, and membership to ensure everything runs like clockwork. From setting strategic priorities to monitoring KPIs, managing risk, and coordinating resources across the organisation, you’ll be the person who makes sure the pieces fit together while always looking for smarter, more effective ways of working.

You’ll also be leading a small but mighty team, coaching, motivating, and supporting them to deliver their best work. Strong relationships are key, both internally with colleagues and externally with partners, to keep the campaign running smoothly and efficiently. It’s a role with a real sense of purpose, creativity, and fun where you’ll see the impact of your work in real time and be part of a campaign that people across the country care about deeply.

This role is home‑based, with most work carried out remotely. You’ll be expected to travel into London for monthly meetings and occasional in‑person sessions; reasonable travel costs will be covered. For this reason, we’re looking for candidates who are within a practical travelling distance of London.

Employee benefits include

• 28 day’s paid holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, with optional annual leave purchase scheme of up to 5 working days
• Generous pension contributions, with Employer contributions ranging from 6% to 10%
• Range of flexible working options may be available, depending on your role
• Employee Assistance Programme providing confidential counselling, financial and legal advice
• Range of courses delivered by learning specialists to support your development goals and objectives
• Opportunities to volunteer
• Travel loans, Cycle to Work, and more!

For more detailed information about the role, please see our Vacancy Information Pack attached to our direct advert. Our shortlisting is performed on the evidence provided in your application against the Essential and Desirable criteria in the Person Specification.

RBL is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive organisation, reflecting the diversity of the armed forces community and of wider society. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and personal characteristics.

Interview Date(s): 16th & 17th February 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role(s). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.