Events Fundraising Lead

Overview

We are seeking an experienced, high-performing Events Fundraising Lead to drive forward a flagship portfolio of fundraising events with strategic control, operational excellence and a deep sense of ownership. This is a senior delivery role, accountable for all aspects of planning, executing and evaluating complex fundraising events across Guy s & St Thomas Foundation, Evelina London Children s Charity, and Guy s Cancer Charity. This position requires someone who can operate independently, manage high-value partnerships, oversee delivery risks, and influence cross-functional teams with credibility. You will be expected to take initiative, lead relationships and processes without supervision, and support junior colleagues in upholding the highest operational standards. A key element of this role is working closely with the Events Fundraising Co-ordinator to ensure seamless delivery offering guidance and support across all operational touchpoints, while also benefiting from their delivery support in return.

About us

Guy s & St Thomas Charity, Guy s Cancer Charity and Evelina London Children s Charity are part of Guy s & St Thomas Foundation. Our collective mission is to build the foundations of a healthier society.

As part of our team, you will work alongside talented people from a mix of personal and professional backgrounds. We are a Living Wage employer and support flexible working, part-time roles and job shares. Though our ambitions are serious, this is a friendly place to work with lots of opportunities to meet and socialise with colleagues. We believe there is immense power in diversity and aim to recruit and nurture talent who think and act differently.

There is more information about working with us on our website, where you can read about:•

• how we approach recruitment
• our team, culture and values
• the benefits of working with us
• and our approach to diversity, equity & inclusion, health & wellbeing, and learning & development

Overall Purpose of the role

The Events Fundraising Lead plays a critical role within the fundraising team, combining strategic oversight with a hands-on commitment to delivery excellence. At a time of organisational transformation and ambitious long-term growth, this role is central to building the operational foundations and supporter experiences that will enable our 10-year vision to succeed. This role will provide clear direction and structure to the planning and execution of our event portfolio, while remaining close to the operational detail streamlining processes, refining supporter journeys, and driving performance through data, insight and continuous improvement. This role is responsible for setting high standards across everything from partnership engagement to on-the-day execution. It requires someone who is comfortable working autonomously, leading high-value relationships with professionalism and precision, and bringing creative thinking to how we engage and retain our event supporters. The Events Fundraising Lead will also guide and support the Events Fundraising Co-ordinator, working in close partnership to deliver exceptional stewardship across the supporter lifecycle and elevate every touchpoint from first sign-up to post-event celebration. This is a key opportunity for an experienced event professional to shape the future of events at Guy s & St Thomas Foundation and play a leading role in how we build supporter loyalty, scale income, and strengthen our presence in third-party partnerships.

Please note 1st interviews for this role will be held week commencing 7th July

Key Responsibilities

• Independently lead the delivery of a portfolio of flagship fundraising events (e.g. London Marathon, London Landmarks, St Thomas Abseil), from planning and budgeting to live execution and post-event evaluation.
• Take full accountability for event logistics, safety planning, compliance, supplier and volunteer coordination, and performance reporting.
• Act as the strategic lead and key relationship manager with external partners (e.g. London Marathon Events, contracted delivery agencies), managing high-stakes negotiations and ensuring our brand and supporter experience are protected at all stages.
• Develop and manage detailed event budgets, including forecasting, tracking, reconciliation and net income reporting.
• Design recruitment and supporter acquisition strategies (e.g. ballot, registration flows, digital campaigns, grassroots marketing), optimising for retention and ROI in collaboration with digital and comms teams.
• Provide operational guidance and oversight to the Events Fundraising Co-ordinator, ensuring compliance, quality, and consistency across all shared delivery elements.
• Collaborate on supporter stewardship planning and execution, ensuring high-quality communications, journeys and post-event follow-up with appropriate division of responsibilities between Lead and Co-ordinator.
• Own the production and implementation of risk assessments, permits, insurances and safety documentation, ensuring all activity is compliant and appropriately escalated when needed.
• Evaluate events against defined KPIs, using data insight and feedback to improve delivery, supporter satisfaction and financial performance.

Work environment

The post holder should expect to:

• Work in a hybrid hot desk environment, generally working 2 days a week in the London office and three from home.
• Be responsible for the input and maintenance of databases and files relevant to the post requirements.
• Will occasionally be required to attend events in the evening and at weekends.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Experience

This role requires substantial, direct operational experience. Applicants without evidence of owning event budgets, long-term strategy work, operational logistics, and external partnership delivery will not be shortlisted.

Essential Experience

• At least 3 years' experience independently delivering large-scale fundraising events with full logistical and financial responsibility.
• Strong background in supplier management, live event operations, and compliance, including health & safety, risk documentation and insurance.
• Demonstrated success in building and managing strategic partnerships with third-party organisers (e.g. London Marathon Events)
• Proven ability to create and manage ambitious event budgets, including re-forecasting, reporting and cost-efficiency tracking.
• Deep understanding of event marketing and acquisition including ballot processes, supporter targeting, segmentation and grassroots recruitment strategies.
• Experience designing and delivering multi-channel supporter stewardship journeys, with a strong grasp of behavioural communications across platforms such as email, SMS, WhatsApp, phone, and face-to-face and how these contribute to retention, satisfaction, and campaign performance metrics.
• Strategic yet hands-on able to zoom out to set direction while confidently managing detail and delivery to a high standard.
• Leads with ownership and accountability, consistently delivering results without needing direction or oversight.
• Committed to excellence holds themselves and others to high standards, with a proactive drive to improve systems, processes and supporter experience.
• Collaborative and generous with expertise, offering guidance, support and mentorship to junior colleagues while maintaining clear boundaries of responsibility.
• Calm and composed under pressure, particularly during live delivery or high-profile partner engagement.
• Data-aware and insight-driven, using evidence to inform decisions and adjust strategies quickly and intelligently.
• Credible and professional communicator, able to represent the organisation confidently to senior stakeholders, suppliers and volunteers alike.
• Solutions-focused and resourceful, with a creative mindset that finds ways to elevate the supporter experience and maximise value from every opportunity.
• Passionate about the supporter journey, and deeply motivated by delivering meaningful, memorable experiences for all participants.
• Adaptable and resilient, able to navigate organisational change and support others through evolving strategies and ways of working

Personal Attributes

• Strategic yet hands-on able to zoom out to set direction while confidently managing detail and delivery to a high standard.
• Leads with ownership and accountability, consistently delivering results without needing direction or oversight.
• Committed to excellence holds themselves and others to high standards, with a proactive drive to improve systems, processes and supporter experience.
• Collaborative and generous with expertise, offering guidance, support and mentorship to junior colleagues while maintaining clear boundaries of responsibility.
• Calm and composed under pressure, particularly during live delivery or high-profile partner engagement.
• Data-aware and insight-driven, using evidence to inform decisions and adjust strategies quickly and intelligently.
• Credible and professional communicator, able to represent the organisation confidently to senior stakeholders, suppliers and volunteers alike.
• Solutions-focused and resourceful, with a creative mindset that finds ways to elevate the supporter experience and maximise value from every opportunity.
• Passionate about the supporter journey . click apply for full job details