Fundraising Partnerships Manager

CANAL & RIVER TRUST; United States; Hybrid; USD 51,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pension scheme

Increased holiday entitlement

Employee benefits

Job summary

Canal & River Trust is seeking a Fundraising Partnerships Manager to lead a high-value funding portfolio and cultivate strategic partnerships. The role focuses on developing compelling funding propositions and coordinating across operations, finance and programme teams to secure investments from trusts, foundations and public funders.

You will manage due diligence, create evidence-led cases, and engage senior colleagues and trustees where appropriate, while strengthening the Trust's external

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of the UK funding landscape and proven track record securing significant funding from trusts and foundations, National Lottery and/or statutory funders.
• Experience identifying and qualifying funding opportunities and managing a high-quality funder portfolio.
• Experience building and stewarding major funder relationships and strategic partnerships.
• Excellent proposition development and written communication to translate priorities into compelling funding proposals.
• Experience leading complex funding opportunities with multiple stakeholders and required budgets, evidence and approvals.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a high-value funding portfolio and pipeline aligned to strategic priorities.
• Build and manage strategic funder relationships with tailored cultivation plans.
• Lead development of funding propositions, translating priorities into evidence-led cases for investment.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to shape funder-ready propositions with budgets and evidence.
• Manage funding processes, roles, timelines, and due diligence across stakeholders.
• Horizon scan the external funding environment to identify opportunities and trends.
• Provide stewardship of funders, ensuring timely reporting and renewal opportunities.
• Maintain CRM-based fundraising data, forecasts and performance insights.

Skills

Funding landscape

Fundraising pipeline

Relationship management

Proposal development

Stakeholder engagement

Research and analysis

Budget and financial awareness

Organisational skills

Communication and presentation

Executive/Trustee engagement

Job description

Fundraising Partnerships Manager

Job Description

About the Trust

We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water.We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.

Join Our Team: Fundraising Partnerships Manager

Join our Fundraising division as a Fundraising Partnerships Manager

Working Hours & Travel

This role follows 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. The vacancy will be offered on a remote working basis, with a requirement to attend our main hub spaces as and when required.

Role Overview

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a high-value funding portfolio and pipeline, proactively identifying, researching and qualifying trusts, foundations, statutory and National Lottery opportunities aligned to the Trust's strategic priorities.
• Build and manage strategic funder relationships, developing tailored cultivation and stewardship plans and creating opportunities for meaningful engagement between funders and senior Trust colleagues, including Executive and Trustee involvement where appropriate.
• Lead the development of compelling funding propositions, proposals and applications, translating complex organisational priorities into clear, evidence-led and funder-focused cases for investment and coordinating high-quality submissions.
• Work collaboratively across the Trust to shape funder-ready propositions, bringing together operational, programme, impact, finance and other specialist colleagues to establish need, outcomes, delivery models, budgets, evidence and project readiness.
• Lead and coordinate complex funding processes, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, timelines and decision-making arrangements and supporting colleagues through funder engagement, due diligence, application, assessment and contracting.
• Develop a strong understanding of the external funding environment, undertaking horizon scanning, networking and funder engagement to identify emerging opportunities, intelligence and trends and using these insights to influence proposition development and organisational fundraising priorities.
• Provide excellent stewardship of funders and funding relationships, ensuring commitments are understood and delivered, reporting is timely and high quality, and opportunities for renewal, extension and deeper strategic partnership are actively pursued.
• Maintain excellent fundraising management information, ensuring funder relationships, opportunities, activity, forecasts and next steps are accurately recorded within CRM and contributing insight to team planning, forecasting and performance reporting.

About You

Essential

• Strong knowledge and experience of the UK funding landscape, with a proven track record of securing significant funding from charitable trusts and foundations, National Lottery and/or statutory/public-sector funders.
• Experience of identifying, researching and qualifying funding opportunities and developing and managing a high-quality pipeline or portfolio of prospective funders.
• Experience of building, cultivating and stewarding significant funder relationships and strategic partnerships, identifying areas of shared interest and developing opportunities collaboratively.
• Excellent proposition development and written communication skills, with experience of translating complex organisational priorities, projects and programmes into compelling, evidence-led funding proposals and cases for investment.
• Experience of leading or coordinating complex funding opportunities involving multiple stakeholders, bringing together the expertise, evidence, budgets and approvals required to develop strong proposals.
• Strong relationship management, influencing and facilitation skills, with the confidence to work effectively with colleagues, senior stakeholders, funders and partners.
• Strong research, analytical and prioritisation skills, with the ability to assess strategic fit, funder alignment, funding potential and project readiness and prioritise activity accordingly.
• Good financial and commercial awareness, including confidence working with project budgets, funding restrictions, match funding and financial information.
• Strong organisational and portfolio-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and relationships and work effectively to competing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills, together with a collaborative and proactive approach and the confidence to represent the Trust effectively with external funders and partners.

Desirable:

• Experience of fundraising within the environmental, heritage, infrastructure, nature, community or place-based sectors.
• Experience of developing large-scale, multi-year or transformational funding opportunities.
• Experience of working with senior organisational stakeholders, including Executive leaders or Trustees, as part of funder cultivation and relationship development.

What We Offer

In addition to your annual base salary of£45,000.We also offer a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1.

Learn more:https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits

#INDHP

Our values

We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.

All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourages you from applying under the scheme.

At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception - are made by our hiring managers.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us

Job Details

Pay Type: Salary

Travel Required: Yes

Hiring Min Rate: 45,000 GBP

Hiring Max Rate: 45,000 GBP