Senior Grants Officer

Suffolk Wildlife Trust; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leave entitlement up to 38 days + your

9% employer pension contribution

Salary sacrifice benefits

Employee Assistance Programme

Flu vaccinations

Life assurance and GP access

Retail discounts

Visitor centre discounts

Logo clothing for public-facing role

Job summary

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is seeking a funding leader to drive trust and grant fundraising, develop high‑quality proposals, and strengthen funder relationships.

You will build a strong funding pipeline, lead major applications and annual reporting, and line-manage the Grants Officer within a supportive, high‑performing team.

This permanent, full‑time role is based at Brooke House in Ashbocking with flexible homeworking, 37.5 hours per week, and a salary up to £33,000.

Qualifications

• Experience of trust and grant fundraising with a strong track record of securing and growing income from charitable trusts and grant-making organisations.
• Confident leading complex applications and reporting processes.
• Excellent written communicator with attention to detail and proactive fundraising approach.

Responsibilities

• Lead across trust and grant fundraising, developing high-quality funding proposals.
• Strengthen relationships with funders and manage an active funding pipeline.
• Line manage Grants Officer and collaborate across the Trust to deliver fundable projects and strong reporting.

Skills

Grant fundraising

Proposal development

Fundraising strategy

Job description

Working closely with the Head of Philanthropy & Fundraising, you will provide technical leadership and operational expertise across our trust and grant fundraising. You will play a leading role in developing high-quality funding proposals, strengthening relationships with funders and improving our approach to identifying, securing and managing both restricted and unrestricted income.

You will identify and research funding opportunities, develop and manage a strong pipeline of prospective funders and lead the preparation of compelling applications, cases for support and impact reports. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Trust, you will help shape fundable projects, provide specialist advice on major applications and ensure we continue to improve the quality of our applications, stewardship and reporting.

You will build productive relationships with charitable trusts and grant-making organisations, keep abreast of emerging funding priorities and ensure our funding pipeline, applications and reporting commitments are accurately managed. You will also line manage and develop our Grants Officer, sharing your expertise and helping to create a positive, collaborative and high-performing team.

To succeed in this role, you will have experience of trust and grant fundraising with a strong track record of securing and growing income from charitable trusts and grant-making organisations. You will be confident leading complex applications and reporting processes, developing positive relationships with funders and influencing colleagues to develop strong, fundable projects.

You will be an excellent written communicator, able to turn complex projects, evidence and ideas into clear and persuasive proposals. Highly organised and comfortable managing competing priorities and deadlines, you will bring sound professional judgement, attention to detail and a proactive approach to identifying opportunities and improving fundraising practice.

This is a fantastic opportunity to use your fundraising expertise to make a tangible difference for nature, helping Suffolk Wildlife Trust secure the investment needed to deliver ambitious projects, strengthen our impact and create a wilder Suffolk.

This is a permanent, full-time position working 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. We operate flexible homeworking arrangements where colleagues spend more time working together than homeworking. The base of work will be Brooke House in Ashbocking and the starting salary will be up to £33,000 per annum depending on skills, knowledge and experience.

Our Employee Perks & Benefits include

• leave entitlement increasing with service up to 38 days annually plus an extra day off for your birthday
• a 9% employer pension contribution with no employee contribution required
• salary sacrifice benefits
• an Employee Assistance Programme
• flu vaccinations
• life assurance and access to a GP and wellness services
• You’ll also receive discounts at high street retailers
• discounts in our visitor centre
• and, if you’re in a public-facing role, you’ll get logo clothing.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is welcome.

As a conservation charity, we recognise the importance of diversity in both nature and our workforce of staff and volunteers.

We strive to ensure that everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute to our vision of “A Wilder Suffolk where nature is thriving and abundant because everyone is doing more to help”.