Director of communications jobs

Keychange is a Christian charity with a proud history of supporting people invulnerable situations for over a century. We believe that everyone has dignity and worth, and that people thrive best in communities where they are known, valued and supported. Across our care homes and housing communities, we seek to provide support that goes beyond compliance and is rooted in compassion, excellence and Christian values.

We are now seeking a Director of Operations to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our services and ensuring that our vision is lived out every day across the organisation.

The role

As Director of Operations, you will be a key member of the senior leadership team, working closely with the CEO and Board to translate strategy into high-quality, sustainable delivery with exciting future developments ahead.

You will provide strategic and operational leadership across 7 care homes and 3 housing communities in the south of England, leading and supporting a talented operations team to deliver safe, effective and person-centred services.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing visible leadership that embeds Keychange’s Christian vision, values and culture across all services
• Leading and overseeing multi-site operations, ensuring consistently high standards of care, safeguarding and support
• Holding accountability for regulatory compliance, quality assurance and service improvement
• Driving operational excellence, innovation and efficiency through effective systems and processes
• Ensuring services are financially sustainable, working closely with finance colleagues on budgets and resources
• Developing, coaching and inspiring senior managers and leaders to perform at their best

This is a senior role with real influence – both on the strategic direction of Keychange and on the lives of hundreds of people we support.

About you

We are looking for a values-led, strategic and credible leader who brings:

• Senior leadership experience within social care, housing, homelessness or a closely related sector
• A proven track record of leading multi-site services and managing senior operational leaders
• Strong experience of working within regulated environments and delivering high-quality, compliant services
• Sound financial and commercial awareness, with experience of managing budgets and resources  of a similar scale to Keychange (250 staff across 10 sites)
• A passion for developing people, culture and values-driven practice
• A personal commitment to the Christian faith and active agreement with the Keychange mission, vision and faith basis. (This is a genuine occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010)

You will be someone who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery, and who leads with integrity, humility and purpose.

What we offer

This is a rare opportunity to take on a senior leadership role where your professional expertise and Christian faith can make a lasting and meaningful difference.

The role involves regular travel across our sites in the south of England with flexibility around base location.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is now seeking an exceptional and visionary Director of Development to lead its fundraising at a pivotal moment in its evolution. This newly created senior role reflects a step change in ambition as the organisation embarks on an exciting new chapter of growth, partnership and global profile. Reporting to the Chief Executive and sitting on the Executive Team, the Director of Development will inspire and lead a talented development team while playing a central role in shaping the organisation’s future direction. You will spearhead major fundraising initiatives, including a landmark capital campaign to realise plans for a new recording, rehearsal and creative centre — envisaged as an “Abbey Road of the North” — designed to support future talent, innovation and the wider creative economy of the Liverpool City Region. Alongside this, you will help secure the long-term success of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s award-winning artistic, learning and community programmes.

The successful candidate will be a dynamic, relationship-driven leader with a strong track record of securing transformational income within complex, mission-led organisations. You will bring strategic vision, deep knowledge of the philanthropic landscape, and the confidence to unlock new sources of support from individuals, trusts, foundations and corporate partners. Crucially, you will play a leading role in articulating a clear, compelling and cohesive external narrative for Royal Liverpool Philharmonic — one that brings together its heritage, ambition, social impact and future aspirations — and ensure this story resonates powerfully with funders, partners, civic leaders and audiences. Passionate about music and culture, you will be an inspiring leader, a trusted advisor to the Board and Executive, and a persuasive ambassador for an organisation that exists to enhance and transform lives through music.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Communications to come and join our team providing maternity cover until January 2027 during a period of organisational growth.

Location – This role is mainly working from home with one day a week in our London office (usually a Monday). Occasional travel to our other programme sites (currently Stoke-On-Trent, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Scotland) will also be required.

Salary – Circa £60,000

Employment Type – Fixed term until January 2027, 35 hours per week

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:

· Strong experience in strategic communications, ideally within a start-up, growing, complex or place-based organisation.

· Experience setting up and embedding communications functions, including establishing foundations and building approaches as priorities evolve.

· Significant experience in people leadership, including developing others and building a strong, collaborative working culture.

· Experience influencing senior stakeholders and working with an SLT, including supporting government policy, media, funding and influence related activity.

· Strong content, storytelling and copywriting expertise and the ability to communicate a clear organisational narrative.

