Associate Director: Major and Leadership Gifts

ISC group; Tonbridge; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Tonbridge School Foundation seeks an experienced fundraising professional to fill the role of Associate Director: Major and Leadership Gifts. You will manage a portfolio of high-value donors and lead a strategic program of cultivation, solicitation and stewardship to support the School's capital projects, bursaries and academic initiatives.

Working with Tonbridge Society and School leadership, you will advance philanthropic engagement across alumni, parents and friends, driving ambitious

Qualifications

• Proven track record in major gifts fundraising.
• Experience managing donor portfolios and strategic cultivation.
• Strong relationship-building with high-value donors.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of prospects and supporters, engaging alumni, parents and friends through cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Lead major gifts strategy aligned with capital, bursary, cultural, sporting and academic projects.
• Collaborate with School leadership to accelerate philanthropic engagement and fundraising momentum.

Job description

The Tonbridge Society brings together a vibrant family of alumni, parents and friends through the Old Tonbridgian Society, Parents’ Arts Society and the Tonbridge School Foundation, with over 75 events held each term.

Established in 2003, the Tonbridge School Foundation plays a vital role in supporting the School’s charitable purposes, including major capital projects and its extensive bursary programme, helping to widen access to a Tonbridge education.

The Headmaster, James Priory, has led a strategic focus on strengthening relationships with parents and alumni through the Tonbridge Society, guided by the principles of engagement, enrichment and enhancement. This approach has resulted in an increase of more than 300% in participation at events and reunions and deeper connections with the School.

The Tonbridge Society team has strengthened philanthropic engagement, achieving significant progress in donor identification and cultivation. With the support of the Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team, the Society now seeks to accelerate this momentum through strategic prospect management, donor cultivation and long-term relationship-building.

The Associate Director: Major and Leadership Gifts will play a key role in securing philanthropic investment for the School, supporting an ambitious programme of capital investment, cultural, sporting and academic projects and support Tonbridge's extensive bursary programme.

We are seeking an experienced and ambitious fundraising professional with a successful track record of securing major gifts and developing meaningful relationships with high-value donors. The successful candidate will manage a portfolio of prospects and supporters, engaging alumni, parents and friends of the School through a strategic programme of cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to a growing advancement programme with significant ambitions for philanthropy, while developing towards senior leadership.

This is a full time, all year round position.

Closing date: Monday 2 November 2026 at 10am.

We reserve the right to interview and appoint before the closing date, therefore early applications are encouraged.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. A DBS Disclosure is required to Enhanced Level.