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.
Registered Charity 
More than 1000
Thank you!
About the opportunity
As Accounts Assistant focusing on Treasury and Accounts Receivables, you'll play an important role in delivering a high-performing, efficient financial transactions operation with partnership and improvement at its core. This is both an operational and developmental role, offered with the possibility of pursuing a formal qualification such as a financial accounting apprenticeship or another appropriate finance or administration-related qualification.
You'll be part of our Finance & Assurance directorate, reporting to the Financial Transaction Team Officers and working alongside other assistants and trainees. Focusing specifically on Treasury and AR activities, you'll gain broad experience across cash management, income processing, and receivables. From recording and processing financial transactions to supporting month-end and year-end processes, you'll monitor daily communications and role-model brilliant partnership and customer service, support reconciliations and audits, and work in an agile way across multiple projects and workstreams.
This is a role where your success is built on strong collaboration across multiple teams. You'll have opportunities to undertake specific improvement projects, identify ways to enhance processes, and support colleagues across the organisation to operate within best practice when it comes to financial transactions.
About you:
You're someone with a willingness to learn and develop on the job, sharing your learnings with colleagues to foster whole-team development. You have a working interest in quality improvement and an enthusiasm for a career in finance with ideas to help us constantly improve. You have experience with problem-solving, preferably in a financial environment, and you're willing to proactively reach across to colleagues in different teams.
You'll have:
- Willingness to learn and develop on the job (including undertaking specialist training), sharing those learnings with colleagues.
- Working interest in quality improvement in processes, analysis, communications, or customer service, and experience supporting it.
- Enthusiasm for a career in finance and ideas to help us constantly improve.
- Experience of problem-solving, preferably in a financial environment, and willingness to proactively reach across to colleagues in different teams.
- Good grasp of data and how it can be analysed and presented to improve understanding, engagement, and performance.
- Experience of developing basic financial reports and performing simple bank reconciliations.
What you’ll focus on:
- Supporting the effective running and performance of the Financial Transactions team, with a specific focus on Treasury and Accounts Receivables activities.
- Undertaking specific projects to demonstrate or drive improvements across Treasury and AR processes.
- Monitoring and responding to daily communications from colleagues and role-modelling brilliant partnership and customer service.
- Recording, processing, and filing financial transactions in line with internal procedures, including completing reconciliations.
- Assisting in month-end and year-end closing processes, including preparing for and supporting audits.
- Identifying ways to improve processes and making recommendations to senior colleagues.
- Supporting colleagues across the organisation to operate within best practice for financial transactions.
- Role-modelling working in ways that always adhere to internal policies, procedures, and compliance requirements.
- Liaising with suppliers and other third parties where appropriate.
- Supporting officers and managers with reconciliations, reports, and analysis related to cash management and receivables.
Could your enthusiasm for finance and quality improvement help strengthen our Treasury and Accounts Receivables operations? Are you ready to develop your skills while gaining qualifications in an environment where learning and collaboration are valued? If you're looking for a role where development meets meaningful purpose, we'd love to hear from you.
Important Dates
- The deadline for applications is Sunday 22nd March 2026
- Interviews will take place across 31st March, 1st and 2nd April.
About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.
Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.
Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.
We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.
Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.
Our hiring process
During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply. Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.
We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.
We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.
Giving back to you
Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society.
You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.
Thank you!
BACKGROUND
Church of England Birmingham (CofEB) is on a journey of growing churches at the heart of every community. Through this we are seeing growth in many exciting ways. Financially we are at a challenging point. We have had an operational deficit for a number of years and this cannot continue. The National Church has agreed to partner with us around this through their Diocesan Investment Programme enabling us to have the time, and resource, to tackle this head on. One key aspect of this is for us to increase our Common Fund returns (the giving from our parishes that supports the costs of our life together). We are taking a radical new approach to our finances which includes intentional reallocation of income to support the costs in our most economically deprived parishes and deeper relationships with each parish around finance through conversation rather than correspondence. Over the next five years we are hoping to be able to move to a financially sustainable platform which will enable us to better serve our communities in the future.
We have recently recruited a new Head of Generosity, who is also Bishops Advisor for Common Fund, to lead on this work and we are now looking to recruit the team to work with them. The focus of the team is to develop long term relationships with all of our parishes leading to:
- Greater support for our parishes.
- Increased generosity by, and within, our parishes.
- Increased Common Fund.
The current plan is to recruit two Giving & Generosity Advisor roles and one Giving & Generosity Support Officer role. Together this team will work with all of our parishes to roll out our financial approach, through in person meetings, and the support that is on offer as part of this.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The primary focus of this role is to work with parishes to:
- Understand their current financial situation and how this links to the wider Church of England Birmingham situation.
