Oxford is excited to invite applications for a newly created role that will lead fundraising for its School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE). The Head of Development will be a key member of the Social Sciences Development team within Development and Alumni Engagement (DAE), who will work closely with SoGE and DAE leadership to establish a small Geography team, and to develop a fundraising strategy that serves the School’s goals and grows its philanthropic support.
SoGE is one of the foremost geography and environment university departments in the world, internationally recognised for the quality of its research and teaching. Geography at the University of Oxford is a large, vibrant and intellectually diverse community comprising the core academic department of the School of Geography and the Environment, its three research centres: the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), the Transport Studies Unit (TSU) and the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment (SSEE) and several geographers based elsewhere in the wider university.
This is a special opportunity to work collaboratively with academic colleagues who craft robust, imaginative and forward-looking answers to pressing questions about the environment, technology, geopolitics and socio-economic change.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced major gifts fundraiser who is looking to grow their career in Higher Education through a senior role combining significant fundraising with management of a small team. You will be a collaborative fundraiser with expertise in major gifts and a strong track record of securing complex philanthropic support. Thriving in a fast-paced environment, you will be a strategic thinker and a skilled operator—communicative, adaptable, and adept at building strong, lasting relationships. Your ability to establish credibility and foster trust across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders will be key to your success, as will be a knowledge of and passion for issues relating to the School’s work, and that of the Social Sciences more broadly. Experience in Higher Education or the charitable sector, as well as of managing staff, is desirable. Above all, you will share Oxford’s mission and be driven to create meaningful impact through strategic philanthropic partnerships.
What We Offer
Working at the University of Oxford offers several exclusive benefits, such as:
· 38 days of annual leave (inclusive of public holidays) to support your wellbeing, with the option to purchase up to 10 extra days and additional leave after long service.
· One of the most generous family leave schemes in UK higher education, offering up to 26 weeks of full-pay maternity and adoption leave, plus 12 weeks of full-pay paternity/partner leave.
· A commitment to hybrid and flexible working to suit your lifestyle.
· An excellent contributory pension scheme.
· Affordable and sustainable commuting options, including a cycle loan scheme, discounted bus travel, and season ticket loans.
· Access to a vibrant community through our social, cultural, and sports clubs.
Sponsorship and Right To Work
This role may meet the criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa. The University will meet the cost of the Skilled Worker visa and NHS surcharge for applicants that require a visa.
Please let us know in your application if you require sponsorship.
Application Process
To apply, please upload:
· A covering letter/supporting statement
· Your CV
· The details of two referees
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 26 September 2025
Interviews will take place on Wednesday 8 October 2025 and will be held in person in central Oxford.
The University of Oxford Development and Alumni Engagement Office is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences, and reflects the community that we serve. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.
We raise funds in support of the University’s academic priorities, securing donations for all aspects of academic and student endeavour.





The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About you
We are looking for a proactive and visible finance professional who is able to engage and build relationships across the organisation as a pivotal member within a values led high performing organisation. You will be a qualified accountant with proven track record of financial management awareness and a solid understanding of charity audits and statutory accounts preparation. You will have the ability to work with staff across the organisation in supporting good financial governance and oversight of financial operational matters. You will have the ability to analyse financial information and present this in a suitable format for the audience. You will have good ability to meet deadlines, be IT literate with an emphasis on financial systems, spreadsheets, Quickbooks and Excel. You will be highly organised with excellent attention to detail and be able to work with minimum supervision.
About the role
The role will involve the management of the day-to-day financial activities, VAT, gift aid, payroll and the monthly, quarterly and annual reconciliations and statutory accounts preparation. The job holder will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer, Finance Officer and volunteers within the team. There will be a requirement to work closely with the income generating staff, budget holders, auditors, banks and credit card providers on a regular basis. The Finance Manager will be responsible for managing the Finance Officer and Finance volunteer.
About us
Carers UK is the leading national charity for unpaid carers. Our support, advice, information and campaigning work are now needed more than ever, as unpaid carers are providing more and more care, adversely impacting on their own health and wellbeing. We exist to make life better for carers and bring about lasting change.
Diversity and inclusion
Carers UK is committed to becoming a diverse and truly inclusive organisation. We strive to create a workplace where our colleagues and volunteers can truly be themselves and feel like they belong and constantly seek to ensure all voices are heard.
To embrace this culture of diversity, our employee and volunteer recruitment should reflect our stakeholders and the society that we serve and support, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, disabilities or religious practices. We value individual diversity and are actively building diverse teams here at Carers UK and value our colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds.
As a membership charity for carers, we particularly seek employees and volunteers with a real understanding of the issues faced by carers. Reasonable adjustments can be made to the process and role dependent on the needs of the applicant.
At Carers UK we want our application process to be as accessible as possible. If you need any adjustments to apply please email the recruitment team to discuss.
The closing date for applications is 2 October 2025
Personal statement (no more than one side of A4), CV - ideally in Word format - and completed monitoring form should be emailed to recruitment. The information on the diversity monitoring form will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only.
Please send in your application as soon as possible.
Please also ensure you have also completed and submitted the diversity monitoring form provided on this site. The information on the form will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only. These forms will not be treated as part of your application.
Carers UK reserves the right to appoint at any stage, should an outstanding candidate emerge.
Carers UK may carry out online and social media checks before a formal offer is made.
We look forward to receiving your application.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.