Major Gifts and Partnerships Lead

Are you an ambitious, relationship‑driven fundraising specialist with a track record of securing transformational income? Do you thrive on building powerful partnerships that change lives?

If yes, this could be the perfect next step for you.

We are seeking an experienced fundraising leader as our Major Gifts and Partnerships Lead, bringing a strong track record of securing multi-year support from major corporate and philanthropic funders.

Following several successful years for Mencap’s Fundraising Directorate, we are striving to grow income even further across all teams and this role will play a vital part in that journey. We have a huge opportunity to grow both our corporate and philanthropic income, and we’re looking for someone who can truly capitalise on this potential.

Working closely with our Corporate Lead and High Value Relationships Lead, you’ll be part of a collaborative team focused on securing six‑ and seven‑figure, multi‑year partnerships that provide sustainable income for people with a learning disability. Your core mission: securing transformational gifts that fuel our strategic priorities for the years ahead.

This is a pivotal role for an experienced fundraising leader who has already demonstrated the ability to transform income by building robust, multi‑year pipelines with major corporate and philanthropic funders. As this role has no line management responsibility, it is ideal for someone who excels in hands‑on fundraising from prospect identification all the way through to secured pledges.

You will be an exceptional communicator with strong sales, influencing and stewardship skills, and you’ll be experienced at working effectively across large, complex organisations. Above all, you will be passionate about the authentic inclusion of people with a learning disability in everything you do.

This 12‑month Fixed Term Contract offers flexibility, with visibility required in our London office and regular external meetings with prospects (several times per week). You will spend approximately 60% of your time on corporate fundraising and 40% on philanthropic activity, contributing to a step‑change in transformational income at Mencap.

It’s an exciting time to join us as we launch our new 5‑year strategy and enter a period of ambitious income growth.

As our Major Gifts & Partnerships Lead, you will:

• Lead the identification and securing of new six‑ and seven‑figure strategic relationships with major corporate and philanthropic partners.
• Build, manage and deliver multi‑year pipelines across corporate and philanthropy.
• Use prospecting tools to identify significant new opportunities and lead their cultivation.
• Develop compelling, inspiring, transformational propositions that align with Mencap’s strategic vision.
• Work collaboratively with the Corporate Lead, High Value Relationships Lead and wider fundraising teams.
• Maximise our use of Salesforce and analytical tools for reporting, forecasting and pipeline planning.
• Maintain high visibility with prospects, supporters and internal stakeholders.

What You Will Bring

• Proven success securing six‑ or seven‑figure corporate or philanthropic income
• Strong understanding of the UK corporate and philanthropy landscape
• Excellent communication, influencing and stewardship skills
• Experience developing multi‑year pipelines and cross‑organisational proposals

If you are passionate about using your skills to drive transformational income and create a more inclusive future for people with a learning disability, apply now. Applications close: 25th January. Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams: Week beginning 26th January.

Salary: £60,623 per annum