Senior major gifts manager jobs

Join us in the ambitious ‘Birmingham In Action’ campaign, which commits to raising over £600 million of charitable funding and 1 million volunteer hours, positioning the University of Birmingham as one of the leaders in philanthropy in the UK. To fulfil our exciting campaign ambitions, we are recruiting a Head of Philanthropy – Global, to maximise philanthropic funding and to take our campaign to the next level.

A key member of the Development and Alumni Relations Office’s (DARO) Philanthropy team, you will be responsible for growing major gifts opportunities and building a sustainable pipeline of future donations from global philanthropic markets. You will have experience of delivering against financial targets, along with the ability to translate complex information into a compelling ask in both verbal and written form. As the Head of Philanthropy - Global, you will be responsible for growing our international major gifts programme. In collaboration with the Associate Director of Philanthropy you will develop and implement fundraising strategies to increase major giving in Asia and North America as well as emerging areas of focus. You will manage a personal portfolio of six figure + (GBP) potential supporters and personally raise gifts in excess of £1m p/a. You will manage the international philanthropy team of two individuals and support them to deliver their annual fundraising and supporting targets.

As a senior fundraiser in DARO, you will be innovative, self-motivated, and take ownership of fundraising opportunities. As part of a dynamic team and led by some of the most respected names in higher education fundraising, you will work across the University to generate significant gifts for amazing philanthropic projects and encourage new donors to make long-term, sustainable gifts. You will have an enthusiasm for building relationships, the skill to interact with high-level donors and supporters, and the ability to showcase the game changing work of our academics and clinicians.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are and how we work.

To lead partnership development and fundraising initiatives to generate income through corporate partnerships and individual supporters, helping move closer to a malaria-free world.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to use your expertise in corporate fundraising to help achieve our bold mission: ending malaria for good.  While driving income through strategic corporate partnerships will be your focus, you’ll also expand your skills by growing individual giving and fundraising and, during the first six months, gain hands-on experience in trusts and foundations through maternity cover responsibilities.

You will be an exceptional communicator, with outstanding written and verbal skills and the ability to influence and build trust with senior stakeholders both internally and externally.  Highly organised and detail-oriented, you will manage multiple priorities effectively while maintaining a strategic focus on income generation.  You will be proactive, adaptable, and enthusiastic about working flexibly within a small, collaborative fundraising and partnerships team.  You will bring creativity and confidence to developing compelling proposals, pitches, and engagement opportunities, alongside strong relationship management skills and a commitment to advancing Malaria No More UK’s mission.

About Malaria No More UK

We exist to end malaria, together.  Malaria is preventable and treatable — yet a child still dies every minute from this disease.  At Malaria No More UK (MNMUK), we refuse to accept this.

Through targeted influencing communications, bold partnerships and political advocacy, we mobilise the leadership, funding and innovation needed to end malaria in our lifetimes.  We work to protect G7 ODA budgets for malaria and unlock new financing opportunities that accelerate progress toward a malaria-free world.

Our fundraising and business development efforts focus on foundations, philanthropic giving and corporate supporters, complemented by a small but committed group of individual donors.  As we enter a new chapter in the malaria fight, we have exciting opportunities to secure support for campaigns that showcase breakthrough innovations in malaria prevention and treatment, highlight the economic benefits of ending the disease, and strengthen the efforts of partners leading the fight across Africa.  

At a time of uncertainty for international development and malaria financing, this work has never been more vital.  The future of the malaria fight is being shaped now — and with the right leadership, creativity and advocacy, we can secure the investment needed to end malaria in our lifetime, saving lives and unlocking billions in shared growth and prosperity.

Qualifications, skills and experience

Essential

· Have secured and successfully managed income-generating partnerships with companies that have achieved outstanding results for a purpose driven mission.

· Have worked across the new business process including, successfully identifying, researching, and securing new business opportunities, developing partner / supporter offers and maintaining a pipeline of opportunities.

· Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.  You will be able to represent the charity and its campaigning role to external stakeholders through a range of communication channels and mechanisms including proposals, meetings and presentations. 

