Martin House provides free specialist palliative care to babies, children and young people with complex and life-shortening conditions. Families from across West, North and East Yorkshire have access to our care 24/7, 365 days a year, including specialist doctors. Every year we care for more than 550 families, at the hospice, in hospital and in families' own homes, as well as supporting around 200 bereaved family members.
We're looking for an inspiring and strategic Special Events Team Manager to lead our Special Events team in delivering a vibrant, high impact calendar of fundraising, cultivation, and stewardship events. You'll play a key role within the Major Relationships team, driving consistent year on year income growth and deepening supporter engagement through an ambitious and thoughtfully curated Special Events portfolio.
The role will involve:
1. Leading, managing and inspiring the Special Events Team through regular one-to-ones, appraisals and performance reviews, ensuring team members meet agreed SMART objectives and income targets.
2. Supporting the delivery of the Special Events Fundraising Strategy and managing the Special Events Portfolio, including philanthropy and major partnership engagement and development events.
3. Identifying opportunities for growth and ensuring strong return on investment across all activities.
4. Working closely with senior volunteers and committees to deliver a successful and sustainable Special Events programme.
5. Implementing, evaluating and continually reviewing the performance of the Special Events portfolio with the Head of Major Relationships to maximise income.
6. Delivering the Special Events programme within budget and to agreed timescales, supported by detailed work plans and accurate record-keeping on the fundraising database
7. Collaborating with wider fundraising teams to ensure the Special Events Portfolio appeals to key stakeholders, including the development of sponsorship opportunities.
8. Leading the delivery of annual committee-led Special Events, working with committees, venues, suppliers, sponsors and volunteers to ensure events are delivered to target and achieve year-on-year growth.
9. Assisting with the recruitment, coordination and motivation of volunteers to support Special Events fundraising activities.
10. Maximising income from Special Events and existing supporters, while identifying, securing and developing new relationships with major donors and partners.
11. Building and maintaining strong internal and external relationships, representing Martin House at the highest level.
12. Working with the marketing team to developing and implement effective marketing and PR strategies to support the successful delivery of all Special Events to maximise ticket sales, income generation and relationship development.
13. Ensuring accurate and up-to-date records of supporters, projects and events using the fundraising database and relevant shared systems.
14. Researching, recommending, developing and delivering new and innovative fundraising products for the Special Events Team, in collaboration with the Philanthropy and Partnerships Team Manager.
15. Supporting the Head of Major Relationships with cultivation, development and stewardship events, working closely with the Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager.
There is an expectation that the post holder will need to travel to visit businesses, attend meetings and conferences etc. sometimes outside of working hours.
Our ideal candidate will
* Be committed to Martin House's values – Excellence, Respect, Integrity and Compassion.
* Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, verbal, non-verbal and written
* Show experience working in an events fundraising role
* Demonstrate excellent management and leadership skills
* Show experience of developing and maintaining strong internal and external working relationships at all levels
* Demonstrate experience of managing multiple fundraising events in a charity and/or commercial setting and maximising income from these through proactive stewardship
* Demonstrate the ability to deliver engaging, sector-leading events to a variety of audiences
* Adopt a creative and proactive approach to all aspects of the work
* Demonstrate the ability to work on own initiative and cooperatively as part of the fundraising team
* Have the ability to set, monitor and analyse income and KPI targets and have a track record of meeting and exceeding targets
* Have knowledge of fundraising legislation and governance
* Have demonstrable knowledge of fundraising databases
* Demonstrate a positive can-do attitude
Martin House places families at the heart of all that we do and this is reflected in the amazing benefits we offer our valued team members.
* Annual leave – eight weeks per year, including bank holidays
* Sick pay – six months full pay and six months half pay following successful completion of probationary period.
* Recognition of NHS pension scheme for candidates who are currently in the scheme and up to 10 per cent contributory AVIVA scheme.
* Enhanced maternity and partners leave to exceed the NHS entitlement
* Health and wellbeing programme including access to free of charge Employee Assistance Programme for employees and their families
* Accredited Menopause and Mindful employer
* Life insurance – two times annual salary
* Free parking at our children's hospice in Boston Spa
Please apply via our website and complete an application form, referring to the Job Description and Person Specification which can be found here. For further information contact Nikki Denton by email at or by telephone
The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 9th March 2026. Interviews will take place on Monday 23rd March 2026. If you have not heard from us by Monday 16th March, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Martin House is committed to providing care and improving services irrespective of race, ethnicity, disability, gender, religion or belief, age, marital status, or sexual orientation.
Martin House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment.
Recruitment checks are undertaken in accordance with safer recruitment standards and successful applicants may be required to undertake a DBS via the Disclosure and Barring Service. Please note all applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK.
* Internal reference
SETM Feb 26
- ##### Closing date
09/03/2026
- ##### Location
Boston Spa
- ##### Hours per week
37.5
- ##### Salary
£ £ per annum. Please note starting salaries start at the bottom of the scale.