Fundraising, Grants & Events Lead
Wolo Foundation
Part-time. 21 hours per week. £35,000–£40,000 FTE (£21,000–£24,000 actual).
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid. Travel across Sussex with time in our office near Seaford as required.
Closing date: 15th July - Midday
About us
Wolo Foundation supports families in Sussex affected by cancer. We work with local businesses and communities to provide practical help, goods, and services that make day-to-day life easier for families with a child under 16 at the time of diagnosis. We support families through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond.
1 in 2 people in the UK born after 1960 will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. We exist because the families we support should not have to navigate that alone, and because life is precious. Wolo. We only live once.
The role
This is the operational engine of Wolo’s fundraising. You will own the day-to-day delivery of our fundraising portfolio across trusts and grants, community and events, and individual giving. You will work closely with the CEO, who leads on high-value funder relationships and strategic partnerships.
It is a broad role. In a small charity, the same person designs the bid, signs in the supporters at the event, writes the impact report, and tracks the income against budget. We are looking for someone who is comfortable with that variety and able to prioritise well across it.
While the role does not carry direct family casework, you will represent Wolo at events and steward supporters who may themselves be affected families, including children. You are expected to share Wolo’s commitment to safeguarding, follow our safeguarding policies, and apply good practice in event design and supporter interactions.
What you’ll do
Trusts, foundations and grants
- Research and build a pipeline of trust and foundation opportunities aligned with Wolo’s mission and the families we support.
- Write strong, well-evidenced applications and work with the CEO on positioning for higher-value or strategic bids.
- Manage reporting and stewardship of awarded grants. Keep funders informed and demonstrate impact.
- Maintain an accurate income pipeline and forecast against agreed targets.
Community fundraising and events
- Plan and deliver Wolo’s events programme, including community events, sponsored challenges, and supporter events, from planning and delivery through to follow-up.
- Recruit, support, and steward community fundraisers, making sure they feel valued and well-equipped.
- Build relationships with local businesses, schools, and groups across Sussex that want to support Wolo.
- Apply safeguarding good practice in event design and supporter interactions, including with families and children at events. Escalate concerns to the CEO and Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Individual giving and supporter engagement
- Steward existing supporters with personal, well-judged communications.
- Develop a small-scale individual giving programme that fits Wolo’s size and stage.
- Maintain accurate supporter records and ensure GDPR compliance across all activities.
Business development and external networking
- Build and maintain a network of relationships with local businesses, community groups, schools, and other potential supporters across Sussex.
- Identify and pursue new business development opportunities, including corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and aligned commercial relationships.
- Represent Wolo at external networking events, sector forums, and local business gatherings, raising the charity’s profile and growing the supporter base.
Reporting, data and improvement
- Track income against budget and report regularly to the CEO and, as needed, the Board.
- Bring data and insight to fundraising decisions, showing what is working, what is not, and what to do next.
- Ensure all fundraising activity meets Fundraising Regulator and Charity Commission standards.
What we’re looking for
Essential
- Demonstrable fundraising experience across a mix of income streams, including trusts, events, community, or individual giving.
- Track record of writing successful grant applications and evidencing impact for funders.
- Strong written communication. Able to translate Wolo’s work into compelling cases for support.
- Organised, self-managing, and comfortable working independently in a small team.
- Sound understanding of fundraising regulation and GDPR.
- Understanding of and commitment to safeguarding good practice, with the judgement to apply it in event design and supporter interactions.
- Enhanced DBS check (will be carried out before the appointment).
- Full UK driving licence and use of own vehicle for travel across Sussex and event delivery.
- Genuine commitment to Wolo’s mission and the families we support.
Useful but not essential
- Experience in the family-support charity sector or another comparable cause.
- Experience of running events at scale, including health and safety and supplier management.
- Experience using a fundraising CRM.
- Established networks of trusts, donors, or community partners in Sussex.
What we offer
- Salary of £35,000–£40,000 FTE (£21,000–£24,000 actual, based on 21 hours per week).
- Permanent contract,
- Hybrid working. Travel across Sussex with time in our office near Seaford as required.
- 25 days' annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays.
- Pension contribution in line with our scheme
- The chance to build the fundraising function for a small, ambitious charity making a difference to Sussex families.
A note on small-charity working
Wolo is a small organisation. The responsibilities above describe the core of the role, but everyone on the team is expected to pick up other tasks from time to time when the situation requires it. That is the nature of working in a small charity.
If you have any questions about the role before applying, please call Samantha Aiken on 07508946060.
Pay: £35,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Sussex