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include:

· Overseeing and ensuring the delivery of national and local communications strategies and plans, including national content activity and priority local campaigns and stakeholder engagement.

· Leading the set-up and embedding of new place-based communications functions.

· Leading and overseeing the planning and delivery of Thrive at Five’s 2026 Impact Report, communications relating to evaluations and learning, and our fifth-year anniversary, working closely with evaluation and fundraising colleagues.

· Maintaining and strengthening relationships with key national and local stakeholders in line with our communications strategy and goals.

· Providing professional and operational leadership and coaching to the wider Communications team to ensure they deliver to a high standard.

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities.

About our benefits

· Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST.

· Hybrid working with one anchor day a week in our central London office near to Victoria train station, coach station and underground.

· 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.

· In addition to your laptop and phone provided by us, you can also receive a £100 contribution towards your home-working set up.

· £100 contribution towards your professional body membership

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK.

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Applications will be reviewed and shortlisted as they are received. While the closing date is midnight on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, we may close the vacancy earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.

We are looking for a highly motivated and gifted communicator to craft Spotlight’s messages and help us achieve real change. 

You will be joining a small dedicated team of anti-corruption experts and campaigners for this busy, varied and multi-skilled role. We have a full programme of work for the year ahead with projects on illicit finance, political integrity, and corporate accountability for financial crime. 

Candidates should be exceptional all-round communicators, with significant experience in achieving impact through a range of channels from digital and social media to print, broadcast and events. They will have a track record of driving communications efforts to achieve campaign or policy objectives, as well as experience of developing messages for a wide range of audiences, and translating complex expert subject matter into newsworthy content. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic and proactive, a strategic thinker, an excellent writer and able to apply their skills and experience across a range of different communications channels. They will also have an interest in corruption and its impacts at home and abroad. 

Deadline for applications is 23.30 on Saturday 14th February.

About Spotlight

Spotlight on Corruption is a UK based charity which aims to end impunity for corruption, promote political integrity within the UK, and ensure the UK acts as a global leader on fighting corruption. We are a bold, expert voice that pushes forward the anti-corruption agenda in a pragmatic and credible way, consistently punching above our weight in holding the government to account for taking action against corruption, cronyism, and dirty money in the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver Spotlight’s day to day communications and public messaging to ensure we achieve real reforms and impact in tackling corruption and protecting UK democracy. 

• Secure strategic and influential media coverage by developing and maintaining relationships with journalists, developing ideas for stories, and identifying key communication opportunities to get Spotlight’s messages across, including by monitoring daily news.

• Build Spotlight’s reach and influence online with target audiences (politicians, civil servants, journalists, civil society, and funders) by maintaining Spotlight on Corruption’s website, social media accounts and mailing lists, and working with colleagues to develop engaging content.

• Develop newsletters, press releases, website copy, social media posts, and other communications materials, including scripts for, as well as filming, videos on Spotlight messages that appeal to different audiences.

• Develop a communications strategy for the organisation to implement its three year strategy which builds and secures Spotlight’s reputation as a leading anti-corruption organisation.

For full job description and person specifications please see the attached Job Description

Working arrangements

Full-time, 35 hours per week. Working from home required, but with one day a week in the office near London Bridge. Must be based in or near London. We support flexible working arrangements and operate a nine day fortnight. Attendance at networking events and being on-call for media work outside of office hours occasionally required.

Responsible to: Executive Director

Head of Content and Communications

We’re looking for a creative, imaginative and driven leader to be our Head of Content and Communications while the current post-holder is on maternity leave.

Theos is a Christian think tank which seeks a world in which Christian ideas about human flourishing are drawn upon to answer some of the world’s biggest challenges. We stimulate debate about the place of religion in society, challenging and changing ideas through research, commentary and events.

Position: Head of Content and Communications

Location: London / Hybrid

Hours: Part time, four days a week (30 hours)

Salary: £48,000 to £50,000 per annum FTE (£38,400 - £40000 Pro Rata)

Contract: Maternity cover, 12-month fixed term contract

Closing date: 16 February 2026

Interview date: 23 or 24 February 2026 at our offices in London

The Role

This is a rare opportunity to shape how the UK’s leading religion and society think tank tells its story and uses its public voice to have impact. You’ll have a bold and creative vision for our content and communications, leading a committed team to turn the research and big ideas we have about human flourishing into stories, conversations and interventions that go beyond the Westminster bubble. You will be responsible for our diverse communications channels, including our website, digital and social media, and podcasts The Sacred and Reading Our Times.

