Learning Lead - CIOF

Role purpose

To lead the organisation's products and events portfolio, ensuring fundraisers have access to high-quality learning experiences, events, networking opportunities, volunteer-led communities and professional development activity that strengthen capability, engagement and professional connection and a sense of belonging across the fundraising profession.

The role operates primarily as a portfolio development, commissioning and audience engagement role, working with colleagues, volunteers, partners and external providers to deliver a relevant, accessible and commercially effective programme.

The role leads the development of a coordinated portfolio of products, events and experiences across digital and in-person, ensuring activity is aligned to audience needs, organisational priorities and sustainable income generation.

Reporting structure

Reports to: Director of Learning

Direct reports:

• Learning Delivery Manager
• Learning and Volunteering Officers x 2
• Key responsibilities
• Products and portfolio development
• Lead the development of the products and events portfolio.
• Ensure products and events are aligned to organisational priorities, audience needs and professional development goals.
• Define and develop clear product offers, including webinars, conferences, masterclasses, training and short courses.
• Identify opportunities to develop new products, services and engagement opportunities.
• Identify and test new technologies and delivery approaches that improve learning, engagement and reach.
• Audience engagement and portfolio planning
• Use audience insight, engagement data and sector trends to shape a relevant and inclusive programme.
• Identify gaps, opportunities and emerging needs across different audience groups.
• Ensure products and events remain accessible, relevant and responsive to changing needs.
• Build accessibility and inclusion into product design, commissioning, pricing and format choices, and use feedback to identify and reduce barriers to participation.
• Support audience growth, engagement and retention through effective portfolio planning.
• Work with marketing and membership colleagues on audience development, promotion and coordinated campaigns, using audience insight to improve reach, engagement and bookings.

Commercial performance and sustainability

• Lead financial performance across the products and events portfolio.
• Lead budgeting, pricing, sponsorship, partnerships and income generation activity.
• Monitor portfolio performance and identify opportunities to improve impact, reach and financial sustainability.
• Review products using evidence on demand, learning outcomes, participant feedback and financial performance, and recommend investment, consolidation or withdrawal to the Director of Learning.
• Ensure resources are used effectively to maximise organisational benefit.

Delivery networks and partnerships

• Develop and coordinate relationships with tutors, trainers, speakers, partners and expert contributors.
• Manage delivery partnerships, suppliers and external providers supporting products and events activity.
• Enable volunteers, partners and contributors to deliver high-quality and aligned activity.
• Ensure commissioned learning meets the Learning Standards Manager’s learning quality standards, working with the Learning Delivery Manager to maintain consistent delivery quality.
• Apply the Learning Standards Manager’s professional capability frameworks and learning quality standards when commissioning learning, including requirements for learning outcomes, content, assessment and contributor quality.

Integration and organisational alignment

• Ensure products and events are connected to learning, CPD, professional pathways, content and wider organisational priorities.
• Work closely with colleagues across learning, content, communities, policy and membership activity.
• Support development of a connected professional development ecosystem across the organisation.
• Contribute to organisational planning, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Use operational insight from the Learning Delivery Manager, including complaint, refund and cancellation trends, to inform portfolio decisions and product improvements.

Innovation and improvement

• Test and develop new products, formats and delivery models.
• Monitor sector trends and emerging opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement across the products and events portfolio.
• Ensure products and events remain relevant, competitive and sustainable.

External engagement

• Build relationships with partners, suppliers, speakers, volunteers and stakeholders.
• Represent the organisation on products, events and professional development activity as appropriate.
• Support development of collaborative opportunities that strengthen organisational reach and impact.

Other duties

Undertake other reasonable duties as requested by your line manager, consistent with the purpose, level and responsibilities of the role.

Role-specific knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

• Experience of developing and managing products, events, learning programmes or audience engagement activity.
• Experience of portfolio planning and managing multiple projects or programmes simultaneously.
• Experience of budgeting, financial management and income generation.
• Experience of working with external suppliers, partners, speakers, trainers or contractors.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.

Desirable

• Knowledge of fundraising, charities, membership organisations or professional bodies.
• Experience of digital, in-person and hybrid event delivery.
• Experience of sponsorship, partnership development or commercial income generation.
• Experience of volunteer management or working with distributed delivery networks.
• Experience of product development, service design or customer journey development.