· Financially literate and comfortable creating, tracking and reporting on income budgets for funding partnerships.

· Knowledge of relevant legal guidelines including data protection, Gift Aid, fundraising law, and other relevant compliance issues.

· Excellent computer literacy, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint and experience using CRM databases. 

· We are seeking individuals who are committed to fostering a workplace culture that embraces fairness, kindness and respect towards their colleagues.

Desirable

· Have successfully raised funds through one or more areas relevant to the job description beyond corporate fundraising.

· Experience working with funders in the global health and / or economic development space.

· Strong understanding of key trends in relevant areas of fundraising, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability agendas.

· Confident using Salesforce CRM to track pipeline and new business activity, funder engagement and income.

What We Offer

· The opportunity to lead fundraising activities, including with major global corporates, that will help end malaria – a global killer disease.

· A collaborative, creative and mission-driven team culture.

· Hybrid working.

· 10% employer pension contribution.

· 28 days holiday plus bank holidays and organisation-wide closure over the Christmas period to ensure everyone enjoys a meaningful break.

· Opportunities for learning and development.

As the Head of Philanthropy, Asia you will be responsible for growing our major gifts programme in the Asia-Pacific region. The focus will be on increasing six figure + (GBP) giving through the University of Birmingham Hong Kong Foundation, and from the wider region. Most of our warm donors are based in Malaysia and Hong Kong but there is an active community of alumni in Singapore and scoping to be done across Asia to drive the next phase of our strategy forward beyond alumni donors and to build on a recent seven figure donation as a catalyst for further giving. 

As a University we established our Hong Kong Foundation in 2019 and giving is off to a strong start. Continuing on this trajectory you will work to make it financially sustainable, aiming to have multi-year commitments lined up. You will steer and develop the Foundation’s volunteer Board of Directors, increasing giving from their networks, and working with them to distribute funds to programmes at the University that will also benefit Hong Kong. 

As a senior fundraiser in DARO, you will be expected to be innovative, self-motivated, and to take ownership of fundraising in this region. As part of a dynamic team and led by some of the most respected names in higher education fundraising, you will work across the University to generate gifts to key philanthropic projects and encourage new donors to make significant gifts. You will also have the opportunity to work with the senior leadership across the University to travel, drive income and develop innovative funding proposals for the region. 

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy.

About the Orpheus Centre

The Orpheus Centre is a specialist college that promotes personal development through the arts for young disabled adults. Our work is underpinned by our core values of being joyful, bold, inclusive, resilient and determined, and we are passionate about creating meaningful opportunities that change lives.

The role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative Legacy and Individual Giving Officer to help grow and develop our individual giving and legacy income streams.

You will plan, deliver and evaluate inspiring fundraising activity, build long‑term relationships with supporters, and provide excellent donor stewardship. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping how supporters engage with — and feel connected to — the Orpheus Centre.

Salary: £27,000 – £30,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Location:  Godstone, Surrey
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week (52 weeks per year) Flexible, hybrid and part‑time working options available
Reports to: Deputy Head of Fundraising

 Key responsibilities 

• Plan and deliver engaging individual giving appeals across multiple channels
• Develop and manage regular giving and donor stewardship journeys to increase loyalty and lifetime value
• Lead on all aspects of legacy fundraising, including promoting gifts in wills and administering legacy cases
• Build strong relationships with supporters, case studies and internal stakeholders
• Develop and nurture a mid‑value donor programme, working closely with senior fundraising colleagues
• Create new and innovative channels of giving, including In Memory and Celebration Giving
• Manage individual giving and legacy budgets and track performance
• Use Salesforce CRM to manage data, analyse performance and produce reports
• Ensure Gift Aid claims are accurate and processed in a timely manner 

About you 

You will be an organised and confident fundraiser with a passion for building relationships and telling compelling stories.

