Senior major donor officer jobs

Children on the Edge is seeking a proactive Partnerships Manager to drive our grant-funding strategy in a fast-evolving sector. If you’re an experienced relationship-builder who thrives in an agile environment and is passionate about demonstrating real-world impact through local ownership, we’d love to have you on our team.
 

Prospecting
● Identify and evaluate potential funding opportunities from UK and overseas foundations and grant makers. 
● Work with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) to develop a pipeline of potential support.
● Develop strategic approaches to new funders.

Writing Applications and Proposals
● Proactively gather information from the Children on the Edge team to develop compelling proposals and budgets for funders. 
● Communicate Children on the Edge’s values and distinctives.
 

Reporting
● Proactively feed into the wider fundraising team’s collaboration to ensure we can provide all information required by funders.
● Craft tailored narrative and financial reports that demonstrate impact.
● Support the COO as required in reporting to larger Grants and HNW partnerships. 

Building Relationships
● Cultivate a portfolio of existing, lapsed and new funders.
● Represent Children on the Edge externally to build a network of prospects and support engagement events and activities as needed.
 

Management & Planning
● Acknowledge donations promptly; tracking donor communication in Salesforce.
● Use Salesforce to record and report on prospecting, applications and income. 
● Follow best fundraising regulations practice and comply with relevant legislation.

JUSTICE is looking to recruit a Philanthropy Manager to join our friendly, outcome-focused, values-led team. This is a permanent role and offers an exciting opportunity for a passionate and creative fundraiser who is committed to building meaningful relationships and growing philanthropy income.

We are looking for an individual who is motivated by our purpose (to improve the UK justice system so that it is fair and within everyone’s reach). The successful post holder will be an engaging and proactive fundraiser with experience of securing donations from high-net-worth individuals and mid-level donors. You will enjoy working autonomously, be comfortable taking initiative and bring a thoughtful strategic approach to developing and stewarding donor relationships.

Working closely with the Director of Development, Chief Executive and Senior Management Team, the Philanthropy Manager will play a central role in strengthening and expanding our major donor and mid-level giving programme. You will lead on cultivating, soliciting and stewarding a portfolio of prospects and donors, developing tailored engagement plans and ensuring our fundraising activity is insight-driven and aligned with organisational priorities.

By building strong relationships with donors, volunteers and supporters and by championing the effective use of data and insight, you will help deepen engagement with JUSTICE’s work and increase the impact of our fundraising. You will be a key ambassador for the organisation, representing our mission and values with confidence, professionalism and warmth.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in and something you would enjoy doing, please do apply! 

The Development Office at The King's School Canterbury plays a vital role in supporting the School's long-term vision and sustainability. Working at the intersection of fundraising, alumni relations, and community engagement, it is responsible for building meaningful relationships with past pupils (OKS), parents, and supporters, and is entering a pivotal and ambitious phase of growth.

Guided by a bold five-year Philanthropy and Engagement Strategy, the Development Office places philanthropy and community engagement at the centre of its long-term vision to transform lives through education.

This is a moment of genuine momentum. Building on strong recent progress – including the revitalisation of major gifts activity, the successful launch of a regular giving programme, and the establishment of a unified King’s Association – the School has also recently completed Phase I of The Charter Awards, its ambitious fundraising campaign. Launched in 2023 to grow the School’s endowment to £50 million by the 500th anniversary of its 1541 Charter, the campaign has already exceeded expectations, raising over £3 million in just three years. Charter Awards bursaries are already transforming lives, enabling talented young people who would otherwise never have the opportunity to access a King’s education.

The King’s School now seeks an outstanding Director of Development to lead the next phase of this journey. The focus will be on scaling impact: strengthening the major gifts pipeline, expanding regular and legacy giving, and delivering high-impact fundraising aligned with the School’s strategic priorities.

This is a highly relational and outward-facing role, requiring close partnership with senior leadership, governors, and an international network of supporters to inspire philanthropic investment and deepen engagement across the global King’s community. The successful candidate will be supported by a Head of Development, a Development Officer, an Engagement Manager, and part-time Events and Admin Officers.

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the world’s great schools at a defining moment in its development programme, where ambition, collaboration and a commitment to excellence underpin everything we do.

For further information and to apply online, please visit our website.

Closing date: 9.00am on 8 June 2026.

