Major gifts manager jobs

Are you an exceptional fundraiser who excels at cultivating high-value relationships and securing transformational gifts? Do you enjoy working with senior volunteers and philanthropists who are deeply committed to changing children’s lives?

Step into a pivotal role within one of the UK’s leading philanthropy teams as you lead our flagship Tick Tock Club appeal — inspiring major donors and volunteers to drive extraordinary impact for seriously ill children.

Salary

The salary for this position is £52,526 per annum and we operate a hybrid working policy of a minimum of 2 days per week in the office. 

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

• Deliver a personal fundraising target of £1.5m+, securing six- and seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments from high-net-worth individuals and charitable trusts.
• Lead the £20m Tick Tock Club appeal, shaping strategy and driving one of GOSH Charity’s flagship philanthropic initiatives.
• Recruit, inspire and collaborate with senior volunteers, campaign boards and influential supporters to accelerate high-value fundraising.
• Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, using insight-led approaches to build long-term engagement and maximise impact.
• Oversee campaign events, communications and tailored proposals, ensuring activity aligns with income targets and delivers an exceptional supporter experience.
• Provide motivating line management to a small team, fostering professional development, wellbeing and high performance.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• A strong track record of securing six- and seven-figure philanthropic gifts.
• Experience partnering with senior volunteers and campaign boards on major fundraising initiatives.
• Strategic leadership skills with the ability to galvanise a team around ambitious goals.
• Exceptional relationship-building, influencing and presentation abilities.
• A creative, solutions-focused mindset with resilience under pressure.

Please refer to the full job description below for more information.

About the team
 

You’ll join our sector-leading Philanthropy team — recognised as one of the most high-performing and respected in the charity sector. We partner with some of the most generous and committed philanthropists in the UK and beyond to transform the lives of seriously ill children.

Our talented and supportive team of 20+ works closely with colleagues across fundraising, clinical, and research teams to create inspiring, high-impact opportunities for supporters. In partnership with senior volunteers and committees, we drive landmark campaigns including the £300 million Build It. Beat It. appeal and the Tick Tock Club, with exciting plans for a major new research-focused campaign on the horizon.

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. 

Philanthropy Manager

Role Overview
The Talent Set are delighted to partner with this fantastic charity for their search for a  Philanthropy Manager. This position offers an opportunity to work on developing major donor income based on fully fledged pipeline and developed case for supports. The role is supported by a wider high value team including prospect research.

Key Responsibilities

• Steward existing donors and develop new donor relationships, working through the pipeline from cultivation to successful asks
• Identify new opportunities for major donor income
• Plan and coordinate fundraising campaigns, events, and engagement activities.
• Collaborate with teams across high value and wider fundraising teams to ensure donor stewardship and recognition.

Person Specification

• Proven experience working with major donors, this could be at officer/executive level and a step into a manager role or someone already in a manager role
• Full understanding and experience to work through the full donor relationship process with known donors and new prospects
• Having experience of successful 5 figure gifts is desirable, but candidates will be considered who have with experience of 4 figures gifts and who are looking for a bigger challenge, developing their skills
• Experience of working with giving circles is of interest but not essential
• Ability to work with agility in a collaborative and unique charity environment
• A proactive and adaptable approach with ambition to grow income from major donors, able to see opportunities for growth.

What’s on Offer
Salary: Circa £46,000
Hybrid working of 2 days a week in the London 
Part time and compressed working offered

First stage interviews to be held via Teams on the 19th/20th January
Second stage interviews to be held in person on the 26th January 

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours. Please note due to the Christmas and New Year Period, our timeframes might be delayed. 

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

Job Title: Head of Major Giving - Trusts & Foundations and Individual Donors

Reporting to: Director of Fundraising and Development

Location of work: Home based. The post holder will be expected to travel to meet donors, travel to away days and team meetings in London. The role may involve some irregular travel throughout England and Scotland. Expenses will be paid in line with our Travel and Expenses policy. 

Contract type: Ideally full-time, 35 hours per week, 28 hours or 35 hours compressed would be considered.

Contract Length: This is a fixed term contract starting ASAP for 12 months.

Salary: £48,500 

Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Magic Breakfast is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

JOB PURPOSE    

This is a unique opportunity to step into a pivotal leadership role during an exciting period of transformation at Magic Breakfast. As Head of Major Giving (Maternity Cover), you will shape and deliver our strategy for high-value income generation across philanthropy  and trusts and foundations, while embedding a newly merged team and fostering a culture of one unified, high-performing team within Major Giving and more widely as part of Fundraising and Development.  

