Alumni engagement officer jobs

Events and Community Coordinator - Remote (UK based) – 0.8FTE

• Salary: £30,000 for 0.8 FTE (£37,500 FTE equivalent) + 5% pension + 25 days holiday
• Location: Remote (must be UK-based), with occasional travel for events
• Eligibility: Applicants must have the right to work in the UK
• Application deadline: 20 April 2026 at midday (GMT)

The Engineers and Scientists in Business Fellowship (ESBF) is a UK charity with a clear mission: to champion the impact of business education for engineers and scientists. 

Through our flagship Sainsbury Management Fellows programme, we award £50,000 MBA scholarships to outstanding individuals, supporting them to study at leading global business schools. Our Fellows go on to lead organisations, build companies, and drive innovation across sectors. 

We also support entrepreneurship across more than 50 UK universities by sponsoring enterprise competitions for engineering and science students, helping them develop entrepreneurial skills early and turn ideas into ventures with real-world potential. 

Founded by Lord David Sainsbury and delivered in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering and the National Physical Laboratory, our work sits at the intersection of science, business, and leadership. 

The Role

This is a role for someone who enjoys making things happen and bringing people together. 

As our Events and Community Coordinator, you will deliver a high-quality events programme while building strong, lasting relationships across a network of 400+ Fellows. You will play a central role in shaping how our community connects, contributes, and grows. 

You will also lead on our CRM system, helping us use data more effectively to strengthen engagement and support alumni philanthropy. 

Working in a small, collaborative team, you will have real scope to shape the role, particularly as we build towards our 40th anniversary in 2027. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Plan and deliver a programme of high-quality events, including our flagship events and events with partner organisations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Fellows, supporting an active alumni community.
• Coordinate engagement initiatives, including networks and special interest groups.
• Manage and develop the CRM system to support engagement and fundraising.
• Contribute to the smooth running of the organisation as part of a small team. 

About You 

You are organised, proactive, and people-focused, with a natural ability to build relationships and keep multiple priorities moving. 

You will bring experience in events delivery and community or stakeholder engagement, along with strong communication skills and attention to detail. Experience managing CRM systems is important and previous experience in higher education, charity, fellowship or scholarship management would be a bonus. 

Why Join Us? 

• Be part of a purpose-driven organisation with national impact.
• Work with an inspiring network of leaders across business, science, and engineering.
• Shape how a growing alumni community connects and contributes.
• Join a small team where your ideas and input matter.
• Play a role in a significant milestone: our 40th anniversary. 

This is an exceptional opportunity at one of the world's most prestigious universities at a time of extraordinary ambition and philanthropic momentum. 

Associate Director of Development – Principal Gifts
Employer: University of Oxford
Salary: £65,336 - £82,255 with scope to go beyond for a leading professional with outstanding experience and track record
Location: Oxford (Hybrid)

Here at the University of Oxford, we are recruiting three Associate Directors of Development – Principal Gifts to join our incredible team. These are new positions, part of an expansion of our friendly, collaborative and successful Principal Gifts team.

As Associate Director of Development – Principal Gifts, you will operate at the highest levels of the University to secure transformational gifts at the eight-figure-plus level, advancing Oxford’s mission and global impact.  Your work will help ensure that Oxford continues to attract the brightest minds, pursue world-leading research, and address the most urgent challenges facing humanity.

You will work closely with the Vice-Chancellor, Chief Development and Alumni Engagement Officer, Director of Development – Principal Gifts, and other senior leaders to align principal gift opportunities with institutional priorities and articulate a compelling case for support to some of the world’s most significant philanthropists.

Your impact will be enduring – enabling breakthrough discoveries, expanding opportunity for students, and strengthening Oxford’s position as a global leader in education and research.  The Associate Director of Development role offers the chance not only to secure transformational gifts, but also to shape the future of Oxford’s philanthropic culture and leave a legacy at an institution that has been changing the world for over nine centuries.

This is a chance to join a dedicated, professional and ambitious team at a time when Oxford’s fundraising is at unprecedented levels. With strong support from the Vice-Chancellor, a proven track record of principal gift success, and an unparalleled global reputation, you will have every opportunity to make your mark, both at Oxford and in your career.