You will have:

• At least 3 years’ experience delivering fundraising or supporter‑focused projects
• Experience of using databases/CRMs and Microsoft Office (Word and Excel)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage a varied workload
• High levels of accuracy and attention to detail
• An understanding of fundraising regulations, including Gift Aid and GDPR 

Desirable:

• Experience in individual giving and/or legacy fundraising
• Experience using Salesforce
• Experience of digital or direct marketing, copywriting or donor communications 

Why work with us? 

• A supportive and values‑driven working environment where your ideas matter
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities
• Be part of a passionate team that celebrates creativity and makes a tangible impact on young disabled people’s lives
• Opportunities for professional development and training

Join us in making a lasting difference in the lives of young disabled people through the power of the arts. 

Safeguarding and Equality 

Orpheus is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All posts are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and satisfactory references. This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with vulnerable adults and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

As part of our safer recruitment process and in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, online searches may be undertaken as part of due diligence.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

In order to be considered you must be eligible to work in the UK.

The Orpheus Centre is proud to be a disability confident employer.

We have made a positive commitment to employing disabled people. Reasonable adjustments will be made to the recruitment procedure as required in consultation with the applicant to ensure no-one is disadvantaged because of their disability. If a disabled person is selected for a position, reasonable adjustments will be made to the workplace, including premises and equipment, work duties and practices or policies, as appropriate. All disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role as set out in the role profile and person specification will be considered for interview. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are: 

• Challenging attitudes towards disability
• Increasing understanding of disability
• Removing barriers to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions
• Ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspiration

No agencies please.

World Veterinary Service – Major Donor Manager
Location: Remote or hybrid, with monthly meetings at Dorset office and regular travel for meetings with donors.
Salary: £40,000-£45,000 per annum.
Contract: Permanent, full-time hours. 

Worldwide Veterinary Service – which helps animals in places where no one else can - is seeking a passionate, proactive and relationships-driven Major Donor Manager to support the growth of their major giving programme.

Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) champions animal welfare around the world, sending vets where they are needed most, providing expert veterinary training in hard-to-reach places, and shipping urgent aid supplies worldwide. Last year they treated over 103,000 animals, trained over 2,800 vets and vaccinated over 1.2 m dogs against rabies.

Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, this role offers an exciting and unique opportunity to shape a vital income stream from the ground up - identifying, cultivating, and stewarding high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) who are motivated by global animal welfare. You will be responsible for developing and delivering a major donor strategy to grow the pipeline of prospective HNWIs and building compelling cultivation and stewardship journeys, including bespoke proposals, events and communications. You will also manage a portfolio of warm and cold prospects with the aim of generating five- and six-figure gifts over time.

The ideal candidate will be a skilled communicator - someone who thrives on building authentic partnerships and translating complex global work into powerful donor propositions.  You’ll be excited by the task of growing something new and ready to work collaboratively as part of a small but ambitious philanthropy team. While the primary focus is on major donors, the post-holder will also provide support across other philanthropic income streams - particularly corporate partnerships and trusts and foundations - contributing to ambitious fundraising goals. Finally, candidates for this role must be adaptable and comfortable working with ambiguity and the dynamic, fast-moving environment of this growing charity.

This is an ideal role for an experienced fundraising professional who is ready for their next challenge and wants to make lasting improvements to the lives of animals around the world.

Please download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes details on how to apply.

Closing date: Monday 26 January.

Are you passionate about showing donors the real impact of their support? Do you have the creativity and insight to shape powerful stewardship experiences for high-value supporters?
 

