Complex needs support worker jobs

About the opportunity 

This is an exhilarating time for Advancement as we have recently embarked on our second comprehensive campaign. Your leadership will be vital in cultivating complex relationships with high-net-worth individuals, industry collaborators, and innovative organisations, building a vibrant ecosystem of supporters committed to advancing science, technology, engineering, maths and business.

The Director of Development, STEM and Business is a senior role in the team, responsible for growth of the University’s fundraising program within the University’s Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering and the University of Sydney Business School.

Building on several established relationships and a strong trajectory of major philanthropic gifts, this position will establish, manage and nurture relationships with existing and potential donors for the STEM and Business portfolios.

Working closely with academic leadership, this position is also charged with growing a culture of philanthropy across the Faculty and schools to increase awareness of and engagement with the fundraising process.

You will bring a wealth of experience in major gift fundraising, a proven track record of closing gifts, and a strategic mind adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments. You will be a creative, inspiring leader, motivating and developing a team of development professionals dedicated to achieving bold goals.

The following overview of Activities and Accountabilities are designed to deliver outcomes aligned with the University’s strategic goals:

• Demonstrated success in closing multi-million dollar gifts and meeting stretch financial targets.

• Ability to think strategically and provide robust, tactical advice on fundraising strategy.

• Current knowledge of best practices in development.

• Expert influencing skills and the demonstrated ability to coordinate and optimise outcomes from competing objectives across the institution through collaboration, negotiation and priority setting to mitigate internal competition.

• Proven leadership experience with the ability to mentor, inspire and motivate a group of ambitious and goal-oriented professionals.

• Proven ability to present complex information in a clear and compelling manner in writing and in person.

• Demonstrated success in establishing, cultivating and maintaining high-level, strong relationships with influential donors.

• Experience building collaborative working relationships with colleagues and senior leadership to achieve the organisation’s goals.

• Relevant tertiary qualifications would be beneficial.

About us

The Advancement Portfolio team at the University of Sydney is the most successful fundraising program in Australian higher education. Having completed the nation’s first $1BN fundraising campaign and recently launched on the next, the team is not only the finest performing, its success facilitates the largest real-world impact that philanthropic giving makes possible.

Since its inception 175 years ago, the University of Sydney has led to improve the world around us. We believe in education for all and that effective leadership makes lives better. These same values are reflected in our approach to philanthropy and underpin our long-term strategy for excellence and growth. We’re Australia's first university and have an outstanding global reputation for academic and research excellence.

Why us

When you join the University of Sydney, you become an integral part of a community in which you are fully supported to achieve your career ambitions. You’ll be in a workplace where development is encouraged, and intellectual pursuits foster a sense of purpose and confidence including:

• 35-hour work week

• flexible working model

• up to 36 weeks paid parental leave.

• tax-efficient salary packaging options

• ongoing training and development in-house and external

• subsidised parking on campus

• access to Relocation Assistance and sponsorship if needed

Note for candidates from overseas

• The University will cover costs and travel for the final shortlisted candidate interviews.

• We will also assist with a temporary visa for this position, assist with immigration and family relocation costs

Closing date: 11:59pm Tuesday 27th January 2026

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values include diversity and inclusion and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community which reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this commitment through our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTIQ. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
 

If you are passionate about the power of philanthropy to impact the future of research and education, and if you seek a rewarding opportunity to inspire change across multiple sectors, we would be delighted to hear from you. Join us in shaping a legacy that will benefit generations to come, in a vibrant university renowned for its innovation, diversity, and opportunities.

Pre-employment checks
Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

How to apply
Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact, Sarah Scott, Recruitment Operations.

© The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

We’re looking for a Principal Officer – Engagement to lead the development and delivery of SYMCA’s Engagement Strategy, embedding a culture of creative, inclusive, high-quality engagement across the organisation. You’ll coordinate engagement activities, manage engagement leads, and ensure that all engagement work aligns with the Mayor’s priorities and SYMCA’s strategic objectives. This is a senior role with significant influence—helping to build trust, strengthen relationships, and improve outcomes for South Yorkshire.

Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter to detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role (please see role profile attached). Please note, all applications should be made directly via our careers portal.

