Trusts and Grants Manager

Marine Conservation Society

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

Marine Conservation Society, we’re working for a cleaner, better-protected, healthier ocean. To achieve this, we are required to build and sustain strong, high-value, and long-term partnerships that align with our strategic mission and goals. We’re looking for a confident and ambitious Senior Corporate Development Manager to lead the cultivation and stewardship of high-value, strategic relationships with corporate funders. This is a pivotal role focused on new business acquisition, driving forward our corporate fundraising strategy, and unlocking transformational income to support marine conservation.

About the role

As our Trusts & Grants Manager, you’ll play a key role in securing funding to support projects focused on ocean regeneration, water quality, and sustainable ocean use. You’ll develop and deliver high-quality trust and grant applications, working collaboratively across the organisation to shape compelling projects, proposals, and budgets that align with donor priorities and help drive future income growth.

Building strong relationships with trusts, foundations, and grant-makers, you’ll provide excellent stewardship and donor care, helping deepen long-term partnerships while keeping funders connected to our mission and impact. Alongside managing relationships with existing supporters, you’ll also help identify and develop new funding opportunities, contributing to the continued growth and success of our Trusts & Grants programme.

Responsibilities

Manage a Mixed Programme of Funding Applications:

• Contribute to strategic Trusts & Grants goals and KPIs for restricted and unrestricted funding.
• Work with the Trusts & Grants team to coordinate approaches to new prospects identified, aligning opportunities with our priority projects to feed into the fundraising pipeline.
• Contribute to the Trusts & Grants strategy by sourcing new speculative funding.
• Coordinate cultivation opportunities and new bids with key teams across the organisation, such as programmes, finance and senior management.
• Creatively compile priority projects into compelling stories, aligning them with donor interests.

Stewardship Grant Management:

• Steward relationships with existing trust and grant donors to a high standard, prioritising the development of long-term relationships and repeat gifts.
• Deliver excellent standards of donor care, developing and implementing stewardship plans, and leading face-to-face / virtual meetings to deepen funder connections to the charity.
• Produce high-standard progress reports and claims to funders within required timescales, working across the Marine Conservation Society where necessary.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records for all grants through the CRM.
• Maintain excellent financial records for grants, working with the Head of Trusts & Grants and Finance.

Teamwork and Collaboration:

• Contribute to proactive team planning and strategic development.
• Contribute to team financial management, including income tracking and forecasting.
• Support broader organisational strategies and initiatives to raise funds and awareness.
• Carry out all other such duties as may from time to time be determined by the Director of Fundraising, Head of Trusts & Grants and Senior Trusts & Grants Manager.
• Represent the organisation externally, attending meetings, conferences and events as and when appropriate.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Knowledge & Experience Essential:

• Proven track record in cultivating high-value charitable trusts and foundations, and developing sustained and positive relationships with donors.
• Proven ability to produce well-written and compelling proposals and reports shaped to funder interests and criteria.
• Proven experience with project budget development.
• Demonstrable knowledge of charitable trusts and foundations in the UK and overseas.
• Proficient experience and knowledge of CRM use for prospecting, pipeline and forecasting.
• Experience of communicating at a high level with senior management and programme staff within a charity to bring funding projects to life.
• Excellent presentation skills.

Skills & Abilities:

• Well-developed interpersonal and networking skills to build strong long-term relationships with external donors and internal colleagues.
• Strong negotiating and influencing skills
• Adept at managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proactive and detail-oriented with excellent personal organisation and administrative skills, including time management.
• Excellent ability to work effectively in a remote setting.

Desirable:

• Experience and knowledge of statutory and other types of grant funding.
• Knowledge of the Grantfinder CRM and other key resource sources.
• Knowledge of and passion for our marine environment and the natural world.

Personal Qualities:

• A personal style in line with our values and our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion:
  • We are brave. We have integrity
  • We are a community. We are credible
  • We are positive. We are solutions-focused
• An excellent team player who places emphasis on building open and supportive relations with colleagues and stakeholders and working by example.
• A resilient and highly motivated individual, able to work on their own initiative as well as within a team and motivated when working from home.
• Approaches problems with a creative and enabling mindset, seeks solutions, and responds well to challenges, managing your personal responses when things get busy.
• Flexible in approach to work, with the ability to handle a diverse workload, prioritise and meet deadlines.
• Is committed to providing an excellent quality of service to their colleagues.

Required Qualifications

• Professional Fundraising Qualification.

Compensation & Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• 8% employer pension contributions (no match required)
• Sick pay at full pay for 8 weeks, then 8 weeks at half pay (after probation)
• Flexible working and a remote-first approach
• Health and well-being support, plus an employee assistance programme
• A paid volunteering day to support a charity of your choice

Conditions of employment

• We are not licensed to issue work permits, so candidates are required to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK and may be requested to present original documents if invited for an interview. If appointed, you will be required to have your right to work in the UK confirmed through our approved agency before starting work. If your right to work cannot be sufficiently established, we will be legally unable to continue with your employment.
• Information on what you’ll need to show will be provided as part of the invitation to attend an interview, but you can read more on the Home Office UK Border Agency website
• Receipt of two references, which are satisfactory to MCS
• A check of your driving licence and insurance, if using a vehicle, is an integral part of your role

Working locations

• Home-based
• Occasional travel across the UK when required

How to apply

• Apply on our website
• If you would like to contact us to request an adjustment that would help you to fully and comfortably take part in our recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected] 

Interviews

• The interviews w/c 29th June 2026

Policies

Webrecruit and The Marine Conservation Society are equal opportunity employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business, and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

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