You will be passionate about what we do here, not phased by complexity and ambiguity, and comfortable orchestrating a myriad of stakeholders.  We hope to hear from you!

The University of Oxford is partnering with Erin Hall-Westfall and Joanna Logan of Constellate Global Talent on this search.

Closing date: midnight on Monday, 6 April 2026.

Interested?

Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.

Diversity and Inclusivity

The University of Oxford is committed to equal opportunity, and to being a place where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed. We recognise how the diversity of our community enriches our ability to deliver on our academic mission.

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or members of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

No agencies please

Location: 89 Addison Road, London, W14 8BZ, and other Trust sites across London

Contract Type: Full time, all year round

Salary: £31,980-£33,870

Start Date: As soon as possible

About the Role

Working closely with the Development Manager and the Development Director, you will play a key role in strengthening relationships with the Trust’s communities, supporting fundraising initiatives and delivering engaging communications and events that foster lifelong connections with the Trust and its schools.

Key Responsibilities

• Build meaningful relationships across school communities and alumni networks, bringing people together and inspiring them to support the Trust’s vision
• Lead creative fundraising and engagement initiatives, from community campaigns to reunions and events, helping to drive a vibrant culture of giving
• Boost the Trust’s growth and sustainability by supporting data‑driven fundraising, managing donor stewardship, maintaining accurate customer relationship management (CRM) records, and contributing to strong grant proposals

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will be:

• A confident communicator with excellent interpersonal and writing skills who can engage a vast range of stakeholders
• Experienced in relationship management, fundraising or engagement
• Organised, detail-oriented and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Skilled in using CRM systems and digital communication tools
• Passionate about education and community building
• A team player with a proactive and positive approach

About the Trust

The Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust is a growing family of Catholic schools (primary, secondary and post-16), a registered charity and a trading company committed to providing an outstanding education rooted in faith, aspiration and service.

Our Shared Services Team provides high-quality professional and operational support across the Trust, enabling schools to focus on teaching, learning and pastoral care.

What We Offer

• A supportive and collaborative working environment
• Opportunities for training and development to help you grow in your career
• The chance to contribute to a trust committed to delivering high-quality education and supporting staff wellbeing
• Hybrid working during school holidays
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme and generous holiday entitlement

How to Apply

For further details on the role, please view the Job Description and Person Specification or visit our website to find out more about us.

To apply for this role, please complete the application forms available on our Vacancies webpage. Applications should be sent via email.

Shortlisted candidates will be called for interview upon receipt of application, therefore we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

The Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All roles are subject to satisfactory vetting, including an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List.

The posts below are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (amended 2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs, certain spent convictions and cautions are protected and they do not need to be disclosed to employers. If they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.  Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website and further information about filtering offences can be found in DBS filtering guide.

Join us in our mission to cultivate an educational environment that inspires growth, respect and academic achievement!

Head of Principal Gifts
Employer: University of Manchester
Salary: £59,966 to £71,566, depending on experience with scope to go beyond for an exceptional candidate
Location: Hybrid working, Manchester

We are looking for our new Head of Principal Gifts to work with our highest level of donors, securing principal gifts in support of the University of Manchester's key priorities - gifts that are truly transformational and enable us to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges.

We're taking our big gift fundraising to the next level with the launch of a dedicated Principal Gifts programme, and we're looking for someone to play a key role in shaping that transformation, building deep, lasting relationships with top-level donors in the UK and internationally.

With our inspirational new strategy in place and our first-ever university-wide philanthropic campaign, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, launched in November 2025, this is a pivotal moment for Manchester and for your career.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, Principal Gifts, you'll be joining a brilliant, values-driven team with a fantastic pipeline of prospects, strong existing relationships, and academics who are fully engaged in what we're building together.

Great things happen at The University of Manchester every day - from finding new treatments for cancer and discovering wonder materials like Nobel Prize-winning graphene, to providing life-changing scholarships and influencing government policy to help the world's poorest people. This is the work your fundraising will make possible.