Playing a key part in the Theos senior leadership team, you’ll be an invaluable voice in steering our vision and strategy. You’ll also blend intellectual curiosity with narrative flair, spotting cultural moments and opportunities, experimenting with types of content, and ensuring Theos is not just part of the debate, but helping to frame it.

About You

We’re looking for a strategic, imaginative communicator with a sharp editorial eye, a feel for public discourse, and a deep interest in how religion continues to shape society.

You will have experience of:

• Creating and implementing a media and communications strategy and desirable experience of contributing to organisational-level strategy
• Gaining cut-through in digital and mainstream media through creative and compelling public engagement activity
• Working in or with mainstream media and through social media channels
• Performance management, motivating, supporting and developing staff
• Networking and building fruitful long-term relationships which deliver organisational objectives
• Manage multiple projects efficiently and to build positive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, delivering projects on time and budget

If you have the legal right to work and remain in the UK, Please provide your CV and a 250-word statement that sets out your interest in and suitability for this position.

In Return…

Commitment - As a Christian organisation, the charity believe you have gifts and abilities that are all your own. So they’re willing to explore how what you have might fit what’s needed.

The checklist – There’s no such thing as the perfect candidate. You don't have to tick every box on the job description before you apply!

It's personal - You have a life outside work, and the organisation want you to be able to live it well. So are happy to talk to you about flexible working hours and working from home.

Learn and grow - When you're trained in a new skill, or learn a different perspective, it benefits everyone. The organisation is committed to making it possible for everyone to flourish, with a huge variety of learning resources available.

Together and apart - The charity believe in home working where it’s appropriate, and during lockdown they made that work really well. But know how important it is to meet face to face, too and are committed to making the office an enriching environment, where people are glad to be.

Celebrating difference - Universal acceptance for everyone, everywhere is at the heart of the organisation and it promotes diversity of thought, culture and background. Diversity is valued and this is reflected in the workforce.

Level ground - We want you to bring your best to the application and selection process. If you need any adjustments to be made for that to happen, let us know and we'll be glad to help.

Theos is part of Bible Society and is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We value diversity and aspire to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people representing all sections of the community.

You may have experience in roles such as Content, Communications, Content and Communications, Head of Content, Head of Communications, Head of Content and Communications, Director of Content, Director of Communications, Director of Content and Communications.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

This is a senior, entrepreneurial, and hands-on role that combines strategic responsibility with delivery. You will lead the Fund’s fundraising activity while overseeing all communications, ensuring our work, values, and impact are communicated clearly and compellingly.

Working closely with the Executive Director, you will help shape the organisation’s future, contributing to long-term sustainability, visibility, and influence. The role is predominantly remote, with 3–4 office days per month based in Farringdon, London, to support collaboration, planning, and relationship-building.

You will bring experience in both fundraising and communications within the charity sector and enjoy working in a small organisation where you can make a visible and immediate difference. You will be motivated by the mission of benevolent funds and excited by the opportunity to shape the future of a national charity at a pivotal moment.

Director of Care – Hope House Children’s Hospices

Location: Hope House, Oswestry, Shropshire (with regular travel to Ty Gobaith, Conwy and across the UK)

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (flexible working with some evenings/weekends)
Salary: £79,950 – £90,456 per annum + £7,380 car allowance + relocation package
Closing Date: 25th February 2026
 

Make a Life-Changing Difference Every Day

Hope House Children’s Hospices are seeking an exceptional and compassionate Director of Care to lead and shape the delivery of outstanding palliative care for children and families across Shropshire, Cheshire, North and Mid Wales.

 This is more than a job, it’s a calling. You’ll join one of the UK’s most respected children’s hospices, where 98% of staff say they enjoy their work and 94% are proud to be part of our mission.

 About the Role

 As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will:

 Lead the strategic development and delivery of care across our hospices and community services

• Champion a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Inspire and empower a multidisciplinary team to deliver compassionate, professional care
• Represent the charity as the Nominated and Registered Individual under relevant care regulations
• Ensure the voices of children and families shape our services and strategy

 What We’re Looking For

 NMC Registered Nurse with at least 5 years’ experience in care services, ideally with multi-site or children’s hospice experience

• Proven senior leadership experience with a track record of motivating high-performing teams
• Strategic thinker with strong communication, stakeholder engagement, and governance skills
• Passionate about making a difference in children’s palliative care

 Why Join Us?

