About EngineeringUK

We want to drive change so more young people choose engineering and technology careers. In the UK, we don’t have enough engineers and demand is going up. So, we need more young people to realise there could be a future for them in engineering and technology. To really thrive, we need a stronger, more representative workforce and for that we have to do things differently to make engineering more appealing.

We are a not-for-profit working with hundreds of organisations across business, education, professional institutions and the third sector so we can all grow the future talent pool together. We drive that collective effort through research and evidence, leadership, activities for schools and advocacy, with a focus on long-term sustainability.

We guided by a series of values that we apply to all our activity:

·       We are inclusive and care about diversity. We understand that we have different needs and create opportunities for everyone's voice to be heard

·       We are collaborative. We listen, share and work in partnership to achieve our vision

·       We are curious and keen to learn. We challenge ourselves and others to innovate and experiment

·       We are insightful. We evaluate what we do and draw on research to make decisions and to improve our collective understanding

·       We are driven by a strong sense of purpose. We are determined to make an impact and achieve our goals

About the role

We are looking for a passionate and skilled Trusts & Foundations specialist to expand EngineeringUK’s relationships in this field and develop grant-funding as a core income stream for our work. We receive significant funding from grant funders already but are looking to scale this income stream. This gives the successful candidate the opportunity to have an early impact and have influence over the direction of our strategy for grant-funding.

Whilst this is currently the sole role focusing on this area, you would be supported by the Director of Business Development & Partnerships and the Chief Executive, both of whom have experience in this type of fundraising. Senior level engagement and support means we can be flexible to the level of experience of the successful candidate, making this role a great opportunity for an experienced Manager wanting to take ownership of a strategy, or for a Specialist looking to take their next step and develop their strategic skills.

The Trusts & Foundations Manager role will be part of the Business & Industry team (11 people), who have responsibility for all funding and industry relationships across EngineeringUK. The team works strategically with stakeholders across the engineering, technology and education sectors, to support our mission to increase the number and diversity of young people choosing engineering and technology careers. Opportunities for funding include our bursary programme, in-school programmes such as EnergyQuest and Climate Schools, Big Bang Programme, supporting our community of Code signatories, and developing new programmes.

Once funding is secured, the postholder will account manage the relationship and see the project through to contract-end. Therefore, in addition to being able to secure new funding, interest in and experience of delivering excellent account management is essential.

Whilst the core focus of the role will be on developing relationships with trusts & foundations, there may also be some opportunities to explore key relationships we hold in government, particularly for some larger projects we have on the horizon.

The role is London based at our office at 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6EN and may involve some travel in the UK.  We believe that hybrid working has many benefits and are pleased to offer flexible working with a baseline of 2 days (or 40%) a week in our vibrant central London office overlooking the Thames. We also offer core hours of 10am to 4pm.

Role responsibilities

·       Work with the Director of Business Development & Partnerships to develop a strategy to build the income stream from trusts, foundations, and government grants.

·       Expand on the pipeline of trusts, foundations and government funding opportunities which align to our strategy, prioritising as relevant and building relationships for short and long-term funding opportunities.

·       Work with experts across EngineeringUK to ensure consistency, accuracy and impact when creating funding proposals for our strategic focus areas, submitting these in a timely and professional manner.

·       Provide excellent account management to grant funders, working closely with programme teams to ensure we deliver on our KPIs and positioning us for future funding opportunities.

·       Be proactive in informing oneself to a level of fluency on our current programmes and activities which may attract funding from these sources, advising colleagues on any technical insights from funders which might increase our chances of securing funding in future proposals.

·       Keep clear and detailed records on Salesforce, providing updates on the pipeline and targets as requested.

·       Support colleagues in the B&I team with insight of funding opportunities across EngineeringUK, sharing collateral and budgets, and supporting with large-scale bids which fall outside of your remit.

·       Support the development of the B&I strategy through sharing knowledge of the funding environment, what other organisations have been funded from, and what our ‘competitors’ are doing in the STEM engagement and outreach space.

·       Work in line with EngineeringUK values and support achievement of our organisational objectives.

·       Undertake any training and development as required for the role.

·       You may also be asked to undertake other tasks and duties as directed and required by the Director of Business Development and Partnerships.

This is a general guide to the key responsibilities of this role, it is not exhaustive. Similarly, the amount of time that you spend on various aspects of the role may vary. 

Person specification

Essential skills/competencies

·       Experience of identifying, securing and delivering grant-funding from trusts, foundations and/or government.

·       Good understanding of the grant-giving environment, with the ability to quickly identify the spaces and conversations your organisation should be engaging in.

·       Experience of building and prioritising a pipeline.

·       Confidence securing introductions to new people and organisations in-person, virtually, and through written correspondence.

·       Excellent writing skills, with the ability to condense detailed information and present it in a compelling and persuasive way for a variety of audiences.

·       Excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to quickly build rapport, understand, and respond to the needs of both internal and external stakeholders.

·       Strong record keeping, with experience of using a CRM for maintaining records and reporting.

·       Ability to understand and present financial information for a funder.

·       Ability to make decisions quickly and aptly with minimal supervision, whilst consulting as widely as appropriate when the situation warrants it and/or in line with organisational ways of working.

·       Strong attention to detail and good time management.

·       Commitment to our mission and values, you will be able to engage with our values and work in a way that supports our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable skills/competencies

·       An understanding of education and/or STEM, especially in the funding environment, would be advantageous but not essential.

·       Experience of writing and delivering a strategy. 

·       Financial management skills.

·       Formal education qualifications are not required, but evidence of continuing professional development is very welcome.

EngineeringUK is committed to being an inclusive workplace, where everyone feels they belong.  This is supported by the dedicated work we are doing to ensure our policies and practices are inclusive and that our staff are trained to be able to fulfil this commitment.