- Understand our model and how support is on offer for parishes who are economically deprived.
- Assess with them the support needed to increase generosity and giving at a local level and create an action plan around this that is bespoke and contextual.
- Create a long-term plan for their participation in the common fund.
We have 146 parishes and the Head of Generosity will manage the team so that all parishes can be engaged as quickly as possible. It is the Head of Generosity and two Giving & Generosity Advisors who will be carrying out the in-person meetings with each parish. These roles will work closely with a range of people and teams across Church of England Birmingham so that this work is integrated within our wider strategy and parishes are not confused by multiple disjointed initiatives. This will mean working with Archdeacons and Area Deans, Mission Support Team, Ministry Team, Property Team, Finance Team, Community Regeneration Team and Communications Team as well as others.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Develop strong relationships with parishes that will enable this project to flourish and also help increase the connection between parishes and the DBF. Signposting to other teams and projects will be important.
- Inspiring and encouraging parishes in their Christian approach to giving and generosity
- Creating bespoke multiyear plans for Common Fund with parishes with the support of a Steering Group that includes the Archdeacons and other key stakeholders.
- Provide consultancy, resources, and hands-on support to parishes to grow regular giving, legacies, and other forms of financial support. This work will be able to draw on the resources developed by the national church as well as the data held on their Cornerstone Grants Platform. The post-holder will be expected to engage in the work of the National Giving Team as part of the development of these wider resources.
- Develop and deliver training for clergy, lay leaders and PCCs on the theology and Christian practice of giving and generosity and also practical financial management (in conjunction with the Finance Team).
- Work closely with the Finance Team in matters of technical accounting, governance and financial management identified as needed by parishes.
- Encourage and assist parishes in the implementation of the Parish Giving Scheme, introduction of contactless giving mechanisms and related diocesan resources.
- Source, develop and curate practical resources (digital and print) to support local stewardship campaigns and initiatives.
- Evaluate the impact of stewardship and generosity initiatives and adapt strategies accordingly to achieve the project outcomes.
- Working with our Communications Team, create compelling communication tools that articulate the impact of generosity.
As we are looking to recruit two people into these roles there is flexibility to appoint people with complementary skill sets who may have greater expertise in certain elements of the role.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Qualifications & Experience:
- Strong understanding of church governance structures and financial operations and requirements.
- Knowledge of generosity principles and Christian financial stewardship.
- A prayerful Christian with a deep commitment to the Church’s mission (Genuine Occupational Requirement).
- Experience of working in a sensitive environment and handling confidential matters with tact and diplomacy.
Essential Skills & Attributes:
- Resilient and adaptable, able to handle challenges and maintain momentum in a demanding role.
- Strong people skills, able to engage effectively with parishes and church communities.
- Good communicator being able to engage a wide range of stakeholders and hold their attention.
- Trustworthy and credible, able to build and maintain confidence with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Empathetic towards parishes and deeply committed to supporting the local church.
- Excellent conflict resolution skills, capable of handling difficult conversations with care and professionalism.
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities and keep track of numerous ongoing responsibilities.
- Capable implementer, ensuring initiatives are successfully delivered, both at a local and diocese wide level.
- Financially literate, with a good understanding of budgets, stewardship, and sustainability within the Church.
- As the role involves visiting parishes across the diocese, including some locations not accessible by public transport, candidates must be able to travel independently. This requires holding a valid driving licence and access to a suitably insured vehicle.
- Be a person of integrity.
Other Considerations:
- The role requires significant evening and weekend work, demanding flexibility and commitment.
- Local presence is essential—the role must be delivered in an incarnational way, engaging directly with communities.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The post-holder will be employed by the Diocesan Board of Finance for a fixed term ending on 2nd November 2030, subject to funding.
Salary and Pension: Salary of £35,000 plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution. We are open to discussion especially if you are ordained and are moving out of parish ministry.
Hours: Full-time 35 hours (5 days) per week. Weekend and evening work will be required, for which the equivalent time may be taken back from standard working hours. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working and candidates seeking part-time hours. Please do mention in your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours.
Holidays: 5 weeks per year plus Bank Holidays and 3 Discretionary Days between Christmas and New Year
Employer: Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance
Responsible To: Head of Generosity
CLOSING DATE: 12th April 2026
INTERVIEWS: 23rd April 2026 in central Birmingham
For an informal conversation or further information about the role, contact Dawn Baker, Head of Generosity.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work.
We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under-represented in or staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+.
We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.
