Permanent
8 FTE (30hrs per week) (flexible for the right candidate)
Holidays: Uncapped annual leave, plus two week-long shutdowns
Hybrid - a mix of remote working and time at our Abingdon office. The role involves regular travel across Oxfordshire to meet funders, partners, and community supporters, and occasional evening or weekend work for events and networking.
Quest for Learning is an education charity on a mission to close the gap for primary school children in Oxfordshire who are falling behind - often due to complex and compounding disadvantage. Many of the children we support are growing up in poverty, with limited access to books, low parental literacy, and challenging home environments. Some face health inequalities, live in areas affected by crime, or have recently arrived in the UK as refugees or asylum seekers.
We work closely with schools to provide targeted, high-impact literacy and numeracy programmes that give these children the chance to catch up, thrive, and believe in their potential. On average, our small-group tutoring helps pupils make 13 months of progress in just 10 hours - building not only essential skills, but also confidence, motivation, and a renewed sense of possibility.
By supporting children early, we help prevent the need for more complex and costly interventions later in life, from mental health support to exclusion and social care. Our work contributes to stronger, fairer communities by giving every child the foundation they need to participate fully in society. In doing so, we are advancing social sustainability and helping to meet global goals such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Good Health and Wellbeing.
This is a hands-on and outward-facing role for a confident, capable fundraiser ready to lead Quest for Learning’s income generation efforts. As our sole dedicated fundraiser, you’ll take ownership of securing income across a broad mix of streams - including trusts and foundations, community fundraising, individual giving, and corporate partnerships.
You’ll be out and about representing the charity, building relationships with local businesses, community groups, and supporters, and bringing our mission to life with energy and clarity. You'll need to be a proactive self-starter who enjoys meeting people, thrives in a varied role, and is motivated by delivering results that improve life chances for disadvantaged children.
This is a busy and varied role which often involves working on multiple fundraising activities at once. You’ll work closely with the CEO, leadership and programme teams, and our board of trustees to help grow a diverse and sustainable income base.
Trusts and foundations
Research and identify prospective funders, building a robust pipeline
Deliver timely, high-quality reports with evidence of impact
Monitor success rates and financial information and adapt strategy to improve performance
Community fundraising
Initiate and grow partnerships with local community groups (e.g. Support or coordinate local fundraising events and campaigns (e.g. fun runs, quizzes, coffee mornings)
Attend community events to represent the charity and engage new supporters
Equip and support individuals and groups to fundraise on our behalf
Build relationships with local and regional businesses to secure sponsorship, gifts-in-kind or Charity of the Year support
Develop creative, mutually beneficial opportunities to engage corporate partners
Explore other potential income streams including education consultancy or training offers
Support the development of campaigns to encourage donations from individuals
Help create a compelling case for support across our communications
Identify opportunities to increase visibility and supporter base (e.g. speaking engagements, community fairs)
Champion the use of storytelling and pupil outcomes to inspire giving
Marketing and communications (fundraising-focused)
Develop fundraising messaging and materials with the CEO and team
Lead on all communications relating to fundraising and supporter engagement
Ensure consistent branding and tone across all fundraising-related comms
Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in our Beacon CRM
Track income performance and contribute to budgeting and forecasting
Liaise with programme staff to gather data and stories for funders
Report on income and fundraising activities to CEO and trustees
Proven experience in fundraising, with a track record of securing income across multiple streams
Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain our mission clearly and persuasively to a wide range of audiences
Confidence in networking, public speaking, and relationship-building
Highly organised with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Values-led, personable and enthusiastic - able to represent the charity with warmth and professionalism
Experience working in a small charity or education setting
Knowledge of the Oxfordshire funding landscape or local networks
Experience with community fundraising, challenge events, or individual giving
Skills in Canva, Mailchimp or similar content creation tools
Familiarity with Beacon or similar fundraising CRMs
Understanding of primary education and the barriers disadvantaged children face
Experience producing fundraising workplans or reports for trustees
Quest for Learning is a friendly, values-led education charity with a big mission and a supportive culture. We’re committed to flexibility, wellbeing and professional growth, and we believe in helping our team thrive while doing meaningful work.
Unlimited annual leave (minimum 28 days pro rata, plus bank holidays), with full charity shutdowns in August and at Christmas
Flexible hybrid working with autonomy over your schedule
For an informal chat about the role, please contact Chris Higgins, Chief Executive at info@questforlearning.