Head of Fundraising

African Gifted Foundation

London, Greater London (Hybrid)

£55,000 - £60,000 per year

Full-time

Permanent

Actively Interviewing

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Job description

Transform STEM Education for Africa's Brightest Young Women

The African Gifted Foundation (AGF) exists to develop Africa's future STEM leaders by supporting gifted young women to access world-class education. Our flagship project, the African Science Academy (ASA) in Ghana, is a fully-scholarshipped boarding school focused on mathematics and physics, with students drawn from across Africa.

We're at a pivotal moment. Having grown to circa £1 million in annual income, we're ready to scale our impact. We are embarking on an exciting new initiative to build a new campus and double the size of our school over the next couple of years. We need an exceptional fundraising leader to help us get there.

The Opportunity

As Head of Fundraising, you'll be a key member of our senior leadership team, shaping strategy and driving income growth to transform opportunities for hundreds more young African women in STEM.

In your first year, you'll:

Take ownership of our £1m fundraising portfolio and develop a clear growth strategy
Deepen relationships with our existing major donors, trusts and corporate partners
Identify and secure at least 3-5 significant new funding partnerships
Build robust systems for pipeline management, donor stewardship and impact reporting
Work closely with our Executive Director and Board to align fundraising with our ambitious expansion plans

Your long-term impact:

Lead AGF toward £2m+ annual income over 3 years
Diversify our funding base to ensure sustainability
Establish AGF as the go-to partner for funders passionate about African girls' STEM education
Build a culture of excellence in donor relationships and stewardship

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership

Develop and deliver a compelling fundraising strategy aligned with AGF's growth ambitions
Set ambitious but achievable income targets and manage performance against them
Provide clear metrics, insights and recommendations to the Executive Director and Board
Identify opportunities for income diversification and risk mitigation

Major Donor & Partnership Management

Manage and grow our portfolio of major donors, trusts, foundations and corporate partners
Personally cultivate and steward high-value relationships
Identify and pursue new funding prospects through research and networking
Develop compelling cases for support tailored to different donor segments

Operational Excellence

Establish and maintain effective systems for pipeline management, CRM and donor tracking
Ensure excellent donor stewardship, reporting and compliance with all funder requirements
Create compelling donor materials and impact reports, working collaboratively with communications, programmes and finance teams
Take responsibility for collecting compelling impact data, including through liaising with alumni
Build efficient processes that support both immediate delivery and long-term growth

Representation & Advocacy

Represent AGF at donor meetings, events and in philanthropic networks (UK and occasionally international)
Act as an ambassador for our mission and impact
Build AGF's profile within the UK and international education funding community

Who You Are

Essential Experience & Skills

✓ Proven track record of strategic fundraising in the UK charity sector, with demonstrable success in securing five-figure+ gifts from trusts, foundations and major donors

✓ Relationship builder with excellent ability to engage, persuade and steward high-value donors at senior levels (trustees, HNWIs, corporate decision-makers)

✓ Strategic thinker who can develop compelling fundraising strategies and turn them into practical action plans with measurable results

✓ Portfolio manager experienced in managing multiple major donor relationships simultaneously and building a robust pipeline

✓ Excellent communicator in writing and speaking - confident presenting to trustees, corporates and philanthropic audiences

✓ Organized & commercially aware with ability to manage budgets, set targets and deliver against KPIs

✓ Self-starter comfortable working in a lean organization, building processes, and collaborating across teams

✓ Mission-driven with genuine commitment to expanding STEM opportunities for African young women and cultural awareness of the international context

Highly Desirable

Experience with international education or development fundraising, especially Africa-focused projects
Track record with philanthropic individuals and/or corporate CSR/partnership teams
Existing network in UK philanthropic, trust/foundation or corporate giving sectors
Experience of USA fundraising
Knowledge of fundraising CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce)
Willingness to travel occasionally (UK and internationally) to meet donors and visit programmes

Why Join AGF?

Impact That Matters
Help open doors to world-class STEM education for brilliant young African women who will become tomorrow's scientists, engineers and innovators. Every pound you raise directly transforms lives.

Strategic Influence
You'll be a key member of the senior team during a crucial growth phase, with genuine influence over strategy and direction.

Mission-Driven Culture
Join a passionate, committed team and Board who truly believe in our mission and support bold, innovative thinking.

Professional Growth
Shape and lead a function, develop your strategic fundraising skills, and build lasting relationships in the UK philanthropic sector.

Flexibility & Support
Hybrid working, supportive leadership, and investment in your professional development.

What We Offer

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive salary: £55,000-£60,000 (depending on experience)
Generous pension scheme with 7% employer contribution
Group life insurance and income protection
25 days annual leave plus UK public holidays
Additional day off for your birthday

Professional Development

£2,000 annual professional development budget for relevant training, conferences and qualifications
Chartered Institute of Fundraising membership paid
3 professional development days per year

Working Arrangements