Head of Major Gifts

CHARITY PEOPLE; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A higher education institution is seeking a Head of Major Gifts to lead their fundraising program, aiming to increase income significantly over three years. The role involves managing a dynamic team and building relationships with high-net-worth donors, contributing directly to student success and research initiatives. Exceptional benefits include flexible working and generous holiday entitlement.

Benefits

Generous holiday entitlement of 35 days

Three meeting-free weeks each year

Flexible working options

Family-friendly policies

Exceptional professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven fundraising professional with leadership experience.
• Background in higher education or charitable sector preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic fundraising to grow annual income from £450,000 to £1m+.
• Manage a high-performing fundraising team.
• Steward high-net-worth donor portfolios.

Skills

Proven track record of securing six-figure+ gifts

Experience leading successful fundraising teams

Outstanding relationship-building skills

Strategic vision for fundraising

Job description

Overview

Head of Major Gifts
£60,966 plus excellent benefits
Full-time, permanent
Hybrid/ Kingston upon Thames

Are you a collaborative and dynamic fundraising leader ready to shape the future of philanthropy in higher education?

We are working with a Kingston based University who areseeking an exceptional individual to lead their major gifts programme as part of their ambitious Development, Alumni Relations and Engagement (DARE) team. With a global alumni community of over 270,000 and a bold three-year strategy in place, this is a unique opportunity to drive transformational giving and make a lasting impact on student success, research innovation, and community engagement.

About the Role

As Head of Major Gifts, you\'ll lead a strategic fundraising programme to grow annual income from £450,000 to £1m+ over three years. You\'ll manage a high-performing team, build a robust prospect pipeline, and personally steward a portfolio of high-net-worth donors. Reporting to the Director of DARE, you\'ll work closely with senior university leadership to align fundraising with the University\'s visionary Town House Strategy.

This is a high-impact leadership role where your expertise will elevate major and transformational giving, diversify income streams, and embed a culture of philanthropy across the University.

About You

You're a motivated and entrepreneurial fundraising professional with:

• A proven track record of securing six-figure+ gifts
• Experience leading successful fundraising teams and programmes
• Outstanding relationship-building skills with senior stakeholders
• Strategic vision and the ability to align fundraising with institutional priorities

Ideally, you\'ll bring experience from the higher education or charitable sector and be passionate about the power of philanthropy to transform lives.

This is your chance to be part of a forward-thinking institution where your work will directly contribute to student outcomes, research excellence, and long-term sustainability.

Benefits

• Generous holiday entitlement of 35 days (from entry at all levels), in addition to bank holidays
• Three \"meeting free\" weeks each year to create space for reflection and time to plan for the period ahead
• Flexible working - we can consider and accommodate various work patterns
• Family-friendly policies that support the needs of our employees
• Exceptional professional development opportunities

Key Details

• Location: Kingston upon Thames (Hybrid working, 2-3 days/week on campus)
• Closing Date: 9am on 20 November 2025
• Interview Date: 3 December in person

How to apply?

Please share a copy of your profile or CV with Philippa at Charity People as the first step.