You will lead a team of five people, line managing and working closely with two Major Giving Leads, empowering them and co-creating a Major Giving strategy that fully seizes the opportunities presented by our refreshed organisational strategy. You will also oversee a well-established Trusts and Foundations portfolio and a group of highly engaged individual donors, maintaining and growing these important relationships whilst helping to provide strategic and targeted support across pipeline development. 

This role offers a chance to make a tangible difference by bringing together two recently merged teams, embedding new ways of working, and setting up structures for long-term success. You will have a dotted-line relationship with the Business Development Manager (Scotland), enabling you to ensure joined-up major giving approaches across the UK and unlock exciting opportunities in Scotland. 

We are looking for a natural relationship-builder with a proven track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts, outstanding communication skills, and the ability to inspire donors, colleagues, and external stakeholders alike. As part of the Fundraising Leadership team, you will deputise for the Director of Fundraising and Development when needed and collaborate across the organisation to implement, monitor, and adapt our fundraising strategy, maximising the impact of major giving. 

This is a rare chance to leave your mark on a highly visible and strategically important function, shaping a newly merged team, influencing our major giving strategy, and contributing to the long-term success of Magic Breakfast.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver an integrated Major Giving strategy covering philanthropy and trusts & foundations with clear objectives and KPIs for income and performance and an embedded review, learn and continuously improve culture.
• Provide strong leadership across the Major Giving team, ensuring delegation and empowerment whilst also setting clear direction that helps to mitigate challenges and unlock and seize on opportunities.
• As part of the wider leadership team, play a key role in ensuring effective delivery of the fundraising strategy, organisational goals and our long-term strategic vision.

• Oversee a collaborative approach to prospect research and pipeline development to ensure a sustainable flow of opportunities, working with colleagues from across the wider department to leverage opportunities for referrals and pipeline development.

• Work across the organisation to package innovative and compelling projects for funding. Maintain a strong knowledge of the organisation strategy, business plan and opportunities for innovation, to identify and build compelling giving propositions, wish lists and a persuasive case for support including non-financial asks. 

• Prepare phased budgets and reforecasts, identifying and recognising opportunities and risks to income in line with activity plans and progress. 

• Work with finance and performance and relevant business leads to manage programme budgets and restrictions. 

• Foster strong communication and collaboration with the Business Development Manager (Scotland), ensuring effective two-way sharing of insight, alignment on donor and funder relationships, and joined-up approaches to national and devolved opportunities. 

WHAT WE OFFER

At Magic Breakfast we value our employees and work hard to develop offer a supportive, respectful culture which enables everyone to bring their whole self to work.

Please see our website for more infromation and our job pack 

APPLICATION PROCCESS

Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @ magicbreakfast. com

Shortlisting - 12th - 14th January

Interview 1 - 19th OR 20th January

Interview 2 - 23rd January

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Role Overview
The Talent Set are delighted to partner with this fantastic charity on a Philanthropy Manager role. This position offers an opportunity to work on developing major donor income based on fully fledged pipeline and developed case for supports. The role is supported by a wider high value team including prospect research.

Key Responsibilities

• Steward existing donors and develop new donor relationships, working through the pipeline from cultivation to successful asks
• Identify new opportunities within the major donor portfolios
• Plan and coordinate fundraising campaigns, events, and engagement activities.
• Collaborate with teams across high value and wider fundraising teams to ensure donor stewardship and recognition.

Person Specification

• Proven experience working with major donors, this could be at officer/executive level and a step into a manager role or someone already in a manager role
• Full understanding and experience to work through the full donor relationship process with known donors and new prospects
• Having experience of successful 5 figure gifts is desirable, but candidates will be considered with 4 figures, looking for a bigger challenge
• Experience of working with giving circles is of interest but not essential
• Ability to work with agility in a collaborative and unique charity environment
• A proactive and adaptable approach with ambition to grow income from major donors, able to see opportunities for growth.

What’s on Offer
Salary: Circa £46,000

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

�� Help give animals in Sussex a good life — and shape the future of one of the most-loved local charities ��

Raystede is one of Sussex’s most loved animal charities, caring for over 400 animals every day. We're investing in our future — and fundraising is at the heart of that journey.