Salary

The salary for this position is £36,577

In line with our EDI strategy and Total Reward policy, we calculate our salaries based on benchmarking data across the charity sector. To ensure fairness for existing staff and new joiners, we do not offer salaries above the advertised rate.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape meaningful donor experiences by developing and delivering inspiring stewardship communications—ranging from personalised impact reports and proposals to digital updates that bring supporters closer to the children and families they’re helping.
• Play a key role in the Children’s Cancer Centre appeal, contributing to one of the most significant projects in the charity’s history, with the opportunity to create stewardship moments that drive transformational giving.
• Lead on coordinating recognition and engagement activities, including crafting tailored communications and working closely with Philanthropy, Partnerships and Special Events teams to deliver stand-out supporter journeys.
• Use your project management skills to plan and deliver bespoke stewardship events, giving supporters unforgettable experiences that deepen their connection to the cause.
• Help drive insight-led decision-making by analysing supporter behaviour, monitoring fundraising performance, and sharing learnings that shape future stewardship strategy.
• Use CRM and data tools to enhance supporter experience, ensuring accurate tracking, reporting and portfolio analysis that support smarter, more personalised stewardship across high-value teams.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Strong experience in donor stewardship, with the ability to bring supporter impact to life through compelling communications.
• Experience supporting high-value fundraising, partnerships or similar relationship-focused environments.
• Skilled at managing projects and coordinating multiple priorities, with the ability to work efficiently to tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to build relationships and collaborate with colleagues at all levels.

About The team
 

You’ll be part of a friendly, high-performing team that thrives on collaboration and fresh thinking. It’s an environment where you can bring your ideas, grow your skills and contribute to exciting, high-profile projects.

Head of Fundraising (Philanthropy and Partnerships)

King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity

King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity is entering a pivotal new chapter as it becomes an independent NHS charity, with a clear three-year strategic plan and ambitious plans to grow its impact and income.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Head of Fundraising (Philanthropy and Partnerships) is a senior, hands-on role responsible for developing high-value fundraising to complement the Charity’s successful community fundraising and events programme. The role will lead the growth of philanthropy, corporate partnerships, and trust income, working closely with Trustees, NHS colleagues, and the fundraising team.

A major appeal is being explored to support the £35m planned development of a new A&E department at Queen’s Hospital. A transformational project with the potential to attract significant philanthropic support. 

This is a rare opportunity to shape and grow a high-value fundraising portfolio at a formative moment, helping secure transformational investment in hospital care for local communities.

Senior Development Manager (Philanthropy & Partnerships

Contract Type This is a full time (37.5 hours per week) permanent role, however we welcome applications for flexible working

Salary: £40,814

About Us

Norwich Theatre is one of the leading arts organisations in the UK and the largest in the East of England, encompassing the historic Theatre Royal, the creative hub Stage Two, and the intimate mid-scale Playhouse. We present, produce and co-create a vibrant programme of live performance and creative engagement activities to entertain, enrich and inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and we work with national and international partners to ensure we bring the very best theatre to our region.

We are an independent not-for-profit charity with no regular public funding, and rely on a share of ticket sales, one-off grants, fundraising/membership schemes and other commercial activities to deliver the work we do both on stage and in communities.

About the role

The Senior Manager (Philanthropy & Partnerships) will provide strategic management for Norwich Theatre’s high-value income generation, spearheading the development, expansion and stewardship of corporate partnerships, corporate membership, major donor relationships, legacy giving and other transformational fundraising programmes.

This pivotal role will shape and deliver organisational strategies that secure substantial philanthropic and partnership income, cultivate senior-level relationships, and ensure long-term financial sustainability in alignment with Norwich Theatre’s vision and strategic priorities.

About you

You will have proven experience in managing stakeholder and supporter relationships, together with a track record of cultivating and stewarding high-value supporters, clients or partners.

An excellent negotiator, with strong planning and prioritisation skills, you will be highly collaborative, people focussed and proactive.

We offer

A good salary, 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, plus your birthday off, together with an inclusive culture focussed on wellbeing and happiness. We have a commitment to personal and professional development, discounts on a range of on food, drink and theatre tickets and access to My Discounts, employee discount scheme, offering savings on retail, gyms, travel, utilities and more.

As the University builds on its proud heritage, we are looking for exceptional people to help shape our future. We provide a high-quality professional environment, inspired by our distinctive ethos and Catholic mission and values. Our values of excellence, generosity of spirit, inclusiveness and respect inspire us to create an academic community in which everybody is welcomed and which puts the student at the centre of all our endeavours.

