Senior Head of Relationship Fundraising

World Vision; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 65,000; Full time

Job description

With over 70 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 34,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Key Responsibilities:

The Senior Head of Relationship Fundraising will lead and scale World Vision UK’s relational fundraising activities to achieve income exceeding £10 million within three years. The role encompasses overseeing high-value donor streams, including Trusts and Foundations, Philanthropy, and Legacies. Driving strategy, innovation, and execution to grow sustainable income. This individual will be highly experienced in delivering a systems-thinking approach, ensuring scalable, replicable models for success across all income streams, while operating effectively within a global and integrated fundraising context.

Salary: £65,000 per annum

Contract: Full time, hybrid. At least 2/3 in Milton Keynes office required.

This role emphasises a UK-wide reach, collaborating across teams to share portfolios, refine segmentation strategies, and deliver tailored donor experiences that align with World Vision’s mission.

This pivotal position requires a strategic, innovative relationship manager who combines operational excellence with spiritual maturity, inspiring internal teams and external partners to achieve transformative outcomes. Being comfortable and able to pray with donors is a critical aspect of the role, alongside being able to relate with donors of all and no faith.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement strategies to scale relational fundraising income, ensuring alignment with World Vision UK’s mission and strategic goals.
• Embed systems-thinking principles to create scalable, efficient processes for philanthropic giving, trust fundraising, and legacy income.
• Ensure all activities integrate seamlessly into a larger, multi-channel fundraising approach, leveraging digital, marketing, and supporter engagement teams.

Income Growth

• Deliver year-on-year growth across Trusts and Foundations, Philanthropy, and Legacy giving streams.
• Scale legacy income through innovative, mass-market campaigns, leveraging insights from a broad donor base and applying best practices in global fundraising.

Team Leadership and Coaching

• Lead and inspire the team responsible for philanthropy, trust fundraising, and legacies, cultivating a high-performing, collaborative culture.
• Apply coaching expertise to develop team capabilities, foster accountability, and support personal and professional growth.
• Model sales best practices, equipping the team with skills to drive successful donor engagement and conversion.

Donor Relationship Management

• Lead and inspire the team responsible for philanthropy, trust fundraising, and legacies, cultivating a high-performing, collaborative culture.
• Apply coaching expertise to develop team capabilities, foster accountability, and support personal and professional growth.
• Model sales best practices, equipping the team with skills to drive successful donor engagement and conversion.

Global Collaboration

• Lead and inspire the team responsible for philanthropy, trust fundraising, and legacies, cultivating a high-performing, collaborative culture.
• Apply coaching expertise to develop team capabilities, foster accountability, and support personal and professional growth.
• Model sales best practices, equipping the team with skills to drive successful donor engagement and conversion.

Innovation and Campaign Leadership

• Design and implement innovative campaigns targeting mass markets for legacy giving, ensuring measurable outcomes and enhanced donor engagement.
• Champion creative storytelling, leveraging global impact narratives to inspire high-net-worth donors.

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience within a large, integrated fundraising environment, with a strong track record of income generation.
• Demonstrable expertise in scaling relational-based income streams to £10 million or more.
• Deep knowledge of philanthropy, trusts and foundations, and legacy fundraising, with a global perspective.
• Strong understanding of sales strategies, including pipeline management and donor engagement techniques.
• Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in fundraising, sales, or a related field.

Skills & Experience required for the role.

• Strategic leadership with the ability to drive transformational growth within a global context.
• Significant experience leading and coaching teams, applying best practices in sales and performance management to achieve outstanding results.
• Demonstrable experience in strategy development and creation of multi-year, multi £M income department strategies.
• Proven ability to design and implement scalable, systems-driven fundraising strategies that integrate with multi-channel approaches.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, particularly with high-net-worth donors, senior stakeholders, and global partners.
• Strong financial acumen, with the ability to manage budgets, forecast growth, and deliver ROI-focused campaigns.
• Outstanding communication and storytelling skills, capable of inspiring donors with compelling narratives.
• Proven background in multi-£M legacy income generation, cultivation and relationship building within a philanthropic channel.
• Experience of year-on-year income growth across philanthropy, trusts/foundations, and legacy streams.

As an active Christian, this role offers you the opportunity to integrate your Christian faith and be sensitive to its various expressions across cultures and denominations.

Salary: £59,375 - £62,500 per annum, dependent on experience + good range of benefits.

Contract: Permanent.

Hours: Full time - 36.5 hours per week.

Based: Hybrid working with 1 day per week in the Milton Keynes Office.

(UK-based applicants only)

In addition to the salary offered, we offer the following:

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays, rising with length of service to 30 days.
• Holiday purchase scheme.
• Private Health Scheme.
• Pension - 7% employer contribution.
• Eyecare test reimbursement.
• Life Assurance up to 4 x annual salary.
• Enhanced Maternity Pay.
• Wellbeing Support – Employee Assistance Programme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.

Please upload your CV of full employment history explaining any gaps of employment and reasons for leaving your previous employer. This must be accompanied with a covering letter stating how you meet the essential criteria provided above.

Please note that you MUST have the Right to work in the UK documentation as unfortunately, this role is not sponsored, and your application cannot be considered any further without it.

Closing Date for applications: 28th February 2025

We reserve the right to interview candidates and close the ad ahead of the closing date should a strong candidate be identified.

As a Disability committed employer we encourage qualified individuals with a disability to apply and request a reasonable adjustment if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access this link as a result of your disability.

Universal acceptance for everyone, everywhere is at the heart of our Christian organisation. We promote diversity of thought, culture, and background, which connects the entire World Vision family. As such, World Vision is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and aspire to reflect this in our workforce. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented sections of the community. World Vision UK also operates flexible working policies and practices.

As a child-focused organisation, World Vision UK is committed to the safeguarding of children, therefore any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of applicable background checks, including a criminal records check.

World Vision UK is a registered organisation operating the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS) and we shall check with your previous employers about your behaviour and conduct. We will be requesting they complete a form known as a Statement of Conduct. For more information see: this link.

By submitting your application, you understand and accept that World Vision UK will process the data you provide for the purposes of your application and in accordance with the World Vision UK - Job Applicant Privacy Notice.

No agencies please.

Applicant Types Accepted: Local Applicants Only