Foundation Manager

We have ambitious plans for the future and are bringing together an incredible team to make them happen. At the center of it all, we're looking for an energetic, collaborative Foundation Manager to help us grow, thrive, and deliver real impact.

This is a broad and rewarding role perfect for someone who s excited to roll up their sleeves, take ownership, and help shape the direction of a dynamic and growing charity.

The Foundation Manager will report directly to the COO and act as the general manager of the charity, serving as the central pivot, which all operations revolve around. They will manage the charity on a day-to-day basis, lead the delivery of our programmes, and drive both fundraising efforts and sound financial management to support our work.

African Adventures Foundation is a registered charity set up in 2013 to provide support to 29 schools in developing areas of Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar.

These schools provide education, health and food security, and social support to young people whose access to these basic services would otherwise be very limited. African Adventures Foundation helps by funding food security programmes, the construction of important school facilities, and hygiene projects that will benefit children s health and education. With your help, we can continue to provide security and opportunities for more children in Africa.

It's an extremely exciting time to join our team as we continue to expand our company. Due to our current growth and expected growth over the coming years, we are in the process of relocating from Eastleigh to new office premises in Whiteley, which are better able to accommodate our expanding team. This role may also require travel outside the UK to visit our Programmes as needed by the business.

The role is centred around three core elements: charity management, programme delivery, and fundraising.

Responsibilities

1. Charity management (with support from the COO & Trustees)

• Line management of the Programme Officer in all respects including recruitment, conduct, capability, welfare, personal development.
• Indirect (matrix) management of the in-country Foundation Coordinators.
• Key member of the broader UK Management team.
• Support the COO and Chair of Trustees with the overall Governance framework of the charity including standards, processes and reporting.
• Primary point of contact for the board of Trustees day-to-day, supporting the Chair of the Trustees in the coordination and administration of Board activity.
• Lead on development, oversight and operation of charity standards, processes and systems.
• Work alongside the charities dedicated Finance Officer in ensuring good financial management of income and expenditure through planning, approvals, and processes.
• Attend a variety of external charitable, donor, and operational events or locations as required from time to time.
• Work closely with supporting departments like Finance, Marketing, and Travel Operations on all charity related matters.
• Handle day-to-day enquiries, questions, and issues related to the Foundation.

2. Programme Delivery (delivered by the Programme Officer)

• Ensure that a clear, documented process is in place for receiving, triaging, and managing requests related to volunteer projects and charity support.
• Lead the prioritisation process for articulated charitable requests, ensuring appropriate approvals are obtained and properly documented.
• Support strong project management throughout the planning and delivery of approved charitable projects.
• Ensure a robust MEAL Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning process is in place for measuring and reporting on the impact of the charity s work with its beneficiaries, donors, and trustees.

3. Fundraising (with support from the COO & Trustees)

• Responsible for the developing and managing the Fundraising Opportunities Portfolio ensuring all stakeholders have clear visibility of funding gaps and opportunities for current and prospective donors.
• Responsible for leading on developing fundraising activities as informed by the Fundraising Strategy to drive income and cover operational expenditure.
• Maintain strong Donor relationships and develop grant applications adding to support a healthy funding pipeline to ensure we meet the charities fundraising targets.
• Work with the Marketing Manager to ensure effective marketing and social media strategies in are in place and to maximise the opportunities they provide.

What We re Looking For:

Due to the breadth of this role, we would only expect an incumbent to have relevant experience in 2 of the 3 core elements of the role as a minimum, but with a strong desire to develop and learn in the 3rd with dedicated support.

Essential:

• Excellent Written & Communication skillset. A true collaborator.
• Experience in the Charity sector in a Management/Leadership capacity.
• Experience in Project Management and/or Delivery.
• A passion for driving improvement and change, to the betterment of children in Africa.

Ideally two of the following:

• Experience in charity management, governance, and compliance.
• Experience of delivering impactful charity projects.
• Experience in fundraising, donor relations, and/or campaign management.

Desirable:

• Experience of operating in an International Charity/NGO sector.
• Experience in African child development, education, empowerment/health context.

Please note that you should be authorised to work in UK. We do not offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Benefits

• 5 weeks holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing after five years service
• Enhanced pension contributions
• Enrolment onto annual company bonus scheme
• Benenden cash plan
• Benenden private healthcare
• Hybrid role with flexible working hours

Job Type: 37.5 hours, 5 days per week, Monday to Friday. Permanent.

Pay: £36,000 - £40,000 per year dependent on experience with a yearly bonus depending on business and personal performance

Work Location: Depending on agreed working days, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday must be in person and Thursday/Friday can be worked remotely.