Trusts and Grants Manager

Teens Unite is leading the way in youth cancer support.

We're an energetic, ambitious and dynamic charity improving the lives of 13-24-year-olds living with, and beyond, cancer. We're not here to cure cancer. We're here to empower young people to rebuild their lives and thrive beyond a diagnosis by taking part in our specialist activities, programmes and residential stays.

This is an incredibly exciting time to join our team. Demand for our support is growing rapidly, with a 48% increase in young people registering over the last 12 months.

As we grow, we're embarking on our most ambitious chapter yet: building the first purpose-built retreat in England for young people overcoming cancer. This pioneering, first-of-its-kind development will transform the support available to young people for generations to come.

We're looking for an experienced, ambitious and creative Trusts & Grants Manager to play a vital role in making this vision a reality. Combining exceptional relationship-building skills with the ability to develop standout, compelling pitches and applications, you will secure vital funding for both this transformational project and our existing services, to ensure we reach our ambition of providing 30,000 opportunities for teenagers and young adults over the next decade.

Who you are:

You thrive on building relationships and are a natural storyteller with a strong strategic instinct - someone who understands what matters to a funder and can build genuine connections between their priorities and the work, impact and ambitions of Teens Unite.

You understand that a successful funding application is never simply about changing a few words in an existing proposal. You have a talent for developing persuasive, engaging and individually tailored applications and reports that stand out and inspire funders to invest in our work.

You'll research every opportunity, take the time to understand each funder's priorities and motivations, and build meaningful relationships that keep Teens Unite front of mind when funding opportunities arise. You'll adapt the tone, emphasis and case for support accordingly - while always retaining Teens Unite's own language, personality and brand.

You'll have a strong track record of securing funding and building a successful pipeline and recognise that the relationship with a funder doesn't end when the funds are received. You'll take pride in nurturing relationships, demonstrating the impact of their support and building long-standing partnerships with the potential to grow over time.

You'll have experience of exceeding fundraising targets and taking ownership of the complete funding journey -from identifying opportunities and developing compelling applications, through to managing grants, demonstrating impact and securing future or repeat funding where appropriate.

You'll take real ownership of delivering tangible results, bringing fresh ideas, ambition and a proactive approach to identifying and pursuing new opportunities.

The role:

As a self-funded charity, grant income is a vital and growing area of fundraising at Teens Unite, supporting both our current service delivery of activities, programmes and residential breaks, and our ambitious plans for the future.

Teens Unite currently raises £200,000 per annum from grants and trusts, and we are looking to grow this year on year through developing and delivering an ambitious grants fundraising strategy, which will support Teens Unite's current service delivery and work towards raising the remaining 50% needed of our £6.5million capital appeal to build England's first purpose-built retreat for young people overcoming cancer.

This isn't about simply stepping into a bid writing role, it's about thinking creatively to retain existing funding relationships and seeking new opportunities with the ability to balance ambition with integrity, ensuring funding opportunities genuinely align with organisational priorities and values.

We need you to:

• Take ownership of Teens Unite's trusts, foundations and grant income programme, working towards agreed annual income targets across programme, core and capital funding.
• Develop and deliver an ambitious trust and grants fundraising strategy to grow income year on year, across programme, core and capital funding
• Research prospective trusts, foundations and grant-making organisations and identify opportunities that align with Teens Unite's work and ambitions.
• Write compelling funding applications, proposals and cases for support
• Develop project budgets and funding packages in collaboration with colleagues
• Build, nurture and maintain long-term relationships with funders
• Manage grant agreements, reporting requirements and payment schedules
• Produce engaging, evidence-led impact reports that clearly demonstrate how funding has been used and the difference it has made
• Monitor income performance against agreed targets and maintain accurate fundraising records and pipeline reports
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to maximise the impact of funding secured

What we offer:

When joining Teens Unite, you can expect:

• Annual performance-related bonus opportunity
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• 33 days annual leave pro rata (inclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Christmas office closure
• Optional company-contributed pension scheme
• Recently refurbished offices and free on-site parking
• To be part of an inclusive and dynamic work environment with a dedicated and growing team
• Responsibility and ownership of an income stream that is fundamental to Teens Unite's growth and future
• Support in your personal and professional development, including access to training
• The chance to make a real-life difference in the lives of young people

Essential experience and qualifications:

• Demonstrable experience securing income from trusts and foundations
• Experience of securing capital funding, and multi-year, core and programme funding Strong relationship building skills
• Understanding of monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting Developing relationships with major trusts and foundations Excellent organisational and project management abilities

Summary of Key Milestones

We will commence first round of interviews: From Wednesday 30th September

Should a suitable candidate be found prior to the closing date, applications will close early.