St Mary’s University’s new Development Department has a bold five‑year strategy to grow philanthropy and deliver lasting impact. At its heart is the School of Medicine, opening in 2026 as one of the UK’s first socially accountable medical schools, dedicated to tackling health inequalities and serving diverse communities. In just its first year, our campaign has already secured £3.6m towards a £20m goal, funding capital projects, scholarships, and faculty. This is an extraordinary moment to join Development at St Mary’s: you will help shape a pioneering culture of philanthropy, inspire transformational gifts, and play a defining role in building a medical school of national significance and social purpose.

Job Purpose: 

We are seeking a dynamic, results‑driven Philanthropy Manager to grow our major donor programme in partnership with the Development Director. Your primary focus will be cultivating and securing five and six‑figure gifts from high‑net‑worth individuals, building a sustainable pipeline of transformational support. At this exciting moment in St Mary’s history, you will help drive a landmark £20m campaign for the new School of Medicine, inspiring donors to shape the future of UK medical education and tackle health inequalities. Working closely with senior leadership, academics, and campaign volunteers, you will translate strategic priorities into persuasive cases for support and steward lasting donor relationships.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and want to make a meaningful impact we would love to hear from you. 

Closing date: 21 January 2026

Interviews are likely to be held w/c 2 February

St Mary’s University is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Learn more about our EDI initiatives and work as a Disability Confident employer. 

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. St Mary’s University is holding a work visa sponsorship licence however we will not always be able to guarantee a Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship. To avoid disappointment, please ensure you meet the requirements of the Points Based System before applying as we will not be able to provide advice on individual cases. 

In September 2025 Oxford opened its new home for humanities, the state-of-the-art Stephen A.  Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. Building on our successes in recent years, we are growing the team with a new senior fundraising role that will work with world-class academics and artists in our faculties and in the Centre’s cultural programming.

In addition to housing a Humanities Library and 7 academic faculties, the Schwarzman Centre includes a world-class, purpose-built concert hall space, theatre, cinema and ‘black box’ performance space, creating a new home for music, film, performing arts and visual arts in Oxford and transforming the experience for students, academics and the local community. The building will create a step change in the visual and performing arts in Oxford, establishing a central base for the Music faculty and History of Art department while offering exciting potential for collaboration with the Ruskin School of Art.

The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. We are looking for a new senior fundraiser to join our energetic team to raise major gifts for a range of posts, scholarships and other priorities across the Humanities Division.  Oxford is the world’s leading university for humanities teaching and research. The University’s scholarship in languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion, and the arts – from the earliest civilisation to the present day – enriches our understanding of humankind. Our research informs how we engage with historic issues and contemporary concerns, and contributes to our understanding of – and solutions to – some of the most complex global challenges, from climate change to the impacts of Artificial Intelligence.

 About the Role

This fundraiser will work closely with senior academics in the Humanities Division. The post will focus primarily on funding for posts and scholarships in the academic faculties as well as securing support for the activities of the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, including the programme of public events that will start taking place in the building from spring 2026. An interest and appreciation for the arts and humanities is essential. 

To Be Successful You’ll Need:

· To be an experienced development professional with a strong track record of securing major gifts and the ability to secure gifts in the range of £100k-£1m+

· Confidence to work with people from a range of backgrounds, both internally and externally

· The ability to think creatively in prospecting, cultivation and stewardship by identifying and maximising opportunities

· To work well as part of a team, with the capacity to work independently on projects and priorities

· A passion for the arts and humanities, and an awareness of the funding landscape in the UK and internationally

What We Offer

As an employer, we value the wellbeing and development of all our employees. We offer a comprehensive range of benefits, including:

· 38 days annual leave (including public holidays)

· Hybrid working arrangements for a healthy work-life balance

· Extensive personal and professional development opportunities

· Membership to CASE to support your professional development as an educational advancement professional

· Supportive childcare services and other family-friendly leave schemes for working parents, guardians and those with caring responsibilities

· Generous family leave for maternity, adoption, paternity, and shared parental leave

· Excellent contributory pension scheme for your financial future

· Salary sacrifice scheme for additional savings

· Subsidised sports centre membership to promote well-being

· Cycle loan scheme to encourage sustainable commuting

· Discounted bus and transit travel

In addition, you will have access to a vibrant community with social groups and sports clubs fostering an inclusive atmosphere.

