Senior Programme Funding Manager
About SOS Children’s Villages UK
SOS Children’s Villages is a global charity that protects children who have lost, or who are at risk of losing parental care, by ensuring children can grow up in a stable environment where they feel safe, loved and supported. We protect and improve the lives of children in 135+ countries and territories, working with communities to keep vulnerable families together. Where this is not possible, we provide children with a home and family-like care at an SOS Village community. As a global authority on alternative care, SOS Children’s Villages works in partnership with the United Nations, advocating for the rights of all children and contributing towards the development of key child protection policies.
Overview (Job Summary)
SOS Children’s Villages UK is now recruiting for an experienced Senior Programme Funding Manager to secure crucial support from grant-making organisations and institutional funders and drive growth by mapping global programmes to UK funding opportunities. This role will collaborate globally with international teams to ensure applications reflect real community needs and will be required to lead grant process from end to end, ensuring excellence in donor communication and reporting, and internal collaboration across departments. If you are an exceptional relationship builder, experienced in international development, looking for a pivotal role within a friendly, flexible, and supportive team, then this could be for you!
Role Description
Are you a relationship builder with a talent for persuasive writing and a passion for social impact? As our Senior Programme Funding Manager, you’ll be the vital bridge between life-changing projects and the financial resources they need to thrive.
Working directly with our Head of Programme Funding, you’ll harness your creativity and strategic mindset to secure crucial support from grant-making organisations and institutional funders. Your detective skills will uncover perfect-match funding opportunities across our global programmes, while your compelling storytelling will transform complex projects into irresistible grant applications that funders can’t wait to support.
Day to day, you’ll nurture relationships that keep resources flowing to where they’re needed most. You’ll identify promising new funding sources, craft proposals that stand out in a competitive landscape, deepen existing partnerships to maximise support, and collaborate with colleagues to share powerful impact stories that demonstrate the tangible difference our funders make in children’s lives.
You’ll be joining a dynamic, ambitious team with bold growth plans and a shared determination to reach more children in need. As we expand our funding portfolio and deepen our impact across the globe, your expertise and fresh perspectives will be invaluable in helping us achieve our vision. This is about connecting resources to real human impact across the world. Every successful application you develop means more children have the stability, love and care they need to live independent, fulfilled and happy lives.
Main Responsibilities
- Leadership of Research, Policy and Advocacy for Programme Funding: Contribute to the development and implementation of SOS Children’s Villages UK’s organisational strategy to ensure alignment in all areas specifically our research, policy and advocacy work related to securing programme funding.
- Policy and advocacy strategies for funding: Lead a propositional policy agenda in line with strategic objectives and deliver clear advocacy strategies to influence decision-makers, funders, and wider civil society relevant to funding opportunities.
- Capacity Building of the Network for Funding: Build the effectiveness and impact of member and partner advocacy and engagement for funding through working collaboratively, information sharing and providing a strong evidence and values-based approach.
- Communications and representation for funding proposals: Oversee timely, high quality, strategic public policy and communication pieces that shape, and respond to, the latest events/trends to support funding efforts.
- Wider influencing and stakeholder engagement for funding: Develop and expand SOS Children’s Villages UK’s network of senior level and strategic contacts in government, policy making influencers, grant-making bodies, institutional funders, and other stakeholders.
- Maintain political neutrality.
- Finance and funding collaboration: Work with the Head of Development and Executive Director to ensure that all of SOS Children’s Villages UK’s policy and programme work is appropriately resourced either through securing grants or through unrestricted sources and that funds are used effectively and in line with commitments and agreements with our funders.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- A minimum of 3 years in a similar role (e.g., grants management, institutional fundraising).
- Experience in international development.
- Proven experience in securing grant or institutional funding and developing sustainable income streams.
- Demonstrable experience of developing new relationships from scratch and securing six-figure grants.
- Excellence in prospect research, proposal writing, and funder relationship management.
- Demonstrable experience in developing tailored project budgets that align with funders’ expectations.
- Outstanding organisational ability with a talent for managing multiple priorities effectively.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills that inspire action.