Provisional date for first interviews: 11 and 12 June 2026.

Second interviews: 17 June 2026.

The King’s School is committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process which is in line with the statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates.

All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Chief Executive Officer

British Liver Trust (transitioning to Liver UK)
Location: Hybrid (UK based, with monthly travel to Winchester)
Salary: circa £90,000, dependent on experience

Lead the next chapter for liver health in the UK

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected and financially stable health charity at a pivotal moment of transformation.

Following a successful merger, the organisation is preparing to launch as Liver UK, bringing together services, information and advocacy across all ages. With a clear, trustee-approved strategy for 2026–2032 already in place, the next Chief Executive will focus on delivery, growth and national influence.

A strong platform and a planned transition

This role comes at a natural and positive point within a planned leadership transition.

Our current Chief Executive has provided long-standing, successful leadership and is excited to deliver the final phase of the rebrand before handing over. The incoming CEO will inherit a well-led organisation with strong governance, a clear strategic direction, and real momentum.

About the role

As Chief Executive, you will lead delivery of an established strategy, ensuring the organisation continues to grow its reach, impact and income.

You will work closely with an engaged and supportive Board of Trustees to maintain high standards of governance, regulatory compliance and risk management, while strengthening the charity’s voice in national policy and public affairs.

This is a role that balances external influence with internal leadership, ensuring both impact and organisational resilience.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver a trustee-approved long-term strategy, refining priorities as needed
• Ensure robust governance, legal and regulatory compliance
• Lead policy, public affairs and national influencing activity
• Maintain financial sustainability and drive income growth
• Lead and develop a high-performing Senior Management Team
• Oversee delivery of high-quality services and information

About you

You are a credible and values-driven leader with senior experience in the charity, health or related sectors.

You will bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience at Director or CEO level
• Strong understanding of governance, finance and regulatory compliance
• Experience influencing policy and working with senior stakeholders
• A track record of delivering organisational growth and impact
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• You will be confident working with a Board of Trustees, able to build strong relationships, provide clear advice, and operate effectively in a governance-led environment.

You will be motivated by improving health outcomes and confident leading an organisation with both national influence and strong operational delivery.

Why join us?

• A clear, trustee-approved strategy ready for delivery
• Strong governance, financial stability and organisational foundations
• A positive and well-managed leadership transition
• The opportunity to shape a newly unified, UK-wide charity
• A chance to make a meaningful difference in an under-recognised area of health
• A strong, engaged and motivated Board

A competitive salary will be offered, reflecting the experience, skills and leadership qualities of the successful candidate.

Yeldall Manor is a Christian residential treatment centre near Reading for men struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol. We are seeking someone strategic and relational to strengthen and develop all aspects of fundraising for Yeldall Manor, and to lead a new marketing and fundraising campaign. The appointee will join our senior leadership team and shape the next chapter of our development as we are at a pivotal moment of opportunity, with an ambitious vision to build our Christ-centred identity and practice, pursue excellence and impact, and expand our reach.

We are looking for someone who will:

• Lead supporter acquisition activities and build the portfolio of individuals, churches, trusts, corporates and other organisations supporting the work of Yeldall Manor.
• Build deep, mission-aligned partnerships with donors and stakeholders.
• Lead and implement an effective marketing and communications strategy to help position Yeldall Manor within the top tier of UK residential rehab centres.
• Lead and execute a high-impact fundraising strategy across major gifts, individual giving, churches, trusts & foundations, corporates, and legacies.
• Work closely with the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team to align income generation with Yeldall Manor’s strategic vision and programme outputs.
• Lead the development of funding applications for trusts & foundations.
• Provide leadership and nurture staff working on supporter acquisition, fundraising and marketing activities, empowering them to deliver with excellence.
• Inspire a culture of philanthropy throughout the organisation, rooted in strong values and relational excellence

You will be working alongside the existing Administration and Supporter Relations Manager, and other staff assisting with marketing and administration, based mainly at Yeldall Manor, which means you will have daily contact with those men whom you are helping. They inspire and motivate us just as much as we seek to encourage and support them.

Please see the Job Description for full details and submit a covering letter along with your CV showing how you meet the requirements of the Person Specification. As this is a strategic post within an actively Christian setting, applications should be from committed Christians. Schedule 9, Part 1:3(a) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact CEO, Maarten Fontein or Administration Manager, Sue Hedger - contact details available on our website, which is currently under development.

