Philanthropy Manager - 12-month FTC

Blood Cancer UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Blood Cancer UK is seeking a Philanthropy Manager to lead a portfolio of major donors and trusts on a 12-month fixed-term contract in London. You will secure £25k+ gifts and develop compelling funding propositions aligned to research, advocacy and patient support goals.

Working with colleagues across the organisation, you’ll tailor donor approaches, build long-term relationships and maximise opportunities for significant support.

Qualifications

• Proven experience securing high-value gifts from major donors and trusts.
• Track record of delivering against fundraising or income targets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver donor development plans for major donors, trusts and prospects.
• Provide high levels of stewardship to develop the high value donor pipeline.
• Proactively engage donors through meetings, calls and events to grow funding.
• Identify new opportunities, qualify prospects and grow the philanthropy pipeline.
• Create and deliver compelling funding proposals and briefs to secure support.
• Utilise events to deepen donor engagement and attendance.
• Ensure KPIs and income targets are achieved and accurately reported.
• Maintain donor records to map the pipeline and performance.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal comms

Relationship-building

Influencing and negotiation

Resilience

Data-driven decisions

Donor portfolio management

Fundraising planning

High-value gift securing

Opportunity development

Job description

Philanthropy Manager - 12-month FTC

Application Deadline: 1 November 2026

Department: Engagement

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract

Location: London/Hybrid

Compensation: £44,000 - £48,000 / year

Description

We're the UK's specialist blood cancer charity and our vision is clear: we’re here to beat blood cancer. We fund world-class research; provide information and support to patients and their loved ones; and raise awareness of blood cancer.

We’re looking for an experienced Philanthropy Manager to join our Partnerships and Philanthropy team on a 12-month fixed-term contract.

You’ll manage a portfolio of major donors and trusts, building strong relationships and securing gifts of £25k+ to support our work in research, advocacy and support for people affected by blood cancer. You’ll identify and develop new opportunities, create compelling funding propositions and manage relationships from cultivation through to stewardship.

Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you’ll develop tailored approaches that connect donor interests with our priorities and maximise opportunities for significant, long-term support.

We’re looking for someone with proven experience securing high-value gifts from major donors and/or trusts, a track record of delivering income targets, and excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills. You’ll be proactive, resilient and confident managing a portfolio and developing new business opportunities.

If you’re passionate about philanthropy and want to use your skills to make a real difference to people affected by blood cancer, we’d love to hear from you.

The role involves regular travel to our London office, donor meetings and events, typically around 2–3 times per month or as required. Some occasional evening and weekend work may also be required.

We are committed to actively promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity. In line with our strategy we welcome approaches from individuals from underrepresented groups, including minority communities, and applicants with a disability, to better reflect the community we serve and help broaden our perspectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver donor development plans for major donors, trusts and prospects, building relationships, understanding motivations and identifying opportunities for significant and long-term support.


• Provide high levels of stewardship to develop the high value donor pipeline and effectively manage relationships.


• Proactively develop donor relationships and engagement opportunities, through meetings, calls, visits and other appropriate engagement activity to deepen relationships and identify opportunities for funding.


• Identify and develop new business opportunities by researching and qualifying prospects, growing the philanthropy pipeline and increasing income from new and existing supporters.


• Liaise with mission teams to create and deliver effective funding proposals and approaches aligned to donor and Trust motivations.


• Develop and deliver high-quality funding proposals, cases for support, pitches, presentations and briefing materials to secure support.


• Utilise special events opportunities as part of the cultivation and stewardship plans, identifying and inviting donors and prospects to attend events that deepen engagement with the organisation.


• Ensure that all KPIs, including for new business and stewardship, are achieved to ensure income targets are met.


• Ensure all income is coded and reported accurately to ensure compliance and support budget management.


• Maintain accurate records of all interactions with supporters and prospects to ensure a correct overview of the donor pipeline and KPIs.


• Use data, insight and industry trends to ensure new opportunities are identified and the best possible experience is provided for supporters.


• Use LinkedIn to support meaningful engagement with current and potential donors.


• Contribute to the development of department budgets and high-level planning to ensure plans and budgets are accurate.


• Share knowledge and expertise with colleagues, providing informal guidance and support to create a collaborative culture of high performance and continuous improvement.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and negotiation skills to achieve successful fundraising outcomes.


• High level of resilience and ability to consistently pursue opportunities.


• Ability to use data and insight to manage donor portfolios, identify opportunities, monitor performance and inform fundraising decisions.


• Ability to develop and deliver effective donor development and fundraising plans aligned to organisational priorities.


• Proven experience securing high-value gifts from major donors and/or trusts and delivering against fundraising or income targets.


• Experience developing and delivering compelling funding propositions and cases for support.


• Experience of identifying and developing new business opportunities.