Contract: Permanent basis
Hours: Full-Time 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks)
About Refugee Action
Refugee Action exists to work with refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We are a national charity with more than 40 years’ experience of empowering people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes to secure the protection and support that they need to live with dignity and respect and build a new life in the UK. We do this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of partner organisations and campaigning on the policies that affect them.
About the Role
We are seeking a motivated and skilled Trusts and Foundations Officer to join our fundraising team and drive income growth from trusts and foundations. This is an exciting opportunity for a confident communicator who is passionate about making a meaningful impact, particularly in supporting refugees and people seeking asylum.
You will play a key role in identifying and securing new funding opportunities, building strong relationships with funders, and developing compelling proposals that secure support for our work.
To succeed in the role, you will need to demonstrate:
• Commitment to removing barriers to power for people with lived experience, and commitment to anti-racist practices.
• Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it.
• Ability to develop new income generating opportunities through effective prospecting skills to build a robust prospect pipeline.
• Demonstrable experience in relationship development and account management of trusts and foundations, with the skills and ability to quickly build rapport with all levels of seniority through articulate and persuasive communication skills.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to write compelling and inspirational funding bids to secure five/ six-figure gifts.
• Target driven with experience of securing new income and meeting KPIs.
• Excellent financial and budgetary skills with proven ability to develop budgets and understand funder finance reports.
• Ability to organise and plan own work, juggle competing demands, and establish clear timelines and priorities to meet deadlines.
• Passion and motivation to raise vital funds to support refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK.
• Commitment to positively contribute to Refugee Action’s work to become a truly anti racist organisation and remove barriers to power.
• Experience and understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to work with people from a range of different cultures.
Please contact Rachel Holmes on rachelh@refugee-action.org.uk if have any questions about this vacancy or if you would like to speak with the recruiting manager.
If you have any queries regarding the process and application, please send an email to recruitment@refugee-action.org.uk
Those with lived experience as a refugee are particularly encouraged to apply
Closing date: 23:59 on 31st May 2026
Interviews: 16th June 2026 (on Zoom)
Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.
This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List. If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.
You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:
• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations
• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education
We are currently campaigning for people seeking asylum to have the right to work in the UK, see our Lift the Ban campaign here.