THE INDIGO TRUST

Job title:

Grants Manager, True Colours Trust

Job Description

Job purpose:

To work with and support the Head of Programmes and Strategic Lead to enable
the Trustees of the True Colours Trust to achieve their philanthropic ambitions
and to deliver the Trust’s strategies and priorities through grant making in their
priority areas.

At the heart of True Colours’ work is an ambition to achieve equity, specifically in
the fields of palliative care and disability. The Trust’s founding vision is to see a
world in which everyone, wherever they live and whatever their age, is able to
access good palliative care, and disabled children and young people are able to
live their lives to the full. True Colours works in the UK and Africa.

Reports to:

Head of Programmes, True Colours Trust

Other key relationships:

Chair, True Colours Trust
Strategic Lead, True Colours Trust
True Colours Trust Administrator

Responsible for:

No line management responsibilities, may coach and mentor junior staff

Location:

The Peak, 5 Wilton Road, London, with opportunity to work from home

Key responsibilities and duties

This role will initially lead two key programmes of work: the Trust’s UK Small Grants Programme and the
Trust’s  Africa  Small  Grants  Programme.  Duties  will  initially  be  divided  between  these  programmes;
however, the balance of work will evolve over time to reflect the changing priorities and focus of the Trust.

The Grants Manager will be expected to progressively work towards increased autonomy, supporting and
working with the Head of Programmes and Strategic Lead to ensure that all grant making activity is in
keeping with the philanthropic vision, values and ethos of the Trust.

•  Assist in the management of day-to-day grant-making and operations
•  Provide Trustees with professional advice and well-judged recommendations on grants for

consideration, in writing and / or verbally.

•  Carry out thorough due diligence of applicants’ work, achievements, and financial position.
•  Ensure effective grants administration including recording information for a robust and efficient
audit trail, supervising the recording of grant information and preparation of grant award letters.

•  Monitor the effectiveness of the Trust’s grants through meetings, visits, reports, and regular

communication.

•  Work closely with recipients of grants to support them to achieve desired impacts (e.g. by

facilitating collaboration and sharing information between grantees) as well as ensuring funding
conditions are met and payments are made in a timely manner.

•  Provide Trustees with research, financial and narrative reports, and information on grants and

projects as requested.

Grants Manager January 2026

•  Deputise for the Head of Programmes when appropriate.
•  Participate in the development of the Trust’s mission and strategic plan and support periodic

reviews with Trustees and the Head of Programmes/Strategic Lead.

•  With Head of Programmes, identify opportunities to improve processes, operations and impact

of programme.

•  Represent True Colours at meetings and events.
•  Write and edit a diverse range of documents, potentially including board papers, website copy

and reports.

•  Collaborate as appropriate with colleagues, advisers and other funders.
•  Help foster a positive collective spirit in the SFCT office.

Specific programme responsibilities

Management of the Trust’s UK Small Grants Programme

•  Responding to enquiries and providing advice and support to potential applicants.
•  Review of all applications.
•  Due diligence.
•
•  Management of award process, payments and grant monitoring including review of reports.
•  Analysis of grants awarded.
•  Forming and maintaining positive and supportive relationships with grantees.

In-person meetings with Trustees to discuss proposals and support decision-making process.

Oversight of the Trust’s Africa Small Grants Programme

•  Coordination of programme in partnership with the African Palliative Care Association which

undertakes the management of the programme.

•  Analysis of grants awarded.

General responsibilities

•  Represent and be an ambassador for SFCT as well as True Colours.
•  Be proactive in keeping up to date with policy and developments affecting your work and

maintain and improve personal competence, knowledge and expertise through continuous
professional development.

•  Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line

with the broad remit of the position.

•  Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace.
•  Work collaboratively with others in all aspects of SFCT’ s work.

Scope and accountability

Decision making level:

•  Manage and monitor budgets, ensuring risks are raised with Head of Programmes as

appropriate.
Identification and selection of proposals to present to Trustees.

•
•  Management of grants including liaison with grantees and between grantees and Trustees.
•  Deputise for Head of Programmes in SFCT-wide and external commitments where appropriate.

Grants Manager January 2026

Financial resources

•  Manage budgets for UK Small Grants and Africa Small Grants:

o  UK Small Grant Programme: Responsibility for budget of £300k pa for disbursement in

grants of up to £10k each.

o  Africa Small Grant programme: administration and overall responsibility for budget of

£100k pa.

•  Liaise with Finance to approve payments to grantee and ensure grant offer conditions are being

met.

•  Manage budgets for UK Small Grants and Africa Small Grants, with support from Head of

Programmes.

Information resources

•  Manage grants database, ensuring quality data in line with governance, accountability and due
diligence standards and its commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in its grant making.
Implement and amend systems and databases as appropriate.

•
•  Maintain budget, finance, and expenses records.

Other resources

•  Not applicable

People Management

•  May mentor junior colleagues to understand grant administration processes and systems

Legal, regulatory and compliance responsibility

•  Ensure compliance with SFCT safeguarding policies and procedures and data protection in

relation to grant management.

•  Personal compliance with SFCT health and safety procedures, Equal Opportunities & Diversity

procedures.

Grants Manager January 2026

Person Specification

Experience

•  Mandatory – Demonstrable experience of grant-making.
•  Desirable – Experience or knowledge of disability and / or health charities in the UK and / or

Africa.

•  Desirable – Experience of engaging and working with diverse stakeholders.
•  Desirable – Experience (personal or professional) of sectors in which TCT works.

Knowledge and education/training

•  Mandatory – Interest in sectors in which TCT works.
•  Mandatory – Knowledge of how charities work, including their financial and governance

arrangements.

Skills and abilities

•  Excellent written communication skills and the ability to understand and distil application

forms into concise written summaries for Trustees.

•  Able to work empathetically with people with lived experience of illness, disability and

bereavement.

•  Excellent judgment and high level of integrity.
•  Excellent analytical and numerical skills.
•  Excellent attention to detail.
•  High level of proficiency on Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) with the ability to grasp

unfamiliar IT/Digital systems quickly.

•  Ability to manage competing demands, changing priorities and meet deadlines.
•  Ability to work closely with Trustees, build trust and rapport with them.  Willingness to take

direction from Trustees and cede final decision-making to them.

•  Skills to deal tactfully, empathetically and positively with True Colours’ contacts and

grantees, and also with grantees and contacts of other Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts.

•  Ability to build relationships and partnerships in the UK and in Africa.
•  Ability to objectively analyse projects and organisations.

Personal attributes and other requirements

•  Empathetic and resilient
•  The confidence to take initiative and work independently
•  Able to work flexibly and adapt as programme areas evolve
•  Serve the trust with enthusiasm and a lightness of touch; help make grant-making enjoyable

and satisfying for everyone involved

•  Active and self-led learner who keeps abreast of developments.
•  Enjoys working in a complex environment
•  Works well in a team with a flexible approach to work
•  Passion to make a positive difference
•  Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply

awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work

•  Able to work out-of-hours from time to time, and travel within UK

Grants Manager January 2026