The National Lottery Community Fund
Portfolio Manager/Rheolwr Portffolio
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Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, London
Job Summary
We are recruiting two Portfolio Managers, one on a 12-month FTC and one on an FTC to 31 March 2027, to join our UK Portfolio team.
At The National Lottery Community Fund, we are driven by our strategy ‘It starts with community’ and our commitment to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage through an equity-based approach.
Job Description
At The National Lottery Community Fund, we are driven by our strategy ‘It starts with community’ and our commitment to tackling poverty, discrimination and disadvantage through an equity-based approach.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the UK Portfolio team at a time of growth, ambition and innovation. Through significant strategic investments, the UK Portfolio supports communities across all four nations of the UK, backing bold ideas and proven approaches that have the potential to deliver UK-wide impact and drive lasting systems change.
Working across national boundaries and sectors, we complement the Fund's country portfolios in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, bringing people, organisations and ideas together to tackle complex challenges and create positive change.
As part of a team of just over 40 colleagues, and alongside a cohort of experienced Portfolio Managers, you will help shape and deliver some of the Fund's most significant investments, working with partners across the UK to maximise learning, influence and impact for communities now and in the future.
The UK Portfolio Delivers a Range Of Funding Programmes, Strategic Partnerships And Innovation Initiatives Designed To Create Lasting Change Across The UK, Including:
- The UK Fund: supporting organisations to scale proven approaches that can improve outcomes for communities across the UK.
- Climate Action Fund: investing in ambitious partnerships that tackle climate and environmental challenges through systems change.
- Strategic Partnerships and Emerging Initiatives: collaborating with funders, policymakers, communities and sector partners to address complex social challenges and innovative approaches to change. Examples include Communities for Children, focused on tackling child poverty and Together for Families, supporting early intervention for children and families. We are also developing new areas of work that explore the opportunities and implications of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.
As the Portfolio continues to evolve, we are creating new opportunities to test ideas, build influential partnerships and respond to the issues that matter most to communities across the UK.
Role Expectations
As a Portfolio Manager, you will play a key role in delivering the UK Portfolio's strategic priorities and significant investments. Working with colleagues across the Fund and externally, you will oversee funding delivery, support the development of new initiatives and partnerships, and help ensure our programmes remain responsive to the needs of communities across the UK.
You will provide leadership and support to Portfolio Officers, contribute to continuous improvement across our funding practice, and use insight and learning to help maximise the impact of our investments.
Key Responsibilities May Include:
- Leading the operational delivery and oversight of the UK Portfolio, including the UK Fund, Climate Action Fund and strategic partnership investments.
- Overseeing the end-to-end funding process, ensuring a high-quality and consistent experience for applicants and stakeholders.
- Line managing and developing Portfolio Officers, supporting performance, wellbeing and professional growth.
- Monitoring programme performance and assuring the quality of funding recommendations and decisions.
- Identifying and managing operational risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation and escalation where required.
- Contributing to the development of new funding approaches, partnerships and investment opportunities.
- Building strong relationships with colleagues, partners and stakeholders to support learning, influence and impact.
- Championing the Fund's values and behaviours, promoting inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement.
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Skills & Requirements
We're looking for someone with experience of delivering funding, grant-making or investment programmes in a complex environment. You will bring strong analytical, project and stakeholder management skills, alongside the ability to balance strategic thinking with effective delivery.
You will be confident leading and developing others, managing performance, and building collaborative relationships across teams and organisations. Sound judgement, adaptability and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing communities across the UK will help you succeed in this role.
The role involves working with colleagues and partners across the UK and may require occasional travel.
Interview Details:
- Date: Week commencing 21 September 2026
- Format: Online
- Location: UK Wide
The UK Portfolio supports a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester and Newcastle.
We will be hosting a briefing session on Wednesday 19th August at 10:00 am. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the role, gain insight into the team and key responsibilities, and ask any questions you may have. To register or ask any questions please email: recruitment@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
Person specification
How To Apply:
Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.
Essential Criteria
- Experience of either funding work or managing programmes that fit with those of the UK Portfolio.
- Experience in leading and motivating people and teams (including remote teams), role modelling a culture of inclusion.
- Strong project management and organisational skills, including budget and risk management.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trust and effective relationships across diverse audiences.
- Strong ability to apply critical analysis and consider strategic implications in your work, thinking about how things impact the whole Portfolio, Fund or sector.
- A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and the ability to apply this throughout your work.
- Experience of navigating ambiguity and leading through change, with the ability to adapt your approach to shifting priorities and help others thrive in a dynamic or evolving environment.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of supporting grant-making teams through the funding lifecycle, with oversight of the application assessment, due diligence, decision-making, monitoring, relationship management, risk assessment, performance reporting and grant closure.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
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As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)
Alongside your salary of £35,382, The National Lottery Community Fund contributes £10,250 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
A full list of our benefits can be found on our website using the link:
- Generous Civil Service Pension scheme
- Flexible working
- Enhanced paid maternity/paternity leave
- Paid volunteering leave
- Season ticket loan
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words), aligning your statement to the Essential and Desirable criteria. We will use this to score your application.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (
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