• Purpose-Driven Work: Help every child with a life-threatening condition live their best life
• Supportive Culture: Work with a dedicated team of nearly 300 staff and 450 volunteers
• Excellent Benefits: NHS pension continuation, generous leave, wellbeing support, learning & development, and more
• Flexible Working: Hybrid and flexible hours with hospice-based presence 3+ days/week

Ready to Lead with Heart?

To explore this unique opportunity, please contact our retained executive search partner:

Chris Mayers -  

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Senior Leadership team, the Director of Finance and Operations post is a key role within WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation.  Responsible for providing strategic leadership across finance and operational functions, the post holder will ensure WDC has the resources to deliver our mission, ensure WDC meets reporting and governance standards and ensure timely and efficient reporting to all levels of WDC employees, trustees and relevant external bodies and will ensure resources are deployed to maximise operational benefit.  Alongside this, this new position will lead core operational functions of Supporter Services (including leadership of the CRM), facilities and IT.

A UK children’s charity is recruiting a Director of Finance and Operations to support its next phase of growth and impact.

Salary: £65,000-£70,000

Location: Hybrid – Amersham, Buckinghamshire (2 days in the office)

Working Pattern: Full-time, permanent

Reporting to: CEO

Direct Reports: Senior HR Executive, Operations and Database Officer (both part-time)

As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll provide strategic financial leadership while overseeing the charity’s operational infrastructure. You’ll ensure strong financial governance, effective systems and controls, and sustainable operations that enable the charity to deliver life-changing support to children and families across the UK.

What you’ll do

• Lead financial strategy, budgeting, forecasting and reporting across the organisation.
• Oversee finance, operations and HR functions, ensuring compliance and best practice.
• Provide clear financial insight and advice to senior leaders and trustees.
• Strengthen systems, processes and risk management to support long-term sustainability.
• Line manage senior finance, HR and operations staff, fostering a collaborative culture.

What you’ll bring

• Extensive experience covering both financial and management accounting within small organisation finance functions
• Strong strategic and hands-on financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting and audit.
• Experience overseeing operational, HR and governance functions.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage non-financial stakeholders.
• A proactive, collaborative leadership style with strong organisational skills.

Location: Hybrid – flexible mix of homeworking, attendance at London and Horsham offices, with regular travel across England and Wales.

Salary: c£130,000

Contract: Permanent, full-time

For more than 200 years, the RSPCA has stood at the forefront of the fight against animal cruelty – shaping landmark legislation, rescuing and rehabilitating countless animals, and inspiring generations of people to take action.

As the organisation enters its third century, the challenges animals face today are among the most complex and urgent in our history - from climate change and intensive farming to economic and social change. With a refreshed strategy and strong foundations in place, the charity is ready to meet the challenges ahead – and to do so with ambition, courage, clarity of purpose and with one voice.

The role

The RSPCA is seeking a collaborative, imaginative and visionary Executive Director of Engagement and Income Generation who can inspire colleagues and champion a fully integrated, audience-led engagement culture, and grow impact, influence and income for animals.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of one of the UK’s most trusted charities – driving bold and innovative income generation and engagement strategies, embracing technology, strengthening brand and reach, and deepening the connection with supporters across the diverse communities they serve.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will drive sustainable growth in audience engagement, supporter generosity and fundraising income through the development and delivery of compelling, integrated engagement and income generation strategies. You will help bring the RSPCA’s 2030 strategy to life by placing supporter commitment across time, money and voice at the heart of their approach, ensuring that every interaction with the RSPCA is meaningful, high-quality and trusted – helping to strengthen their reach, reputation, and ability to make a lasting difference for animals.

About you

You are a collaborative, emotionally intelligent leader with extensive, in-depth experience in income generation, marketing and communications. You bring a strong track record of inspiring high-performing teams and a proven ability to develop strategy and implement large-scale transformational change that drives sustainable growth in audience engagement. An outstanding communicator, you influence with clarity and credibility and thrive in complex, fast-changing environments.