​

JRS UK is recruiting a full-time Senior Fundraising and Communications Officer, responsible for helping to build our support base, especially among the Catholic community. 

This is a senior role, reporting to the Head of Communications, Fundraising and Advocacy and working closely with the Fundraising and Communications Manager. It will involve developing and delivering our strategy for recruiting supporters in parishes and other settings, as well as delivering a range of fundraising initiatives including our challenge events programme. We are seeking someone with a proven track-record in fundraising and community outreach, as well as a good understanding of the Catholic community in the UK.

You’ll be part of a mission that restores dignity, hope, and agency to people rebuilding their lives after displacement. Whether you're introducing our mission to parishes, representing us at national events, or recruiting participants for our challenge events, your work will have real impact. If you're passionate about justice, have a strong knowledge of fundraising and want a role that improves the lives of people seeking sanctuary, this is your chance to make a difference every single day. 

Job description 

1. Developing and leading JRS UK’s parish engagement plan: 

• Strategic development of JRS UK’s long-term approach towards engaging parishes in our mission 

• Arranging and delivering fundraising appeals, talks, and engagement with parish groups 

• Ensuring that parishes supporting our mission are kept up to date with our work and opportunities to get involved 

• Building sustainable relationships with at least 20 parishes annually by year two

2. Expanding JRS UK’s outreach in the Catholic and wider Christian community: 

• Identifying and delivering opportunities to share our mission with others and involve them in our work including:

                  i. representing JRS UK at national events 

                  ii. leading our engagement with other Jesuit organisations and Catholic organisations such as the National Justice and Peace Network

                  iii. Producing resources tailored to different audiences such as Catholic youth groups, Justice and Peace groups, and non-churchgoing Catholics 

3. Leading recruitment of regular donors: 

• Utilising the opportunities outlined here to engage new regular/committed supporters

• Recruiting at least 120 new regular supporters annually by year 2

• Working with the Fundraising and Communications Manager on our process for welcoming and stewarding regular supporters 

4. Leading our challenge events programme: 

• Recruiting and stewarding our teams for the TCS London Marathon, London Landmarks Half Marathon, and Vitaly 10k ensuring all participants are supported, equipped, and celebrated 

• Keeping past participants up to date with our work and the impact of their support 

• Promoting opportunities for supporters to undertake their own fundraising events

• Raising a net income of £20,000 annually through challenge events by year 2

Other responsibilities  

• Working with the Fundraising and Communications Manager on our schools and universities engagement plan

• Ensuring good quality supporter records are kept in compliance with data processing requirements 

• Periodic management of interns or volunteers 

• Other duties as required by the Head of Communications, Fundraising and Advocacy

About the Charity:

‘Ending Homelessness, Restoring Lives, and Sharing God’s Love.’

Rooted in Christian compassion, our mission is to ensure that every person in Leeds has access to shelter, support, and dignity - regardless of background - through compassionate care on their journeys out of homelessness.

About Our Employees:

The twin objectives of St George’s Crypt are the relief of hardship and poverty among those living with homelessness, poverty and addiction in the city of Leeds and beyond; and the advancement of the Christian religion for public benefit. Therefore, it is key for the employees and volunteers of the Crypt to be sympathetic to the Christian faith which underpins all our work.

Job Purpose:

To drive, lead and grow our income generation strategy. This senior leadership role has responsibility for developing diverse, sustainable income streams and building strong relationships with supporters, partners, and funders.

To play a key role in shaping the organisation’s future, working closely with the deputy CEO, senior leadership team, and trustees to ensure we have the resources needed to deliver lasting impact.

To increase income from the corporate sector and raise the organisation’s profile within the business community.

Key Job Role Responsibilities and Main Tasks:

Strategy & Leadership

• Improve on and deliver the fundraising strategy aligned with organisational priorities and growth plans.
• Lead, motivate, and develop the fundraising team, fostering a high-performance and collaborative culture.
• Contribute to organisational strategy as a member of the leadership team.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to the senior leadership team and Board of Trustees.
• Following agreement of budget and discussions with departmental leads, prepare clear objectives for Fundraising.
• Have 3 121s with the team per annum followed by and annual appraisal review.

