Director of Development (Internal Applications Only)

GDST (The Girls' Day School Trust); Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries and pay progressi

Professional development opportunities

Training grants for qualifications

Generous pension schemes

Free life assurance benefit

Interest free loans for training, PC购买

Cycle to Work scheme

Competitive terms and conditions of em

Discount on GDST school fees

Job summary

South Hampstead High School, part of the GDST, seeks a Director of Development to shape and deliver a bold multi-year fundraising strategy. You will work with senior leaders and GDST colleagues to lead major gifts, campaigns, annual giving, trusts and foundations, and donor stewardship to support access and transformative education.

You will foster a culture of philanthropy across alumnae, parents and staff, strengthening lifelong connections and aligning with the school’s values and GDST

Qualifications

• Strategic, relationship-led development professional with significant experience in philanthropy, fundraising or advancement.
• Proven track record of securing major gifts, managing donor pipelines and delivering successful campaigns.
• Credibility to work with senior stakeholders and inspire support from a wide community.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver a bold, multi-year fundraising and engagement strategy that supports the school’s long-term vision, expands access through bursaries and embeds a culture of giving across the South Hampstead community.
• Lead major gift fundraising, campaigns, annual giving, trusts and foundations, legacy giving, donor stewardship and alumnae engagement.

Job description

Employer South Hampstead High School - GDST Location London, Greater London Contract Type Permanent Hours Full Time Salary Competitive

Posted 15th October 2026 Start Date 1st March 2027 Expires 11th November 2026 09:00 AM Contract Type Permanent Start Date 1st March 2027 Job ID 1579933 Job Reference DOD

Start Date 1st March 2027

• Contract Type :Permanent
• Job ID: 1579933
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Director of Development

Hours: Full time

Contract: Permanent

Salary: Competitive plus benefits

Required from: March 2027

The role

At South Hampstead High School, philanthropy is about more than fundraising. It is about widening access to a transformational education, strengthening lifelong connections with our community and creating opportunities for young women to flourish. Building on the momentum and success of the school’s recent 150th Anniversary campaign, the Director of Development will shape and deliver the next phase of the School’s philanthropic ambition.

As Director of Development, you will develop and deliver a bold, multi-year fundraising and engagement strategy that supports the school’s long-term vision, expands access through bursaries and further embeds a culture of giving across the South Hampstead community. Working closely with the Head, senior leaders and GDST colleagues, you will lead major gift fundraising, campaigns, annual giving, trusts and foundations, legacy giving, donor stewardship and alumnae engagement. This is a role with both strategic influence and visible human impact: strengthening lifelong connections with alumnae, parents, staff and friends while generating philanthropic investment that directly supports opportunity, belonging and transformational education.

About You

We are looking for a strategic, relationship-led development professional with significant experience in philanthropy, fundraising or advancement. You will bring a proven track record of securing major gifts, managing donor pipelines and delivering successful campaigns, alongside the credibility to work with senior stakeholders and inspire support from a wide community. Entrepreneurial, thoughtful and highly communicative, you will believe in the power of education to transform lives and be excited by the chance to build a sustainable culture of philanthropy aligned with South Hampstead’s values and the wider GDST mission.

About The School

Working at South Hampstead is stimulating, challenging and rewarding. Located in leafy Hampstead, with the buzz of central London’s cultural life close at hand, the school is very well served by public transport and there are excellent local amenities nearby.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and pay progression
• Access to extensive professional development opportunities
• Training grants for qualifications
• Generous pension schemes
• Free life assurance benefit
• Interest free loans for training, computer purchase loans and travel season ticket loans
• A Cycle to Work scheme
• Competitive terms and conditions of employment
• A discount of up to 50% on fees for children at GDST schools

The process

South Hampstead are partnering with Alice Speers, Search Consultant at Ashmore Search on this appointment. If you would like an informal conversation about the role prior to application, we encourage you to contact Alice on [phone] or alice@ ashmoresearch.com.

Key Dates

Application Deadline: 9am Wednesday 11th November 2026

First round interviews at South Hampstead: Tuesday 24th November 2026

Final round interviews at South Hampstead: Tuesday 1st December 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the position or if an offer is made and accepted.

The school may also conduct online searches (including publicly available social media searches) as part of our recruitment processes.

The GDST is committed to diversity, inclusion and real change: a family where every individual is valued, respected and included.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and child protection screening will apply to this post.

Attachments

Director of Development - Candidate Information Pack (Oct 26)

Safeguarding Statement

The Girls’ Day School Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection checks appropriate to the post, including online searches and checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.