Head of Development

Salary: £42,000 to £45,000 per annum

Location: Hybrid (this role can work from home and from our office in Kennington, London). You will be expected to work from our Kennington office for at least one day per week.

Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week) – we are happy to consider 30 hours per week and to discuss flexible working options.

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 30th April 2025

About Groundswell

Groundswell works with people with experience of homelessness, offering opportunities to contribute to society and create solutions to homelessness. Participation is at our core because the experience of homelessness is crucial in making decisions that affect lives and ultimately help people to move out of homelessness.

We aim to address four key issues: homelessness; health inequalities; lack of participation in service delivery and policy; as well as a society that does not work for everyone. We achieve this by ensuring people can access health care; offering progression opportunities for people with experience of homelessness; and by creating change in policy and practice.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced senior fundraiser who has demonstrable success in generating income through a range of income streams and prides themselves on compelling, engaging written communications for a range of audiences. Recently kicking off our new ‘Creating Positive Change Together’ strategy, coproduced by over 130 staff, volunteers, clients and partner, Groundswell has ambitious plans and a compelling model which in its simplest form promotes healthier lives and a better future for anyone who has experienced homelessness.

As Head of Development, you will have the opportunity to develop Groundswell’s next fundraising strategy, working closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), and particularly Finance & Fundraising Director who can bring a wealth of knowledge and insight from recent external and internal reviews of Groundswell’s fundraising portfolio. You will be a champion for the joined up working of fundraising and communications, with the ability to line manage a team and lead strategic plans to engage a range of current and potential donors (individuals, trusts, corporates) to diversify Groundswell’s income and ultimately help Groundswell continue to create positive change in the lives of people, services and systems on their mission to tackle homeless health inequalities.

You will put relationships and effective communications at the core of your work; ensuring both those who give (or have the potential to give), alongside crucial internal stakeholders are energised and involved in Groundswell’s mission. You will pride yourself in collaborative working to ensure the most successful chance of securing income, whilst being a self-starter who can manage their own workload effectively.

Person specification:

We welcome all applicants and value transferable skills gained through employment, volunteering and life experience. If you are excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your unique experience and perspective could be exactly what we’re looking for.

For more info about the role, please read the job pack here or download below.

How to apply

Please let us know if you would like to request any accommodations or adjustments throughout the application and interview process. We will be very happy to support these wherever possible to give all applicants the best opportunity to showcase their skills and experience.

Application:

To make an application, please submit your CV along with a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) which explains:

• How you meet each of the areas outlined in the person specification above
• Why you are interested in doing this job at Groundswell.

You can find a guide to applying for a job at Groundswell here, which includes tips for constructing your cover letter.
Please also send a completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form with your application. You can find the form here. Completing this form is voluntary. The information provided will be kept confidential and will be used to help us understand the diversity of our job applicants so that we can hold ourselves accountable and continue to improve in relation to our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Policy. None of the information you provide will be linked to your application, and the information provided will have no bearing on the outcome of the recruitment process.

The deadline is Wednesday 30th April. Please submit your application by email to jobs@groundswell.org.uk with the subject line Head of Development application.

Interviews:

Candidates will be notified if they have been invited to interview by Friday 9th May at the latest. We are a small charity with limited resources and are unable to give feedback on unsuccessful applications before the interview stage, if you have not been notified by this date, then please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. Interviews will then be held in person on either 20th or 21st May.

Pre-employment checks:

Two references will need to be taken up before a job offer can be made. Please include reference details in your application. One should be your current or most recent employer, and the other someone who has known you in a professional capacity for at least two years. We will not contact any referees before the interview and only after you grant consent.

Many thanks for taking the time to look into this role – it is an exciting opportunity, and we hope you will consider applying.

If you would like to discuss this role before applying then please contact: Becky Tansley, Fundraising and Finance Director on becky.evans@groundswell.org.uk.

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