Income Generation

• Grow and manage income across a range of streams, including:
  • Trusts and foundations
  • Major donors and high-net-worth individuals
  • Corporate partnerships and sponsorships
  • Community fundraising and events
  • Individual giving and digital fundraising
• Identify and develop new funding opportunities and innovative approaches to income generation, particularly corporate donations and partnerships.
• Oversee budgets, forecasts, and income targets, ensuring financial sustainability.

Corporate Fundraising & Partnerships

• Identify, secure, and grow corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and Charity of the Year relationships.
• Build and manage a portfolio of corporate supporters, ensuring effective stewardship and retention.
• Develop tailored partnership proposals, sponsorship packages, and presentations for corporate audiences.
• Represent the organisation within the local and regional business community, including networking events.
• Drive engagement opportunities including employee fundraising, volunteering, and corporate-led initiatives.
• Oversee and grow existing corporate schemes, including the Angel Scheme.
• Monitor corporate income performance against targets and provide regular reporting.

Relationship Management

• Build and steward strong relationships with funders, donors, corporate partners, and key stakeholders.
• Act as a senior ambassador for the charity, representing the organisation externally at meetings and events.
• Work closely with communications and service teams to ensure compelling, accurate impact storytelling.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all fundraising activity is ethical, compliant, and aligned with relevant regulations and best practice
• Manage risk across fundraising activities and ensure robust systems and processes are in place

Person Specification:

Essential requirements:

·Significant experience in a senior fundraising or targeted role, ideally within the charity or not-for-profit sector

·Proven track record of delivering and growing income across multiple streams

·Corporate fundraising experience

·Strong leadership and people-management skills

·Excellent relationship-building and communication abilities

·Strategic thinker with strong financial and analytical skills

·Commitment to the values and mission of tackling homelessness

·Must hold a full, clean driving licence

Desirable:

·Experience working with or reporting to a Board of Trustees or director level equivalent

·Knowledge of homelessness, housing, or social justice issues

·Experience of organisational growth or income diversification

·Relevant professional fundraising qualification

Please see the attached documents for full role details and information regarding the selection process

Dog Aid Scotland

Dog Aid Scotland is celebrating its 70th anniversary of creating and protecting loving homes across Scotland. The charity helps keep dogs with their owners whenever possible and when that’s not possible, we find dogs new homes, giving them hope for a future.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a long-standing charity entering a period of growth and investment with a focus on helping many more dogs and their owners. The charity will look to increasing the scale of its work, significantly increasing awareness of the importance and impact of Dog Aid Scotland while ensuring financial sustainability through fundraising and income diversification.

Role Description

The Head of Income and Engagement is responsible for diversifying and growing Dog Aid Scotland’s fundraising income streams as well as overseeing the charities strategic communications and marketing activity. Reporting directly to the CEO, the postholder will develop and deliver a comprehensive Income and Engagement Strategy that ensures sustainable income growth, deepens supporter engagement and increases awareness of this long-standing charity. As well as working at a high level, this will be a hands on, operational role which is expected to work directly with donors and lead on fundraising activity.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of Income and Engagement Strategies aimed to grow income sustainably and significantly increase awareness of the charity
• Grow income from individual giving, regular giving, fundraising events and legacy giving, whilst looking to develop further income streams such as major donors, trusts and foundations in future.
• Develop strong donor journey that's engaging, from recruitment and stewardship to longer term donor retention.
• Create and deliver engagement strategy focused on growing brand awareness, deepening engagement and understanding of the charity, its impact and services.

For more information on the role and how to apply please see the Job Pack below. 

Senior Individual Giving Officer

Hybrid (with 2 days per week in our Alton office)

Individual Giving Manager

Permanent, 35 hours per week

£30-35k per annum, dependant on experience

(plus pension & generous annual leave)

About Kidney Care UK

3.5 million people in the UK have chronic kidney disease (CKD), a diagnosis that can turn your world upside down.

For 50 years, Kidney Care UK has been at the forefront of supporting people with kidney disease. From our early days when we campaigned to introduce donor cards in the UK, we have worked hard to support and represent the interests of everyone affected by this lifelong condition. We provide practical, emotional, and financial support for individuals and their families, while also working with healthcare professionals to improve care services and campaign for change.

Kidney disease can affect anyone and there is no cure. We are here for the young and the old, for those struggling to make ends meet, for families and loved ones. We fight tirelessly, giving our total support, to improve the lives of kidney patients and their families.