 Application process:

· Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.

· Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application in your own words, in PDF format (maximum of 2 pages; no AI-written applications, please) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.

Only applications received before 12.00 noon on Monday 19 January 2026 can be considered.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on Tuesday 27 January 2026, in person in Oxford.

 Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.

Scottish Opera is Scotland’s national opera company and the country’s largest performing arts organisation. Founded in 1962 to make opera accessible to all, the company presents productions of international acclaim, from early works to world premieres. Performances are designed to be inclusive, with supertitles, audio-described and dementia-friendly shows, free and discounted tickets for under-26s, refugees, asylum seekers and schools, and touring productions reaching communities across Scotland. 

The charity is looking for an experienced fundraiser to lead the team across a period of maternity leave. The Individual Giving team look after donors across philanthropy, corporate, members and legators. Internally this role is called the Head of Individual Giving, the job title has been amended for this selection process to reflect the broader remit of the role beyond regular donors.

The post holder will, in conjunction with the Director of Development, set and embed Scottish Operas Individual Giving strategy and will personally solicit gifts and steward key donors, whilst supporting and overseeing the work of the Individual Giving team. 

There are some fantastic projects in the works that Scottish Opera can use to engage donors, and there is brilliant internal buy in and understanding of fundraising. Income performance is strong, so there are solid foundations from which to test and trial new ideas.

This role has wide ranging appeal. Scottish Opera are happy to consider candidates for whom this role might be an exciting step up to managing multiple income streams beyond one specialist area, but equally this would be an engaging role for an experienced Head of looking to work in an exciting arts charity, taking their income success to the next level.

Working within an arts and culture charity would be helpful for the candidate to have but isn't essential.

Application notes 

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.

To progress your application, please contact Jo at THINK Recruitment to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date.

If you need assistance with downloading the pack, please contact our team and we will support you.

Closing date for applications: Midnight Monday 12th January 

The University of Oxford aims to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Philanthropy plays a critical role in enabling Oxford to maintain and build on its status as a world-class centre of learning.  The Development and Alumni Engagement Office (DAE) at the University of Oxford has been successful in raising funds from a broad, international range of donors. All support enables the University to achieve its key aims of advancing excellence in research and teaching.

Within DAE, the Foundations and Corporations team is a pan-University fundraising team focused on building and maintaining successful philanthropic relationships for the University’s priorities. Funding secured supports posts and key research areas such as the environment, health and societal challenges, as well as scholarship support for postgraduate students. We work closely with our colleagues in specialist fundraising teams as well as those in business partnerships, innovation teams and research services. 

This is an exciting time to join our Development and Alumni engagement team. The role of Senior Development Executive – Foundations and Corporations will support the University to establish and grow new philanthropic relationships with charitable trusts, foundations and corporations across a range of subject areas and themes, from global health and climate change, to civil society and the role of AI. Funding secured will support capital projects, academic posts, innovative research and enable talented students to undertake further studies at Oxford. To achieve this, you will have the support of excellent colleagues across DAE as well as wider academic, departmental and professional service staff at Oxford.

About you

You are an experienced philanthropic fundraiser with a strong track record of securing major gifts, a confident approach and the ability to think creatively. Your ability to build rapport and relationships swiftly will enable you to lead on major gift fundraising (securing donations of £500k-£1m+), working with a range of donors (corporates, trusts and foundations). Your ability to establish credibility and foster trust across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders will be key to your success. Your strong experience of building philanthropic partnerships with organisation donors will be key. Experience of work in higher education is desirable. Above all, you will share Oxford’s mission and be driven to create meaningful impact through philanthropy.

What We Offer

Your happiness and wellbeing at work matters to us, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including:

· Flexible hybrid working

· An excellent contributory pension scheme

· 38 days annual leave

· Membership to CASE

· Training and development opportunities

· A comprehensive range of childcare services

· Family leave schemes

· Cycle loan scheme

· Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

· Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loan

You could be helping to deliver philanthropic support that funds breakthroughs in science and health, enables new public policy and interventions, or facilitates education for the next generation of leaders in their fields. If this sounds like the kind of challenge you’ve been looking for, we’d love to hear from you.

