Head of philanthropy and partnerships jobs in Westminster, greater london

A rare chance to build something from zero — and see your work move millions of pounds to the world's most effective charities.
 

The opportunity

In recent years, some of the biggest problems in the world have gotten worse.

• The decades-long decline in extreme poverty has slowed.
• Factory farming continues to grow, with 13 billion farmed animals killed annually in the U.S. alone.
• The rapid deployment of increasingly powerful AI systems raises questions about safety and alignment that remain largely unresolved.

What gives us hope is that research-backed, scalable, but grossly underfunded ways to make progress on these problems exist.

More than 11,000 people have pledged at least 10% of their income to the world's most effective charities through Giving What We Can's 10% Pledge. Our global community gives over £63 million every year, funding malaria prevention, poverty reduction, animal welfare, AI safety research, and more.

GWWC has over 5,000 UK donors. £12.5M came from the top 300 alone in 2025. Despite this, there has been virtually no proactive relationship management. We believe there's huge potential to increase this figure with dedicated, high-quality donor stewardship.

London is GWWC's largest concentration of community members: over 2,600 CRM contacts and over 500 active pledgers. It's the natural centre of gravity for events and in-person engagement, with a rich ecosystem of high-net-worth individuals aligned with effective giving.
 

What you'll do

Build deep, lasting relationships with donors and pledgers. You'll proactively manage a portfolio of GWWC's highest-value community members through 1:1 meetings, calls, and thoughtful follow-up. Expect 8 to 10 meaningful conversations per week: coffees, dinners, calls.

Guide donors toward the highest-impact giving. Think of it as philanthropic advising. You're helping people think through where their giving goes furthest, directing generosity toward GWWC-recommended, evidence-backed charities. You'll also inspire people to give more, helping them see why giving more significantly and effectively can transform the impact they have with their donations.

Run high-quality donor events. Intimate dinners, networking evenings, and community gatherings. You'll have an events budget and the freedom to experiment with formats that build connection.

Re-engage lapsed and non-reporting donors. When someone takes a pledge with GWWC, they commit to giving 10% of their income to effective charities. Some donors give through our platform (where we can track it), while others give directly to charities and report it back to us. Over time, many stop doing either: our data shows recording rates drop from 60% in year one to just 22% by year five without any proactive engagement. These aren't necessarily people who've stopped caring; many have simply drifted without anyone checking in. A single outreach test to 369 lapsed donors recovered $2.3M in reported donations. You'll do this systematically, bringing recording rates to around 70% for the group of people you're engaging with.

Inspire warm leads to take a giving pledge. Follow up with people who've attended events, expressed interest, or sit in our CRM but haven't yet committed. We expect approximately 80 new pledges per year from this work.

Build the strategy. You'll build the strategy in partnership with your counterpart in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a joint endeavour: together you'll develop the model for how GWWC does donor engagement, then adapt it for each geography to replicate globally.
 

What we're looking for

A social chameleon with high EQ. You can read a room and calibrate, holding your own at a black-tie dinner or a casual coffee with equal ease. Different donors need different things; you instinctively know which register to use.

Energised by getting out there. You're the kind of person who'd rather have ten meetings in a week than five. You want to be out in the world, meeting people, opening doors, and building relationships. Some weeks half your outreach will go unanswered, and that doesn't slow you down.

Highly organised and strategic. You're able to use a CRM to maximise the number and quality of interactions you have, thinking strategically about how to invest the most time on the highest-potential opportunities, whether that's inspiring new donors or stewarding existing ones to give more.

Super agentic. Give you KPI targets and a CRM and you'll build the strategy from there. You're the kind of person who doesn't need to be told what to do next, you just see what needs doing and get on with it.

You really care deeply about these issues. You find the core questions of effective giving compelling. You can talk about why cost-effectiveness matters without sounding robotic, and you come across as authentic because you actually care about these issues.

5+ years of relevant experience. In fundraising, philanthropy, donor stewardship, major gifts, high-touch relationship management, or senior sales and partnerships. We care about what you can do, not credentials, but this is a senior role that requires demonstrated experience.
 

Nice to haves

We definitely don't expect any candidate to have all of these.

• Experience or familiarity with global catastrophic risks, global health and wellbeing, or animal welfare as cause areas
• Experience in the effective altruism or effective giving ecosystem
• Experience running or hosting donor events
• Experience with HubSpot specifically (CRM proficiency is essential, but HubSpot experience is a bonus)
• Understanding of UK tax-efficient giving (Gift Aid, share donations via ShareGift, payroll giving)
• Being a GWWC pledger yourself
• People management aptitude (you may grow a small team over time)
   

Compensation and benefits

• £77,000 – £89,000 depending on experience You can see how we calculate pay in our public salary calculator. 
• Contract: One-year fixed-term contract with a three-month probation period. We're open to exploring making it permanent if the first year is successful.

Benefits include:

• Fully remote work (with regular in-person donor meetings and events as part of the role)
• 25 days paid leave + public holidays
• 10% employer pension contribution and private health insurance
• £4,000 annual professional development budget
• £4,000 annual mental health support budget
• The knowledge that your work moves millions of pounds to the world's most effective charities
   

About us

Giving What We Can is working towards a world without preventable suffering or existential risk, where everyone is able to flourish. We do this by making giving effectively and significantly a norm among those who can afford it.

Founded in 2009, we are best known for the 10% Pledge, where over 11,000 people have committed to donating at least 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities. Our larger community of ~20,000 pledgers and donors currently gives ~£63M annually, of which GWWC processes and grants £24M+ yearly through our own donation platform.