We’ve grown significantly over recent years. But this is just the start – we want to grow our income significantly in the next five years as part of our ambitious new strategy to ensure that the charity is fully sustainable so that we can support the 1000s of patients who need us every year. We’ve been making quite a splash recently – our ‘Bloody Amazing Kidneys’ campaign has seen more than 200,000 people successfully complete our online kidney checker so they can understand their risk of kidney disease.

Will you join us and help ensure that no one faces kidney disease alone?

The role

The Individual Giving team is responsible for driving growth and income sustainability across Individual Giving (one-off donations, Regular Giving, Lottery) In Memory Giving, Legacy Giving and Major Giving. This is an exciting role and it will suit somebody who enjoys working across our different fundraising products, with particular focus on one-off donations, Regular Giving and In Memory Giving. The role will focus on the acquisition and stewardship of donors, maintaining a fantastic donor journey for longer term engagement. The role holder will need to own and manage their workstreams, drawing on the expertise of other in-house teams from Marketing to Finance. The need for accuracy in data and administrative work requires the role holder to have a keen eye for detail and a respect for processes and regulations.

What we offer

Working at Kidney Care UK is incredibly rewarding and you will see the life-changing impact that the charity has on kidney patients and their families:

• Flexi-time – we are flexible about start and finish times, and flexible about your location.
• Annual and Christmas leave – we offer 25 days annual leave for full time employees plus bank holidays. We also close for three days between Christmas and New Year, and you don’t need to take this from your annual leave allowance.
• Pension – you’ll be eligible for and auto-enrolled into a pension scheme where your employer will contribute 8% of your salary.
• Health cashback plan – ability to claim back a wide variety of routine medical treatments.
• Employee Assistance Programme – access to a wide variety of support including counselling, health resources and advice.
• Cycle2Work scheme

Director of Fundraising
Podium Analytics
London, UK
Full-Time and permanent role
Salary: range of c. £110,000 – 120,000 pa with some flexibility on this for an exceptional candidate who will swiftly be able to make a significant impact.

 Established in 2019, Podium Analytics is a charity that is creating a world with more sport, less injury.

 We were founded with the belief that, to see the full benefit of sports participation, more needs to be done to address the issue of youth and grassroots sport injury, which is an under-researched, under-resourced and often overlooked issue.  Harnessing the power of data and research, and through education, influence and advocacy, we are creating a revolution in grassroots and youth sport, making players safer and more able to enjoy the sports they love and for longer.

Our work so far has been underpinned by our founding funders and key major supporters, who believe in our unique position in the sporting world and ability to drive change.  In order for us to achieve our mission and the long-term impact that we are striving for, we need to build out and diversify our income base and have made good progress by recently establishing a Donor Advised Fund (DAF).  At this point of our growth, we are seeking a new Director of Fundraising and it will take an experienced philanthropy leader to join us and help shape the next stage of our evolution.

You will be responsible for developing growth strategies, funding opportunities and donor relationships across a diverse portfolio of income streams.  You will therefore need to bring experience of securing gifts and grants, ideally at the 6-figure level or more.  To complement our existing activity, high-value Trusts & Foundations and corporate partnership experience would be a bonus.  

A commitment to our purpose will drive you, as you establish close working relationships with our CEO, Chairman, Trustees and senior management team, to enable the successful delivery of fundraising initiatives and drive opportunities forward.  As a strategic operator with an entrepreneurial and enterprising approach to your work, your track record of actively engaging with existing and potential supporters, and in developing and implementing comprehensive income generation strategies will underpin your ability to contribute to the strategic direction of the charity.  As we are a small charity, this is a very hands-on role so you will therefore need to be comfortable with rolling up your sleeves, working in the detail without losing sight of the big picture, and navigating new or ambiguous areas with a positive and solutions-orientated mindset. 

In return, you will have the support of a highly professional senior management team and an exceptional Board who are all committed to ensuring success in our fundraising endeavours.

If this is the sort of environment you are looking for in your next career step and you thrive on organisations in growth mode, we would like to hear from you.  Please contact our recruitment partners at Richmond Associates on +44 (0)20 3617 9240 or visit their website to download further details before applying.