We’re looking for an experienced Individual and Community Giving Manager to lead and grow our public fundraising programme across Regular Giving, Community Fundraising, Events, Appeals, Legacies, Lottery, Sponsorship and Digital.

You’ll manage a talented team, develop supporter journeys, embed data-led decision making and drive income growth to help secure Raystede’s long-term future.

We’re looking for someone with:

· A strong track record in public fundraising

· Experience managing multiple fundraising streams

· Leadership and team development skills

· Excellent storytelling, relationship-building and data literacy

· A passion for ethical fundraising and animal welfare

Some evening/weekend work required (TOIL provided). Full driving licence is essential.

Philanthropy Manager

We are seeking a proactive and relationship-led fundraiser to drive major donor and legacy giving for a growing and ambitious charity.

Position: Philanthropy Manager

Salary: £40,000

Location: Hybrid, with weekly office day in Kennington, London SE11

Hours: Full time

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 10am, Wednesday 7 January 2026

Interview Dates: 15 January (online) and 22 January (in person)

About the Role

This is a hands-on and rewarding role where you will lead the day-to-day delivery of major donor fundraising and help grow legacy giving. Working closely with the Development Director, senior leaders and trustees, you will oversee the major donor pipeline, build strong and meaningful relationships, and deliver personalised supporter experiences that inspire long term commitment.

You will line manage the Philanthropy Officer and work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to plan and deliver events, develop compelling donor communications and support data driven insight into supporter behaviour and opportunities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing and growing a portfolio of major donor prospects and supporters
• Developing tailored cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans
• Planning and delivering high quality donor events and engagement activities
• Leading on legacy giving development, communications and stewardship
• Researching new prospects and preparing donor briefings
• Overseeing due diligence processes and ensuring compliance with fundraising standards
• Producing regular reports to support income forecasting and pipeline management
• Coaching, motivating and developing the Philanthropy Officer
• Supporting the implementation of improved CRM and data systems

About You

As Philanthropy Manager you will be confident, organised and proactive, with strong relationship management skills and the ability to communicate impact with clarity and warmth. You will be motivated by building meaningful supporter relationships and delivering exceptional experiences.

Essential skills and experience:

• Strong background in major donor or individual giving fundraising
• Experience securing five or six figure gifts
• Ability to manage pipelines and donor journeys using CRM systems
• Experience planning and delivering donor cultivation events
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organisational and project management skills with attention to detail
• Ability to work collaboratively with senior leaders, trustees and colleagues
• Experience researching and cultivating new prospects

Personal qualities:

• Warm, engaging and confident working with people from all backgrounds
• A proactive mindset with the ability to spot opportunities
• Commitment to inclusion and belief in the transformative power of the arts
• A collaborative team player with a supportive leadership style

About the Organisation

This organisation works nationally to make music education equitable, inclusive and joyful for every child. Through long term programmes in partner schools, teacher training, advocacy work and sector wide initiatives, it supports thousands of children and young people each year. The charity is entering the next phase of strategic growth, scaling its most impactful work and strengthening its national influence.

Other roles you may have experience of could include; Major Donor Manager/officer, Individual Giving Manager/officer, Fundraising Manager/officer, Philanthropy Lead, Development Manager/officer, Supporter Engagement Manager/officer.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

MK Community Foundation is a leading local charity that connects people who care with causes that matter. Through our grant-making, philanthropy, and property programmes we support a wide range of voluntary and community groups across Milton Keynes, tackling inequality and helping the city thrive. Every year we distribute vital funding to projects that change lives, strengthen communities, and make Milton Keynes a fairer place for everyone. 

Are you looking to build a career in philanthropy and fundraising? Whether you have formal charity experience or have shown your commitment through volunteering and community involvement, this could be the opportunity for you. 

MK Community Foundation is seeking a proactive and relationship-led fundraiser to join the team as Philanthropy Manager to drive major donor and legacy giving in Milton Keynes.

• A proven track record of securing major gifts and managing high-value donor relationships. 

• Experience in developing and implementing fundraising strategies, prospecting plans, proposal writing and project management. 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage credibly at senior levels. 

• Strong understanding of fundraising compliance, tax-efficient giving, and donor stewardship best practices. 

• Credibility and gravitas to engage confidently with senior stakeholders and donors. 

• Strong relationship-building, networking, and influencing skills. 

In this role, you will: 

• Lead and develop relationships with individual donors, including major donors and those interested in legacy giving. 

• Contribute to the development and delivery of our individual philanthropy strategy. 

