Grants Manager, The Prince's Countryside Fund

Do you have a successful track record in grant making? This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join one of the Prince of Wales’ charities.

Since its establishment by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2010, The Prince’s Countryside Fund has carved out a niche position as a national charity which aims to improve the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of rural life. We are committed to promoting a confident, robust and sustainable agricultural and rural community which is universally appreciated for its vital contribution to the British way of life and fit to support future generations.

We are looking for a proactive Grants Manager to manage and develop the charity’s well-respected grant making programme. This will be achieved by implementing our recent strategic review of grant making, proactive engagement with rural stakeholders, working with potential grant recipients and developing our community networks. The Fund would consider a consultant for this position, or the role would suit someone looking to return to work.

The successful candidate will have a strong track record in charitable grant making and an empathy with rural affairs, together with knowledge of charitable processes and governance.

Key elements of the role will be to:

• Implement the recommendations from the recent strategic review of grant making, in order to achieve practical outcomes.
• With the oversight of the Head of Operations and Director, determine the annual priorities of the Fund’s grant making programme.
• Manage the grant making process, including researching and assessing grant requests and managing robust systems at the application, assessment, selection, payment, monitoring and evaluation stages
• Facilitate the Grant Sub-committee.
• Ensure the Fund’s reputation as a fair, rigorous and approachable funder is upheld.
• Manage partnership beneficiary initiatives, for example those in collaboration with Corporate partners, the People’s Postcode Lottery and The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund.
• Demonstrate the impact of our grant programme through the collection of monitoring data, evaluating the difference made by the grant at grant end and capturing best practice examples from beneficiary organisations which will in turn inform our advocacy, research and programmes.
• Proactively seek grant applications especially from the “cold spots” identified in our grants review and continue to develop strategic partnership programmes (e.g. with the Plunkett Foundation and Pub is the Hub).
• Represent the Fund at stakeholder and advocacy events.
• Provide regular and accurate progress reports to the charity’s management, Trustees and funders.

Part of a small team and based in London, you will report into the Head of Operations. You will implement the Fund’s new grant making strategy and encourage and proactively seek grant applications, assisting applicants through the process where necessary. You will liaise with our beneficiaries and develop our strategic partnership programmes. You will manage the grant management system and provide updates for senior management and Trustees, demonstrating the impact of our grant programme through the collection and evaluation of monitoring data. You will support the Communications Manager by identifying and developing case studies for the Fund’s communications and fundraising activity. 

You will be enthusiastic, results orientated, a good team player and, of course, share our passion for the countryside.