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We are seeking a dynamic fundraiser to join our ambitious and supportive team as our Head of Philanthropy. Northern Ballet is at an exciting point in our organisational journey and you will inherit a successful philanthropy programme, with a broad, engaged and growing portfolio of donors, which receives effective and valuable support from our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.

As Head of Philanthropy, you will be an experienced manager and fundraiser, confident in securing and stewarding donors. You will devise and implement a comprehensive strategy to build income from individuals across our full suite of giving schemes.  You will personally scope, secure and steward new major gifts from individuals, support your line report and manage your own portfolio of current and prospective donors.

This role is integral to our plans to grow both income and the impact of fundraising. If you're passionate about joining a friendly, creative and dynamic working environment where everyone contributes to our success, then we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a philanthropy strategy across all levels of individual giving, to support future growth targets and deliver budgeted annual income targets.
• Be responsible for the growth, development and management of the Benefactor programme.
• Research, build and steward a pipeline of high-value prospects and to drive new activity to secure four to six figure gifts.
• Personally manage a portfolio of key relationships, developing robust supporter engagement plans to maximise opportunities for support. Meet with and cultivate new prospects and establish long-term, respectful, tailored relationships. 
• Manage and support the Philanthropy Executive in stewarding donor relationships, supporting the post holder’s ongoing development and working together to grow lower level giving as part of the overall individual giving strategy.
• Support and work in partnership with the Philanthropy Executive to plan and deliver the annual appeal.
• Work closely with the Events & Partnership Executive to create and deliver bespoke events to grow engagement with the Company and generate additional income.
• Work with the Events & Partnership Executive and Director of Development, to support the sponsorship programme, overseeing relationships with corporate sponsors to ensure that activities meet the needs of the client and maximise the potential for future giving.
• Work with the Director of Development to grow and promote legacy giving to the organisation.
• Work with teams across the organisation to develop opportunities for support, to foster open information sharing and ensure donor opportunities, acknowledgments and experiences are delivered.
• Monitor fundraising performance and budgets and provide timely reports and analysis to the Director of Development.
• Ensure income is tracked and progressed through phased budgets, prospect pipelines and moves management processes, supported by the CRM database.
• Contribute to the overall fundraising success of the Development Team, supporting opportunities for collaboration and championing a supportive, high-performing culture.
• Ensure that all activities comply with current GDPR legislation, codes of practice and ethical guidelines.

Additional criteria

• The role requires the post holder to work some evenings both in Leeds and in touring venues across the UK.

Key deliverables

By the end of the first year the successful candidate will have:

• Received an induction, training and development programme including opportunities to engage with the backstage, technical and artistic areas of the organisation
• Have become a highly valued and trusted member of the Development team, with a confident understanding of the Company, it’s work and donor base
• Drafted and made significant inroads in delivering an individual giving strategy for the Company
• Effectively stewarded and grown a portfolio of major donors, with whom you will have developed strong relationships
• Researched and cultivated new leads and have developed supporter engagement plans for existing supporters
• Have developed an effective and supportive working relationship with your direct line report
• Worked in collaboration with colleagues to grow the pipeline of new prospects and developed compelling projects and opportunities attractive to donors
• Worked to agreed KPI’s, targets and reporting schedules

What we’re looking for:

• Experience building and stewarding strong relationships with supporters, with demonstrable success in working to targets and securing significant gifts
• A warm, engaging and tactful communication style, comfortable interacting with supporters, Trustees and colleagues
• A self-motivated and tenacious fundraiser
• A strategic thinker, skilled in written and verbal communication
• Experience in using fundraising CRM software, ideally Spektrix
• Highly organised and able to effectively manage competing priorities, with excellent attention to detail
• A collaborative style of working, with experience of supporting and motivating staff and working to a shared goal
• A willingness to work out of regular hours and to travel
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to Northern Ballet’s work and values

Other Details

• Salary: £40,000 per annum plus excellent benefits
• Hours: 35 hours per week
• Closing date for applications: 4 July 2025, 17.00pm
• Interviews will take place WC 14 July 2025

Quest for Learning is an education charity on a mission to close the gap for primary school children in Oxfordshire who are falling behind - often due to complex and compounding disadvantage. Many of the children we support are growing up in poverty, with limited access to books, low parental literacy, and challenging home environments. Some face health inequalities, live in areas affected by crime, or have recently arrived in the UK as refugees or asylum seekers.

We work closely with schools to provide targeted, high-impact literacy and numeracy programmes that give these children the chance to catch up, thrive, and believe in their potential. On average, our small-group tutoring helps pupils make 13 months of progress in just 10 hours - building not only essential skills, but also confidence, motivation, and a renewed sense of possibility.