• Support our grant-making programmes by assessing applications, presenting recommendations, and monitoring funded projects. 

• Identify and develop new opportunities for philanthropic income and donor engagement. 

• Work closely with colleagues, fundholders, and community partners to maximise impact in Milton Keynes. 

We are looking for someone who: 

• Has experience in major donor fundraising, legacy giving, or relationship-led income generation. 

• Is a confident and credible communicator, able to build trust with donors, fundholders, and community partners. 

• Is organised, proactive, and analytical, with strong attention to detail. 

• Has a genuine passion for making a positive difference in Milton Keynes. 

This role offers the chance to play a key part in shaping the future of individual philanthropy at the Foundation, while directly contributing to projects that change lives across our community. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join The National Brain Appeal, a highly ambitious neurological charity with an outstanding track record. We have raised significant funds to transform research and care for people living with neurological conditions – from dementia and brain tumours to motor neurone disease and epilepsy.

Building on the success of our recent appeals, this role will play a pivotal part in expanding our major gifts fundraising and delivering a step-change in the impact of our work. We are seeking a highly experienced philanthropy and partnerships professional with a proven track record in generating major gifts up to figures, who will lead the creation of a new Development Board and work closely with senior supporters, clinicians and researchers to grow and deepen our networks.

Join us in the ambitious ‘Birmingham In Action’ campaign, which commits to raising over £600 million of charitable funding and 1.25 million volunteer hours, positioning the University as one of the world leaders in university development. To help fulfil our exciting campaign ambitions, we are seeking to recruit a ‘Charitable Funding Manager’ (CFM) to maximise philanthropic funding across the University. The role will involve working to achieve a financial target by proactively identifying and securing income from Trusts, Foundations, and other charities. 

A key member of the Development and Alumni Relations Office’s (DARO) Charitable Funding team, you will navigate the university, working closely with academics and Professional Services colleagues to identify some key areas where there are funding needs. The role will bring to life some of our ground-breaking, sector leading work in a compelling and succinct way, inspiring support from new and existing funders. 

DARO exists to support this academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

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 a Charitable Funding Manager in DARO, you will be innovative, self-motivated, and take ownership of fundraising opportunities in this area. You will 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 and the skill to interact with high-level donors and supporters. 

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. 

The Philanthropy team at War Child is sector leading with our heritage, connections, and relationships. Our friends are superbly connected and ready to use their networks to help us. With a talented, hard-working team, we deliver amazing, creative and innovative fundraising that has a huge capacity to inspire people.

We are seeking  a highly motivated and experienced Philanthropy Manager with a passion for international development to join our growing team. Working in a fast-paced environment, you will bring deep expertise in major donor fundraising, exceptional interpersonal skills, and a strong understanding of how to identify, cultivate and steward high-value supporters to grow sustainable income.

You will play a key role in developing and managing a robust pipeline of major donors, securing significant restricted and unrestricted gifts through tailored cultivation, compelling proposals and high-quality stewardship. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will help shape the future of War Child’s major donor programme and contribute to a sector-leading supporter experience.

Reporting to the Philanthropy Lead, you will lead the delivery of an effective stewardship programme, nurture long-term relationships with major donors and supporters, and help deliver a programme of high-quality events and engagement opportunities. This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-performing, values-driven team and make a meaningful contribution to War Child’s growth and impact.

If you share our values and believe that children’s lives should not be torn apart by war, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, qualify and develop a strong pipeline of six-figure philanthropic opportunities (restricted and unrestricted), using research, prospect mapping and data-led insight.
• Design and deliver high-quality cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans for major donors, including meetings, proposals, reports, events and tailored communications.
• Lead and contribute to the planning and delivery of a diverse programme of philanthropy events, including those hosted by high-profile individuals and Ambassadors.
• Support the development of new fundraising products that strengthen donor engagement, retention and long-term relationships.
• Work collaboratively across teams and working groups, contributing insight and expertise to shape fundraising strategy and identify new opportunities.
• Accurately manage donor relationships and performance through Salesforce, including recording communications, monitoring income against targets and reporting on progress.
• Act as an advocate for War Child, maintaining strong knowledge of our work and contributing to a culture that prioritises safeguarding and best practice.