Please note South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot provide Skilled Worker sponsorship for any roles advertised.  

About the role

In this role, you’ll champion best practice in engagement, ensuring that SYMCA’s approach is ethical, accessible, and impactful. You’ll design and deliver engagement activities and training, provide internal consultancy, and work with partners to maximise collective impact. Your work will help shape policy, improve organisational capability, and foster a culture of engagement excellence.
 

Key responsibilities include:

• Design and deliver a corporate engagement training programme to build internal capability and confidence.
• Design and deliver some engagement activities directly but chiefly provide consultancy and advice to the organisation on ethical and accessible engagement, ensuring compliance with best practice and legal standards.
• Collaborate with Bloomberg I-Team and Insights team to co-design innovative engagement and social research projects.
• Coordinate outreach and partnership working with key stakeholders including local authorities, MCAs, Government, VCSE, and universities.
• Convene and manage internal and external engagement networks to build organisational capacity and foster peer learning.
• Identify emerging trends and best practices in engagement, translating insights into strategic recommendations.

About you

We’re looking for an enthusiastic strategic leader with proven experience in designing and delivering engagement programmes. You’ll need excellent communication and project management skills, the ability to work across complex structures, and a passion for championing inclusive engagement. If you thrive on driving culture change and building strong relationships, this role is for you.

Essential:

• Experience delivering engagement projects in partnership with external organisations.
• Experience designing toolkits and delivering training to build engagement capability.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.
• Experience managing high-level stakeholder relationships.
• Experience in ethical and inclusive engagement approaches and using digital tools to manage relationships.
• Experience presenting, organising events, and managing meetings.
• Interest in devolution and its potential to empower communities and restore trust.
• Demonstrable interest in behavioural insights, social research, and participatory engagement methods.

Benefits

All colleagues have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme and the chance to be part of an organisation where you can really make a difference. Located in Sheffield City Centre, we are well-placed for transport links and encourage employees to take advantage of the active travel facilities. Work/life balance is extremely important to us here at SYMCA with our recognised family/friendly policies, genuine work flexibility, recognition, and shared success.
 

In addition to the above, some of benefits include -

Holiday Entitlement – From 28 to 36 days annual leave entitlement (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro-rata for part time colleagues.
 

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme – The ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in additional to your normal annual leave
 

Hybrid working – Our offices are a space where we come together and collaborate. Most of our roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles being onsite full time. Please note, unless specified within the job advert, we cannot accommodate remote working contracts. 
 

Flexible Hours Scheme – Most roles within SYMCA work under the Flexi-Scheme which allows office-based employees’ flexibility and discretion over their working hours. Under the scheme employees can accrue a defined amount of credit or debit of working hours, and to take time-off in the form of Flexi-Leave or banked Annual Leave.
 

Rewarding You - Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle-to-Work schemes. 
 

Training on the job - Support with upskilling skills through on-the-job training and qualifications
 

Professional Membership Fees – Where membership to Professional bodies is applicable to your role, SYMCA will reimburse your membership fees where applicable and following approval by Line Management. 
 

Diversity at South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority
 

Our workforce is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. 

All employees are eligible to request Flexible Working arrangements from day one of employment as such all requests will be considered subject to operation requirements. 

Where candidates share disabilities within the application process, if they demonstrate that they meet all essential criteria from the Role Profile within their application, they will automatically be invited to interview. 

We’re looking for someone with energy and imagination who can demonstrate our impact and build strong relationships with funders – making the case for ambitious investigative journalism that holds power to account.

You’ll work closely with our Development Director and project leads, playing a central role in securing the resources that power our investigations. If you love variety, know how to tell a compelling story, and want to use your skills to back fearless impact-led journalism, we’d love to hear from you.

About the role

We are the UK’s largest independent non-profit investigative newsroom. Our reporting is published by media partners around the world and holds power to account across five areas: environment, health, big tech, dirty money and local power.

This role will manage 2–3 of our editorial teams, providing strategic fundraising support to help them deliver journalism that drives real-world change. While the exact portfolio will be confirmed with the successful candidate, the role will initially support 2-3 of our core teams and may also contribute to work on emerging issues such as mis- and disinformation and its impact on UK communities.

