Role: Full-time* Trust & Foundations Manager Salary: £37,000 - £40,000 dependent on experience Location: Remote, with occasional travel to Edinburgh or London This position is full-time; however, for the right candidate, we would consider a four-day working week (or equivalent reduced hours) at the full salary rate, depending on the demonstration of exceptional relevant experience.

ABOUT US School of Hard Knocks (SOHK) is an education charity that exists to empower and support young people living in complex and challenging circumstances. We use rugby to foster an environment of genuine acceptance, where the sport becomes a platform for participants to improve their confidence, communication skills, commitment, self-control, and ability to work effectively within a team. Through group learning and one-to-one mentoring, SOHK helps young people (re)engage with education and safeguard their wellbeing. Ninety percent of our participants report feeling more confident and more engaged with school after taking part - with long-term effects on attendance, attainment, and life outcomes. Find out more about our Schools Programme here. SOHK is at a new and exciting stage of development. Having delivered its programmes to thousands of adults and young people over the past 13 years, in 2024 we chose to focus solely on working in schools. This shift responds to a dramatic rise in need among young people in the UK, many of whom are struggling to navigate adolescence amid rising poverty, a mental health crisis, and increasing isolation. We plan to double the number of young people engaging with our programmes over the next five years. We are also making significant investments in our impact function, to better understand how we can maximise the benefits for participants and attract more attention and investment to social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions. Our Mission: To empower young people to fully realise their potential. Our Vision: A society in which every young person has an equal opportunity to succeed.

OVERVIEW The Trusts & Foundations Manager will play a central role in shaping SOHK’s future growth. They will lead on major grant applications, support targeted bids aligned with regional delivery, and manage relationships with existing charitable funders. Around one-third of SOHK’s £1.5 million income currently comes from grants, with active partnerships including major funders such as the Garfield Weston Foundation and Impetus. Sustaining and growing this income will require proactive research, strategic outreach, and a highly organised, detail-focused approach to both applications and stewardship. The role works closely with the CEO, who is committed to leveraging their time and networks to support fundraising success. The post-holder will also collaborate with Regional Directors and other fundraising colleagues, while enjoying a high level of autonomy and contributing to the long-term direction of SOHK’s Trusts & Foundations strategy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Develop and submit high-quality funding proposals, including applications for six-figure and multi-year grants, by meeting appropriate deadlines and tailoring applications so they appeal to different funder priorities Manage and develop a strong pipeline of Trust & Foundations funders for future years, including researching and prospecting new leads through active outreach Work with the CEO, Regional Directors and overall fundraising team to identify key funding priorities and strategically deploying the capacity available Develop and keep the fundraising CRM updated as a central source of trusts and foundations knowledge, clearly identifying funding gaps and adjusting targets Strengthen existing funding partnerships through warm stewardship and efficient grant reporting, maximising the charity’s chances of repeat funding Build upon the organisational strategy for scaling trusts & foundations income

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE Essential Demonstrable track record in leading on successful medium and major grant applications, including six-figure and multi-year grants Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, able to present a compelling case for support to a variety of funders Comfortable in understanding and presenting financial information and in creating budgets for grant applications Experience with CRM/fundraising databases for tracking applications, deadlines, and relationship management Highly organised and proactive, used to taking the lead on managing a large volume of potential grants in line with the submission dates Confident in liaising and engaging with external organisations, including building new relationships with potential funders who are invite-only Enjoy working across different teams within an organisation, bringing in new perspectives and utilising the assets and expertise of current staff for fundraising purposes Growth mindset, always ready to accept new challenges and opportunities to develop funding strategies. Genuinely buy into the SOHK mission, purpose and values Desirable An understanding of how to build and develop a multi-year fundraising strategy for trusts and foundations Experience in social impact measurement, with a grasp on how we could use impact data even more persuasively with funders Knowledge of the education and/or youth work sector, understanding the impact which this work can make specifically and the context of fundraising for work in schools Experience, or willingness to develop knowledge, in how the charity sector can safely and appropriately utilise AI in the creation of strong funding bids and efficient reporting

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT Salary range: £37,000 - £40,000 Full-time or 0.8 Full-time Equivalent - dependent on the skills and experience of the candidate, we would be open to discussing a 4-day week on full salary 28 days annual leave entitlement plus public holidays. Some travel to the different regions may periodically be required. Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required for successful candidates and the job is dependent on suitable references.