Trusts & Foundations Senior Specialist

Every dog and cat in need deserves expert care, compassion and the chance to thrive.

At Mayhew, we’re a passionate team of around c60 staff and c220 volunteers working to improve the lives of dogs, cats and the communities that care for them. Through veterinary services, rescue and rehoming, community support programmes and education, we make a real difference every day.

We’re looking for an experienced and motivated Trusts & Foundations Senior Specialist to help us secure the funding that makes our work possible.

This is an exciting opportunity for a talented trusts and foundations fundraiser who enjoys developing compelling proposals, building strong funder relationships and securing income that delivers real impact.

You’ll manage a portfolio of trusts and foundations, identify new funding opportunities, write persuasive applications and develop relationships that encourage long-term support. You’ll help grow our income from trusts and foundations, including securing repeat, unrestricted and multi-year funding to support Mayhew’s future.

Our Way of Working

This is a hands-on fundraising role for someone who enjoys getting to know the work they’re raising money for and turning that understanding into strong funding applications.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across Mayhew’s veterinary, rescue, rehoming and community programmes to understand their work, identify funding needs and gather the stories, evidence and outcomes that demonstrate our impact.

You might be developing an application for a new programme, meeting an existing funder, preparing an impact report or working with colleagues to shape an idea into a strong funding proposition.

We offer hybrid working, with opportunities to spend time on site, build relationships with frontline teams and see Mayhew’s work first-hand. The successful candidate will be a confident and persuasive writer, highly organised and comfortable managing their own priorities and deadlines.

In this role, you will:

Research and identify new trusts and foundations with the potential to support Mayhew’s work.

Manage a portfolio and pipeline of funders, applications, reporting deadlines and renewal opportunities.

Write compelling, tailored funding applications, proposals and cases for support.

Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective funders, encouraging repeat and longer-term support.

Work with colleagues across Mayhew to develop accurate project budgets, outcomes, evidence and impact information for applications.

Prepare high-quality funder reports, ensuring that funding commitments, restrictions and reporting requirements are met.

Track income and pipeline performance against targets, identifying opportunities to improve success rates and grow sustainable funding.

To be successful, you will:

Have proven experience of securing income from trusts and foundations, including writing successful funding applications.

Be an excellent and persuasive writer, able to turn complex information into clear, engaging proposals.

Have strong research skills and the ability to identify and assess potential funding opportunities.

Be highly organised, with experience managing multiple applications, deadlines, reports and funder relationships.

Understand restricted funding, budgets, impact reporting and the importance of meeting funder requirements.

Be confident building relationships with funders and working collaboratively with colleagues across different teams.

Be proactive, thorough and motivated by achieving income targets and securing funding that makes a difference.

Experience of securing multi-year or unrestricted funding would be particularly welcome, as would experience in animal welfare or community-based services.

Why work for Mayhew?

Join a charity with ambitious plans, passionate people and a clear purpose. You’ll play an important role in securing the funding that allows Mayhew to care for animals in need, support pet owners and develop the services that make a lasting difference.

You’ll be part of a collaborative team, with the opportunity to strengthen Mayhew’s relationships with funders and help grow the sustainable income we need for the future.

Please note that successful candidates will be asked to evidence their Right to Work in the UK post-job offer. We do not hold a sponsor licence and are therefore unable to provide visa sponsorship.