Greenpeace is a movement of people who are passionate about defending the natural world from destruction. Their vision is a world where everyone has equal access to clean air, water, and energy; where the nature we love is protected, precious habitats are restored and communities are united by ambitious climate action.
Greenpeace UK’s Key Relationships programme raises around £15–16 million each year from major donors, trusts, foundations and legacies, playing a vital role in funding the organisation’s campaigning work.
We are looking for a talented relationship fundraiser to manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, building authentic relationships that inspire significant philanthropic support for some of the world’s most urgent environmental challenges.
This is an exceptional opportunity to join one of the charity sector’s most successful major gifts programmes. Working closely with the Deputy Head of Major Gifts, you will take ownership of a portfolio of committed supporters, developing tailored cultivation strategies, making significant asks and delivering exceptional stewardship.
Much of your portfolio will comprise existing donors with considerable potential for growth, while you’ll also bring new supporters into the pipeline through thoughtful prospecting and relationship building. You’ll create meaningful opportunities for donors to connect with Greenpeace’s work, whether through one-to-one meetings, campaign briefings, events or bespoke engagement experiences that reflect their individual interests and motivations.
You’ll join a highly collaborative fundraising team with dedicated Events & Operations support, prospect research resource and strong internal relationships across the organisation. This is an opportunity to develop your major gifts expertise, take ownership of high-value relationships and play a visible role in the continued growth of Greenpeace UK’s philanthropic fundraising.
As Major Gifts Officer, you will:
- Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, building trusted relationships that maximise long-term philanthropic support
- Develop and deliver tailored cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies for each supporter, taking responsibility for the full donor journey
- Identify new prospects, secure meetings and create bespoke engagement plans that build a strong pipeline of future supporters
- Make compelling asks through face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations and written proposals, securing significant gifts for Greenpeace UK’s priorities
- Create meaningful opportunities for donors to engage with Greenpeace’s campaigning work through events, briefings, visits and other bespoke experiences
- Work closely with colleagues across fundraising, campaigns and communications to develop inspiring donor propositions and stewardship
- Manage your portfolio using donor insight, research and pipeline planning, ensuring accurate CRM records and contributing towards ambitious income targets
- Play an active role within the Major Gifts team, sharing intelligence, supporting colleagues and contributing to the continued success of the programme
Essential skills and experience:
- Experience identifying, cultivating and securing significant gifts from HNWIs or experience of personally securing high value income through developing relationships with individuals, for example strategic corporate partnerships or relevant out-of-sector experience.
- Experience managing a portfolio of donors, clients, accounts or comparable external relationships, developing tailored engagement strategies that build long-term relationships
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop compelling proposals, pitches and donor communications, and build credibility with senior stakeholders
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple relationships simultaneously, prioritise competing demands, maintain accurate records and deliver against income or commercial targets
- A warm, authentic and emotionally intelligent relationship-builder, able to adapt your approach to different audiences and create meaningful engagement opportunities
- Confident representing an organisation professionally at meetings, events and other external engagements
- A collaborative approach, sound judgement and genuine commitment to Greenpeace UK’s values and mission
Desirable, but not essential:
- Substantial major donor fundraising (full cycle) experience
- Experience securing high 5-figure or 6-figure+ gifts or comparable high-value income
- Experience of capital campaigns or other strategic relationship fundraising
Diversity and Inclusion
Greenpeace UK recognise the value in having a diverse workforce, as well as the importance of creating equal opportunities for all. Applications are welcomed and encouraged from people of all backgrounds.
Applications are particularly encouraged from people of colour, disabled people, and people who identify as working class now or in the past.
Candidates will be selected based on how well they meet the criteria for the role and all applicants will be treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.
If you have any specific requirements which would enable you to participate in the recruitment process more fully, in particular if these relate to a disability or access issue, please contact Laura at QuarterFive as soon as possible. If you require the job pack in a different format, please get in touch and we will happily provide you with one.
Anti-racism and inclusion commitments
Greenpeace UK wants its team to reflect the diversity of the communities it works alongside. It is committed to fairness, inclusion, and challenging discrimination and oppression in all its forms.
The environmental sector still has further to go when it comes to representation. Greenpeace UK has published ambitious race representation targets and, through its Anti Racism Plan, is working proactively to achieve stronger representation of people of colour, particularly within leadership positions.