Closing date for applications: 09:00 UK ON FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 2026

Our client is a charity based in Chelsea and Westminster with a mission to create world-class facilities, drive innovation and research, and enhance patient and staff wellbeing. This charity has grown an ambitious fundraising programme, from a £12.5m critical care redevelopment campaign to rapid-response COVID fundraising and a pioneering young people's mental health programme. Now, with over £19m raised towards Thirty at Thirty (a £30m appeal launched in May 2023), the charity is seeking an exceptional relationship fundraiser to help deliver the final phase of this major campaign and to oversee the philanthropic giving programme beyond.

Head of Major Gifts

London, SW10 9HS (hybrid, 2-3 days in the office)

35 hours per week

Permanent

Salary: £60,000 - £65,000 (depending on experience)

Reporting to the Director of Fundraising & Communications, the Head of Major Gifts will lead the high-value fundraising activity, personally managing a portfolio of key supporters while leading the Major Gifts team (two direct reports and one dotted-line report). Working closely with the CEO (an experienced and active fundraiser), you will oversee a robust and disciplined prospect pipeline across major donors, trusts and foundations, and corporate partners, and you'll lead the management of the Development Board - an influential group of senior supporters and open doors to transformational philanthropy. The role will also shape and deliver inspiring donor engagement, from curated events and private tours to bespoke proposals, reports and stewardship communications, working in close partnership with senior leadership, clinicians and volunteers across the Trust.

To be successful, you will bring a demonstrable track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts (relationship-led fundraising), alongside strong influencing skills. You will be a collaborative, motivating manager, comfortable setting direction and driving a high-performance culture, and confident producing compelling written cases for support, proposals and donor reports. You'll be highly organised, detail-focused, and able to thrive in a target-driven, fast-paced environment. Experience of the healthcare sector or arts sector is advantageous but not essential.

How to apply

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process then please contact Femke Vorstman at [email protected].

If you feel you meet some of the criteria but not all, we really hope you'll enquire and learn more. Prospectus can advise and support on each part of the role and hopefully your application, so we look forward to hearing from you.

In order to apply please submit your CV in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will arrange for a meeting to brief you on the role. You'll then have all the information you need to formally apply. To formally apply, you will need to complete a supporting statement (max. 2 sides of A4) by COB on 7 June. Interviews will be held during week commencing 15 and 22 June.

We are recruiting for a Senior Philanthropy Manager to join our team in London; the scope on this job involves….

Job Title: Senior Philanthropy Manager

Location: Hybrid working - this role is external facing and the postholder will be required to attend meetings, events and networking opportunities in London and other locations as required
Salary: £54,897.50 per annum
Contract type: Full-time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5

At a pivotal moment in addressing domestic abuse Refuge is entering a new strategic phase focused on building strength, independence and long‑term impact. We are seeking a bold, visionary Senior Philanthropy Manager who will help drive a growth in philanthropic income and lead a new way of working with philanthropic supporters. This newly created, externally facing role offers a rare opportunity to shape the future of Refuge’s philanthropy—securing transformational six‑ and seven‑figure investments, shaping a new offering for philanthropic funders and driving sustainable growth at scale.

You will design and lead a compelling core philanthropy offering, steward and grow a small portfolio of Refuge’s highest value supporters and build a dynamic pipeline of major donors and trusts and foundations. Working closely with the Head of Philanthropy, CEO, Board, you will redefine how Refuge engages philanthropists—bringing clarity, confidence and ambition to how we partner with supporters to fuel survivor safety, resilience and long‑term prevention. This is a role for someone that thrives on building networks and has a strong track record of growing pipelines, including through working with existing supporters and senior volunteers.

This is a standout opportunity for an experienced fundraiser to create and implement new avenues for philanthropic impact and drive significant income growth for Refuge’s work. The postholder will combine influence, creativity and purpose—playing a decisive role in strengthening an organisation survivors rely on, while helping to shape a defining philanthropic vision.

Closing date: 9.00am on 5 June 2026

Interview date:
Stage one: 18 June 2026 (virtual)
Stage two: AM, 25 June 2026 (in person at our Head Office, in Vauxhall, London) 

Benefits

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

We are looking for an organised and proactive individual to identify new prospects (trusts, foundations, corporates and major donors) to support to the philanthropy team in their fundraising efforts.

The role will help develop and expand our prospect pipeline by identifying new opportunities and supporting the philanthropy fundraising team.

