Head of entrepreneurship jobs

Job title: Head of Principal Gifts
Employer: Imperial College London
Salary: £69,365 to £79,257 per annum
Location: White City, London W12 (Hybrid)

About the role:

Are you a fundraiser looking for a new challenge at the highest levels of philanthropy? Are you looking to transition into the field of principal gifts?

Here at Imperial College, we are recruiting a Head of Principal Gifts to join our brilliant and growing team. This is a new position, part of an expansion of our Advancement Division.

What you will be doing:

As Head of Principal Gifts, you will play a transformative role in securing the philanthropic investments that drive groundbreaking discoveries, life-changing innovations and sustainable solutions. Your work will directly impact fields critical to shaping the future – from climate resilience and AI to global health and business innovation. You will have the opportunity to work with amazing colleagues driven to tackle some of the most difficult problems facing society. 

At Imperial, philanthropy has the power to change lives. In this role, you'll be at the heart of that - cultivating relationships with high-net-worth individuals and like-minded stakeholders, and helping drive our most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign to date.

Working closely with the Director of Development: Principal Gifts and Global, you'll lead on gifts that are genuinely complex and career-defining in scale.

What we are looking for:

We're looking for someone entrepreneurial and ambitious: a natural relationship-builder who thrives in complexity, navigates ambiguity with confidence, and knows how to bring the right people together at the right moment. If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days’ annual leave and generous pension schemes).
• Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial.

Our culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and creating an inclusive working environment. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation.

Further Information

This is one of two exceptional opportunities to join our dynamic team. As we continue to expand our international presence, we are recruiting for the following role:

• Head of Global Development, Asia

Each of these roles offers a unique opportunity to shape our strategic direction and build impactful partnerships.

Closing date: Midnight on Thursday 16 April 2026.

Interested?

Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.

Imperial is partnering with Erin Hall-Westfall and Joanna Logan of Constellate Global Talent on this search.

No agencies please.

Location: London (Hybrid working - a minimum of three days a week in our South London Centre)

1st stage interviews: 8th and 9th April (over MS Teams)

2nd stage interviews: 16th April (face-to-face in London)

We’re looking for an inspiring and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Director of Government Partnerships. This is a pivotal role at the heart of our mission and strategy, leading a high-performing team of fundraisers and policy specialists to grow income to £14m+ annually in public sector income, and ensure the voices of young people shape and influence national policy and investment decisions.

Sitting within Fundraising & Marketing, you’ll drive our influencing strategy across the UK Government, positioning The King’s Trust as a trusted partner in reducing inequalities and delivering life-changing programmes for young people. You’ll represent the Trust at senior levels, develop new income streams, and collaborate closely with teams across the organisation to turn strategy into impact.

If you’re an exceptional communicator with a deep understanding of government funding and a commercial mindset, proven leadership experience, and a passion for driving change at scale, we’d love to hear from you. This is a unique opportunity to shape the national landscape for young people and lead one of our most significant income and influencing portfolios.

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV, and a Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need a Director of Government Partnerships? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with three in four young people on our programmes moving into a positive outcome in work, education or training. The young people we help face a range of challenges, such as unemployment, mental health issues or some who have been in trouble with the law. We believe all young people should have the chance to succeed, and that young people are the key to a positive and prosperous future for all of us. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives, and we couldn’t do this without the important work of the Director of Government Partnerships! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Where operationally possible, our roles require a combination of office days and working from home (please speak to the hiring manager about this particular role)
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events, etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary)