3538926AD - Development Officer

University of Southampton; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefits package

Hybrid working

Job summary

The University of Southampton is seeking a Development Officer to raise philanthropic income by building strong relationships with donors and stakeholders. You will link supporters to world-leading research and education, manage a diverse alumni portfolio, and contribute to a major fundraising campaign.

You will work within the Fundraising team to deliver impact across student support, PhD programmes, and medical research projects.

Qualifications

• Confident fundraiser with experience in building relationships with donors or stakeholders.
• Excellent writer with attention to detail to craft persuasive communications.
• Desire to learn how to connect with, cultivate and steward donors; tenacious and creative in attracting new contacts.
• Resilient and proactive in achieving targets and improving processes for fundraising priorities.

Responsibilities

• Build personal, creative partnerships with individuals and organisations.
• Raise philanthropic income to advance the University's research and education.
• Engage with donors to connect them with Southampton’s priorities and impact.
• Work within the fundraising team to support a major campaign including student support and medical research projects.

Skills

Donor relations

Proposal writing

Communication

Target achievement

Job description

At the University of Southampton, our aim is to change the world for the better, bringing together realms of academic research, creativity, and knowledge to have a truly collaborative, immersive, and ground-breaking impact. We care about the challenges that humanity is facing, and work to support others on a local and global scale.

About the role

This engaging, interesting role is responsible for raising philanthropic income to help advance the University. Building personal, creative, and rewarding partnerships with individuals and organisations, this position is crucial in connecting donors with Southampton’s fantastic research and education. Working amongst world-leading researchers and managing a varied portfolio of interesting alumni and supporters, you will get to see truly life-changing impact in action.

You will learn new skills and experience in fundraising by working within the Fundraising team, where you will work with experienced colleagues who are keen to offer guidance. Our current priorities cover an innovative student support programme, a PhD programme, and a range of medical research projects, including the largest capital fundraising project in the University’s history.

• You will be a confident and enthusiastic fundraiser or have experience in helping bring about positive change through building strong relationships, motivated by seeing the impact of philanthropy and other work for the improvement of society.
• You will have demonstrable experience of working face to face with people, donors, or stakeholders, individually or as part of a team, and recognise the personal and creative approach required to engage with each person you work with to produce a positive outcome. You have a passion for delivering a high standard of customer, stakeholder, or donor experience.
• You will be an excellent writer who enjoys writing persuasive communications with excellent attention to detail to convince others into taking action.
• You will have a desire to learn how to enable interesting opportunities to connect with, cultivate and steward your donors. You will be tenacious and creative in attracting new contacts.
• You will be resilient and proactive in achieving targets and improving processes to advance the University’s priorities.

About us

We have embarked on our first University-wide fundraising and engagement campaign. With the full support and investment of University leadership, we are excited to be growing our team.

We need people with intellectual curiosity and different ideas. Someone with direct experience or transferable skills and the interest and drive to take on a new challenge. We are actively determined to welcome a diverse group of colleagues into our inclusive team. Every day will be different, you will meet incredible people, and the rewards will be huge.

What can we offer you?

Recognising that our staff are at the heart of what we do, we have a generous benefits package. Our hybrid working approach offers you the chance to split your time between office and home working.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

3538926AD - Development Officer

Company: University of Southampton

Salary: £31,861 to £34,630 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Southampton, SO17 1BJ

Working pattern: On-site

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 26 Oct 2026

Closing date: 22 Nov 2026