As part of this commitment, a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) is being piloted. Greenpeace UK aims to offer an interview to everyone who opts into the scheme and meets the essential criteria. Guaranteed interview applications will be processed by QuarterFive and shared only with the Greenpeace UK recruiting manager and HR team.
If you identify as a person of colour and meet the essential criteria for the role, you can choose to opt in to the Guaranteed Interview Scheme via the screening questions (click on 'Apply' to view these).
Don’t meet every single requirement? Research shows that women and people of colour may hesitate to apply unless they meet every area of the person specification. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet all the criteria, you are encouraged to apply.
Employee benefits
Employee benefits include:
- 25 days annual leave for full-time staff, with additional leave accrued according to length of service up to a maximum of 32 days
- Once a month, all Greenpeace staff take an organisational ‘breather’ day where the office closes with no expectations of output on these days
- Office closure normally occurs between Christmas and new year and staff are not required to use annual leave to cover this period
- Employer pension contribution of 8.5% of basic salary, provided employees contribute at least 3%
- Interest free season ticket loan, or a tax efficient bicycle loan
- Life assurance scheme (4 x annual salary)
- Employee Assistance Programme that includes access to free confidential advice with a qualified counsellor
Application by CV in the first instance. If you wish to add notes to align your application better with the person specification, please add these to the cover letter section.
A cover letter is not otherwise needed at this stage.
Suitable applicants will be invited to a screening call with Laura Macnamara at QuarterFive, our recruitment partner for this role.
Philanthropy Manager
Full-time 41 hours per week
Hybrid (at least 3 days per week on-site in Bloomsbury, London)
Permanent contract
£48,756 per annum
Application deadline: 23 July 2026
About the role
It is an exciting time to join the British Museum. Under the leadership of Director Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE and the Board of Trustees, the Museum is embarking on an ambitious programme of transformation through its , a major redevelopment project that will reimagine the Museum for the 21st century while safeguarding its collection and ensuring public access for generations to come.
As part of this vision, the Museum is preparing to launch a major fundraising campaign with a target of raising at least £500 million through philanthropy.
As Philanthropy Manager, you will play a key role in securing and stewarding major gifts from individual supporters, family foundations, trusts, donor-advised funds and other philanthropic partners. Working closely with senior colleagues across the Development team and wider Museum, you will help grow long-term relationships with donors, develop compelling funding opportunities, and support the delivery of ambitious fundraising targets for both revenue and capital projects.
About you
You are an experienced major gifts fundraiser with a track record of securing five- and six-figure donations and managing relationships with high-net-worth individuals, trusts, foundations and their advisors. You are a confident communicator and persuasive writer, able to build strong relationships and develop compelling cases for support.
Highly organised and self-motivated, you are comfortable managing a varied portfolio of prospects, balancing competing priorities and working towards ambitious income targets. You bring strong judgement, excellent stakeholder management skills and a collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across a complex organisation.
Key areas of responsibility
- Manage a portfolio of major donor prospects and supporters, developing tailored cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies to secure significant gifts.
- Support the planning and delivery of cultivation, stewardship and fundraising events, including the .
- Raise funds for key Museum priorities, contributing to annual income targets and the development of the Museum's major capital campaign.
- Research, write and deliver high-quality funding proposals, reports and donor communications that are engaging, accurate and persuasive.
- Build strong relationships with donors, trustees, advisors and colleagues across the Museum.
Benefits
At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found , but we've outlined some highlights below:
- Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
- Civil Service Pension Scheme with a secure, inflation-linked defined benefit.
- 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
- Peer support and allyship with five diversity networks for community.
- Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
- Enhanced parental leave including maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
- Support for carers through Employers for Carers.
- Interest-free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.
Our Values
Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:
- Care Deeply
- Embrace the Unknown
- Spark Curiosity
- Value Many Voices
These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.
Additional details
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details
Right to Work: The British Museum holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Applicants are responsible for determining whether the advertised salary and role meet current UKVI sponsorship requirements and for ensuring they have, or can obtain, the appropriate right to work in the UK. The Museum cannot provide immigration advice, and eligibility should be checked before submitting an application.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
The Museum's aim is to hold a collection representative of world cultures and to ensure that the collection is housed in safety.