If you're a major gifts or big gift fundraiser ready to make your mark at a world-renowned institution and take that next career-defining step, we'd love to hear from you.

Closing date: Midnight on Monday 20 April 2026

Interested?

Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.

The University of Manchester is partnering with Constellate Global Talent on this search. No agencies please.

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 150 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible. 

The role is full time and permanent. This role is based across our Bloomsbury and UCL East campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office).

We are looking for a Community Projects Coordinator (Community Research Initiative) to coordinate and support the further development of our diverse programme of extra-curricular student activity including our Research Volunteering and Pro Bono Research programmes.

Do you have experience in coordinating events, engaging volunteers, and creating meaningful opportunities for students? Do you excel at awareness‑raising, campaigning, or storytelling? If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you.

Our ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of high‑quality student engagement, experience in building effective relationships with volunteers and stakeholders, and the ability to communicate confidently with people from a wide range of sectors, backgrounds, and cultures. They will be highly organised, adaptable, and motivated by working in a democratic, student‑led environment, with a clear commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Job title: Head of Principal Gifts
Employer: Imperial College London
Salary: £69,365 to £79,257 per annum
Location: White City, London W12 (Hybrid)

About the role:

Are you a fundraiser looking for a new challenge at the highest levels of philanthropy? Are you looking to transition into the field of principal gifts?

Here at Imperial College, we are recruiting a Head of Principal Gifts to join our brilliant and growing team. This is a new position, part of an expansion of our Advancement Division.

What you will be doing:

As Head of Principal Gifts, you will play a transformative role in securing the philanthropic investments that drive groundbreaking discoveries, life-changing innovations and sustainable solutions. Your work will directly impact fields critical to shaping the future – from climate resilience and AI to global health and business innovation. You will have the opportunity to work with amazing colleagues driven to tackle some of the most difficult problems facing society. 

At Imperial, philanthropy has the power to change lives. In this role, you'll be at the heart of that - cultivating relationships with high-net-worth individuals and like-minded stakeholders, and helping drive our most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign to date.

Working closely with the Director of Development: Principal Gifts and Global, you'll lead on gifts that are genuinely complex and career-defining in scale.

What we are looking for:

We're looking for someone entrepreneurial and ambitious: a natural relationship-builder who thrives in complexity, navigates ambiguity with confidence, and knows how to bring the right people together at the right moment. If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days’ annual leave and generous pension schemes).
• Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial.

Our culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and creating an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation.

Further Information

This is one of two exceptional opportunities to join our dynamic team. As we continue to expand our international presence, we are recruiting for the following role:

• Head of Global Development, Asia

Each of these roles offers a unique opportunity to shape our strategic direction and build impactful partnerships.

Closing date: Midnight on Thursday 16 April 2026.

Interested?

Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.

Imperial is partnering with Erin Hall-Westfall and Joanna Logan of Constellate Global Talent on this search.

No agencies please.

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 150 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible. 

The role is full time and permanent. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office).

We are looking for a Networks Development Coordinator to support the development of our networks to create inclusive, dynamic and engaging communities at UCL. We currently have nine networks at UCL and the purpose of this role is to empower, train and support our students to host events, run campaigns and raise awareness. You will help broker new partnerships with charities and other student groups, facilitating our students to build communities and get the most out of their time at UCL. You will also take a leading role in coordinating history months and awareness days, working with our student communities. 

This role will also work closely with UCL's Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team to oversee support and development of elected student EDI Reps who drive equality initiatives across the institution.

Do you have experience in supporting students from liberation communities? Do you have experience of empowering and training students or volunteers? If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you. 

Our ideal candidate will have experience of supporting others to make meaningful change, experience of lobbying and campaigning as well experience of event management and facilitation. 

Seeking a purposeful career change? Start on your transformative journey with the On Purpose Associate Programme, offering a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals to transition into impactful work. This paid, year-long leadership programme is designed for those ready to develop the skills, knowledge, mindset, and connections to create a regenerative, equitable and just future.