The impact extends well beyond the classroom. By supporting children early, we help prevent the need for more complex and costly interventions later in life, from mental health support to exclusion and social care. Our work contributes to stronger, fairer communities by giving every child the foundation they need to participate fully in society. In doing so, we are advancing social sustainability and helping to meet global goals such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Good Health and Wellbeing.

About the role

We're looking for a dynamic, relationship-focused, and highly organised individual to oversee our teaching programmes, school partnerships, and tutor network.

This role is crucial to ensuring our programmes are high-quality, well-managed, and meeting the needs of schools. You will be the first point of contact for schools, building strong relationships with headteachers and SENCOs, and ensuring that we offer the right support at the right time.

You will manage our team of tutors, ensuring they have the resources, training, and support needed to deliver our programmes to the highest standard. You will also oversee safeguarding and the measurement of programme impact, working closely with the fundraiser to ensure we have strong data for funding applications.

If you have experience in education, relationship building, programme management, or charity leadership, and you’re passionate about ensuring all children get the support they need, this role is for you.

Key responsibilities

School relationships and programme development (account management) 

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with schools and other stakeholders, ensuring our programmes align with their needs.
• Be proactive in identifying opportunities for growth, understanding school funding challenges, and positioning Quest for Learning as a key partner.
• Stay abreast of educational trends, school funding pressures, and local needs, using this market intelligence to shape programme delivery and ensure our offer remains relevant, impactful, and responsive to the challenges schools and pupils face.
• Support marketing efforts by sharing impact stories, case studies, and insights from schools.
• Support and develop approaches that foster meaningful engagement with parents and carers, helping them to feel confident and involved in their child’s learning journey.
• Maintain a strong understanding of school funding arrangements (e.g. National Funding Formula, Pupil Premium, EHCP funding), using this knowledge to position our programmes effectively and align with school priorities.

Tutor management and quality assurance

• Manage the tutor team, ensuring high standards of teaching and professionalism.
• Oversee tutor recruitment, training in programmes, and performance management.
• Ensure tutors are properly equipped with resources and training to deliver high-quality sessions and further relationships in schools.
• Provide pedagogical guidance and support to tutors where needed, drawing on strong educational knowledge to help resolve teaching queries or challenges.
• Actively develop the tutor pool, ensuring we have the right expertise and capacity across Oxfordshire.

Programme coordination and delivery

• Oversee the scheduling and logistics of our tutoring programmes, ensuring smooth delivery and efficient coordination of tutors and bookings.
• Ensure end-of-programme reporting is completed by tutors and shared with schools and other necessary stakeholders.

Safeguarding (Designated Safeguarding Lead - DSL)

• Act as the DSL for Quest for Learning (once trained) with support from the Chief Executive as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring all safeguarding policies and processes are followed.
• Train tutors in best safeguarding practices and ensure incidents are properly reported and recorded.
• Liaise with schools and external agencies where necessary. 

Impact measurement & fundraising support

• Ensure a strong framework of assessment and impact measurement for pupils and our programmes.
• Analyse and collate data on programme effectiveness, reporting to the team.
• Work with the fundraiser to provide teaching-related content for funding bids and reports.

Person specification

Essential:

• Strong experience in account management, partnerships, or relationship management (preferably in education or the charity sector).
• Experience working in education or service delivery (e.g. as a teacher, tutor, or programme manager).
• Strong pedagogical knowledge and the ability to support tutors with teaching-related queries.
• Excellent people skills, able to build relationships with schools, tutors, and funders.
• Highly organised and proactive, with strong project management skills.
• Strong ability to problem-solve, take initiative, and manage multiple priorities.
• Understanding of safeguarding in education (or willingness to train as a DSL).
• Ability to gather and analyse data to measure impact. 

Desirable:

• Good understanding of school funding streams and financial pressures in the primary sector, including national funding formulas, pupil premium, and SEND-related funding (e.g. EHCPs).
• Experience managing a team (e.g. teachers, tutors, or volunteers).
• Experience in developing education programmes or training.
• Familiarity with funding applications and impact reporting.
• Knowledge of the Oxfordshire school landscape.

Why join us?

• Make a meaningful difference beyond the classroom. This role is perfect for experienced educators - whether you’re a teacher, SENCO, literacy lead, or school leader - looking to apply your expertise in a more flexible, strategic, and mission-driven setting.
• Stay connected to what matters: improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and supporting high-quality teaching across schools.
• Enjoy a supportive team culture, hybrid working, generous leave, and the opportunity to help shape the future of a growing charity with a strong reputation in Oxfordshire.
• Bring your knowledge, build partnerships, and be part of something that’s both impactful and personally rewarding.