Our teams include:

• Bureau Local: Works with communities across the UK to uncover hidden stories and drive accountability. Recent work includes exposing the exploitation of migrant workers, running a community-led investigation shaped by the Trans+ community, and bringing vital transparency to the family courts through reporting and mentoring.

• Enablers: Investigates the lawyers, accountants and financial structures that enable corruption and allow illicit finance to flow through the UK. Their reporting has prompted major regulatory investigations and scrutiny.

• Big Tech: Scrutinises the power and influence of major technology companies, examining issues such as moderator working conditions, surveillance, algorithmic harms, digital rights and the impact of AI on society. Their reporting has informed safety measures, supported litigation, and strengthened public understanding of how tech shapes our lives.

• Environment: Investigates the environmental and human impacts of resource extraction, climate finance and the actions of powerful corporations. Their reporting has contributed to changes in corporate practices and prompted customers to take action - including leaving their banks.

• Global Health: Examines the systems that shape access to healthcare, the safety and quality of medicines, and the influence of corporate and political interests on global health outcomes. The team has briefed the WHO and medical practitioners, ensuring their findings inform policy and frontline practice.

Our fundraising

The Bureau is almost entirely funded through grants and donations – without our supporters, we couldn’t do what we do. Over recent years, we’ve grown to a team of 35 people with an annual income of £2.8m, backed by a committed network of trusts, foundations, and individuals.

This is an exciting time to join our fundraising team as we build on those strong relationships and explore new ways to diversify our income.

Responsibilities

• Work with project leads to develop their ideas into a strong case for support, translating complex issues into powerful, accessible narratives for funders.

• Manage relationships with existing funders, ensuring timely reporting, effective stewardship and continued support.

• Research and develop a pipeline of new prospects.

• Write compelling proposals and applications to secure new grants.

• Collaborate with our other Fundraising Manager, who leads on the remaining themes, and provide support in those areas when needed.

• Support the Bureau in identifying ways to diversify our income, such as helping to grow our major donor programme.

• Work closely with colleagues across the Bureau - from reporters and impact producers to operations and finance – and play an active part in maintaining a collaborative, supportive workplace culture.

• Pitch in on a range of fundraising tasks, big and small, to keep the Bureau in the best position to deliver its journalism.

Skills and experience

You don’t need to tick every box in this ad – we are committed to hiring people with potential. If you feel like you lack some specific experience but have the necessary drive and passion, please don’t be deterred from applying.

• Fundraising track record: 5+ years’ experience raising significant money for charities or non-profits, especially from foundations (HNW experience a bonus).

• Grants expertise: confidence managing the full cycle from initial due diligence and agreements through to reporting back about our work.

• Great communicator: able to translate complex issues into strong and compelling proposals; fluent in English.

• Researcher and analyst: skilled at identifying new funding opportunities.

• Organised: able to juggle multiple priorities and deadlines with strong attention to detail.

• Collaborative: comfortable working with colleagues at all levels in a newsroom environment.

• Creative and resourceful: able to think beyond simple metrics to make a powerful case for impact.

Experience securing funds for journalism, social justice, civil society, or human rights is desirable but not essential. People with experience raising funds for campaigning or rights-based work may be especially well-suited.

Benefits – what we offer

• 25 days annual leave + Christmas closure days

• Option to work a nine-day fortnight - (by reduction in annual leave)

• Flexible and hybrid working

• Enhanced sick pay

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay (after 12 months’ service)

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Learning and development opportunities

• Cycle to Work scheme

How to apply

Please send a CV and cover letter to our email located on our website by 19th January 2026. Interviews are scheduled for the week commencing 26 January.

If you need support with your application, such as reasonable adjustments, or have questions before applying, contact the email address located on our Fundraising Manager page. You must have the right to live and work in the UK.

Please also complete our anonymous equality monitoring form here, which helps us track who we are reaching.

Our values

• Just: We pursue what is right with integrity and fairness.

• Honest: We reveal the truth, even when uncomfortable.

• Courageous: We break new ground with ambition and tenacity.

• Inclusive: We embrace diversity, equity, and different perspectives.

Collaborative: We believe people are stronger when they work together.