Application Guide
How to Apply for High Value Relationships Lead
at Mencap
🏢 About Mencap
Mencap is a leading UK charity dedicated to creating a world where people with learning disabilities are valued equally, heard, and included. What makes Mencap unique is their long-term, values-driven partnerships with organizations like Sport England and British Gas Energy Trust, and their bold new strategy, Mencap 2030, which positions high-value fundraising as central to achieving transformational impact. Working here means joining an organization with an engaged Executive team and active CEO/Board who genuinely support and understand fundraising's role in driving change.
About This Role
As High Value Relationships Lead, you'll strategically lead Mencap's high-value fundraising by securing multi-year, transformational support from major donors, trusts, foundations, and statutory funders. You'll manage a talented team, shape the high-value fundraising approach, and build strong pipelines to turn Mencap 2030's ambitions into reality. This role is impactful because it directly fuels the organization's vision for systemic change and inclusion for people with learning disabilities.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve virtual meetings with major donors or foundation representatives to discuss transformational partnership opportunities, collaborating with your team to refine pipeline strategies, and working with Mencap's Executive team to align fundraising efforts with the Mencap 2030 vision. You'll spend time analyzing donor motivations, crafting tailored proposals, and ensuring relationships are deepened in line with the organization's values-driven approach.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Mencap Is Looking For
- A senior fundraiser with proven experience building deep, long-term relationships with high-value donors or institutional funders, particularly in securing multi-year, transformational gifts.
- Someone who excels at understanding donor motivations, earning trust, and collaborating internally (e.g., with the Executive team and CEO) to align partnerships with Mencap's values and strategy.
- A strategic leader who can develop and implement a high-value fundraising approach, manage a team, and build credible pipelines that deliver against ambitious targets.
- Passionate about Mencap's mission and able to articulate how high-value partnerships contribute to a world where people with learning disabilities are valued equally and included.
📝 Tips for Applying to Mencap
Explicitly highlight experience with multi-year, transformational fundraising (not just one-off gifts) and mention specific examples of building values-led partnerships.
Tailor your resume to show how you've worked collaboratively with senior leadership (like an Executive team or CEO) to advance fundraising goals.
Research Mencap 2030 strategy and reference how your skills can help unlock its potential through high-value fundraising.
Demonstrate knowledge of Mencap's existing partners (e.g., Sport England, British Gas Energy Trust, Pears) and suggest how you'd deepen or replicate such relationships.
Emphasize remote work competence, as this is a part-time remote role, by detailing experience managing teams or relationships virtually.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for Mencap's mission and how your fundraising expertise aligns with Mencap 2030's bold vision.", 'Specific examples of securing transformational, multi-year support from high-value donors or institutional funders.', 'Experience leading teams and shaping strategic fundraising approaches in a collaborative environment.', "How you build deep, trust-based relationships that are values-led, similar to Mencap's existing partnerships."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Mencap 2030 strategy details—understand its vision, goals, and how high-value fundraising fits in.
- → Mencap's existing high-value partners (e.g., Sport England, British Gas Energy Trust, Pears)—study their impact and values alignment.
- → Recent news or campaigns from Mencap to grasp current priorities and challenges in the learning disability space.
- → Mencap's leadership team, especially the CEO and Board, to understand their involvement in fundraising.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on one-off fundraising successes without highlighting multi-year or transformational partnership experience.
- Generic applications that don't reference Mencap's mission, strategy, or existing partnerships specifically.
- Underestimating the part-time, remote nature—failing to demonstrate ability to manage teams or relationships effectively in this setup.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!