What we can offer you

At War Child, we genuinely value different ways of working. From day one, we’re open to discussing flexible options, including hybrid working and flexible hours. Our goal is to support our employees to do their best work while ensuring we continue to deliver for children affected by conflict. Some of our benefits include:

• Flexible working culture and flexible public holidays 28 days annual leave (pro-rata), plus bank holidays, which increases by one day per year on your work anniversary, up to a maximum of 33 days.
• Pension - 5% employer contribution (increasing to 6% after one year’s service), with minimum employee contribution.
• Health and wellbeing - employees may take advantage of a healthcare cash plan, a GP 24/7 helpline, cancer cover, and a range of wellbeing initiatives and training.
• All employees have access to free, confidential one-to-one wellbeing consultations with trained counsellors.

This role offers an incredible opportunity to make a tangible difference at a time of unprecedented need. Join us in standing up for children affected by war and help create a future where no child’s life is torn apart by conflict.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE POST

This strategic and outward-facing role will be instrumental in expanding the School’s network of supporters and maximising philanthropic income as we celebrate our Centenary in 2026. The postholder will take a leading role in identifying, cultivating, and securing new major donor relationships - building a strong and sustainable pipeline of prospects capable of making transformational gifts to support the School’s vision and long-term priorities as it seeks to uphold its global standing as a centre of performance excellence in classical dance from London base.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity for an experienced development professional to play a pivotal part in shaping the School’s next chapter. Working closely with senior leadership, the postholder will design and deliver innovative engagement strategies to attract new supporters, deepen relationships with key prospects, and communicate the School’s impact and ambitions with clarity and passion. The role requires a proactive and strategic relationship-builder with the confidence to engage high-level individuals and the insight to convert interest into enduring philanthropic partnerships in support of the future of the performing arts at the highest level.

CONTRACT TERMS

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday

Salary: £45,000 per annum

Location: Upper School, Covent Garden

Start Date: March/April 2026

Annual Leave: 30 days per annum

MAIN DUTIES

Donor Cultivation and Relationship Management

• Build and nurture strong, long-term relationships with new and existing supporters through personalised engagement strategies informed by the Head of Development
• Represent the School at meetings, events, presentations and functions to cultivate connections with prospective donors
• Collaborate with senior leadership and the Donor Relations Team to ensure high-level donors are onboarded seamlessly and receive tailored stewardship and recognition.

Strategic Fundraising Planning

• Develop and implement strategies to attract new major donors, aligning with the School’s fundraising priorities for UK in-year activity, as well as USA and Asia development
• Work with senior leadership to set fundraising targets, track progress, and report on performance across each giving level prioritising annual donations of £50k+ per annum.

Proposal Preparation

• Collaborate with content, communications and marketing team colleagues to create compelling materials that articulate the School’s mission and strategic priorities
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of fundraising campaigns, events, and initiatives to engage, cultivate and convert prospective supporters.

Prospect Research and Identification

• Maintain and update the active prospects pipeline, ensuring all opportunities are tracked and appropriately prioritized with touchpoints and assigned relationship leads
• Contribute to the invitations tracker to ensure all prospects are engaged with in a systemised and relevant way according to location, interest, propensity to give.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Analysis

• Maintain accurate records of donor engagement and interactions in the CRM system improving and refining systems and processes as part of a growing department
• Monitor progress against fundraising targets, providing regular reports and insights to senior leadership on pipeline value from identification to stewardship stages
• Analyse donor trends, sector insights and curate feedback to refine engagement strategies.

Team Collaboration and Leadership

• Work closely with colleagues across Development and the Senior Leadership Team as well as Artistic and Academic staff to refine the propositions and align fundraising priorities
• Host year-round events with the Development Team to enable all prospect engagement
• Mentor and support junior staff involved in development activities where appropriate.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria:

• Proven experience in donor cultivation and relationship management - Demonstrated success in building and sustaining 5 and 6 figure annual relationships with major donors and key stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and project management skills - Capacity to manage multiple donor relationships, events/projects, and fundraising initiatives simultaneously, while maintaining attention to detail in a dynamic office environment.
• Strong strategic fundraising expertise - Ability to design, implement, and evaluate fundraising strategies that align with institutional priorities and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills - Skilled at engaging and influencing diverse audiences through persuasive written and verbal communication, including at senior levels.
• Proficiency in proposal and campaign development - Experience preparing compelling fundraising proposals, campaign materials, and event strategies that inspire donor support.
• Analytical and reporting skills - Ability to monitor, interpret, and report on fundraising performance, donor trends, and engagement metrics using CRM and data analysis tools.
• Collaborative teamwork - Proven ability to work effectively across departments and with senior leadership, collaborating with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• Ethical commitment and alignment with institutional values - Demonstrated integrity, discretion, and commitment to advancing the mission and values of the School through responsible fundraising practices.