Application process:

· Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.

· Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application in your own words, in PDF format (maximum of 2 pages; no AI-written applications, please) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.

Only applications received before 12.00 noon on Tuesday 13 January 2026 can be considered.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21 January 2026, in person in Oxford.

Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.

Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy

Salary- £40,940 per annum

Location- Remote working in the UK, with regular travel to London and other parts of the UK.

Reporting to- Director of Fundraising

Contract- Full-time, permanent

Closing Date- 11th January 2026 at Midnight

Who we are?

Futures For All is the largest social mobility charity in the UK. We help to level the playing field between state and independent schools by giving all young people access to the same prestigious networks available to the top fee-paying schools. 

We believe that by inspiring young people to explore their ambitions through our speaker programme, facilitating access to multi-day experiences of the world of work, and supporting young people to successfully seize opportunities available to them, then we can make a profound difference to the lives of young people, their future happiness and prosperity. 

By 2028, our ambition is that every young person in the UK has access to high quality work experience. Yet today, less than half of young people leave secondary school having had any work experience whatsoever.

Role Summary:

Whilst Futures For All has been fundraising for all of our 15 year history, we are now at a point in which increasing voluntary income and diversifying our charitable income streams is vital to the charity’s long-term success.  The new role of Director of Fundraising took up management of the team in 2024, and is now in the process of building a bigger and brighter team to support increasing income over the next few years.

The Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy will play a pivotal role in raising funds from grantmaking trusts and HNWIs (philanthropists) towards the work of Futures For All.  They will go beyond simply writing applications and reports, to build relationships with prospects and donors, ensuring that each are guided through the solicitation cycle towards maximising their grant to the charity.  They will work closely with colleagues, volunteers and leadership to ensure each prospect/donor is engaged appropriately and accurate information is provided in a timely manner.  They will also support the overall function of the Fundraising team, supporting other forms of fundraising. They will build relationships with prospects and donors, ensuring that each are guided through the solicitation cycle towards making major donations. 

Futures for All (formerly Speakers for Schools) seeks an individual with experience working with high-value supporters and strong relationship-building skills to become our new Senior Fundraising Manager – Trust and Philanthropy.  With an exceptional network of senior stakeholders and volunteers, the potential for growth in fundraising is great.

As the UK’s leading social mobility charity, we’re on a mission to help state-educated students nationwide to reach their potential by providing work experience placements and inspirational talks. 

If you’re an enthusiastic, self-motivated, team-player with experience of major donor fundraising, then this is the role for you.  You’d join the team at a time of progression, with a new, focussed plan for the organisation targeting growth in our work experience and inspirational school talks. For this to be successful, we need to grow and diversify our income, particularly from grants and gifts, and are growing the fundraising team from 3.5 to 5+ members to support this increase.

Your role as Senior Fundraising Manager will be to help identify, cultivate, ask and steward philanthropists and grantmaking trusts, working with the Director of Fundraising, Fundraising team, wider colleagues and volunteers to ensure they are solicited to the highest possible standards. The team will support you and there’ll be training on offer to help you succeed.

If you are an expert communicator and relationship-builder, you could join an ambitious, collaborative team, passionate about raising funds to increase the richness of state education and level the playing field for children across the UK.

Key Duties / Responsibilities

Strategic Purpose

• Fundraising from grantmaking trusts and foundations – build and maintain a pipeline of trust prospects and donors with potential to give £10k+ per annum.
• Fundraising from major donor individuals – building relationships with prospects and donors leading to gifts of £5k or more.
• Collaboration – working with colleagues, Ambassadors and Trustees to engage potential supporters, attend events and solicit donations.
• Proposals and reports – develop and deliver accurate and inspiring fundraising applications and reports meeting and surpassing donor and prospect expectations.