This is an exciting time to join The Christie charity as we embark on a period of transformational growth with the launch of key capital appeals enabling us to see a real step change in our income. We are looking for dynamic individuals to join our successful fundraising team at this exciting time

A rare and newly-created opportunity to join David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) as Director of Development at a pivotal moment of growth. As part of the Senior Mangement Team (SMT) you will help shape the future direction of the Foundation, leading its fundraising strategy, inspiring support and delivering significant and sustainable income growth.

We are looking for a collaborative team player, who leads with integrity, warmth and passion. Experience in the conservation sector is an advantage but not a prerequisite. The right candidate will be the person who can prove that they are able to ignite action, build lasting relationships and generate meaningful growth in support of the DSWF’s mission.   

Throughout the interview process we’ll be keen to hear about your track record in fundraising at a leadership level and your experience of making an impact on an organisation of our size or larger. You will demonstrate how you develop strategies and implement them successfully, show an understanding of DSWF’s existing development portfolio, and a view on where you see you might help to take us over the next 3 years and beyond.

Application Process
To apply, please email a CV and supporting statement of no more than two pages no later than Monday 15th June.

JOB DESCRIPTION
Role: Director of Development (DoD)
Reports to: CEO
Works closely with: CEO/COO/CFO as part of the SMT
Line manages: Development Team: Development Manager, Trust and Foundations Manager, Development Executive, CRM Executive
Hours: Part-time, 28 hours per week (4 days)
Location: Hybrid working between the DSWF Shalford Office (GU4 8JU) for a minimum of two days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), and home with occasional travel
Annual Leave: 25 days per annum pro rata. Bank Holidays are also provided, and at DSWF’s discretion the office usually closes between Christmas and New Year (additional to annual leave)
Salary: Competitive executive-level salary dependent on experience and breadth of impact. Please ask for salary range on application.
Start date: Asap.

Summary of the Role
The Director of Development (DoD) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all fundraising income and supporter engagement activity at DSWF. The role is accountable for delivering sustainable, diversified revenue growth aligned with DSWF’s mission across conservation, education and art, while building lasting relationships with major donors, trusts, foundations, corporate partners and senior supporters.

Working in close partnership with the CEO, COO, CFO, and Board of Trustees, the DoD translates organisational strategy into compelling Cases for Support, effective fundraising plans and measurable outcomes. The postholder leads and develops a high-performing Development team, ensuring strong delivery and continuous improvement.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Director shares responsibility for shaping the Foundation’s overall direction, contributing to governance, organisational culture and high-level strategic decision-making.

This is a pivotal position combining senior management with hands-on major gift fundraising and team leadership. Central to enabling the Foundation’s long-term impact and growth, the DoD is a driving force behind DSWF’s ability to successfully deliver its mission to protect endangered species in Africa and Asia.

Key responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
•Lead on the development, implementation, delivery and continuous refinement of DSWF’s multi-year Development strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and long-term financial sustainability.
•Advise the CEO and Trustees on fundraising performance, trends, risks and opportunities.
•Own and articulate the organisational Case/s for Support, ensuring a clear, compelling narrative that integrates conservation impact, education outcomes and artistic heritage.
•Working closely with the rest of the SMT, embed a culture of philanthropy across the organisation, enabling all team members, Trustees and ambassadors to actively support income generation.
•As part of SMT, be jointly responsible for over-arching decisions regarding the direction of the Foundation, its mission, strategies and culture.

Major & Strategic Fundraising
•Working closely with the CEO, cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of DSWF’s most significant donors and prospects, including major individual donors, trusts and foundations, legacy campaigns and strategic partners.
•Responsible, alongside the CEO, for the overall management of all corporate partnerships and sponsors.
•Design and lead bespoke solicitation strategies for new high-value prospects, involving the CEO, Trustees and senior colleagues as appropriate.
•Oversee the development of structured approaches to major giving, trusts & foundations, legacy giving and corporate partnerships.
•Have strategic oversight of lower-level individual giving programmes including appeals, regular individual giving and adoption schemes.
•Be responsible and ensure best practice in prospect research, due diligence, stewardship and ethical fundraising.