Above all, you are motivated by a sense of purpose and driven by the opportunity to create meaningful, lasting change for animals.

Click through to view our full Candidate Pack for everything you need to know, including how to apply.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 9 March.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be longlisting applications as soon as we receive them, so please apply early to register your interest.

Director of Income Generation & Business Development
Salary - £55,000 - £60,000 dependent on experience
Location: Leeds (hybrid working)

For over 50 years, Leeds Women’s Aid has been a lifeline for women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse. The organisation has grown significantly, from a c.£600–700k income charity 10 years ago, to one now approaching £5m annual income. With this growth comes bold, renewed ambition to diversify income, strengthen influence and ensure LWA’s voice, values and impact are communicated with clarity and confidence to reach those who need them most. 

It’s an exciting time in LWA’s development. With a growing footprint, deeper community roots, expanding services and renewed ambition to influence systemic change for women. This newly established Director of Income Generation & Business Development role is designed to bring together income generation, marketing and communications, and retail under one strategic umbrella to shape the next chapter of LWA’s development and impact. 

As Director of Income Generation & Business Development you will set the strategic direction for all income related activity across the charity, ensuring LWA develops a sustainable, diversified income portfolio that is aligned with the charity’s purpose and values. This is an opportunity to shape a sustainable future for LWA – ensuring it can continue to grow its impact and that its work remains rooted in the voices and experiences of women and children. 

You’ll play a key role in the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to collective leadership, organisational governance and the long-term resilience and strategic direction of the charity. 

As Director of Income Generation & Business Development you will:

• Strategically lead a multi-year income generation and business development strategy, setting key objectives and enabling diversification that aligns with LWA’s values and new organisational strategy. 
• Provide strategic leadership for marketing and communications, ensuring organisational-wide narrative building that reflects the values and impact of LWA, while championing the voices of women and children. 
• Ensure strategic leadership for LWA’s retail function, developing growth strategies that balance community impact alongside financial performance. 
• Develop compelling, adaptable cases for support that reflect LWA’s impact and ambitions, ethically and meaningfully embedding survivors’ voices. 
• Strengthen organisational resilience through income diversification beyond statutory funding, establishing strong communities of support and identifying opportunities for growth. 
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Services & Engagement and Director of Strategy, Partnerships & Influence to identify and develop new commissioning and business development opportunities, ensuring viability and strategic alignment. 
• Represent LWA with authenticity, integrity and sensitivity to ensure the values of the organisation are upheld and that organisational decision making reflects women-centred principles. 

The role would best suit:

• A senior income generation leader, with broad multi-stream experience and a proven track record of strategically driving growth and diversification of fundraised income. 
• A strategic leader with the ability to develop a team across income generation, marketing and communications and retail. 
• An individual with experience of developing income generation strategies that intersect with organisational strategies and ambitions. 
• Someone with the ability to balance income generation with ethical storytelling/responsibility, public accountability and regulatory considerations. 
• An individual who demonstrates commitment to LWA’s values and the Nolan Principles: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. 
• Someone with demonstrated commitment to, and understanding of, women-led and women-centred support services, including the importance of trauma-informed, inclusive, and empowering practice for women and girls.

Please get in touch as soon as possible to express an initial interest, the deadline for applications (CV and Application Questions) is Tuesday 24th February with first stage interviews scheduled to take place Thursday 5th/Monday 9th of March.  

Due to the nature of the services provided and the population supported, this post is subject to an Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010, and therefore the postholder must be female. This requirement is applied lawfully and proportionately, reflecting the organisation’s provision of specialist women-centred services and the need to maintain safety, trust, and authenticity in leadership and external representation.

Appointment to this role will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including satisfactory references, right to work verification, and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at the appropriate level.

A position has arisen at SolarAid for a Content and Social Media Manager, reporting to the Director of Communications.

This is a full-time, permanent role, open to candidates based anywhere in the UK, with the option to work remotely or from the London office. Attendance at key team days will be required.

The role focuses on planning, managing and delivering high-quality digital content across SolarAid’s channels, including the website, blog, email and social media. It is a hands-on role, combining day-to-day content production with channel management and collaboration across teams.

Alongside ongoing content and social media activity, the postholder will play an important role in supporting SolarAid’s website redevelopment. This will include reviewing and migrating existing content, helping decide what moves forward, and supporting content quality and consistency as the new site launches and beds in.

