Philanthropy Manager

Philanthropy Manager

Contract: Permanent, Full Time,

Salary: £37,130 - £38,986 with excellent benefits.

Location: UK

Hybrid Working: A minimum of 40% of working time is spent face to face, either in London office, or as a result of external engagement or travel for WaterAid. WaterAid is located at Canary Wharf, London and this will be your location and contract base. In order to apply for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK.

Closing date: Applications will close 23:59 on 20th June 2023. Shortlisting and interviews may take place on a rolling basis and the application process will close if a suitable candidate is found prior to the advertised closing date.

How to Apply: To see the full job pack, please click 'Apply'. Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter into one document in either Word Document or PDF format.

About WaterAid:
Do you want to use your skills in fundraising to play a vital role in making clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere? WaterAid are searching for a Philanthropy Manager to help change normal for millions of people so they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty and change their lives for good. On top of that you'll be joining a 2020 Great Place to Work® award-winning organisation, which is also a Living Wage and Disability Confident employer.

We need passionate, creative and dedicated people. In return, you will be encouraged and empowered to be yourself at your very best. Together, we will make a bigger difference.

About the Team:
The WaterAid Philanthropy and Trusts team is a dynamic and ambitious group of 13 people who are committed to building and cultivating WaterAid's most significant relationships with philanthropists and trusts. The team has been earmarked as an area for growth under WaterAid UK's new Fundraising Strategy, so now is an exciting time for new team members to help shape our team trajectory and achieve our vision.

About the Role:
As our ambitious and personable Philanthropy Manager, you will secure high five and six figure grants from existing and new relationships, helping to inspire our most committed supporters, as well as bring new donors into the fold. You will build a sustainable pipeline of new prospects and opportunities, as well as provide first-class relationship management to existing supporters in the portfolio.

You'll also:

• Attend networking events and conferences to build a network of contacts and develop new relationships.


• Collaborate with colleagues across WaterAid to prepare and deliver high-quality funding propositions and reports in line with donor requirements.


• Develop a deep knowledge of WaterAid's activities, growing and maintaining influential relationships across the organisation to the benefit of new and existing relationships.


• Provide first-class relationship management to warm philanthropists in your portfolio, capitalising on events, communications and senior influencers within WaterAid in order to retain and uplift support over the long-term.


• Collaborate with colleagues in-country and across WaterAid to prepare and deliver high-quality funding propositions and reports in line with donor requirements.


• Develop knowledge of WaterAid's new global strategy, our activities and priorities in order to inspire new prospects with our mission and vision.


• Manage our unsolicited new business relationships when prospective partners get in touch with us.

About You:

• A demonstrable track record of securing five and six figure grants from new and existing philanthropists.


• Ability to work flexibly, managing competing priorities under your own initiative in order to meet strict deadlines.


• An externally focused and proactive attitude, with the energy and passion to engage people and excite them about WaterAid.


• Experience in handling objections and negotiating successful, mutually beneficial outcomes for internal and external relationships.


• Experience of proposal writing, with the ability to write accurately and persuasively to develop a variety of quality donor communications.


• Excellent numeracy including experience with budgeting.


• Excellent attention to detail.

Our Benefits:

• 36 days' holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays)


• Option to buy an extra 5 days annual leave


• We offer a generous pension plan with employer contribution of up to 10%


• Wide range of flexible and agile-working arrangement


• Season Ticket Loan


• Free annual eye tests


• Pay as You Give charitable giving scheme


• Enhanced Maternity and Adoption/Surrogacy pay, Shared Parental Leave and Paternity Leave


• Sabbaticals


• Volunteer Day

Our Commitment

An inclusive workplace:

We are committed to being an organisation where everyone is included, respected, and empowered to be their best. We represent and celebrate our staff, partners and everyone we work with, and create a culture where everyone can reach their full potential.

Equal opportunities:

We are an equal opportunity, disability-confident employer and are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions and ways of life. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, national or social origin, health status, and economic or social situation.

Safeguarding:

We are also committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously.