About the role
We are seeking an ambitious, strategic and relationship-driven Head of Corporate and Employer Partnerships to lead and deliver a national, high-impact partnerships strategy. This role is central to our growth plans and will generate sustainable income, deepen corporate and employer engagement and create tangible employment outcomes for young people. You will combine commercial instinct with social purpose - building partnerships that deliver measurable impact for young people and clear strategic value for corporate and employer partners.
Key information
- Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 dependant on experience
- Contract: Full time, Monday-Friday, 9.30 – 5.30mpm with some out of hours work needed for events such as Spear Celebration
- Annual leave: 28 days annual leave (including Christmas gift days) plus bank holidays
- Closing date: Tuesday 7th April, 09.30am (We are interviewing on a rolling basis and might close the application early if we find the right candidate)
For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with Us Pack.
If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.
Person Specification
- A practising Christian, passionate about personally representing the values and beliefs of Spear, and our mission to equip and support young people facing barriers to employment
- Significant senior-level experience in corporate fundraising, corporate social responsibility, business development or strategic partnerships
- Significant experience within the corporate sector, with an established network of relationships across national businesses and employers
- Proven experience of delivering growth strategies and achieving income target, with a strong track record of securing and managing high-value (£100k+) partnerships
- Demonstrable experience of leading and developing high-performing teams
- Credible, confident and persuasive communicator with excellent relational skills and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, including C-suite
- Resourceful and proactive, ability to manage multiple priorities, drive projects forward to completion and establish effective processes and structures
We are an office-based organisation and value the collaboration and opportunities to work creatively and build community that this offers us, with staff spending time in the working week both at home and in the London office.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Spear is a dynamic, growing youth employment charity that coaches young people to overcome barriers and thrive in work and life.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
This is an exceptional opportunity at one of the world's most prestigious universities at a time of extraordinary ambition and philanthropic momentum.
Associate Director of Development – Principal Gifts
Employer: University of Oxford
Salary: £65,336 - £82,255 with scope to go beyond for a leading professional with outstanding experience and track record
Location: Oxford (Hybrid)
Here at the University of Oxford, we are recruiting three Associate Directors of Development – Principal Gifts to join our incredible team. These are new positions, part of an expansion of our friendly, collaborative and successful Principal Gifts team.
As Associate Director of Development – Principal Gifts, you will operate at the highest levels of the University to secure transformational gifts at the eight-figure-plus level, advancing Oxford’s mission and global impact. Your work will help ensure that Oxford continues to attract the brightest minds, pursue world-leading research, and address the most urgent challenges facing humanity.
You will work closely with the Vice-Chancellor, Chief Development and Alumni Engagement Officer, Director of Development – Principal Gifts, and other senior leaders to align principal gift opportunities with institutional priorities and articulate a compelling case for support to some of the world’s most significant philanthropists.
Your impact will be enduring – enabling breakthrough discoveries, expanding opportunity for students, and strengthening Oxford’s position as a global leader in education and research. The Associate Director of Development role offers the chance not only to secure transformational gifts, but also to shape the future of Oxford’s philanthropic culture and leave a legacy at an institution that has been changing the world for over nine centuries.
This is a chance to join a dedicated, professional and ambitious team at a time when Oxford’s fundraising is at unprecedented levels. With strong support from the Vice-Chancellor, a proven track record of principal gift success, and an unparalleled global reputation, you will have every opportunity to make your mark, both at Oxford and in your career.
You will be passionate about what we do here, not phased by complexity and ambiguity, and comfortable orchestrating a myriad of stakeholders. We hope to hear from you!
The University of Oxford is partnering with Erin Hall-Westfall and Joanna Logan of Constellate Global Talent on this search.
Closing date: midnight on Monday, 6 April 2026.
Interested?
Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.
Diversity and Inclusivity
The University of Oxford is committed to equal opportunity, and to being a place where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed. We recognise how the diversity of our community enriches our ability to deliver on our academic mission.
We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or members of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
No agencies please
If you would like to have a confidential discussion about the role, please email info (at) weareconstellate (dot) com
Please see attached candidate pack. Applications are by CV and covering letter.
