Thank you for your interest in working with us!
The Mersey Rivers Trust (MRT) is an environmental charity focussing on the protection and enhancement of rivers and waterbodies in the Mersey Catchment.
It operates across the Mersey Basin covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. We have an annual turnover of c£1m, delivering up to 30 projects per year.
The Trust works with partners, local communities, and volunteers to deliver a wide range of projects including river restoration, reduction of flood risk by Natural Flood Management techniques, river monitoring, volunteer events (eg river clean-ups/invasive species control and citizen science), community engagement and education events, farm advice/plans and biodiversity net gain.
The Trust continues to evolve to meet the increasing challenges of protecting and enhancing rivers and waterbodies in the catchment.
We are hiring!
Development Manager
Mersey Rivers Trust
Location: Home-based (Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire)
Salary: £24,000–£26,000
Hours: 22.5 hours per week (3 days)
Contract: 2 year fixed term
Closing date: Wednesday 25th February 2026
The Mersey Rivers Trust is an environmental charity working to protect and enhance rivers and waterbodies across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. We deliver projects in river restoration, natural flood management, biodiversity, monitoring, education and community engagement — all within the Mersey Catchment.
Reporting to the Chief Executive, we are looking for a Development Manager to lead our income strategy and drive future funding development. This pivotal new role will strengthen the long‑term financial sustainability of the Trust by identifying funding opportunities, developing high‑quality funding bids, and building strong relationships with funders and strategic partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and implement the Trust’s income strategy.
- Identify, research and pursue new funding opportunities across charitable, public sector, corporate and environmental markets.
- Build and maintain relationships with funders and partners across the catchment.
- Lead the financial review of major funding bids and support colleagues in preparing high‑quality applications.
- Produce income forecasts, maintain funding pipelines and report to the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Trustees.
About You
Essential:
- A successful track record in income generation, business development or strategic planning.
- Experience preparing or reviewing funding bids of £100k+.
- Strong communication, numeracy and relationship‑building skills.
- Highly organised, self‑motivated and able to work independently.
- Confident with budgets and financial information.
Desirable:
- Experience in the environmental or charity sector.
- Knowledge of green finance, nature‑based solutions or environmental funding mechanisms.
- Understanding of the Mersey Catchment or the catchment‑based approach.
This role is home‑based with regular travel across the Mersey Catchment. A driving licence or equivalent access to public transport is desirable. A basic DBS check will be required.
How to Apply
Please send a CV (max 2 pages) and separate covering letter (max 2 pages) explaining how you meet the role requirements to:
clare@merseyrivers.org
For informal queries, contact Clare Bullen (CEO) at clare@merseyrivers.org or John Sanders (Strategy & Development Director) at john@merseyrivers.org.