Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) is looking for a highly motivated Development
Officer with  experience to join the small but dedicated Development Team to raise funds
to retore and preserve the Gardens for the benefit of everyone now, and for future
generations.

Role Title

  Development Officer

Contract Type

January 2026, full time, permanent

Team

Reports to

Salary

Development

Development Director

£28,000 - £32,000 gross per annum

Purpose of Role
This  exciting  new  role  is  vital  to  increase  the  income  generating  capacity  of  BBG’s  Development
Team to enable the charity to deliver its purpose and major development over the next 4+ years. In
July BBG was awarded an NLHF grant of £9.075m, and has successfully raised over 90% of the capital
funds  needed.  The  priority  is  to  close  the  capital  funding  gap  in  accordance  with  our  fundraising
strategy and increase funding for other projects and the day-to-day operation the charity, long term.
BBG receives no public subsidy and must raise all income from visitors, trading, events and fundrais-
ing. The Development Officer post has been created to increase fundraised income for the charity,
cultivating and stewarding an expanded and sustained funding and supporter base.

In line with current priorities, the postholder will be required to raise commercial sponsorship in-
come, and income from major donors/individuals to meet capital and operational targets/KPI’s. The
postholder will be expected to create sponsor/donor packages, deliver cultivation events and stew-
ard donors and supporters on all aspects of fundraising as directed. The postholder will have experi-
ence of managing sponsorship agreements to ensure value, compliance and delivery of benefits.

The role will share responsibility for the management of data, compliance and stewardship of
growing funding streams and support the administration of the Development Function. The
Development Team raises and manages funds from grants, trusts and foundations, individuals,
organisations, business, legacies, etc, and the new postholder will work with the highly effective and
dedicated team of Development Director and Development Manager and with the wider BBG team.

Key Responsibilities

•  Achieve income and performance targets in accordance with BBG’s agreed Fundraising

Strategy and business needs, as directed by the Development Director.

•  Raise funding with compelling case for support from sponsors/from individuals, to meet the
targets of the Major project, and  fundraising from other sources such as grants, as agreed.

•  Contribute to managing BBG’s development/fundraising function data, ensuring accuracy of
data and information on BBG’s Spektrix/CRM system to comply with internal requirements
and the Data Protection Act.

•  Work with Horticultural, Marketing, Learning & Engagement, Finance Teams and other staff
to formulate proposals, maximising opportunities for raising funds to support core functions
and projects, once the capital is secured.

•  Manage funding contracts with sponsors and those of all Development funders -including

payment schedules, high quality impact reports, monitoring and compliance with any condi-
tions of funding.

•  High quality personalised stewarding of all donors and supporters, ensuring BBG’s reputa-

tion as an exemplary charity is maintained. Respectful approach in all fundraising.

•  Research and cultivating funding prospects and submitting high quality well-researched ap-

plications, securing new supporters and interest within the wider funding strategy.

•  Work with Marketing to manage fundraising messaging and communications, including digi-
tal, print and press coverage, all in accordance with fundraising regulation. Liaise with BBG
Finance staff to ensure reporting meets BBG’s wider business and charitable requirements.

•  Liaise with BBG Finance to ensure reporting meets BBG’s business/charitable requirements.

•  Support with organising relevant cultivation events/visits to the Gardens, special thanks and

stewardship delivery outcomes, talks, events, tours and hospitality.

•  Maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, and industry codes of practice on fundraising.
Ensure compliance with the Charities Act, Data Protection Act and Fundraising Regulator
Codes of Conduct and Best Practice. Conduct due diligence.

•  Manage any volunteers working in support of the development function at BBG.

•  Deliver donor benefits and acknowledgements.

•  Demonstrate a commitment to working as a member of the BBG team, assisting with other

activities, sometimes working overtime and in the evenings.

•  Be happy, confident and proactive in developing Development and Fundraising

relationships, in person, beyond the Gardens’ boundaries and representing the charity
externally.

•  Demonstrate an active commitment to Equality, Diversity and inclusion.

•  The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and the postholder will be expected to perform
different tasks as necessitated by their changing role within the organisation and the overall
business objectives of the organisation.

Person Specification

Area

Essential

Desirable

Knowledge

•  Knowledge of sponsorship process in a charity,
associated contractual and compliance/issues

•  Knowledge of different types of fundraising -
sponsorship, trusts, grants, individual giving,
memberships, and major gifts, legacies

•  Knowledge and experience of fundraising and of
charitable income with targets and ouptputs

•  Knowledge of and demonstrable integrity in
fundraising, awareness of due diligence

Experience

•  Strong experience working in a fundraising capacity,

including sponsorship, individual giving

•  Evidence of success in raising funds and delivery of

funder benefits, 6 figure sums

•  Experience of data management/CRM systems and

funder reporting

•  Experience of managing sponsors/donors and high

standards of stewardship

•  Experience of working with marketing/process of

comms/ delivery of funding benefits

•  An understanding of the not-for-

profit sector, preferably
knowledge/interest in the
botanical heritage and
environmental sectors

•  Knowledge of Fundraising

Regulation, GDPR, Gift Aid, Tax,
Charity Governance and Code of
Practice

•  Passion for plants, science, and

the environment

•  Successful fundraising for
garden, heritage, science,
horticultural or related
charitable subject matter

•  Experience of prospect research

•  Experience of using Spektrix/CRM

system or similar

•  Experience of project and grant

reporting and funding
management

Qualifica-
tions

•  Degree-educated or with demonstrable experience
of in-depth understanding of fundraising in an
independent charitable organisation.

•  English and Maths GCSE/equivalent, Grade 4/C or

above

•  Degree and Postgraduate
Fundraising qualification

•  In-service fundraising training

•  Membership of Chartered
Institute of Fundraising

Skills

•  Ability to define charitable benefits and outputs  to
create sponsorship deals, including terms and finan-
cial arrangements.

•  Experience of making compelling
case for support for projects and
fundraising.

•

The ability to create, plan, execute, and oversee spon-
sorship proposal/activities from start to finish.

•  Excellent IT skills and data management experience,

databases and data analysis.

•  Numeracy skills, and excellent communication writ-

ten and verbal, with high standards of accuracy, and
attention to detail.

•  Understanding the Environmental
and sustainability context for
fundraising.

•  An understanding of marketing
principles; Understsanding of
business trends/sponsorship
opportunities.

What we can offer:

•  Pension through Royal London

•  24hour Employee Assistance Programme through BUPA

•  An extra day of annual leave for your birthday!

•  Company sick pay

•  Free parking is generally available onsite

•  Tea/Coffee and cold drinks provided during the working day

•  Discounts & Tickets: 20% discount in the gift shop; 10% discount in the Cafe; tickets

for immediate family into the Gardens and special offers for one-off events
throughout the year

Enquiries:

If you have any questions, wish to have an informal discussion about the role, or
would like access support to apply for this role in a different way, please email
jobs@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk

To apply:

Please send your CV and covering letter to jobs@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk

Application deadline: Monday 17th November 2025, midday

Interviews: Likely to be Wednesday 26th November 2025

Alternative dates for interview will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Online interviews will be considered on request to accommodate specific travel or access
needs.