Team Leadership & Management
•Lead, manage and develop the Development team, setting clear objectives, KPIs and income targets aligned to the overall strategy.
•Ensure the structure, resourcing and capabilities of the team are fit for purpose and scalable as income grows.
•Coach and support all those within the organisation that are responsible for fundraising, providing professional leadership, mentoring and performance management.
•Lead on all training and offer career progression for all staff within the Development team.
•Foster strong collaboration between Development and all departments, including; Policy and Programmes, Marketing and Communications, Education, Art, Finance and Operations.

Supporter Engagement
•Represent DSWF externally with senior donors, partners and sector peers, enhancing the organisation’s profile and credibility.
•Oversee a high-quality supporter journey across all touchpoints, ensuring donors feel valued, informed and connected to impact including lower-level individual giving.
•Champion systematic all level stewardship, donor care and impact reporting to maximise retention, lifetime value and advocacy.
•Ensure accurate, GDPR-compliant data capture and effective use of CRM systems (Beacon) to drive insight-led fundraising.

Events
•This senior role will have overall responsibility for any fundraising or donor profile events (at present this would include the Wildlife Ball which is an annual fundraising/profile raising event that takes place at the Dorchester Hotel).
•Working closely with the rest of SMT, this role will direct the Development team to ensure that all events deliver optimum, high level donor experiences and are run professionally (with logistics and operational support from the COO and team).
•This role will have overall responsibility for ensuring the CEO has all information required to support engagement with donors at all events.

Governance & Reporting
•Report on Development performance to the CEO, SMT and Trustees, providing clear analysis against agreed targets.
•Work closely with Finance to support forecasting, budgeting and long-term income planning.
•Work closely with Finance and legal advisors in relation to all legal matters pertaining to legacies and bequests.
•Ensure all Development activity aligns with regulatory, governance and ethical standards.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
•Significant senior leadership experience in fundraising and development within complex, mission-driven non-profit organisations, at Director level or equivalent, where philanthropy is critical to organisational impact and growth.
•Significant experience in leading and delivering long-term development strategies, with a demonstrable track record of translating organisational ambition into clear, costed and achievable fundraising plans.
•Proven ability to set strategic direction across multiple income streams, establish measurable objectives and KPIs and use data and insight to monitor performance, evaluate impact and adapt approach over time.
•Experience of driving sustained income growth, strengthening donor pipelines, and delivering measurable outcomes aligned to organisational priorities and long-term sustainability.
•Deep understanding of the UK philanthropic landscape, with well-established networks across major donors, trusts and foundations, corporates and high-net-worth individuals and the ability to build credibility and influence rapidly at national and international levels.
•Demonstrable experience of leading and scaling fundraising income through periods of organisational change, growth or strategic transformation.
•Proven track record of securing transformational gifts and long-term partnerships from individuals, corporates, trusts and foundations.
•Strong history of inspirational leadership, team building and talent development, with the ability to motivate teams towards ambitious shared goals.
•Experience of working with public sector stakeholders and cross-sector partnerships to advance organisational objectives.
•Experience of implementing and embedding robust CRM systems and donor stewardship frameworks to support data-led decision making and excellent supporter journeys.

Personal Skills, Qualities and Attributes
•Exceptional interpersonal, communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage, influence and inspire a wide range of stakeholders.
•A collaborative team player who values partnership working and shared success.
•Strategic, visionary thinker with the confidence and credibility to operate at senior leadership and Board level, influencing internal and external decision-makers.
•A strong personal commitment to wildlife conservation, environmental protection and the role of philanthropy in driving long-term change.
•Clear alignment with DSWF’s mission, vision and values, and a genuine passion for advancing David Shepherd’s legacy through impactful fundraising.
•Entrepreneurial and opportunity-led mindset, with the confidence to set and pursue ambitious income and growth targets.
•Resilient, adaptable and resourceful, with the ability to navigate complexity, manage ambiguity and maintain momentum in a fast-evolving environment.
•Credible and compelling ambassador for DSWF, able to represent the organisation confidently with major donors, partners and at public-facing events.
•Willingness to travel and attend events as required to support donor engagement, stewardship and organisational visibility.
•Commitment to being actively engaged in the life of the organisation, contributing to its culture, leadership and long-term success.

Please note that as part of a small team, the role may include occasional additional duties to help meet the charity’s wider needs.

Application Process
To apply, please email a CV and supporting statement of no more than two pages no later than Monday 15th June.