Reports to: CEO
Direct reports: - Grants Officer & Community Fundraiser
Location: cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: from £42,000 p/a
Hours: 35 hours per week; 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday
Benefits: 30 days annual leave, Vitality health insurance, Employee Assistance Programme, free onsite parking, personal training budget, matchday tickets / club discounts
Start date: September 2025
BACKGROUND
Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club was formed in 1880, when Reverend Samuel Wathen Wigg identified rugby as a way to channel the energies of some of the county’s more troubled youngsters. More than 145 years on, Northampton Saints Foundation continues his legacy, using the power of sport and the values of rugby to INSPIRE, SUPPORT and EDUCATE thousands of people each year. Our education and social inclusion programmes inspire the current generation to learn, develop new skills, increase confidence and where appropriate return to education, training or employment.
The charity has seen 261% growth over the past 3 years.
ROLE
As the Head of Fundraising you will lead the development and delivery of an ambitious, sustainable fundraising strategy to support Northampton Saints Foundation’s immediate and long-term goals.
You will be responsible for generating revenue through a diverse range of activities, including, but not limited to Corporate Partnerships, Events, Trusts and Commissioned Services.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop and implement a fundraising strategy to meet ambitious targets across diverse funding streams, including grants, commissioning, corporate partnerships, individual giving, In Memory Giving, Legacies and community fundraising.
- Lead, develop and inspire the Fundraising team, creating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence and supporting professional development.
- Develop, oversee and enhance innovative fundraising campaigns and events to build a strong supporter base that aligns with the Foundations strategic goals
- Act as an ambassador for the Foundation, representing the charity at events to enhance the Foundation's visibility, raising awareness of our work within the wider community.
- With the Senior Leadership Team, oversee compliance and reporting to ensure all fundraising activities are undertaken within best practice guidelines and regulatory requirements
- Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team to align fundraising objectives with the charity’s overall strategy and vision
- Analyse market trends and donor behaviour and assess against the Foundations data to identify where improvements in fundraising effectiveness can be made, and implement strategies to achieve this,
- Support the Partnership Lead to build and nurture long-term high value relationships with major donors, corporate partners and philanthropic supporters.
- Secure and manage significant income from trusts, foundations and public funders, supported by the CEO and Programme Leads through proactive relationship-building and high-quality applications
- Work effectively with the marketing, communications and operations team to effectively coordinate the use of social media platforms for recruitment and promotion of all fundraising activity and broadcast the success of the Foundation programmes
- Provide monthly reports to CEO of the Foundation and Trustee board.
- Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the Foundation
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Relevant education in fields such as Fundraising, Marketing, Communications, Business Administration
- Institute of Fundraising (IoF) / Chartered Institute of Fundraising professional qualifications such as Certificate in Fundraising, Diploma in Fundraising
- Proven experience of securing significant income across trusts, foundations, major donors and corporate partners.
- Experience in financial planning, setting and managing budgets, and analysing performance
- Extensive experience in relationship management, engaging with donors, funders, and corporate partners.
- A track record of building and developing successful teams.
- Previous experience using digital fundraising platforms and analytics tools
- Knowledge of fundraising regulations and best practices in the UK charity sector.
- Good understanding of GDPR practices and application
- Ability and willingness to travel for work
KEY COMPETENCIES
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to develop compelling funding proposals, persuasive pitches and impactful reports.
- Strong leadership and mentoring skills
- A strategic mindset with the ability to identify new funding opportunities and diversify income streams.
- Commitment to succession planning, ensuring a stable and well-prepared fundraising department for the future.
- Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach
- Analytical and data-driven mindset to interpret performance data and adapt accordingly.
- An adaptable and flexible approach to working
- Ability to work under pressure and multitask
- Excellent organisation and ability to manage multiple tasks, schedules, and deadlines across the team.
- Have good interpersonal skills with a collaborative approach
- Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as required
APPLICATION
Please send CV and covering letter to [email protected] with your name and role applied for in the subject line.
Closing date: 16th July 2025
Interviews: week commencing 21st July 2025
Please note, if we receive a large number of applications, we may close the process early, so interested parties are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.
Any CV’s, contact details or other personal data shared with Northampton Saints Foundation in relation to this position will be processed for recruitment purposes only. We are storing this data in line with our privacy policy, and any information will only be shared internally as required to undertake shortlisting and interviews with those directly connected to the recruitment process.
We would like to keep this data until this position is filled. When that period is over, we will delete your data unless we specifically inform you that we will keep it on file for future roles.
To see a copy of our privacy policy or if you have any queries relating to how we manage personal data, please contact [email protected].
OTHER
The role description, person specification, role grade and role title may be subject to change at the discretion of the Northampton Saints Foundation and in accordance with business developments. Any changes will be communicated to the role holder as appropriate.
Northampton Saints Foundation is an equal opportunities employer and would welcome applications from a fully diverse range of candidates, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.
The successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring service check and Section 128 check.