Key info:

• Based in London, UK

• Full-time (4.5 days at placement & 1 half day training weekly)

• £27,010 per annum salary

• Programme dates: October 2026 - September 2027 (50 weeks)

• Apply by Monday 18th May, 9:00 am (BST).

About On Purpose:

On Purpose is tackling the greatest challenge of our time: transforming our economy from profit to purpose. Our leadership programmes develop people who will play their part in this transformation.

Together, we learn to see a different future and take action towards realising it in the organisations we work in. Our programmes seed a vibrant community who care, inspire, challenge and support one another as we make this transformation a reality.

Programme structure:

Two 6 month placements 

• Through work placements with organisations driving impactful change, you'll gain hands-on experience tackling pressing social and environmental issues 4.5 days of the week. Some of our current partners include Better Society Capital, Great Yellow, BAFTA and VISA.

Weekly expert-led learning 

• Our intensive Learning & Development programme involves half a day, weekly in-person sessions led by experts from across sectors. The blend of professional training and academic rigour equips you with the skills, knowledge and mindset to lead organisational and systemic change. 

1:1 mentoring & coaching

• Receive support through fortnightly mentoring sessions and quarterly executive coaching, fostering both your personal and professional growth.

Join a supportive, impactful community

• You’ll be part of a tight-knit cohort of ~20 Associates, participating in training sessions every Friday afternoon together. You’ll also join the wider On Purpose community with now 1000+ alumni, connecting with a global, influential network of impact-driven professionals offering life-long inspiration, collaboration and opportunities.

Benefits:

• Earn a £27.01 k salary - On Purpose stands out by offering a paid learning and training opportunity, saving you significant costs compared to paying for other leadership programmes or MBAs.

• Develop your ability to make an impact - Equip yourself with the skills and insights needed to drive meaningful change. Our alumni are leading transformative change worldwide in all parts of the system, with 92% currently working in the impact sector.

• Unlock purpose-driven career opportunities - Our Associates have moved into a range of impact roles, ranging from CEOs of social enterprises to leadership positions within traditional companies driving change from within. We have a former music label business owner now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Director of Impact at B Lab UK and a former civil servant now Climate Lead at Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 

• Standard UK holiday allowance

• A 3-day residential (expenses paid)

Who we’re looking for:

This programme is ideal for you if:

• You’re at a stage in your career where you’ve built solid professional experience and want to use your professional skills to create change in organisations, systems and beyond;

• you’re not currently in a career that aligns with your beliefs, but looking to transition into one;

• or you’re already in the impact sector and want to deepen your understanding of how systems and organisations work, develop the skills to lead transformational change, clarify your purpose and vision, and join a cohort and wider network of peers committed to putting purpose before profit.

Specific sector or industry experience is not important. We’re looking for talented people from diverse industries who have a determination to bring their skills and experience to purpose-driven projects and to driving systemic change. We seek ambitious individuals with:

• A minimum of three years full-time professional experience

• The right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme

• Fluency in English 

• Office environment experience 

• Skills including project management, stakeholder engagement, adaptability, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, quantitative analysis and strategic thinking.

• Excitement and commitment towards building a career that helps transform our economy from profit to purpose.

Diversity and Inclusion:

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences and those who are often under-represented in the impact sector, including but not limited to individuals with disabilities and those from diverse ethnic, gender identities, sexualities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds.

How to apply:

• Register your interest via our website to receive a link to your online application form.

• Closing date for applications: Monday 18th May, 9:00 am (BST).

• Interviews will be held in mid-late June.

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Programmes to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping our fast-growing Martingale Scholarship Programme.

As Head of Programmes, you will join our senior management team, overseeing the growing programmes team. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspects of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme from application to alumni, ensuring that the programme maintains a strong reputation for being both supportive and prestigious.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that as we expand across STEM the programme remains of a high quality and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s programmes are impactful, data informed and meet the needs of the scholars we are supporting. You will also be responsible for managing relationships with various external stakeholders including universities, funders and evaluation partners.

