Director of development and alumni relations jobs

Job title: Head of Global Development, North America
Salary: £69,365 to £79,257 per annum
Location: White City (Hybrid)

Passionate about major gifts fundraising and looking for your next big challenge? Or perhaps you are considering a purposeful pivot in your career, using hard won skills from a relevant context?

Here at Imperial College, we are recruiting our Head of Global Development, North America, to join our growing team. This is an opportunity to help drive Imperial’s ambitious fundraising efforts in North America as we embark on our first comprehensive campaign.

You will drive growth in philanthropic support from high-net-worth individuals, build strong relationships with alumni and volunteer leaders, and deliver transformational gifts in support of our campaign goals. You will work closely with the Imperial Global USA Hub - Imperial’s first permanent presence in the US and a cornerstone of our global engagement strategy.

Imperial stands among the world’s top universities, ranked 2nd globally and 1st across the UK and Europe. Our research leads the field, with real-world impact woven into everything we do. From advancing climate solutions and artificial intelligence to breakthroughs in medicine and sustainable engineering, our work is helping to shape a better future and tackle society’s most pressing issues.

Our global recognition reflects more than just rankings; it’s the result of fostering a community where staff and students are empowered to excel. At Imperial, we’re dedicated to delivering an exceptional education, driving world-class research, and turning innovation into positive change.

You will have strong track record in securing major gifts or in income generation with the ability to navigate complex institutional relationships with professionalism and diplomacy. The role requires regular travel to North America.

If you are inspired by the chance to help deliver lasting global impact through education and research leading positive change and believe in the power of STEMB to shape a better world, we would 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.

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 three exceptional opportunities to join our dynamic team. As we continue to expand our international presence, we are recruiting for the following roles:

• Head of Development, Faculty of Medicine
• Head of Principal Gifts

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

Closing date: Midnight on Wednesday 19 November 2025.

Interested?

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

Imperial is partnering with Constellate Global Talent on this search. No agencies please.

Job title: Head of Development, Faculty of Medicine 
Salary: £69,365 to £79,257
Location: White City (Hybrid)

Are you passionate about advancing world-changing medical research? Do you thrive on building relationships that inspire transformational philanthropy?

Here at Imperial, we are looking for our new Head of Development for the Faculty of Medicine. This is a rare opportunity to connect visionary donors, grateful patients, and world-leading academics to make a tangible difference in healthcare and patient outcomes.

At Imperial, innovation is part of who we are. Our scientists and clinicians are turning breakthroughs into real-world impact — improving lives across the globe. As we prepare to launch the university’s most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign, you will play a central role in shaping and driving its success.

As Head of Development, Faculty of Medicine, you will have the opportunity to work at the most senior levels, securing gifts at the high six-figure level and above for multi-disciplinary research such as public health, cancer and surgery, neurology, paediatrics, immunology, and infectious disease.

You might have worked with senior volunteers before, opening their networks to guide successful relationship building, or have a track record of successful medical fundraising and/or work with grateful patients.

If you’re ready to play a defining role in medical advancement at one of the world’s most influential universities, we’d love to hear from you.

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

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 three exceptional opportunities to join our dynamic team. As we continue to expand our international presence, we are recruiting for the following roles:

• Head of Global Development, North America
• Head of Principal Gifts

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

Closing date: Midnight on Wednesday 12 November 2025.

Interested?

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

Imperial is partnering with Constellate Global Talent on this search. No agencies please.

Head of Major Gifts
Kingston University
£60,966 plus excellent benefits
Full-time, permanent
Hybrid/ Kingston upon Thames

Are you a collaborative and dynamic fundraising leader ready to shape the future of philanthropy in higher education?

Kingston University is seeking an exceptional individual to lead their major gifts programme as part of their ambitious Development, Alumni Relations and Engagement (DARE) team. With a global alumni community of over 270,000 and a bold three-year strategy in place, this is a unique opportunity to drive transformational giving and make a lasting impact on student success, research innovation, and community engagement.

About the Role
As Head of Major Gifts, you’ll lead a strategic fundraising programme to grow annual income from £450,000 to £1m+ over three years. You’ll manage a high-performing team, build a robust prospect pipeline, and personally steward a portfolio of high-net-worth donors. Reporting to the Director of DARE, you’ll work closely with senior university leadership to align fundraising with Kingston’s visionary Town House Strategy.

This is a high-impact leadership role where your expertise will elevate major and transformational giving, diversify income streams, and embed a culture of philanthropy across the University.

About You
You’re a motivated and entrepreneurial fundraising professional with:

• A proven track record of securing six-figure+ gifts
• Experience leading successful fundraising teams and programmes
• Outstanding relationship-building skills with senior stakeholders
• Strategic vision and the ability to align fundraising with institutional priorities
  
  Ideally, you’ll bring experience from the higher education or charitable sector and be passionate about the power of philanthropy to transform lives.
  
  This is your chance to be part of a forward-thinking institution where your work will directly contribute to student outcomes, research excellence, and long-term sustainability.
  
  Benefits include:
• Generous holiday entitlement of 35 days (from entry at all levels), in addition to bank holidays
• Three ‘meeting free’ weeks each year to create space for reflection and time to plan for the period ahead
• Flexible working – we can consider and accommodate various work patterns
• Family-friendly policies that support the needs of our employees
• Exceptional professional development opportunities

Key Details

• Location: Kingston upon Thames (Hybrid working, 2–3 days/week on campus)
• Closing Date: 9am on 20 November 2025
• Interview Date: 3 December in person

How to apply?
Please share a copy of your profile or CV with Philippa at Charity People as the first step.