- Proficiency with MS Office and CRM database systems.
- The ability to travel within the UK regularly, and internationally on occasion.
- Proven ability to approach partnerships with creativity and innovation, going beyond traditional fundraising proposals.
- Cultural sensitivity and ability to adapt to different cultural contexts.
Desirable Skills and Knowledge
- Proven experience of fundraising for humanitarian action or international climate change causes.
- Experience within an international NGO.
- Working proficiency in a second language.
- Experience using grant-making database research tools to identify opportunities.
- Experience of developing log-frames and theory of change documents.
- Experience of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning plans.
Personal qualities
- You’re an exceptional relationship builder – both within and outside the organisations you work in – and you lead with warmth, compassion and clarity.
- You understand the importance of adapting to multiple cultural contexts, and are sensitive to different ways of working in different settings.
- You’re ambitious, innovative, and driven by meaningful results.
- You are exceptionally well organised, able to manage a complex portfolio of responsibilities calmly and with excellent attention to detail.
- You build trust through authentic relationship-building.
- You thrive both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
- You’re open to new approaches and continuous learning.
- You’re passionate about making a difference, and connecting our most generous supporters to our mission.
- You’re motivated by the tangible impact our work has on children’s lives.
Benefits of Working with SOS Children’s Villages UK
We currently offer the following benefits:
- Holidays: Annual leave: 25 days entitlement, plus 8 paid bank holidays (pro rata for part-time employees). Paid Christmas closure: 3 non-bank holiday working days during the office closure between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are treated as additional paid time off. Extra Days: Additional holidays are added after two full calendar years’ service, one day for every two years’ service, up to a maximum of 5 additional days after 10 years’ service (pro rata for part-time employees). Sabbatical: 4 consecutive weeks paid sabbatical leave possible after a minimum of 5 complete years of service.
- Pension Scheme Membership: This is a contributory scheme, into which the Charity will match your contribution up to a maximum of 5% of your basic salary. Enrolment is automatic after 3-months employment for eligible employees, and early opt-in is possible.
- Health and wellness: Contractual sick pay. Employee Assistance Programme access comprised of wellbeing resources, online advice chat features, a telephone helpline, and short-term counselling sessions, savings and discounts. Trained Mental Health First-Aider in the team. Life Assurance Cover after 3-months employment, with beneficiary selection. Flu vaccination vouchers annually. Paid eye tests.
- Flexible Working Policy: Every member of staff, regardless of contract length or current working pattern, can complete a flexible working application.
- Charity days: Paid charity volunteer days (maximum of 2 days per annum pro rata) if you volunteer for another charity.
- Maternity arrangements: Employees employed for at least 26 weeks, ending with the Qualifying Week (QW), the15th week before the expected week of childbirth (EWC), will be entitled to receive enhanced maternity pay of 3 months full pay (Weeks 1 – 12), followed by 3 months half pay (Weeks 13 – 24).
- Travel help: Travel loan for season travel tickets repayable through monthly salaries, subject to approval. Cycle to Work Scheme available.
- Training and development: Support may be offered towards professional or vocational qualifications/training that enhances capability within the Charity. Subject to approval.
Commitment to inclusion and safeguarding
SOS Children’s Villages UK is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults with whom SOS Children’s Villages UK engages. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment through our Code of Conduct and undertake appropriate training.
Pre-employment checks: Upon offers of employment, proof of the right to work in the UK, satisfactory references, screening checks, self-declaration, a Standard DBS check, and signing of safeguarding policies are required.
SOS Children’s Villages UK is a proud participant in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS).
How to apply
Ready to join our team?
Please email a copy of your CV and covering letter (no more than 2 A4 pages) explaining how you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification.
Title your documents “[your name] cover letter” and “[your name] CV” and send to Jess Price, Head of Programme Funding at careers@sosuk.org.
Please mention Bond when you apply for this position.
Application deadline: Friday 27 June 2025 at 5pm (BST / UK time).
Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.
We’re excited to hear from you!