We are looking for a strong strategic leader with extensive programme experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Programmes will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

About Purposeful Ventures

Our vision is for a fairer society where all young people thrive. We work with social entrepreneurs, organisations and philanthropists that share our vision. Through our work with these partners, young people are given opportunities in education and beyond, helping them reach their true potential.

Purposeful Ventures offers philanthropists and funders bespoke advice, using an evidence-based approach to help them to identify high-impact opportunities to fund. We then partner with visionary individuals and mission-driven organisations with strong theories of change. We help them turn great ideas into sustainable and successful ventures by offering fully individualised and very hands-on support, access to funding and a ‘high-challenge, high-support’ home. We do the minimum necessary and whatever it takes to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership of the Scholarship Programme

• Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end Martingale Scholarship lifecycle, from selection and admissions through to scholar progression and alumni outcomes.
• Develop and deliver a multi-year operational strategy for Martingale’s Development Programme (MDP), ensuring scalability, academic excellence, and alignment with organisational growth plans.
• Continuously refine the scholar journey to ensure it is sector-leading, prestigious, and tailored to the needs of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Build deep expertise in postgraduate education, research culture, and enabling access to inform programme evolution and innovation.

Admissions & Selection Strategy

• Lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, fair, and high-quality admissions and assessment process across subject areas.
• Oversee shortlisting, interview frameworks, assessment centres, and final scholarship recommendations to the Selection Committee.
• Ensure alignment between Martingale’s selection processes and university partner requirements.
• Maintain oversight of scholar allocation, including place management, deferrals, intermissions, withdrawals, and reallocations.

Scholar Experience & Case Management

• Ensure effective advocacy for Scholars including maximising progression and retention across cohorts.
• Oversee complex scholar casework, including deferrals, intermissions, safeguarding concerns, funding queries, disciplinary action and university liaison.
• Ensure consistent, professional, and high-touch support across the scholar lifecycle.
• Strengthen cohort cohesion and long-term alumni engagement.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Martingale, ensuring safeguarding policy implementation and record keeping in line with best practice in relation to vulnerable adults.
• Oversee data protection compliance relating to scholar and applicant data, in partnership with the organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
• Ensure programme delivery complies with charity, funding, and regulatory requirements.

Budget, Contracting & Financial Oversight

• Hold responsibility for programme budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation, cost control, and value for money.
• Oversee scholarship programme financial management, and work with Head of Strategy and Operations on onwards grants including deferrals, funding adjustments, and invoicing.
• Work with the Head of Strategy and Operations on university contracting, scholarship agreements, and financial reconciliation with partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and reporting processes across programme operations.

University & Sector Partnerships (Programme-Focused)

• Lead programme-level relationships with university partners, including Heads of Departments, Graduate Tutors, CDT leads, and admissions teams.
• Ensure universities meet partnership commitments and that Scholars are appropriately supported institutionally.
• Contribute to partnership negotiations where programme design or operational delivery is concerned.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen university research culture and scholar support mechanisms.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact

• Lead development and oversight of Martingale’s Theory of Change and evaluation framework, working with our external independent evaluators.
• Develop robust systems to track scholar progression, outcomes, and programme effectiveness.
• Provide high-quality reporting to the CEO, Board, funders, and partners, evidencing impact and continuous improvement.

New Programme Development & Innovation

• Work with the CEO to design new subject expansions, pilots, or initiatives aligned to Martingale’s mission.
• Assess operational, financial, and reputational implications of programme growth.
• Develop business cases, delivery models, and implementation plans for expansion.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Provide senior leadership to the Programmes team, including line management of programme staff.
• Build a high-performing, mission-driven team with clear accountability and ownership.
• Develop succession planning and team capability as Martingale scales.
• Model Martingale’s values of excellence, professionalism, and thoughtful support.

Organisational Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to organisational strategy and governance.
• Represent Martingale externally in academic, sector, and policy contexts where appropriate.
• Support Board and Committee reporting related to programme performance and scholar outcomes.