Head of Philanthropy

Department: KCL Philanthropy
Grade and Salary: £65,091 - £74,613 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance
Job ID: 128746

About Us

Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement (P&A) provides a fundraising and alumni engagement function in support of King’s College London. We are proud to work with colleagues across the university and its health partners to help them serve society through world-leading education, research and healthcare.  Our work also includes a partnership with the Maudsley Charity in support of children’s mental health initiatives between the university’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust. 

We are a committed team that brings together fundraisers working across different channels, alongside colleagues who promote King’s College London’s engagement with its worldwide alumni community. Our work is underpinned and enhanced by a range of dedicated professionals in supporting areas covering proposition development, supporter engagement, supporter operations and business operations.

We have an impressive, well-established track record of success in securing support that allows the university and partners to deliver on their missions. This includes our global, award-winning World Questions: King’s Answers campaign, which set the standard in the sector and enabled us to raise substantial funds to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. Ambitious and innovative, the team has won awards such as a CASE Platinum Award for Fundraising and a CASE Gold Award for Donor Relations and Stewardship. We are strongly values-driven with a focus on sustaining an excellent and supportive culture, which we see as key to creating a successful team that can support the university and its partners in making a real and positive difference to the world we live in.

More on King’s College London 

King’s College London is an internationally renowned university delivering exceptional education and world-leading research. The university is dedicated to driving positive and sustainable change in society and realising our vision of making the world a better place.  Through its commitment to exceptional education, impactful research and genuine service to society, King’s College London is creating positive change in its communities, both in London and on the world stage. The Strategic Vision 2029 looks forward to King’s College London’s 200th anniversary in 2029 and sets out ambitious plans in five key areas: 

1. Educating the next generation of change-makers
2. Challenging ideas and driving change through research
3. Giving back to society through meaningful service
4. Working with our local communities in London
5. Fostering global citizens with an international perspective

About the role

We are looking for two exceptional Heads of Philanthropy to join our team to significantly increase philanthropic income for faculty fundraising priorities across King’s College London.Within your application, please indicate which position you are applying to, or if you are happy to be considered for both positions.

One role will lead the Health, Science & Technology philanthropy team, and the other will lead the Arts & Social Sciences philanthropy team. Candidates will need to demonstrate curiosity and genuine interest in the academic areas that fall within the role, and work in partnership with King’s experts and other stakeholders to be successful.

King’s has an ambition to significantly scale philanthropic income for Faculties as we prepare to launch our next major fundraising and engagement campaign in 2027 and mark the university’s bicentenary in 2029. There is currently at least one major gift fundraiser working in each Faculty. Working closely with the Associate Director, Faculty Philanthropy, the postholder will play a pivotal role in developing and growing the major gift fundraising function. They will be responsible for leading and nurturing a team of high value fundraisers to secure gifts at the £50k level and above.

We are looking for someone with a proven track-record of developing new, high value relationships, with experience of closing gifts at the six- and seven- figure level. They will need to demonstrate that they understand what is required to build and scale prospect portfolios. They should be intellectually curious and energised by the depth and breadth of King’s academic expertise, with particular interest and passion to work with senior university leaders and academics to secure funding for a range of priorities across either the Arts and Social Sciences, or Health, Science & Technology portfolio.

Working closely with the Associate Director, Faculty Philanthropy, the postholder will play a pivotal role in developing and growing the major gift fundraising function in advance of the launch of the university’s next public fundraising campaign. They will be responsible for leading and nurturing a team of high value fundraisers to secure gifts at the £50k level and above.

This is a full time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite  contract. P&A has a hybrid working approach, with a minimum of 40% of time in the office, on King’s campuses or meeting donors externally. Typically, this equates to two days per week, but we’re very happy for colleagues to be in more frequently if they so wish.

We welcome applications from those seeking part-time and flexible working.

Please indicate if you are applying for either the Health, Science & Technology role or the Arts & Social Sciences role in your supporting statement or if you are happy to be considered for both positions.

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. A proven track record of identifying, cultivating and securing six- and seven- figure gifts from major donors
2. Strong leadership skills, with experience of managing a high-performing fundraising or major gifts fundraising team
3. The ability to negotiate throughout a large, complex environment with multi-dimensional points of view
4. Ability to plan strategically and implement those plans
5. Proven track record in establishing, monitoring, and achieving demanding targets, including income and activity metrics
6. Confidence and experience of working effectively with, and influencing, senior stakeholders
7. Excellent communication skills, including an ability to write and speak eloquently and to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders of all backgrounds
8. Willingness to attend or work at, where necessary, commitments outside of normal working hours

Desirable criteria

1. Experience of working within, or working knowledge of, higher education sector in the UK
2. Experience of working in the public or voluntary sectors
3. Experience of working with a CRM or fundraising database

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements, including part-time, compressed hours and/or job shares, as appropriate and in the context of the business needs associated with the role.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.Please indicate if you are applying for either the Health, Science & Technology role or the Arts & Social Sciences role in your supporting statement or if you are happy to be considered for both positions. 

Closing Date: 17th November 2025

These roles will have three interview stages, a first-stage standard skills-based interview followed by a more in-depth second-stage interview and presentation, and (for up to two appointable candidates) a Core Values interview.

First stage interviews are due to be held on Tuesday 25th November.

 Second stage interviews are due to be held w/c 1st December.

Core Values interviews are due to be held on w/c 8th December.