Family Education Trust advances education and research that supports children and family life. We commission and communicate evidence-led work, engage in policy debate, and publish resources designed to improve public understanding and decision-making. We are a small organisation with a lean staff team and active trustees. This role is therefore high-autonomy and hands-on, with a clear growth mandate.
About the role
Family Education Trust is recruiting a Development Manager to turn evidence-led research into real-world impact. We have streamlined administrative responsibilities so you can focus on income growth: establishing a new major donor and mid-value programme and delivering a high-performing trusts and foundations pipeline. If you thrive on autonomy and want your results to help shape the national conversation on family policy for future generations, we would like to hear from you.
Purpose of the role
You will build and lead FET’s income growth function. Your core job is to secure near-term unrestricted income while building durable fundraising capacity, especially a major donor and mid-value programme that does not yet exist at scale.
You will lead fundraising across major donors, regular giving, and trusts and foundations. You will work closely with our Communications Manager, who produces copy and assets for your fundraising brief. While trustees and staff lead conference logistics, you will lead the development perspective for the annual conference, including sponsors, donor cultivation, and follow-up journeys.
We have streamlined administrative responsibilities so you can focus on income growth and donor relationships.
Reporting line and key relationships
Reports to: The Chair
Works daily with: Communications Manager
Works with: Treasurer (financial reporting inputs, restricted awards tracking, and reconciliation support)
Works with: Trustees (conference development, sponsor stewardship, donor conversion)
Liaises with: researchers, donors, partners, and suppliers
Delegated authority
To enable rapid execution, the postholder has delegated authority within agreed plans and budgets to:
* Approve routine supporter appeals and stewardship communications.
* Implement simple tests and optimisation on donation journeys.
* Progress sponsor discussions and draft standard sponsor proposals.
* Procure routine fundraising tools and services as agreed within budget.
* Material contractual commitments, unbudgeted spend, and reputationally sensitive communications are escalated to the Chair.
Priorities and trade-offs
1. Income generation and donor stewardship
2. Compliance-critical fundraising data practices (consent and suppression)
3. Other administration and internal support tasks
What success looks like in six months
By six months, we would expect to see:
1. An active major donor and mid-value pipeline, with regular cultivation underway and early asks in progress.
2. A defined top-50 prospect list (by capacity and relationship stage) with documented next actions and a reliable meeting cadence.
3. A trusts and foundations pipeline with clear quarterly submission targets and timely reporting in place.
4. A supporter journey that balances stewardship and appeals, with list health monitored (retention and unsubscribe rates).
5. Conference-related sponsor and donor conversion activity in motion, with clear follow-up journeys after key moments.
6. Simple, consistent reporting in place (Friday dashboard, pipeline view, and income forecast).
Key outcomes and accountability
Major donor build: Define and maintain a “top 50” prospect list by capacity and relationship stage, with documented next actions. Within 60 days, identify and qualify at least 30 new prospects (named, capacity-indicated, with a route-in and next action) and begin cultivation.
Cultivation cadence: Maintain a steady rhythm of donor conversations, typically at least 6 to 8 cultivation conversations per month, tracked in the pipeline.
Digital supporter programme: Deliver a weekly supporter communications programme that balances stewardship and appeals, with a primary call-to-action where appropriate, and report performance next working day. Monitor list health including retention and unsubscribe rate.
Trust pipeline: Achieve quarterly income targets through an active trusts and foundations pipeline with defined submission targets.
Stewardship: Ensure all gifts are acknowledged within 48 hours and deliver timely follow-up.
Operational reporting: Produce a Friday dashboard covering income, pipeline status, and next actions.
Core responsibilities
Major donors and individual giving
Identify and qualify prospects from existing lists, networks, and event audiences.
Secure cultivation meetings, manage follow-ups, and progress prospects through clear stages with disciplined next actions.
Prepare tailored proposals and make asks, coordinating with the Chair where helpful.
Own the supporter communications programme as a development tool, setting the audience, proposition, and segmentation.
Brief the Communications Manager for copy and creative, then quality-check and optimise for fundraising performance.
Improve donation journeys and supporter conversion flows, using simple tests and iteration based on performance.
Deliver high-quality stewardship and upgrade pathways.
Trusts, foundations, and partnerships
Research prospects aligned to FET’s objects and maintain a 6 to 12 month pipeline.
Draft tailored cases for support and prepare applications, including simple budgets, and deliver on-time reporting.
Identify and develop sponsors and partners, manage a sponsor pipeline and renewals.
Lead the development perspective for the annual conference: sponsor relationships, donor cultivation, and post-event follow-up journeys.
Operations, compliance, and bounded administration
Maintain accurate supporter records in a simple CRM and ensure excellent data hygiene. If currently spreadsheet-led, implement a lightweight CRM approach suitable for a small organisation.
Ensure compliance with UK GDPR, PECR, and the Code of Fundraising Practice, including consent and suppression handling.
Provide timely reconciliation inputs to the Treasurer. Encourage donors to use Gift Aid where eligible. The Treasurer handles Gift Aid claims, payments, and statutory finance.
Research administration boundary: Provide bounded support for records associated with research contracts, limited to documentation and filing. This role does not include managing researchers or drafting research content.
Person specification
Recent experience (within the last 3 years) delivering hands-on fundraising in a mission-led organisation.
Evidence of building income, not only maintaining it.
Experience building a mid-value or major donor pipeline, or demonstrable transferable experience with a clear, credible approach to building the function.
Trusts and foundations competence including prospect research, tailored bids, and reporting.
Strong stewardship discipline and donor-centred communication.
Numerate and comfortable with forecasting, pipeline management, and simple reporting.
Comfortable working with autonomy and prioritising under load as a reliable finisher.
Personal alignment with FET’s mission and established public positions on family policy, and willingness to advance them through fundraising and external relationships.
Track record securing sponsors or corporate partners.
Experience launching or scaling regular giving.
Knowledge of legacy marketing and stewarding pledgers.
Working pattern, location, and terms
Hours: 37.5
Location: home based
Contract: Full-time, permanent (we will also consider an initial consultancy arrangement).
Salary: Up to £40,000 (higher may be offered for an exceptional candidate)
Annual leave and pension: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays; 5% employer pension contribution via salary sacrifice
Travel: UK travel as required
Out of hours: occasional evenings for donor meetings or public events, with TOIL arrangement.
Equal opportunities
Family Education Trust is committed to fair recruitment and equal opportunities. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
Application process
To apply: Send a CV and covering letter outlining your suitability for the role to FET Chairman Tony.Rucinski@familyeducationtrust.org.uk
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