Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy

Job description

Royal Voluntary Service has an opportunity available for a Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships to join our team, working from home. You will join us on full-time, permanent basis, and in return, you will receive a salary from £50,434 per annum.

Royal Voluntary Service mobilises volunteers to support people in need and the NHS. Our volunteers work with healthcare teams and in communities providing practical help and emotional support when people are struggling to cope.

We believe volunteers are the lifeforce of Britain’s communities and have developed a digital volunteering platform, named GoVo, a tech for good innovation which will connect volunteers to causes they care about for the benefit of charities across the country.
 
About the Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy role:

This is a newly created, senior leadership role responsible for building and scaling a high-value income stream across corporate partnerships, high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, and philanthropy at Royal Voluntary Service.
 
The role will lead the development and execution of a strategy to generate £1m+ in sustainable annual income, with a strong focus on new business acquisition, strategic relationship development, and long-term value creation. 
 
What Makes This Role Attractive

• Opportunity to build a function from scratch with CRO-level sponsorship 
• High visibility across leadership and Board 
• Ability to shape a modern, commercially-driven fundraising model 
• Direct impact on scaling income and social outcomes

Hours: 35 per week, Monday - Friday. 

Location: Homebased with occasional national travel

Job requirements

This is what we're looking for:

Experience

• Proven track record of delivering £1m+ incometargets in: 
  • Corporate partnerships 
  • Philanthropy / major donor fundraising
• Experience in a well-established charity or mission-led organisation 
• Demonstrable success securing high-value, multi-year partnerships 
• Strong network across corporates and/or HNW communities 

 
Skills & Capability

• Highly commercial with a new business mindset 
• Exceptional relationship builder with gravitas at senior level 
• Strong storyteller — able to translate impact into compelling propositions 
• Strategic thinker who can also execute and close deals 
• Data-driven with disciplined pipeline management 

 
Leadership Style

• Proactive, entrepreneurial, and outcomes-focused 
• Comfortable operating in a newly created role with ambiguity 
• Collaborative but able to lead from the front 
• Resilient and target-driven 

Job responsibilities

This is what you'll be doing:
 
Income Generation & Strategy

• Develop and deliver a clear partnerships & philanthropy strategy aligned to RVS growth objectives 
• Own and deliver against a £1m+ annual income target, with defined pipeline metrics 
• Identify and unlock new revenue opportunities, including corporate, major donors, and foundations 
• Build a robust, qualified pipeline across all income streams 

 
Corporate Partnerships

• Design and secure strategic, multi-year corporate partnerships (5–6 figure+ value) 
• Target organisations aligned to RVS mission (CSR/ESG agendas, employee engagement, volunteering) 
• Lead end-to-end partnership lifecycle: 
  • Prospecting 
  • Pitch development 
  • Negotiation 
  • Account growth & stewardship

 Philanthropy & Major Donors

• Develop a structured approach to HNW and major donor engagement 
• Personally manage a portfolio of high-value prospects and donors 
• Create compelling cases for support, aligned to impact and outcomes 
• Leverage networks, trustees, and senior stakeholders to unlock introductions 

 
Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a senior ambassador for RVS externally 
• Work closely with the CRO, Director of Fundraising, and Board to support strategic income growth 
• Collaborate with marketing and delivery teams to ensure compelling propositions and reporting 
• Influence internally to embed a commercial, partnership-led mindset 

 
Proposition Development

• Shape and refine fundable propositions that resonate with corporates and philanthropists 
• Align opportunities to: 
  • Social impact
  • ESG priorities 
  • Measurable outcomes and reporting 
• Package opportunities into clear, scalable offers 

 
Pipeline, Performance & Reporting

• Implement strong pipeline management discipline 
• Track KPIs across: 
  • New business 
  • Conversion rates 
  • Average deal size 
  • Donor retention and growth
• Provide regular reporting to CRO and Board 

 Key Success Metrics (Year 1)

• £1m+ income secured (with clear split across corporate & philanthropy) 
• Defined and active pipeline (3–5x coverage of target) 
• 3–5 flagship corporate partnerships secured 
• Established HNW donor portfolio with active cultivation plan 
• Repeatable partnership model and proposition framework in place 

Job benefits

This is all the other great stuff you'll be getting:
 

• A salary ranging from £50,434 per annum 
• 26 days’ holiday (pro rata) plus paid statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Up to 2 days paid volunteer leave a year, through our employer supported volunteer scheme
• Ten weeks’ company sick pay following successful completion of probation
• A great pension scheme with 8% employer contributions
• 2 x Base Salary Death in Service Benefit, subject to qualification
• Enhanced Family Leave schemes
• An employee benefits package that gives access to an exclusive rewards website to get discounts and cashback online
• A 24-hour doctor line, financial support with dental/optical and other therapies
• A free and confidential employee assistance programme with up to six face-to-face counselling sessions included
• Opportunities to discuss flexible working
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
• The chance to make a positive, lasting impact that changes lives, communities, and society

If you feel have the skills and experience to become our Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy please click ‘apply’ today, we’d love to hear from you!
 
This is the latest you'll be able to apply, providing we do not close to applicants early:
 
The closing date for this role is 28 April 2026. However, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received. Please do not delay your application we often get a lot!
 
At Royal Voluntary Service our goal is to welcome everyone and build inclusive and diverse teams. We celebrate difference and encourage everyone to join us and be themselves at work. To find out more about our commitment to EDI, visit our website.
 
Join Royal Voluntary Service and together we can change lives, change communities and change society.