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Significant experience leading and delivering high-quality programmes, ideally in higher education, research, scholarships, or a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, with evidence of working effectively with universities, academics, funders, or equivalent partners.
• Proven line management experience, with the ability to develop and lead a high-performing team.
• Experience managing complex operational delivery, including planning, timelines, and coordinating multiple moving parts.
• Strong experience handling sensitive casework and providing professional support to individuals.
• Budget management experience, including planning and overseeing programme delivery costs.
• Excellent written communication skills, including producing clear reports and briefings for senior audiences.
• Commitment to safeguarding, wellbeing and compliance, with willingness to act as safeguarding lead.

Desirable

• Experience working directly with postgraduate research, PhD programmes, or doctoral training environments.
• Experience designing or overseeing selection and assessment processes (e.g. interviews, admissions, recruitment pipelines).
• Experience managing programme evaluation frameworks, including Theory of Change and external evaluators.
• Familiarity with contracting, invoicing, and operational finance processes.
• Knowledge of UK higher education systems and research culture.
• Experience working in a start-up, scale-up, or fast-growing charity.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism, including ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), one of the world’s foremost independent international policy and research organisations, is seeking an outstanding fundraising and communications leader to work alongside our Executive Director and senior team.

Following the launch of our strategy - Manifesto for a Thriving World – and a recent organisational restructure, we decided to bring the functions of fundraising and communications together under a single Director. This is a tactical move, appreciating our funding sources, audiences, and how to reach them are quickly shifting, with the need to think differently about our brand, positioning, use of technology and relationships.

You will lead and shape our strategy in these areas, while also managing strong existing teams and being a key voice in IIED’s governing bodies. You will be the focal point for our institutional funding partnerships and take accountability for achieving a fundraising target and set of objectives. You will be at the heart of guiding IIED’s impact-focused communications, brand, marketing and influencing approach, as well as creating a reinforcing positive trajectory by connecting fundraising and communications. 

In joining IIED, you will have the opportunity to work with creative, innovative and committed colleagues striving to achieve IIED’s six propositions. You will be part of an organisation hosting the Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, supporting the Least Developed Countries in international negotiations and delivering highly influential research, events and equitable partnerships tackling climate change, nature loss and inequality. 

About Us
IIED is an international policy and research organisation working to build a fairer, more sustainable world, in partnership with others across the globe.

• We stand up: challenging the systems and structures that perpetuate economic, social and environmental injustice – acknowledging our own role in this.
• We speak out: calling out the big blockers that prevent progress for communities and working to amplify voices, redistribute power and strengthen rights.
• We innovate: developing, co-producing and supporting evidence-based ideas to drive progress towards a thriving world for all.
• We collaborate: building connections at local, national and international levels, to support diverse partners to tackle the climate, nature and inequality crises so that people and the planet can thrive. Come and be part of this exciting journey with us

The Benefits
- Salary of £78,715 - £91,102 per annum dependent on experience
- 25 days' annual leave per year, plus bank holidays and additional leave over Christmas
- 7.5% employer pension contributions
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Employee protection scheme (life, critical illness, income protection)

This is a rare and exciting opportunity for a senior fundraising and communications leader with significant experience in an international NGO or charity settings to join our globally influential organisation at a moment of strategic transformation.

About You
To be considered as the Director of Fundraising and Communications, you will need:

• Significant experience leading fundraising functions, delivering multi-stream income generation strategies
• Significant experience overseeing a broad communications portfolio, including research communications, brand positioning, digital engagement and media, and internal communications.
• An impressive track record in securing large-scale funding and have exceptional communications and influencing skills across diverse stakeholders.
• Strong leadership experience in multi-cultural environments, building high-performing, values-led teams.
• The willingness and ability to travel internationally.

If you are ready for a career-defining role at a pivotal point for our organisation and the global community, we are waiting to hear from you.

The closing date for this role 24 March 2026.

IIED is a Global organisation that serves the Global Majority. We are committed to equity of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in IIED’s workforce, including members of minority groups and those with lived experience of the work we do. Even if you don't satisfy all the criteria, we still encourage you to apply, as we will offer training and development to upskill the right candidate for the role.

So, if you want to become our Director of Fundraising and Communications, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.