Desirable Criteria:

• A knowledge and appreciation of ballet, the arts, performance, elite sport
• Understanding of 501c3 and Endowment Fund structures
• Previous experience of using Salesforce.

SAFEGUARDING DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and recognises that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. The School expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment to children’s safeguarding and to share this child-centred approach. This approach means that staff must consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. Additionally, the following is expected of all staff:

• To uphold the School’s policies relating to safeguarding and child protection, behaviour, health and safety and all other relevant policies
• To promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for whom you are responsible and come into contact with
• To report any safeguarding concerns using the relevant channels, such as informing the Designated Safeguarding Lead, in a timely and appropriate manner
• To ensure full compliance with all statutory regulations, particularly the most recent Keeping Children Safe in Education, and to communicate concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, other relevant staff of The Royal Ballet School or local children’s services as appropriate.

This job information cannot be all encompassing. It is inevitable over time that the emphasis of the job will change without changing the general character of the job or the level of duties and responsibilities entailed. Consequently, this information will be periodically reviewed, revised and updated in consultation with the post holder to reflect appropriate changes.

We are committed to creating an environment where all our employees feel part of our team and can flourish, regardless of their background. We’re proud to be an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

The Royal Opera House describes the place we work, not who we are. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts – we may be a House, but three quarters of our audiences experience what we do outside this building. While our Covent Garden theatre is the nerve centre, the impact and influence of the organisation can be felt in every corner of the country, and around the world.

The Development and Advocacy Department are looking to appoint an experienced fundraising professional who will work closely with the senior team on strategy development, generating opportunities to increase philanthropic giving by attracting new and lasting relationships and high value donors. Individually, you will make a substantial contribution to the current targets by managing and developing a portfolio of significant relationships, working to department best practice.

The ideal candidate for this post will be a team player with excellent communication and relationship management skills. You will play an active role in mentoring and developing junior members of the team and show your potential as a future leader. You will be able to demonstrate:

• A proven track record of securing major gifts and managing high-value donor relationships.
• Experience in developing and implementing fundraising strategies, prospecting plans, proposal writing and project management.
• Strong people management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage credibly at senior levels.
• Strong understanding of fundraising compliance, tax-efficient giving, and donor stewardship best practices.
• Credibility and gravitas to engage confidently with senior stakeholders and donors.
• Strong relationship-building, networking, and influencing skills.

A background in the arts is not essential, though an interest in/the aptitude to upskill quickly in our art forms will be highly regarded. A firm understanding of the UK Philanthropic community and landscape is critical.

To submit your application, please provide a supporting statement that outlines how your skills and experience match the essential criteria listed above. Your supporting statement will be reviewed by the shortlisting panel, so please do take the time to consider your response and use this to highlight your suitability for, and interest in, the role. 

We recommend drafting your response in a separate document and then copying the final version into the application form. Please note that as part of our commitment to anonymised shortlisting, panels do not view CVs during the recruitment process. If you choose to upload your CV, our system will automatically pull information from your CV into our application form. 

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK’s leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.

We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

Closing date for applications: Midnight, 5th January 2026.

Interviews will be held across 2 stages - the first online via MS Teams and the second in person at the ROH Covent Garden. 

Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK.  No agencies.

Job description

Are you looking for an exciting new opportunity in Philanthropy fundraising and have a real passion in making a difference? Eden Brown Charities is delighted to be working in partnership with an incredible leading UK Charity to find them a Senior Philanthropy Manager to lead a team to deliver high quality engagement, development, stewardship and recognition of high value donors.

About the role

You will be joining the Charity at a really exciting time and will have a huge impact on the high value fundraising team and driving forward philanthropic giving. You will be responsible for devising and implementing a fundraising strategy as well as developing income from high net worth individuals and managing a high performing team.

About You

To be successful in this role you must have

- Experience of stewarding high net worth individuals up to five/ six figure gifts
- Experience of implementing a Major Donor Strategy
- Experience of managing relationships which have resulted in significant gifts
- Experience of managing a team

Please note that this is a Hybrid role with a time spent either in London or Manchester. Please call Laura Iliff on 07442607841 for more information on this incredible role. Please note that interviews will be taking place on a rolling basis.

Eden Brown Synergy is an equal opportunities employer.

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