We're a lean, remote, performance-focused team. Our impact evaluation shows a 7x multiplier: every $1 spent on our operations generates $7 in donations to highly effective charities. We're committed to a high level of transparency. And we're growing fast, on track for more than 40% year-over-year growth on donations in 2026.

You'll report to: James Rayton, Director of Community & Partnerships
 

How to apply

You can apply by filling out the form linked in this job ad. We review applications on a rolling basis and will move quickly when we find the right person. Our process typically includes: application review → screening call → paid work test → interviews with James (line manager) and cross-functional team members → paid work trial → reference checks and interview with the CEO. We provide compensation for all work tests and trials.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Giving What We Can is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds.

Reports to:Head of Finance

Direct reports: N/A

Start date:ASAP

Term:Full-time, fixed term contract of 12 months. Part time applications will also be considered.

Based in: London, NW1 – DMI operates a hybrid working model whereby all staff are required to be in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can work from the office or elsewhere for the remainder of the week.

Salary:£42- 45,000 per annum (pro rata), dependent on experience, plus 5% pension contribution and private health insurance.

Application deadline: Sunday 14th June 2026, Midnight

Date of first round interview:Week commencing 22 June 2026

About DMI

Development Media International (DMI) delivers media campaigns aimed at changing behaviours, promoting health and saving lives in developing countries. We are the first organisation to scientifically demonstrate that mass media can increase life-saving behaviours (see the results of our RCT that proved our interventions can save thousands of children’s lives here).

DMI has two priorities: first, to continue to generate ground-breaking research, second, to take our proven strategies to scale, saving as many lives as possible. We work across a range of health issues, including child survival, reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene, and early childhood development. DMI works in close partnership with leading experts in health, including WHO, UNICEF and LSHTM and has been funded by some of the world’s most prestigious organisations including Wellcome, DFID/FCDO, Comic Relief, the Global Innovation Fund, UNICEF, Unorthodox Philanthropy, and the Mulago Foundation.

We are an innovative organisation, working at the nexus between science and creativity. DMI has demonstrated that knowledge is not only a human right but is also the key to saving lives in a cost-effective way. Our intellectual rigour, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn from both our successes and mistakes, makes us distinct. Our ethos is non-hierarchical: all our staff are intellectually high-powered, and we have a “best idea wins” culture. By working at DMI you will have a genuine, measurable impact on improving lives in low-income countries.

DMI has a permanent presence in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia and has current or recent projects in Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mauritania, and Ghana. DMI’s headquarters overlooks the Regents Canal near Kings Cross in London and provides oversight and strategic direction for the organisation.

DMI is ranked as one of the most cost-effective non-profit organisations in the world by The Life You Can Save.

Job description

DMI is looking for a motivated Finance Manager to join our friendly team in London. Working closely with the Head of Finance and the finance team in the UK, and liaising with relevant staff in DMI’s international offices, the successful candidate will play an important part in ensuring that DMI’s finances are managed effectively and in line with internal policies and statutory requirements.

More specifically, the Finance Manager will have the following responsibilities:

Key responsibilities

1. Supporting the Head of Finance in ensuring that DMI complies with relevant financial legislation and regulatory requirements in the UK and internationally. This includes supporting the year-end financial reporting and audit processes across the DMI group, together with payroll, VAT and other statutory reporting requirements where relevant.
2. Leading on improving and transforming finance processes and systems across DMI. This includes identifying opportunities to automate workflows, improve reporting, strengthen controls and increase efficiency using digital tools, AI and other technologies where appropriate.
3. Developing and maintaining financial models, reports and tools in Excel to support budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management and organisational decision-making.
4. Preparing and consolidating project and HQ budgets, cash flow forecasts, management accounts and other financial reports to support operational and strategic decision-making.
5. Working closely with colleagues in DMI’s international offices to review monthly financial performance, strengthen financial processes and support planning for future periods.
6. Supporting donor financial reporting and ensuring expenditure is incurred and reported in line with donor requirements and organisational policies.
7. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to improve understanding of financial management, systems and controls, including supporting and mentoring staff with both financial and non-financial backgrounds.
8. Supporting wider organisational priorities and carrying out other duties as reasonably required by DMI.

Person specification

Required knowledge, skills and experience

1. Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CA or equivalent) with relevant post-qualification experience.
2. Strong Excel and systems skills, including experience using financial management systems (DMI currently uses QuickBooks).
3. Experience preparing and managing budgets, forecasts and financial reports.
4. Experience improving finance processes, streamlining workflows or strengthening financial controls.
5. Strong analytical, organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver work accurately.
6. Strong communication and relationship-building skills, including the ability to work effectively with colleagues from a range of professional and cultural backgrounds.
7. Interest and confidence in exploring digital tools, automation and AI-enabled solutions to improve ways of working.
8. Permission to live and work in the UK

Desirable knowledge, skills and experience

1. Language ability in French, Portuguese or another widely spoken international language.
2. Experience working in the NGO, charity or international development sector.
3. Experience supporting donor compliance and financial reporting requirements.

DMI is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

DMI operates a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and is committed to the protection and safeguarding of vulnerable individuals. Where appropriate, successful candidates will undergo background and reference checks. All DMI employees will be required to self-declare prior issues of sexual or other misconduct, termination of past employment, criminal records, and concerns registered with government authorities regarding contact with children.