Wasps Legends are recruiting for a Business Development Manager

The Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation are recruiting for a Business Development Manager to help us continue changing lives through the Spirit of Rugby.

In this role, you will be responsible for long term membership and commercial growth across the Foundation. You will implement an effective approach that expands our reach, strengthens existing relationships and builds networks to help facilitate new charity opportunities that actively benefit the Foundation. You will be responsible for managing and developing a portfolio of existing fundraising donors, as well as working in partnership with our Head of Foundation to help deliver a successful, diverse and fulfilled events programme.

Deadline for applications: 5pm on Monday 18th August 2025.

Full Job Specification:

About Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation

Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation was founded in 2012 with the sole aim of giving back to a remarkable community. Through an extensive programme of fundraising events, the foundation has raised over a million pounds for over 100 deserving causes who align with the foundation’s vision of changing lives through the spirit of Rugby. We are immensely proud of our impact and we invite you to apply for the position of Business Development Manager to help drive future growth of the foundation to enable us to continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.

About the role

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to growing the diversity within our foundation and an environment within which our employees can thrive. The safeguarding and welfare of our team and supporters is paramount. We expect all employees and volunteers to share these commitments.

You will be responsible for long term membership and commercial growth across the Foundation. You will implement an effective approach that expands our reach,

strengthens existing relationships and builds networks to help facilitate new charity opportunities that actively benefit the Foundation.

You will be responsible for manging and developing a portfolio of existing fundraising donors, deepening their relationship with the Foundation and upscaling donated gifts as well as developing a healthy pipeline of new donors with a view to increasing our fundraising portfolio. You will also work with our Head of Foundation to help deliver a successful, diverse and fulfilled events programme to drive fundraising, engage existing members and corporate sponsors as well as attract prospective new donors to our Foundation.

Key responsibilities include:

Membership Programme Development & Management - evaluating and enhancing the membership offering by reviewing tiers, target audiences, and objectives. It involves refining the value proposition, boosting marketing and communications, and leveraging technology to track engagement and streamline access. The role also includes creating engaging events, integrating fundraising efforts, improving operational processes like onboarding and renewals, and continuously monitoring and optimising the programme for growth and impact.

Corporate Partner Programme Development & Management -designing partnership tiers and securing new corporate partners, while managing and nurturing existing relationships. It involves delivering agreed benefits, driving sponsorship and fundraising income, and integrating partners into key events and experiences. The role also includes overseeing joint marketing campaigns, maintaining accurate CRM and partnership records, tracking KPIs, and continuously enhancing the programme based on performance data and partner feedback.

Develop Business Club Events - relaunching the Business Club to four annual events, establishing a successful format, pricing, and value-driven packages. It includes securing business leaders or speakers, fostering a networking environment aligned with the Foundation’s values, and using the events as a lead-generation tool for the wider corporate programme. Additionally, it focuses on upselling sponsorships, auction involvement, and donations, while positioning the Business Club as a platform offering CSR benefits through engagement with the Foundation’s mission.

Sponsorship -creating tailored sponsorship packages aligned with brand goals and CSR objectives and identifying potential sponsors both within and beyond existing networks. It includes managing the full sales and pitching process, from proposal to securing deals, and maintaining strong sponsor relationships. The role ensures all sponsor rights and activations are delivered in coordination with the events team and provides post-event impact reports and feedback to enhance future sponsorship opportunities.

Ambassador Programme Development - developing and managing the Ambassador Programme to raise awareness of Wasps Legends, enhance event visibility, and leverage ambassadors’ networks. Responsibilities include defining selection criteria, recruiting ambassadors with a clear value proposition, and outlining their roles—such as attending events, promoting on social media, and making introductions. The role also supports ambassadors with toolkits, branding, and regular meetings, while aligning the programme with the Foundation’s strategy. It involves tracking engagement, measuring impact for continuous improvement, and managing ambassador-related expenses.

Increasing Fundraising Provision - expanding the fundraising item portfolio by developing strategies to engage new networks and leverage ambassadors. It involves sourcing a diverse range of appealing, cost-effective (or preferably donated) items for various audiences and budgets. Key responsibilities include creating and maintaining a modernised fundraising database to track items, donor behaviours, and usage deadlines, building strong donor relationships, preparing items for auctions, raffles, or online platforms, and exploring digital fundraising tools to increase reach and impact.

Donor & Supporter Relationship Management - strengthening relationships with all donor types by using a new CRM system to analyse giving patterns, personalise communications, and track engagement. It involves developing consistent communication plans, promptly acknowledging donations, sharing impact stories, and recognising key supporters. The role also includes relationship-building through events and personal interactions, encouraging long-term pledges and workplace giving, and gathering donor feedback to enhance their experience with the Foundation.

Administrative Support including development of a Foundation wide CRM database for donors, members and corporate partners - implementation and customisation of a Foundation-wide CRM system to manage donors, members, and corporate partners. It includes migrating data from various sources, building a structured, multi-purpose database with tagging and relationship mapping, and integrating with existing tools like MailChimp and GoCardless. Responsibilities also include providing day-to-day business development admin support, creating reports and dashboards to inform strategy, developing user guides, and ensuring strong data governance through regular audits and GDPR compliance.

Experience

Experience in individual fundraising, donor relations, or related fields.

Experience in developing sponsorship packages and pitching, as well as experience in contributing to fundraising campaigns or events.

Experience in being proactive to actively seek and secure new business development opportunities (from prospecting to conversion).

Experience in Event Management; including budget creation, venue sourcing through to event delivery, in particular regard to networking events.

Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building abilities as well as strong stakeholder engagement across sectors.

Strong organisational and project management skills.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, for proposals, communications and partnership decks. Familiarity with digital marketing and social media.

Previous experience with CRM systems for tracking and reporting, alongside data analysis to inform engagement strategy and track KPI’s preferable.

Experience in developing, or executing growth strategies, especially around membership, partnerships or fundraising goals.

How to Apply

Applicants should send their CV and a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and skills for the role to Toby Holcroft – foundation@waspslegends.co.uk

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Work Location: Remote Working

Schedule: Monday to Friday (but flexibility to work weekends and evenings when events are on)

Pay: £35,000 per year

Bonus Scheme: You will be eligible for the Wasps Legends Bonus Scheme which will award a bonus relative to performance where applicable – further details of the scheme can be disclosed on request.

Application deadline: Monday 18th August 2025 at 5pm.

Expected start date: Monday 1st September 2025 (or following an applicable notice period).