Head of development jobs in Birmingham, west midlands

Lead on the development of fundraising support to our 42 cathedrals. A test-and-learn role, with a discovery phase, pilot delivery and the strategic development of programmes, resources and training that are proven to grow fundraised income.

Description

This role is to develop the fundraising support we offer our 42 cathedrals. Church of England cathedrals play a uniquely significant role in national, civic and spiritual life, serving first and foremost as centres of Christian worship and the seat of the bishop, but also as some of the country's most important cultural and community institutions. They act as focal points for diocesan life and as places where people gather for major moments of public celebration and grief, while also contributing extensively to education, music, heritage, tourism and local economies. Their scale, history and openness mean they attract millions of visitors, many of whom are not regular churchgoers, offering space for reflection, creativity and engagement with the Christian story.

However, this breadth of purpose brings significant challenges: cathedrals must balance worship with growing expectations as civic and cultural venues, operate in an increasingly secular and diverse society, and maintain complex historic buildings with limited and often uncertain funding. With many facing structural financial deficits and high costs for maintenance and staffing, alongside reliance on fundraising, grants and visitor income, their long-term sustainability depends on improving and expanding their fundraising activity and successfully developing new income streams while safeguarding their core mission and heritage.

This role is deliberately designed as a test-and-learn function. Its future scope and resourcing will be shaped by the evidence generated through its work. There is a clear expectation that, subject to demonstrated impact, this role will contribute to the development of a sustainable and appropriately resourced model of fundraising support for cathedrals across the Church of England.

This role is a three year fixed term contract.

Closing Date - 19th July 2026

Interviews will take place in Church House, London, on Wednesday, 29 July 2026.

Responsibilities

The Head of Cathedral Fundraising Development is a newly established role within the Giving Directorate and working alongside the B&C team, responsible for strengthening and developing fundraising capacity across the 42 mainland cathedrals of the Church of England. This role is funded for an initial 3-year period, and there is an expectation this work will grow and develop during this period should the audit and piloting of support in the first twelve months identify the need for ongoing support.

Reporting to the Director of Giving (who will line manage you, agree your work plans and development, and who you will be responsible to for the successful delivery of the agreed work plans) and also accountable to the Director of Bishoprics & Cathedrals (to ensure the work meets the needs of the Bishoprics & Cathedrals department, and aligns with their various work streams), this role will lead a programme of discovery, pilot delivery, and strategic development to determine the most effective models of fundraising support for cathedrals. The postholder will work closely with cathedral leaders, development teams, and national colleagues to build confidence, test approaches, and develop scalable solutions grounded in demonstrable impact. This testing of approaches will involve engaging with, and supporting, cathedrals in their fundraising approaches to high net worth individuals, grant making trusts and others, so that tangible evidence of impact can be seen.

Strategic Development

• Lead a structured audit of fundraising capacity, resources, and opportunities across the cathedral network
• Analyse findings to identify strategic priorities, gaps, and opportunities for development
• Develop a compelling vision and roadmap for national cathedral fundraising support

Pilot Design and Delivery

• Assimilate existing data from cathedrals, the NCIs and others to help shape fundraising pilots so they align business needs with the wider mission of cathedrals
• Design and implement a range of pilot initiatives to test different models of fundraising support (e.g. advisory, shared services, training, or targeted interventions) and to work with a small number of cathedrals to seize immediate opportunities
• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of pilots, using both qualitative and quantitative measures
• Iterate and refine approaches based on evidence and learning

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong, trusted relationships with cathedral Deans, Development Directors, Chapters, and senior lay leaders
• Work collaboratively to understand local context and tailor support accordingly
• Act as a credible and influential ambassador for fundraising development across the cathedral network
• Ensure regular visits to cathedrals to develop relationships and build credibility
• Liaise with other Cathedral stakeholders (such as the AEC) to ensure strong alignment of outcomes
• Ensure effective co-ordination with national marketing initiatives of the AEC and others to ensure maximisation of impact

Cross-Directorate Collaboration

• Work closely with colleagues across the Giving Directorate to maximise opportunities for cathedrals to benefit from national initiatives, tools, and resources
• Ensure alignment between cathedral fundraising development and wider giving strategy

Partnership with Bishoprics & Cathedrals

• Work in close partnership with the Bishoprics & Cathedrals Department
• Provide regular progress updates to the Director of Bishoprics & Cathedrals
• Contribute to the development of future funding proposals and bids

Impact, Business Case, and Growth

• Develop a robust evidence base to demonstrate impact and value, including evidence of money raised for cathedrals because of this role, as well as evidencing greater awareness of funding opportunities within the cathedral network and documenting new opportunities for funding that this role has established
• Produce clear recommendations for future investment and resourcing
• Shape proposals for scaling successful approaches across the cathedral network

About You

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in senior fundraising roles (philanthropy, trusts, or institutional fundraising)
• Track record of developing or scaling fundraising capability within organisations
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and influencing without direct authority
• Experience operating in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Experience designing and evaluating programmes or pilots

Desirable Experience

• Experience working with cathedrals, heritage organisations, or within the Church of England
• Experience of national or network-wide programme development
• Experience contributing to funding bids or strategic investment cases

Skills and Abilities

• Strategic thinking: Ability to translate insight into practical, scalable solutions
• Influencing and relationship-building: Able to quickly build credibility and trust with senior leaders
• Analytical capability: Strong ability to assess capacity, diagnose issues, and evaluate impact
• Programme design: Experience creating and managing pilots or innovation programmes
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication, including reporting to senior stakeholders
• Collaboration: Ability to work across teams, departments, and organisational boundaries
• Adaptability: Comfortable working in a new, evolving role with high levels of ambiguity

Personal Attributes

• Credible, confident, and able to operate at senior levels
• Curious and insight-driven, with a strong learning mindset
• Resilient and self-starting, able to shape work in an emerging area
• Work effectively remotely as part of a wider dispersed team
• Committed to the mission and values of the Church of England

Qualifications

• Degree level qualification or equivalent
• Relevant professional qualification (e.g. Chartered Institute of Fundraising) or equivalent experience