Collective Futures is a new philanthropic foundation with a bold ambition: to improve lives by backing people and ideas that are too often overlooked. Established in 2024, we are building a fresh approach to philanthropy that focuses on areas which have outsized potential to improve lives, but which are relatively under-resourced. We prioritise prevention over intervention, and we work in partnership with others to catalyse change.

Our current area of focus is early childhood development in the UK – a period that shapes everything from educational outcomes to lifelong wellbeing, yet which remains underfunded and undervalued. We also lead an emerging programme of work to invest in social sector capacity building. And there’s more: in our first year we awarded unrestricted grants to grassroots charities, co-funded research and sector-wide collaboration, and began laying the foundations for place-based systems change. The momentum is growing, and now we’re beginning the exciting process of expanding our lean team.

We’re looking for a Head of Programmes & Partnerships who thrives on turning ideas into action. You’ll help design and deliver multi-year grant funding programmes, co-create solutions with local partners, and ensure our portfolio of charities and collaborators get the most from their relationship with us. Alongside this, you’ll lead strategic projects, steward co-funders, and translate learning into insight that can shape our next steps.

You’ll need to be equally comfortable with high-level strategy and hands-on delivery, able to move from a Board discussion to a site visit to a detailed budget review. You’ll be a natural problem-solver who can navigate ambiguity and bring clarity. Above all, you’ll share our values: thoughtful, collaborative, caring, humble, pragmatic and responsive.

If you have a track record of delivering complex programmes and partnerships, and you’re motivated by the chance to shape a new foundation from the ground up, we’d love to hear from you.

For more information, please download the Candidate Pack. If you have questions which are not answered by the pack, please email collectivefutures@cadencepartners.co.uk.

Closing date: midday, 26th September 2025.