Head of Business Development

Salary: £60,000-£75,000

Location: The Young Foundation is a remote-first organisation, with offices in Toynbee Hall, East London. Due to the nature of the role, you should be willing to travel to London on a regular basis for business development and project meetings, networking opportunities, and all-staff meetings. Project related travel costs will be reimbursed.

Hours: Four to five days a week (flexible – minimum 28 hours/ week). The Young Foundation supports a 4.5 day working week and staff work this, wherever possible (pro rata for those working less than a 35-hour week).

Contract: Permanent. Start date: ASAP

Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus three office closure days between Christmas and New Year. We also provide two wellbeing days per year. Staff are signed up to one of two pension schemes and access a personalised wellbeing budget through Better Space. All employees also have access to our Employee Assistance Programme.

About The Young Foundation

The Young Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation driving community research and social innovation. We bring communities, organisations and policymakers together to understand the issues people care about and support collective action to improve lives. We involve communities in research and innovate together to inspire positive change. We deliver distinctive initiatives and programmes to shape a fairer future. Read our ambitious, five-year strategy: The Power of Participation.

About the role

This newly created senior role sits within The Young Foundation’s Communications Team, strengthening our strategic business development function and supporting income growth across our full range of our programmes and partnerships. This post requires high-level fundraising and procurement expertise and leadership of business development and income generation processes, dealing with a range of funding modalities from research grants to consortia building, commercial consultancy and philanthropic funds. Working collaboratively across our teams, the post is responsible for ensuring the preparation of high-quality funding proposals and formal tenders, alongside wider strategic business development activities and relationship-building. The role-holder will support the continued growth and impact of The Young Foundation’s external-facing activity, aligning business development with communications and policy work.

About you

We welcome applications from individuals with exceptional experience and networks in business development and fundraising in the UK community charity sector and a commitment to equity and social justice. This post requires a demonstrable track record of effective income generation at a mid-senior level and offers the opportunity for a motivated and dynamic individual to deliver real impact for communities, within a supportive working environment.

How to apply

Please apply directly via CharityJob, ensuring you complete the application form.

As part of your application on CharityJob, please include a cover letter addressing the following questions:

• Where do you see the greatest business development opportunities for The Young Foundation over the next 24 months?
• In an increasingly competitive market, how would you seek to position The Young Foundation for opportunities, in light of the charity’s mission, purpose, vision and expertise?
• What is your approach to building and strengthening positive relationships to drive income growth?

The closing date for applications is 12pm on 20 April 2026.

The selection process will involve an interview and a presentation task.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 4 May 2026.

The Young Foundation is an equal opportunities employer and as part of our commitment to increasing the diversity of our team we actively encourage people from Black and Ethnic Minority or other under-represented groups to apply for this role. We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

You must have the right to live and work in the UK. Applicants who require a work permit in order to take up employment will not be considered.

Upon submitting your application, you will receive an automated response to say we have received your application. Please note that we review applications after the closing date and we regret that we will only be able to reply, and give feedback, to short-listed applicants.

If you have any queries about the role or your application, please email applications@youngfoundation.org.

Posted on: 30 March 2026