Legacy Manager

Ripple Effect; Bath; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Ripple Effect is seeking an experienced Legacy Fundraising Lead to drive long-term income from gifts in Wills. Hybrid role with regular attendance at the Bath Head Office. You will develop campaigns, manage estates and stewardship, and collaborate across teams to grow legacy income.

The role focuses on supporter engagement, compliant estates administration, and innovative campaigns to raise awareness of gifts in Wills. Closing date: 18 October 2026.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years' experience in legacy fundraising or related fundraising areas.
• Experience delivering multi-channel campaigns and stewardship initiatives.
• Strong data analysis and reporting to inform decision-making.
• Ability to develop supporter journeys and convert engagement into income.
• Excellent written communication and copywriting skills for fundraising content.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the legacy fundraising strategy and campaigns across channels.
• Lead acquisition, conversion and retention activities for legacy gifts.
• Oversee estate administration, pledger engagement and stewardship events.
• Collaborate with legal advisers, solicitors and external partners as needed.
• Monitor trends, budget performance and ROI across legacy programmes.

Skills

Legacy fundraising

Multi-channel marketing

CRM data analysis

Copywriting

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Location: Hybrid with regular attendance at Ripple Effect Head Office required - Runway East, Kings Court, Parsonage Lane, Bath, BA1 1ER

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: Sunday 18th October 2026 (we may close earlier depending on volume of applications)

Responsible for driving sustainable long-term income through gifts in Wills, leading all aspects of legacy fundraising from supporter engagement, marketing and pledge recruitment to estate administration and stewardship. The role builds compassionate relationships with legacy pledgers and the wider charity supporter community, delivering insight-led, multi-channel communications that inspire supporters to leave a lasting impact through gifts in Wills. Working collaboratively with colleagues, agencies and external partners, this role will develop engaging supporter journeys, create innovative campaigns and identify new opportunities to grow awareness of gifts in Wills and increase legacy income.

Key responsibilities

Income strategy development & delivery

• Support the Supporter Engagement Manager to develop, implement and continuously evolve the legacy and in-memory fundraising strategy, delivering sustainable growth in legacy pipeline value, pledger numbers and future income.
• Develop annual operational plans, objectives and KPIs to support the successful delivery of the legacy strategy and long-term income growth.
• Monitor trends, sector developments, benchmarking and best practice in legacy fundraising, identifying opportunities to drive innovation and improve performance.
• Act as the organisation's subject matter expert on gifts in Wills and in-memory giving, providing advice, guidance and training to colleagues, volunteers and trustees.
• Build strong relationships across Fundraising, Programmes, Communications and Leadership teams to embed legacy giving across the organisation and maximise opportunities for supporter engagement.
• Work closely with Philanthropy, Trusts and Corporate Partnerships teams to identify, cultivate and steward prospective legacy supporters.
• Lead and project manage legacy acquisition, conversion and retention campaigns across multiple channels including direct mail, digital, email, telephone, events, print and face-to-face engagement.
• Develop and manage relationships with external suppliers including will-writing partners, agencies and professional advisers to maximise supporter engagement and income generation.
• Monitor sector trends, fundraising innovation and competitor activity, identifying opportunities to improve performance and grow the legacy programme.
• Manage a portfolio of pecuniary, residuary and trust gifts, ensuring estates are administered efficiently, professionally and in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Act as the primary point of contact for solicitors, executors, administrators and family members, handling all interactions with sensitivity and professionalism.
• Review estate documentation, monitor progress and take appropriate action to safeguard the charity's interests and maximise income due from estates.
• Work with legal advisers where necessary to resolve complex estate matters and ensure timely receipt of gifts.
• Maintain accurate records, forecasts and estate administration processes in line with organisational policies and relevant legislation.
• Ensure all legacy income is accurately recorded, reconciled and reported.
• Maintain accurate records on the CRM database.

