Philanthropy Development Officer
Now is an exciting time to Mercy Ships UK. With a growing supporter base, a talented staff team and ambitious targets to reach over the next five years, we are looking for a talented Philanthropy Development Officer to join our team.
Mercy Ships is a faith-based charity, bringing safe surgery to people in Africa who have limited access to healthcare and little or no money to pay for it. For over 40 years, Mercy Ships has visited more than 55 developing nations. We are passionate to serve those in need and to leave a lasting impact for the future by working alongside governments, supporting health systems and delivering training within the countries we visit. Our volunteer crew represent our organisation onboard our two ships through excellence and diligence. Sixteen Mercy Ships offices around the world collaborate on fundraising, recruitment and public relations.
Mercy Ships UK
The UK currently raises circa £9 million a year to support Mercy Ships’ operations, benefiting from a diverse base of committed funders and partners. As well as providing financial resources for surgeries, healthcare, education and local partnerships, the UK identifies over 400 professional volunteers with medical, maritime and many other skills to crew the world’s largest charitable hospital ships
‘Africa Mercy’ and ‘Global Mercy’, – bringing immediate relief to thousands of individuals and leaving a sustainable legacy of hope and healing in every nation we visit.
Values
Mercy Ships was founded by Don and Deyon Stephens in 1978, committed Christians with a vision to follow the model of Jesus, who inspires action and guides us to imitate God’s heart for those marginalised by poverty and disease. Mercy Ships is a diverse community made of people from all walks of life, practically demonstrating love, integrity and excellence to make a lasting impact. While not all of our staff are practising Christians, they all align with and respect the Christian values that underpin Mercy Ships’ work.
Approximately 90% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lacks access to safe and affordable surgical care. On average, there are only 1.8 beds per 1,000 people, and nearly 40% of healthcare settings lack hygiene infrastructure. The need for Mercy Ships is clear – we strive to provide safe and equitable healthcare for those who need it most.
Shelley Pigott, Executive Director, Mercy Ships UK
M E R C Y S H I P S A P P O I N T M E N T B R I E F
Impact
Since 1978, Mercy Ships has brought hope and healing to more than 2.88 million people through free, life-changing healthcare and training. Our volunteer professionals have performed over 122,000 surgical procedures and provided more than 556,900 dental procedures to those in desperate need. Alongside this, we have trained more than 55,500 local professionals in their area of expertise, equipping them to go on and impact over 252,000 others within their own communities.
Our commitment extends beyond the hospital ship—we have completed over 1,110 community development projects, including the reconstruction of schools, clinics, orphanages, water wells, and agricultural programmes. These initiatives ensure sustainable transformation by strengthening local infrastructure and skills for the future.
Today, we have proudly served across more than 55 of the world’s poorest nations, with two remarkable hospital ships:
The Global Mercy: the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, featuring 6 state-of-the-art operating theatres, 199 patient beds, the capacity for 640 crew, and a gross tonnage of 37,856.
The Africa Mercy: with 5 fully equipped operating theatres, 85 patient beds, space for 470 crew, and a gross tonnage of 16,572.
Together, these ships represent a unique and powerful force for good, bringing hope, healing, and lasting change to those who need it most.
Our work
Mariama’s story
Mariama is a lively and healthy baby, but a severe facial cleft strained her joyful smile. This facial cleft affected 7-month-old Mariama’s lip and nose, making it difficult for her to eat and causing her parents to worry about their child’s future.
Since paediatric services capable of treating baby Mariama’s condition were not available near the family, local doctors directed her father to Senegal’s capital city in hopes of finding help.
It was there that he heard about a hospital ship capable of providing healing for his little girl.
Soon after, Mariama received an operation onboard the Africa Mercy that repaired her cleft lip. After surgery, Mariama and her family stayed at the HOPE Centre, where her mother learned how to make nutritional baby formula and learned about the importance of nutrition for her child. Now, Mariama is home with her family, happy and healthy!
Our Mission
Mercy Ships follows the 2,000 year-old model of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor.
Our Vision
Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to transform individuals and partner with nations.
Our Values
Following the model of Jesus, we seek to:
Love God
Love and serve others
Be people of integrity
Strive for excellence in all we say and do
History of Mercy Ships
Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 countries, providing services valued at more than £1.3 billion.
By improving healthcare delivery in every country visited, Mercy Ships is working to eradicate the diseases of poverty. Mercy Ships follows the model of Jesus by “bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor”, helping people of any faith or none.
Mercy Ships delivers a customised five-year partnership model with every country it is invited to support. Relationships are built with the national government and ministry of health, so that the specific needs of each country are met; we work to strengthen the country’s healthcare systems and drive policy change.
The aim is to tackle the root causes of the problems rather than just the consequences.
Mercy Ships UK (a key member of the Mercy Ships global partnership) was founded in 1996. We run the two largest charity hospital ships in the world: the Global Mercy and the Africa Mercy.
