Make A Wish UK
Senior Philanthropy Manager
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Location: Reading Hours: Full Time, 37 hours per week Contract Type: Permanent Salary: £49,045 Campaign Closes: 12pm, Wednesday 21st October 2026 Interviews: 1st Stage: week commencing 26th October 2026 2nd Stage: week commencing 2nd November 2026
On occasion, we may close a vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible, as we will be shortlisting on a rolling basis.
Core Purpose:
The Senior Philanthropy Manager is a key role within Make-A-Wish UK’s Philanthropy and Special Events team, responsible for supporting the shaping and delivery of a long-term philanthropic income through both major donors and trusts and foundations. This role will hold strategic oversight of our trusts and foundations pipeline, driving income growth through five, six and seven-figure gifts, as well as manage a number of high-value major donors. The Senior Philanthropy Manager will lead the design and execution of bespoke cultivation and stewardship plans, creating bespoke propositions and delivering a best-in-class donor experience that aligns with Make-A-Wish UK’s vision to grant a wish for every eligible child. Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, the Senior Philanthropy Manager will provide line management to the Philanthropy Manager and work collaboratively with the wider Philanthropy and Special Events team to support prospecting, cultivation and stewardship. This role will play a crucial part in building collaborative and effective work practices across the organisation and help to embed a culture of philanthropy, both within the team and across the charity.
Essential Criteria
- Proven success in securing multiple six or seven-figure gifts from trusts, foundations, statutory bodies, high-net-worth individuals or family offices, with a strong track record of meeting targets
- Demonstrable success in increasing income from major donors, trusts and foundations and/or high-value fundraising
- Experience managing complex multi-stakeholder relationships and influencing decision makers
- Demonstrated experience of developing effective propositions and compelling cases for support, and making significant funding asks
- Experience of managing complex prospect pipelines, identifying and qualifying new prospects and prioritising approaches
- Experience using CRM systems and fundraising data to support performance
- Strong financial planning, budgeting and forecasting capability
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Desirable Criteria
- Experience working collaboratively in a high-value fundraising function
- Experience of line-management and/or supporting learning and development of junior colleagues
- Experience developing transformational funding propositions and/or securing transformational funding
- Experience working with senior volunteers, trustees, ambassadors or influential supporters
- Experience working with high-profile donor committees, giving clubs, patron programmes or volunteer leadership groups
- Experience collaborating with service delivery teams to translate strategy and operational plans into funder-facing cases for support
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Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into practical delivery
- Strong relationship manager, with the confidence to manage donor relationships effectively and autonomously
- Outstanding stewardship skills, with an eye for detail and want to bring Make-A-Wish UK to life for donors
- Confident decision-maker, comfortable operating in complex and evolving environments
- Highly organised with excellent planning and prioritisation skills
- Analytical and insight-driven, using evidence to inform decisions
- Passionate about philanthropy, relationship fundraising and supporter experience
- Committed to Make-A-Wish UK's values of being Magical, Inclusive and Inspiring
Strategic Leadership and Planning:
- Support the development and execution of a 5-year growth-focused philanthropy fundraising strategy, primarily focusing on income from Trusts and Foundations.
- Identify, support and develop new funding models, including transformational and restricted giving propositions, as well as new products and ways to fund Make-a-Wish UK’s core operations
- Build a strong pipeline of opportunities by informing and supporting strategic prospect research, networking and proactive relationship building, using this to accurately inform income forecasts and operational plans
Philanthropy Fundraising:
- Personally manage a portfolio of trusts, foundations and major donors at different stages of the donor lifecycle, with a focus on six and seven-figure gifts
- Design and lead bespoke cultivation and stewardship plans for trusts, foundations and major donors
- Support growth in restricted, unrestricted and transformational funding aligned with Make-A-Wish UK’s strategic priorities
- Drive donor retention, using upgrade and engagement strategies to maximise long-term philanthropic value
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with key donors, trustees, patrons, volunteers and supporters, partnering with them to unlock networks, secure introductions and identify opportunities
- Support engagement and stewardship of key volunteers, committees and ambassadors to help maximise philanthropic income
Collaboration and Influence:
- Act as a strategic partner to Make-A-Wish UK’s SLT in donor engagement, through tailored briefing, coaching and follow up
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across High-Value fundraising to drive cross-cultivation, establish effective working practices, share expertise and maximise resource
- Champion and help embed a culture of philanthropy across Make-A-Wish UK, working with senior leaders, trustees and colleagues to maximise fundraising opportunities and supporter engagement
- Work closely with internal teams such as Finance, Insight and Innovation, and Brand Communications and Engagement, to co-develop robust cases for support, reporting frameworks and donor engagement tools
- Represent Make-A-Wish UK externally, building relationships that enhance the charity's profile, reputation and income potential
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People Management:
- Provide supportive and collaborative line management to the Philanthropy Manager, including regular 1-2-1s, objective setting and review, and training and development
- Support the Philanthropy Manager in the development and management of their own portfolio of trusts, foundations and major donors
Financial Management, KPIs and Reporting:
- Develop key performance metrics, and implement data-driven decision making, continuously improving performance through insight
- Monitor income and KPI performance, contributing to team reporting and performance management
- Ensure compliance with fundraising regulation, organisational policies, due diligence requirements and risk management frameworks
- Act as a CRM champion, maintaining accurate records, recording opportunities and continually maximising data integrity
As a Make-A-Wish colleague, you will also need to:
- Actively support our wishgranting through voluntary activity to support Make-A-Wish. We encourage all colleagues to become Wish Makers.
- Have a practical understanding of the Make-A-Wish values: Be Magical, Be Inclusive and Be Inspiring
- Strengthen relationships between different members of the Make-A-Wish community to ensure everyone works in collaborative and inclusive way.
- Attend organisational meetings, like symposiums and town halls.
- Keep yourself informed about things going on across the organisation by making use of internal communications channels, e.g. Teams, Wish Wisdom (our colleague newsletter).
- Keep yourself informed on the strategy and plans of the organisation in order to be able to fully contribute to them through your role.
- Actively listen to other people, particularly those with views that are different to your own.
- Embed the principles of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Charter within your role.
- Be open to collaboration and working across different teams to help the organisation achieve its strategic objectives.
- Be able to work independently in an agile environment, understanding that different people across the organisation have different working patterns.
- Be able to work with your colleagues and other members of Make-A-Wish community as one team, united in a common vision and mission, and support organisational efforts of reaching every child by, for example, answering phones when other teams are busy, supporting activities happening across the organisation, etc.
Benefits:
- 26 days annual leave with the option to buy/sell annual leave (pro rata for part time)
- Paid Birthday leave
- Flexible & Hybrid working arrangements
- Salary exchange pension scheme
- Paid volunteering days
- Pirkx subscription - Access to wellbeing support, GP appointments, training and events, retail discount platform, and much more!
- Cycle to work initiative
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