Legacy stewardship

• Develop and deliver audience-led stewardship journeys that deepen supporter engagement, increase legacy enquiries and pledges, and strengthen long-term supporter loyalty.
• Build meaningful, compassionate relationships with legacy pledgers and prospective legacy supporters through personalised stewardship and engagement opportunities.
• Establish and manage a legacy recognition programme to celebrate and thank supporters who have pledged a gift in their Will.
• Plan and deliver stewardship events, webinars, visits and other engagement activities that demonstrate the impact of legacy giving.
• Act as an ambassador for legacy fundraising, representing Ripple Effect at internal and external events, presentations and sector networks.
• Manage sensitive conversations relating to gifts in Wills with empathy, professionalism and supporter-centred care.
• Be a spokesperson for legacy giving, internally and externally, including organising and speaking at cultivation events and webinars.

Legacy marketing

• Develop compelling legacy propositions, cases for support and supporter-centred messaging that inspire supporters to consider leaving a gift in their Will.
• Lead the planning, delivery and evaluation of integrated multi-channel marketing campaigns to recruit and retain legacy supporters ensuring activity is insight-led and delivers measurable outcomes.
• Work closely with the Comms & PR Manager to develop powerful stories, supporter communications and marketing materials that demonstrate the transformational impact of legacy gifts.
• Ensure all legacy communications reflect organisational values, brand guidelines and fundraising best practice.
• Oversee the charity's legacy and in-memory digital presence, ensuring content remains relevant, engaging and optimised for conversion.
• Identify, test and evaluate new products, channels and approaches to increase legacy awareness, consideration and pledger acquisition.

In memory

• Lead the development and growth of the organisation's in-memory fundraising programme, identifying new opportunities to increase engagement and income.
• Design and deliver personalised supporter journeys for in-memory donors, ensuring they feel valued, supported and connected to the charity's mission.
• Develop and promote a range of in-memory giving opportunities, including tribute funds, funeral collections and commemorative giving initiatives where appropriate.
• Monitor and evaluate programme performance, identifying opportunities to strengthen supporter retention and lifetime value.

Budget management and financial planning

• Track the legacy pipeline, forecast future income and manage legacy marketing budgets to maximise return on investment (ROI).
• Manage legacy and in-memory fundraising budgets effectively, monitoring expenditure and ensuring activity delivers value for money.
• Provide accurate pipeline and income forecasting to support organisational budgeting, business planning and financial reporting.
• Monitor campaign performance against agreed targets and take action to optimise results and achieve income objectives.

Data, insight and reporting

• Analyse supporter data, market trends and campaign performance to inform strategy, decision-making and future investment.
• Adopt a test-and-learn approach, building evidence and insight to continually improve supporter journeys, campaigns and fundraising products.
• Maintain accurate supporter and legacy records on the CRM, ensuring compliance with data protection requirements and organisational standards.
• Produce regular reports, dashboards and performance analysis for senior stakeholders, highlighting progress, risks and opportunities.
• Monitor key performance indicators and make recommendations to improve supporter acquisition, engagement, conversion and retention.

Person specification

• 2-5 years' experience in legacy fundraising, including legacy marketing, stewardship, pipeline management and/or estate administration.
• Proven experience of developing and delivering successful supporter acquisition, stewardship and retention activities, ideally within the charity sector.
• Experience of planning and managing multi-channel marketing campaigns, including a combination of digital, direct mail, email, telephone and events.
• Demonstrable ability to use data, insight and supporter behaviour analysis to inform decision-making and improve performance.
• Experience of developing supporter journeys and engagement programmes that strengthen supporter relationships and increase conversion or retention.
• Experience of managing relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including agencies, suppliers and professional advisers.
• Experience of monitoring campaign performance, managing budgets and reporting against agreed objectives and KPIs.
• Sound understanding of legacy fundraising principles, including legacy pipelines, supporter stewardship and gifts in Wills marketing.
• Knowledge of probate processes, estate administration and the legal framework relating to charitable legacies.
• Experience using CRM databases to manage supporter records, analyse performance and maintain data quality.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work to deadline.
• Experience of working collaboratively across teams to achieve shared organisational goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with a range of audiences.
• Strong copywriting skills with the ability to create compelling, supporter-focused content across online and offline channels.
• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage and influence supporters, colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Ability to handle sensitive and emotional conversations with empathy, discretion and professionalism.
• Highly organised, with excellent planning and prioritisation skills and the ability to manage a varied workload effectively.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends and translate insight into action.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative and take ownership of projects while contributing positively as part of a team.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, particularly when managing supporter data and estate administration.