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Head of Fundraising, Income and Alumni – Community Organisation
Contract: Full-time, permanent (options for part-time and flexible working)
Hours: Full time
Location: London, with regular travel across the UK
Reference: J-6697
About the Community Organisation – The Voice for Jewish Students
We are represent 10,000 Jewish students spanning over 80 Jewish Societies (JSocs) on campuses across the UK and Ireland. For over 100 years, we have been leading, defending and enriching Jewish student life.
We are the democratic representative body of Jewish students and the only peer‑led Jewish student organisation in the UK. We build Jewish campus communities that are run by students, for students, and empower Jewish students to live active, involved and safe Jewish lives on campus.
As a minority community, we understand and promote the rights of others to express their identities free from hate or prejudice. We are cross‑communal, bringing together students from across the Jewish spectrum and creating a space that reflects the diversity of Jewish student life.
At the heart of the Community Organisation is a distinctive peer‑led model. Each year, an elected President and team of sabbatical officers, recent graduates working on fixed‑term contracts, lead the organisation’s student‑facing work. They design and deliver programmes, campaigns and national activity, working directly with students across the UK and Ireland.
Locally, nationally and internationally, we run diverse and dynamic programmes, provide access to kosher food and accommodation, and engage with Israel, interfaith and social action projects.
Alongside this, a permanent staff team provides continuity, expertise and organisational leadership. This team ensures that the work of successive Presidents and Sabbatical Officer teams is sustainable, well‑supported and able to grow year on year, while building the partnerships and infrastructure that underpin the Community Organisation’s impact.
About the Role
The Head of Fundraising, Income and Alumni is responsible for shaping and delivering the Community Organisation’s income generation strategy at a pivotal moment in its development. This is a hands‑on role focused on delivering income for the Community Organisation. While you will contribute to shaping our approach, the priority is execution: building pipeline, writing applications, managing relationships and ensuring opportunities convert into income.
As a senior leader in the organisation, you will be key to how the Community Organisation generates and sustains its income across multiple streams. You will work closely with the CEO, President, Chair, and senior team to prioritise key opportunities and focus effort where it will have the greatest impact, building and operationalising a clear, ambitious and achievable fundraising approach that supports both immediate priorities and long‑term sustainability.
This role will involve both strengthening existing income streams and building new ones, with a focus on creating sustainable, long‑term growth.
The post holder will have ownership of the fundraising function and will work closely with senior stakeholders, while taking personal responsibility for delivery across all areas. It includes a high level of personal delivery and will be directly responsible for writing applications, managing the pipeline, and driving opportunities forward, rather than delegating to a team.
The role will enable the management of relationships with major donors, trusts and foundations, develop a compelling and consistent case for support, and strengthen how the Community Organisation communicates its impact. You will ensure that the President, Chair and CEO are in the right rooms with the most compelling message to generate support.
The role will focus initially on building pipeline and strengthening foundations, alongside delivering income against agreed targets. You will be supported by external expertise where needed and have the opportunity to shape future resourcing.
You will also build and grow an alumni strategy that creates meaningful, long‑term engagement with the many students who have come through the Community Organisation. This is to ensure that alumni are well supported and that they can act as champions, supporters and donors for our current student‑facing programme work.
The Community Organisation operates in a fast‑moving, student‑led environment where priorities evolve each year. This role is central to providing stability and continuity, ensuring that strong fundraising foundations are in place while remaining responsive to new opportunities and directions set by elected leadership. This role will involve managing a high volume of activity, with multiple applications, relationships and opportunities progressing at any one time. The Community Organisation is a lean organisation and this role does not currently include a large fundraising team. Success will come from being proactive, organised and comfortable managing both strategic priorities and detailed execution, measured through growth in pipeline, conversion of opportunities into income, and the development of sustainable fundraising systems and relationships.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and deliver the Community Organisation’s income generation and fundraising strategy, conducting research, identifying and pursuing new opportunities and revenue streams
* Personally write compelling grant applications and donor proposals, managing the full grant lifecycle from research to reporting
* Actively identify, research and pursue potential trusts, foundations, major donors and corporate partners
* Develop and deliver the Community Organisation’s alumni engagement strategy, creating opportunities for alumni to remain connected and support the organisation
* Manage the fundraising pipeline and donor database, ensuring accurate record‑keeping and timely follow‑up
* Plan and deliver fundraising campaigns and events, working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation
* Work closely with the CEO and the Community Organisation President on cultivation and stewardship of major donors including trusts and foundations and key stakeholder relationships
* Prepare high‑quality reports for funders and donors, demonstrating impact and value for money
* Manage fundraising budgets and monitor income against targets, providing regular updates to senior management and trustees
* Oversee grant writing work that may, where specific expertise or capacity is needed, be outsourced to external consultants, ensuring quality and consistency
* Stay abreast of fundraising trends, regulations and best practice, ensuring the Community Organisation maintains the highest standards
* Liaise with Head of People and Programme Support to ensure appropriate and effective impact evaluation and reporting systems are in place
* Collaborate with the Community Organisation President, Sabbatical Officers and other permanent team members to create compelling case for support materials
* Contribute to organisational strategy and participate actively as a member of the senior permanent team
Person Specification
* Commitment to the Community Organisation’s mission and values, with understanding of issues affecting Jewish students
* Proven track record in fundraising, with significant experience securing grants from trusts, foundations and major donors
* Experience of running fundraising events and appeals
* Comfortable operating in a hands‑on role with significant personal delivery
* Proven ability to manage a high volume of fundraising activity independently
* Exceptional written communication skills with demonstrable experience writing successful grant applications and donor proposals
* Strong relationship‑building skills with the ability to cultivate and steward donor relationships at all levels
* Strategic thinking with the ability to develop and implement income generation strategies
* Experience managing fundraising pipelines, budgets and meeting income targets
* Understanding of charity sector fundraising best practice and regulatory requirements
* Highly organised with excellent project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities
* Computer literacy, including experience with CRMs and Microsoft 365
* Ability to work flexibly including occasional evenings and weekends for events
* Experience in alumni engagement and building alumni networks
* Line management experience with the ability to motivate and develop team members
* Knowledge of the UK Jewish community and Jewish student life
What We Offer
* Genuine seniority and ownership – you will lead the Community Organisation’s income generation strategy and shape how the organisation builds long‑term financial sustainability
* Senior visibility – you will work closely with the CEO, President and trustees on funding priorities and key donor relationships
* Mission – your work will directly support Jewish students across the UK and Ireland to build community, respond to challenges and develop as leaders
* Scope to develop new areas – there is real opportunity to grow alumni engagement and strengthen major donor and trust relationships over time
* Variety – the role spans trusts and foundations, major donors, alumni engagement and organisational case for support
* Flexibility – we are open to discussing hybrid working arrangements for the right candidate
* A collaborative, close‑knit team that takes its work seriously without taking itself too seriously
All permanent staff at the Community Organisation receive the following benefits:
* 20 days annual leave plus public and Jewish holidays
* Pension scheme (3% employer contribution) for staff aged 22+
* Professional development and training opportunities
* Birthday Day (extra day's leave for your birthday, to be taken within 2 weeks)
* Access to charity worker discounts
* Occasional opportunities to participate in high‑profile meetings and events and to travel on delegations to conferences abroad
* Community and wider networking opportunities
The Community Organisation is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities and particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process as needed.
For more information about the role, or to receive a personal recommendation, please contact our recruitment team. Tali – tali@theworkavenue.org.uk or Yael – yb@theworkavenue.org.uk
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