Fundraising & Partnerships Lead

Newcastle upon Tyne Permanent £32,000 - 35,000 Ref: 420442

The Organisation

Nigel Wright Group is delighted to be working exclusively with Newcastle Foodbank to recruit an Fundraising & Partnerships Lead, an exciting opportunity to join an organisation making a tangible difference to people and communities across the city.
This is much more than a traditional fundraising position. You'll have the opportunity to shape how Newcastle Foodbank generates income, engages supporters, develops corporate partnerships and communicates its impact, helping to build a sustainable future for a charity doing incredibly important work.

About Newcastle Foodbank
Newcastle Foodbank is an established charity at the forefront of tackling food insecurity and poverty across Newcastle. It is more than a food bank, providing food assistance alongside tailored welfare guidance designed to address the underlying causes of financial hardship.
Working across several community hubs, the charity provides welcoming spaces where people can access practical support, with the ultimate aim of helping individuals reach a position where they no longer need to rely on foodbank services.
It is a hands-on, passionate and community-focused organisation, and this role provides the opportunity to use your commercial, fundraising and communications skills for a cause where you can genuinely see the difference your work makes.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Chief Executive and forming part of the management team, the Fundraising and Partnerships Lead will take ownership of developing and delivering the charity's fundraising and communications strategy.
There is already a fantastic platform to build from. The opportunity now is to develop this further by strengthening existing donor relationships, securing new funding, creating compelling campaigns and making significantly more of the potential for corporate partnerships across the region.

You'll have the freedom to bring ideas, creativity and energy to the role and help shape how the function develops.
While the position has been scoped on a full-time basis, part-time and flexible working options can be explored for the right person.

What you'll be doing

No two weeks are likely to look quite the same. You'll have a varied remit spanning income generation, relationships and communications, including:

Developing and implementing a clear fundraising and communications strategy.
Identifying new grant and funding opportunities and delivering high-quality, compelling bids.
Growing relationships with corporate partners, major donors, trusts, funders and community supporters.
Developing new corporate giving, sponsorship and partnership opportunities.
Strengthening relationships with existing donors and growing regular giving.
Creating seasonal and community fundraising campaigns.
Developing engaging digital, social media and email content that brings the charity's impact to life.
Supporting website and marketing activity.
Building relationships with media partners and developing press releases and case studies.
Monitoring fundraising performance, donor trends and income data to identify opportunities for further growth.
Ensuring fundraising activity meets relevant regulatory, GDPR, Gift Aid and ethical requirements.

About you

We're looking for someone who combines strong relationship-building and communication skills with the drive to turn ideas and opportunities into sustainable income.
You may already work within fundraising or income generation, but we are also interested in people who can demonstrate highly relevant transferable experience and a genuine motivation to use their skills within the charity sector.

You'll ideally bring:

Experience of successful bid writing and securing funding.
Experience developing fundraising or income-generation strategies.
A track record of achieving income growth.
Confidence building relationships with businesses, donors, funders and other stakeholders.
Strong written communication skills and the ability to create compelling proposals.
The creativity to develop fundraising campaigns and engaging communications.
Confidence with digital communications, social media and online donation channels.
Excellent organisation and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
The confidence to network, represent the charity externally and develop new relationships.

We are particularly interested in someone who is proactive, creative and comfortable developing opportunities, rather than simply maintaining an established fundraising programme.
Most importantly, you'll be someone who connects with Newcastle Foodbank's purpose and wants to use your experience to create positive change for people experiencing hardship.

What's on offer

Salary: £32,000 – 35,000 pro rata where appropriate.
Working options: Full-time, with part-time/flexible arrangements considered for the right candidate.
Location: Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, with hybrid working considered.
Annual leave: 25 days plus statutory and public holidays, pro rata where appropriate.
Pension: NEST pension scheme with an employer contribution of up to 3%, subject to a minimum 5% employee contribution.
The opportunity to build and shape an income-generation function, rather than simply inheriting an established way of working.
A genuinely rewarding environment where successful fundraising directly supports services for people experiencing food insecurity and financial hardship across Newcastle.

Interested?
Nigel Wright Group is managing this recruitment campaign exclusively on behalf of Newcastle Foodbank.
We would particularly welcome conversations with candidates who are excited by the charity's mission, including those who may be considering using their fundraising, business development, bid writing, communications or relationship-management experience in a more purpose-led environment.
If you're looking for a role offering purpose, autonomy, creativity and the opportunity to make a visible difference, we'd love to hear from you.