Engagement

• Stewardship – work closely with the Donor Relations Manager to ensure all trust donors are stewarded effectively.
• Collaborate with staff, volunteers and leadership – ensuring you have an expert knowledge of the work of Speakers for Schools and can communicate it passionately and accurately to prospects and donors.

Delivery

• Events – utilise and support fundraising events to create a culture of giving and fundraising within Futures For All. Working alongside the Events Co-ordinator to identify attendees and shape engagement events.
• Data and reporting – ensure information on donors is correctly recorded in Salesforce, and supporting KPI and other reports created by the Director of Fundraising.
• Other duties – supporting the work of the Fundraising team and wider organisation as required.

Education / Experience / Knowledge

Essential

Experience of making the direct asks for funds from prospective donors.

Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to cultivate and steward philanthropic relationships effectively.

Experience of compelling proposal and report writing for a grantmaking and philanthropy audience.

Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Enthusiastic and a self-motivated team player.

Desirable

Proven ability to raise income from grantmaking trusts, manage a portfolio of established and new trust donors, achieve targets as part of a fundraising business plan.

Experience working in a social mobility or education-focused charity.

Proven ability to engage philanthropists and senior volunteers and speakers who support these approaches.

Futures for All Values:

Passion: 

We are committed to levelling the playing field for young people across the UK, creating social mobility and tackling disadvantages.

Agility: 

We challenge our ideas of what is possible in order to better meet the needs of those we support. We are human, make mistakes, learn, evolve and adapt.

Integrity: 

We act with empathy and bring our authentic selves to work every day. We value and respect the talent, time and intentions of those we work with.

Collaboration: 

We are one team with one mission and only by working together can we deliver better outcomes for young people. We support each other unconditionally and feel motivation in shared success as well as individual progress.

Diversity: 

We know it takes people with different ideas, strengths, identities, interests, and cultural backgrounds to make our organisation succeed. We encourage constructive debate and critical friendship.

Diversity at our core

Futures for All is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating discrimination.

About You:

• Have the ability to raise income from HNWIs , manage a philanthropy portfolio of established and new donors, building strong relationships and confidently making the ask.
• Experience in creating inspiring and informative bids to grantmakers, utilising your written communication skills.
• Comfort in working with, and engaging HNWIs and business leaders who will donate and help the organisation to succeed.
• Be able to develop strong relationships with the charities senior stakeholders and staff, identifying opportunities for growth and innovative engagement.

Vice-Chancellor’s Office
Development, Alumni and Campaigns Office

Development Manager
Ref: ALC1611

Starting salary from £38,784 per annum, dependent on skills and experience, with an annual increment up to £46,049 per annum. 

If you are passionate about philanthropy and excited to work with individuals to secure major gifts that make a lasting difference - we would love to hear from you.

This is an exciting time to join our fundraising team in the Development, Alumni and Campaigns Office. Our £100m fundraising campaign, Dare to Do Different, is underway and we wish to appoint an individual who shares in our passion for philanthropy.

You will be joining a dedicated and enthusiastic fundraising team where you will be personally responsible for managing a portfolio of individual relationships. You will cultivate, solicit and manage a portfolio of major donor prospects (this includes holding regular face-to-face meetings) to secure significant donations towards our themes of Climate, Health, Creative and Campus.

Degree-educated or with equivalent qualifications/experience, you must have excellent communication skills and a proven track record in fundraising or relationship management.

This full-time post is available on an indefinite basis. 
 
UEA offers a variety of flexible working options and although this role is advertised on a full-time basis, we encourage applications from individuals who would prefer a flexible working pattern including annualised hours, compressed working hours, part time, job share, term-time only and/or hybrid working. Details of preferred hours should be stated in the personal statement and will be discussed further at interview.

We strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups to apply, including candidates who are disabled, Black, Asian or from an ethnic minority, and/or LGBTQ+. We welcome applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Further information on our great benefits package, including 44 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays and additional University Customary days (pro rata for part-time), can be found on our benefits page.   

Closing date: 19 January 2026

The University holds an Athena Swan Silver Institutional Award in recognition of our advancement towards gender equality