Behaviours
We put beneficiaries first
Our performance impacts lives, so we strive for the very best results.
We are open to challenge
We challenge current norms, ideate, create and develop.
We expect the best
We consistently seek the best in and for others.
Together in everything
We are a relationally-driven team.
Effective interaction
We communicate with clarity and purpose.
Role Description
Main Workbase: 12 Meadway Court, Stevenage SG1 2EF Hours of Work: Full-time (37.5 hours per week, excluding 45 minutes for lunch per day) Hybrid Contract: 12 months (FTC) Line Manager: Head of Philanthropy Salary: £35,000- £37,000 per annum (DOE)
Benefits:
25 days annual leave + bank holidays, increasing + 1 day with each year of service, up to 30 days annual leave
Up to 7% Employer pension contribution
Eye care, travel and training loans, and family-friendly policies
Access to EPA Wellbeing scheme
Learning & Development budget. We invest in creative excellence and continuous development, with a dedicated learning budget to support your growth.
Main Purpose
The Philanthropy Officer plays a pivotal role in growing Mercy Ships UK’s philanthropic income by delivering high-quality prospect research, donor insight and stewardship communications that inform fundraising strategy and support engagement with major donors, trusts, foundations and corporate partners.
The postholder will identify and assess new funding opportunities, develop donor and prospect profiles, and create compelling stewardship and funding communications that help build strong cultivation pipelines and long-term supporter relationships.
Working closely with frontline fundraisers, they will provide the insight, tools and engagement strategies needed to inform fundraising approaches, strengthen donor experiences and maximise philanthropic support. The role also contributes to effective fundraising operations through strong data management, reporting and compliance processes, and oversees the delivery of Mercy Ships’ trusts and foundations mailer programme, supporting the cultivation and stewardship of emerging trust funders.
Main Responsibilities
Prospect Research and Pipeline Development
Identifying and qualifying new fundraising opportunities. .
● Create donor briefing profiles turning complex information into clear, actionable insights for frontline fundraisers..
Ensure compliance and due diligence processes are completed for donations, adhering to GDPR and relevant regulatory standards.
Assist with portfolio reviews and pipeline management for the team.
Proposal and Stewardship Support
• Producing highly tailored impact reports, bespoke funding propositions and personalised. communication for high-net-worth individuals, trusts and foundations and corporations.
Donor journeys – creating gold standard acknowledgement and recognition programmes to deepen supporter loyalty before during and after a major gift.
• Support fundraising initiatives linked to strategic projects, mailings and campaigns.
Trusts and Foundations Fundraising
Manage lower-value trusts and foundations programme:
Research, identify and qualify prospective trust funders.
C Deliver mailings and stewardship activities.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records.
• Monitor, record and report on trust fundraising performance and income.
CRM and Data Management
• Produce reports and pipeline analysis to support the philanthropy teams performance.
Support the development and improvement of CRM processes and workflows.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, processes and supporter experience.
Person Specification
| AttributeEducation/qualification | Essential | Desirable |
| • Educated to A-Level orequivalent experience. | • Fundraising, marketing,business, communications orrelated qualification.• Membership of or trainingthrough a relevant professionalbody (e.g. ClOF). | |
| Provenexperience | • Experience supporting fundraising,philanthropy, trusts, corporatepartnerships or relationship management.• Experience managing multiple prioritiesand deadlines.• Experience using CRM systems andmaintaining accurate records. | • Experience of trust andfoundation fundraising.• Experience supporting majordonor or corporate fundraising. |
| Skills andabilities | • Excellent written communication skills.• Strong research and analytical skills.• Excellent organisational skills and attentionto detail.• Ability to interpret information andproduce clear, actionable insights.• Proficiency in Microsoft Office andCRM systems.• Ability to work independently andproactively. | • Knowledge of fundraisingdatabases such as Salesforce orRaiser's Edge.• Understanding of philanthropyand charitable fundraising.• Experience using wealth screeningand prospect research tools. |
| Personalqualities | • Highly organised and dependable.• Curious, proactive and solutions focused.• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills.• Commitment to delivering excellentsupporter experiences.• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.• Commitment to Mercy Ships' mission,values and Christian ethos. | • Passion for philanthropy andrelationship-based fundraising.• Interest in continuousimprovement and innovation. |
How to apply
to join us in transforming lives:
Please send a CV and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you want to work for Mercy Ships to:
careers@mercyships.org.uk
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the vacancy will remain open until the position is filled. Salary : £35,000-£37,000 per annum (DOE)
Don’t delay applying as we screen applications on receipt and reserve the right to close early.
Equal opportunities
Mercy Ships UK is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all individuals and value diversity in our workforce.
DBS check
Candidates will be asked to declare any ‘unspent convictions.’ Further information can be found here.
Eligible roles may require a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
Hope.Healing.Transforming Lives.
Registered Charity No: 1053055. Registered Charity in Scotland No. SC039743. Company No: 3147724 (England and Wales)