We are looking for someone with strong content and social media experience, good editorial judgement, and the ability to manage content across multiple platforms. You will be confident creating written, visual and short-form video content for different audiences, and comfortable working collaboratively with colleagues across communications, fundraising and country teams.

The successful candidate will share SolarAid’s values and be committed to telling stories responsibly and respectfully, helping to inspire support for sustainable energy access in sub-Saharan Africa.

No recruitment agencies please.

We’re hiring a Director of Communities, Health and Partnerships.

Hackney CVS is in an exciting new phase and we’re looking for a senior leader to help shape it.

Following a major restructuring and redesign of our support offer, we’re focusing more sharply on our core mission: strengthening, connecting and championing the voluntary and community sector (VCS) across Hackney and the City of London.

Our Director of Communities, Health and Partnerships will:

• Lead our networks, forums and engagement work.
• Amplify community voice in local decision-making.
• Build powerful cross-sector partnerships.
• Support the voluntary sector to influence systems change.

You’ll join our Senior Leadership Team at a pivotal moment, helping us embed new ways of working and secure a brighter future for the VCS.

If you care deeply about equity, collaboration and the potential of the VCS to transform lives, and if you thrive in complexity, influence and relationship building, we would love to hear from you.

For the full job description and person specification, please see the attached recruitment pack.

#director #community #health #partnership

Director of Philanthropy

We are seeking a Director of Philanthropy to join Nekton in a pivotal leadership role at a critical moment of organisational growth. You will lead and deliver a global philanthropic fundraising strategy for a pioneering marine science and conservation institute focused on rapidly accelerating the scientific exploration and protection of the ocean.

Position: Director of Philanthropy

Location: Hybrid (Onsite attendance in Oxford or London 2 days a week, with international travel)

Salary: £80,000+

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time

Closing Date: 23 February 2026

About the Role

The Director of Philanthropy is a pivotal, high-impact role responsible for co-defining, executing, and managing Nekton's global fundraising strategy, with a notable focus on securing major philanthropic gifts from high-net-worth individuals and foundations.

You will be the engine that drives the financial success of our ambitious scientific and conservation programmes, translating Nekton's vision to explore and protect the ocean into compelling cases for support.

Key areas of responsibility include:

· Strategy & Leadership

· Donor Relations & Management

· Collaboration & Communication

Why This Role Matters

This is a rare opportunity to shape and deliver one of the most ambitious philanthropic agendas in marine science today. As Director of Philanthropy, you will help unlock the resources required to explore the last great frontier on Earth, influence global ocean policy, and leave a lasting legacy for the planet.

If you are motivated by big ideas, long term impact, and the power of philanthropy to drive systemic change, this role offers both scale and purpose.

About You

This role demands an entrepreneurial, strategic, and highly hands on fundraiser with a proven track record of securing very significant gifts. You will be equally comfortable shaping strategy at Board level and personally leading high value donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

We are looking for someone with experience of:

· Securing significant six and seven-figure philanthropic gifts in a high-profile international organisation.

· Extensive network and demonstrable success in cultivating relationships with global philanthropic foundations, family offices and high-net-worth individuals.

· Articulating complex scientific and conservation initiatives into inspiring donor narratives and stand-out grant applications.

You will be able to undertake international travel to meet with prospects and attend events.

If you have a passion for ocean science, exploration, and conservation, and a deep commitment to Nekton’s mission, then apply today!

About Nekton

Nekton is a pioneering marine science and conservation institute, a charitable foundation committed to rapidly accelerating the scientific exploration and protection of the ocean. Our global programmes combine cutting-edge scientific discovery, inspiring public engagement, and catalysing policy impact.

This role is central to driving the financial ambition of our initiatives, including:

· Ocean Census (Primary Focus): A UN-endorsed, global collaboration to discover ocean life

· First Descent: Expedition-based deep ocean exploration and conservation

· Ocean Rising: Connecting culture and the ocean

· YACHTS for Science: Scientists to sea - matching private vessels with marine research.

· New 5-Year Global Voyage: A major, sustained expedition to explore and protect the ocean globally.

Other roles you may have experience of could include Fundraising, Philanthropy, Fundraiser, Director of Fundraising, Director of Philanthropy, Head of Fundraising, Head of Philanthropy, Major Gifts, Major Donor.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.