What if your ability to build exceptional donor relationships could help create a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability?
Role Overview
As Senior Philanthropy Manager, you'll play a pivotal role in growing Mencap's philanthropy programme, building meaningful relationships with high-net-worth individuals and securing transformational gifts that help improve the lives of people with a learning disability.
What will you do
You'll manage your own portfolio of major donors and prospective supporters, creating bespoke engagement plans that inspire long-term partnerships and significant philanthropic investment. Working closely with colleagues across Mencap, you'll develop compelling funding propositions and opportunities that connect donors to the impact of our work.
Alongside your fundraising responsibilities, you'll provide leadership and support to the Philanthropy Manager, helping to build a high-performing, collaborative team culture focused on excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.
In this role, you will:
- Develop and manage a portfolio of philanthropists, high-net-worth individuals and influential supporters, building relationships that lead to significant and transformational gifts.
- Create and deliver tailored cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans that maximise donor engagement, retention and lifetime value.
- Lead donor meetings, presentations and engagement activities, acting as a confident and inspiring ambassador for Mencap.
- Identify and develop new philanthropic opportunities through networking, referrals and strategic relationship building.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across Communities, Policy, Impact and operational teams to develop compelling cases for support and funding propositions.
- Drive strong portfolio management, ensuring opportunities are progressed effectively and income is forecast accurately.
- Work closely with the Prospect Development Manager to identify, qualify and develop high-potential supporters.
- Use Salesforce to manage donor relationships, maintain accurate pipeline data and provide insightful reporting.
- Partner with the High Value Relationships Lead to engage trustees, senior leaders and influential supporters in donor cultivation and stewardship activities.
- Support the development and delivery of Mencap's Philanthropy strategy, helping shape future priorities and long-term growth plans.
- Line manage, coach and develop the Philanthropy Manager, fostering a culture of high performance, learning and collaboration.
- Share fundraising expertise, drive best practice and help strengthen philanthropy capability across the team.
Through your leadership and fundraising expertise, you'll help secure the vital income needed to deliver Mencap's mission and create lasting change for people with a learning disability and their families.
Do you have the essential skills and experience
- Proven success securing and managing five and six-figure philanthropic gifts from high-net-worth individuals.
- Experience developing and growing a major giving or philanthropy programme.
- Experience leading cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies that result in long-term donor relationships.
- Experience coaching or line managing fundraising colleagues, alongside excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- A proactive approach, with the ability to identify opportunities, solve problems and maintain momentum
- Someone who enjoys building and shaping a growing programme, rather than simply managing an existing portfolio.
- A genuine commitment to improving the lives of people with a learning disability and to Mencap's vision and values
Desirable skills and experience include :
- Experience working with trustees, CEOs or senior volunteers to support donor cultivation.
- Experience developing compelling cases for support and funding propositions.
- Experience using Salesforce (or another CRM) for portfolio management and forecasting.
Role Set Up
This is a full time (37.5 hours per week), permanent position.
We offer flexible working at Mencap, this role will be based from our London office 1 – 2 days per week, with some home working available. National travel will be required due to the nature of the role.
Application Closing Date / Interview Dates
Applications will close on the 5th August 2026, or when 100 applications have been received.
We aim to review applications, and hold interviews from the 17th August 2026.
Benefits
Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.
Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.
For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!
About Mencap
Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.
We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.
At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues.
Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere.
· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation.
· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes
· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves.
We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies.
We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.