Job Advert

The University of Strathclyde’s Alumni & Development department are seeking to appoint an experienced and creative major gifts fundraiser to join their successful and established fundraising team.  The Head of Philanthropy is a new role within the department, one that will create and develop transformational donor giving opportunities.  This is an exciting time to be joining the team, as it realises ambitious plans to enhance its fundraising programmes and their impact.  In particular, you will work closely with academic colleagues and the University’s leadership staff to develop innovative fundraising projects for a variety of strategic funders. You will work autonomously to build strong relationships with potential major donors including senior alumni, philanthropists, trusts & foundations and companies.  You will prepare compelling, complex, bespoke funding proposals for donors.  Your funding projects will benefit the University’s students, its teaching and its research on a global scale. You will also be part of the department’s management team. Meetings and events associated with this role will continue to be held virtually during the pandemic.

 Job Description

• Conduct up c100 major donor meetings (virtually/ in person) per annum in the UK and internationally – working with individuals, foundations and companies - with a particular focus on developing relationships with those donors with an interest in making an impact through transformational giving opportunities (6 and 7 fig donor gifts) and achieving a minimum income target of £500k in Year 1. 
• Work closely with the Principal, leadership staff and academic project leads to agree new, strategic fundraising priorities and align these priorities to the interests of major funders.  
• Identify and build cases for support for major donor funding across all faculties and fundraising themes – including Health as a priority fundraising theme for 2020, and aligned to the University’s Vision2025 strategy. 
• Create new processes for the systematic identification and approval of priority fundraising projects, focussing on those initiatives with the greatest funding potential. 
• Draft compelling, complex, bespoke funding proposals for major donor support and negotiate and successfully close gift agreements (for 6 and 7 fig gifts, £100k+)
• Review the University’s most significant donors and potential donors worldwide and create bespoke solicitation plans to involve them.
• Host small, exclusive cultivation events (virtually/in person) for major donors and involving key leadership and academic staff.  
• Steward major donors effectively to maintain and develop their relationships.  
• Deputise for the Head of Department on major gifts activity and support and facilitate the work of the wider fundraising team where appropriate.  

Main Activities/Responsibilities:

1. Develop relationships with current and potential major donor funders – individuals, trusts & foundations and companies – in order to develop new, transformational giving opportunities (ideally at 6 and 7 fig gift levels) and advance the department’s new strategic objective to increase its fundraising income and impact by £2M pa.  Personally raising a minimum income of £500k in Year 1.

2. Conduct up to 100 donor meetings annually (virtually/in person), with a particular focus on developing relationships with the University’s highest level donors and potential donors, in the UK and internationally, and involving senior staff and volunteers in the fundraising cultivation process.

3. Maintain and develop a donor prospect pool of 80+ contacts, in particular reviewing the highest level donors and prospects in Scotland, the UK and internationally (including the USA and Asia) and developing individual solicitation plans to engage with these donors and fully develop their relationship potential. 

4. Draft compelling, complex, bespoke funding proposals for major donor funders (at 6 and 7 fig gift levels), working in close collaboration with academic project leads in order to submit strong funding proposals and to negotiate and close gift agreements.

5. Work closely with the Principal and with the University’s leadership staff; Heads of Department and other academic project leads to agree strategic fundraising priorities and clearly align these priorities with the interests of potential major funders.

6. Identify and build compelling cases for support for major donor funders across all faculties and fundraising themes, including Health research as a priority, cross-faculty fundraising theme for 2020, and aligned to the University’s new Vision2025 strategy. 

7. Implement processes for the systematic identification and approval of priority fundraising projects with the University; focussing fundraising efforts on those projects with the greatest funding potential. 

8. Negotiate formal gift agreements between the University and major donors, ensuring donors’ wishes can be met and the University’s responsibilities are clearly defined and adhered to.

9. Host small, exclusive cultivation events (virtually/in person) for potential major donors with the involvement of leadership staff and academic project leads.

10. Act as an advisor to all faculties on fundraising best practice and policy, where necessary devising new practices and policies for priority fundraising activities.

11. Deputise for the Head of Department on major gifts fundraising activity and support and facilitate the work of the wider fundraising team (through advice and support for fundraiser-led meetings, events and proposals) where appropriate

12. At all times, represent the A&D Office and the University in an exemplary, professional manner, both externally, and internally. Participate fully in the work of the department, directorate and in the University and as a member of the Alumni & Development Management team.

Full job description and person specification can be found in the attached document.