Funding and Business Manager

About this role

Job Title
Funding and Business Manager

Reporting to
Chief Operating Officer

Job Purpose
Identify, develop and secure grants, funding and sponsorship opportunities for Live Here Love Here, with a particular focus on unrestricted income

Hours of business
Flexible business hours 8am-6pm. Core hours 10am-4pm.
Hybrid working policy, 2 days in Belfast office per week
Location
Hybrid- Home and Belfast office
Hours / week
37.5 (see below)

Salary
£35,000 - £40,000 per annum

Contract type
Permanent (subject to funding)

Application window
Closes 12 midday Monday 19th October
Interviews on 29th October, in person, in Belfast

Staff are contracted to work 37.5 hours. However, Live Here Live Here operates a 4-day working week of 30 hours with staff benefitting from a paid “non-working day”. Given the seniority of this post, the post-holder will be expected to work additional hours when necessary, especially to ensure the delivery of high-priority deadlines.
For further information please email [email protected]

The Funding and Business Manager will play a key role in supporting the organisation’s income generation ambitions by scanning for funding opportunities, developing high-quality applications and maintaining constructive relationships with grant-making bodies, sponsors and other funding providers.
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the post-holder will proactively scope and develop new income opportunities, with a particular focus on unrestricted income, while ensuring that applications, funder communications and relationship management are professional, timely and aligned to Live Here Love Here’s strategy and values.

• Funding Opportunity Scanning: Proactively identify, research and assess relevant grant, sponsorship and funding opportunities that align with Live Here Love Here’s objectives and programmes.

• Grant Body Relationships: As part of the above, actively seeking to meet and get to know build relationships with key potential funders.

• Grant Applications: Lead on drafting, coordinating and submitting compelling, accurate and timely applications to grant-making bodies and funding providers

• Unrestricted Income Development: Imaginatively scope and progress opportunities that strengthen the organisation’s unrestricted income base and long-term financial sustainability.

• Sponsor and Social Value Partner Relationships: Lead on the initial formation and active maintenance of sponsor and social value partner relationships, ensuring clear propositions, professional follow-up and strong relationship management.

• Internal Coordination: Work with colleagues across programmes, finance, communications and operations to gather information, budgets, outputs and evidence required for strong applications.

• Pipeline Management: Maintain an organised pipeline of prospects, deadlines, submissions, outcomes and follow-up actions to support planning and prioritisation.

• Compliance and Quality: Ensure funding submissions are accurate, evidence-based, compliant with funder requirements and consistent with organisational policies and messaging.
In ​addition

• Reporting to the COO: You will be guided as to the priorities that need to be pursued, and you will advise on available funding streams.

• Income Generation Planning: Contribute to organisational income generation planning by identifying realistic prospects, priorities and timelines.

• Strategic Partnerships: Support the development of strategic funding and sponsorship relationships that help Live Here Love Here grow its impact and resilience.

• Funder Confidence: Help ensure funders, grant-making bodies and sponsors receive clear, professional and timely communication.

• Organisational Learning: Capture learning from successful and unsuccessful applications to strengthen future funding approaches.

• Collaboration: Work collaboratively with the Senior Executive team to provide wider business support across the organisation.

We ask applicants not to rely on AI tools when preparing their application, we want to see responses reflecting your own experience and voice, demonstrating your understanding and suitability for the role.

Qualifications, skills and experience
Essential

• Education: Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent relevant experience in fundraising, grants, business development or partnership income generation.

• Relevant experience: A minimum of two years’ experience in a comparable or equivalent role.

• Grant Funding Experience: Demonstrable experience of identifying funding opportunities and preparing successful applications to grant-making bodies, trusts, foundations, public-sector funding programmes or bidding for public sector contracts.

• Sponsor and Funder Relationships: Demonstrable experience building and maintaining professional relationships with funders, sponsors or external stakeholders.

• Income Generation: Evidence of contributing to income generation targets, including the ability to scope opportunities and develop persuasive funding propositions.

• Written Communication: Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling and evidence-based applications, proposals and reports.

• Organisation and Attention to Detail: Strong ability to manage multiple deadlines, maintain accurate records and ensure submissions meet funder requirements.

• Internal Collaboration: Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to gather project information, budgets, evidence and impact data required for applications.

• Leadership Attributes: You must be an exceptional team player. You must have, integrity, energy, and a can-do attitude. You must align to the values of the organisation which are - principled; dedicated; collaborative and creative.

• Access to a suitable means of transport to allow the duties of the role to be fulfilled, alongside a willingness to travel across Northern Ireland where required.
Desirable

• Sector…