Philanthropy Officer

The National Archives; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension and life cover

Onsite gym

Discounted onsite cafe

Training and development

Annual leave 22–30 days

Job summary

The Philanthropy Officer at The National Archives will work within the newly established Philanthropy team, supporting income generation and donor engagement across priority projects. You will manage donor portfolios, develop proposals, and help deliver multi-year programmes and exhibitions.

Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, you will collaborate across departments and the The National Archives Trust to secure funding.

Qualifications

• Graduate-level education or equivalent experience required.
• Experience in a fundraising role with trusts and foundations and/or individuals.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of donors to generate philanthropic income.
• Identify prospects, monitor funding opportunities and manage an application calendar.
• Develop funding proposals aligned with organisational strategy and donor interests.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Grant development

Donor relationship management

Communication skills

Education

Graduate-level education or equivalent experience

Tools

Donorfy CRM

Raiser's Edge

Microsoft Dynamics

Job description

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history. We’ve set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive – a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring. That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you.

Job Overview

Salary: £34,882 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Band: E / Higher Executive Officer
Closing date: Sunday 11th October 2026 at midnight

About us

The Philanthropy Officer will sit within The National Archives’ Research, Grants and Academic Engagement department, the central locus for our:

• Research strategy and delivery
• Research impact, culture and engagement
• Grant fundraising and philanthropy
• Management and assurance of external funding
• Grant-making to the archives and GLAM sectors.

The National Archives has a strong track record of securing external funding and holds a grant portfolio of over £16m. Our per‑annum grant income has grown by nearly 500% since 2022‑23, and in April 2026, we consolidated our fundraising operations with The National Archives Trust. The National Archives has a strategic priority to secure new charitable and philanthropic funding, and this post is one of three new roles being advertised in Autumn 2026 to deliver on that goal. We want to grow our research income, including particularly beyond the arts and humanities; reach a wider breadth of funders both nationally and internationally; and raise our profile, through more creative and targeted public engagement and learning programmes with national reach.

About the role

The National Archives (TNA) is looking for an enthusiastic and creative Philanthropy Officer to work within its newly established Philanthropy team. Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy and working closely with the Philanthropy Manager, the Philanthropy Officer will support income generation and help to strengthen The National Archives’ profile in the philanthropic community. The Philanthropy Officer will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects at various stages to secure support for priority projects, working collaboratively with colleagues across The National Archives. They will also support the Head of Philanthropy and the Philanthropy Manager to develop proposals and reports for multi‑year programmes, and annual exhibition, digitisation and conservation projects. The Philanthropy Officer will support the delivery of cultivation and engagement activities, work closely with the Projects and Process team to monitor funded projects and maintain accurate records on The National Archives’ CRM database. The postholder will work closely with The National Archives Trust, a registered charity that supports The National Archives to engage and educate the public, and conserve and preserve the collection. The Philanthropy Officer will also work with the Grant Development team to achieve shared goals. This is a full time post. However, requests for part‑time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department. A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.

Role and Responsibilities

• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of donors, generating philanthropic income for The National Archives’ strategic priorities and meeting KPIs as agreed with the Head of Philanthropy.
• Identify, research and qualify prospects, keep up to date with funding calls and deadlines, and maintain an application calendar for the Philanthropy and Grant Development team, evaluating funding opportunities and making recommendations to maximise fundraising success.
• Collaborate with colleagues across The National Archives to develop compelling funding proposals that align with the organisational strategy and the needs and interests of donors.
• Support the Philanthropy team to plan and deliver cultivation events and private tours for prospects and donors, including event invitations, logistics and hospitality.
• Plan and deliver stewardship activities to ensure an excellent donor experience, including regular updates or newsletters.
• Create compelling communication materials, in print and on the web, that raise The National Archives’ profile with potential donors.
• Develop high‑quality progress reports, working closely with project delivery teams to secure project updates and data, and identify stewardship opportunities to deliver an engaging donor experience.
• Work closely with the Projects and Process team to monitor funded projects, ensure compliance with funding agreements and deliver accurate and timely financial reporting, including in the submission of grant claims, and identify and resolve issues that may impact successful delivery.
• Support the Development Forum of major philanthropic supporters and patrons, providing high‑quality stewardship and providing operational support, including by e.g. booking venues, catering and taking minutes.
• Work collaboratively and strategically with the Grant Development team to coordinate approaches, share intelligence and achieve shared goals.
• Support collaboration with The National Archives Trust and the Friends of The National Archives, contributing to a positive working relationship in pursuit of shared strategic and fundraising goals.
• Ensure accurate and comprehensive donor records are maintained on The National Archives’ CRM database, including information on prospects, donors, proposals, stewardship and gifts.
• The post-holder may be required to undertake any other duties which may be reasonably requested within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the post as defined.

Working Conditions

Normal office environment Display Screen Equipment user

Person Specification

• Graduate-level education or equivalent experience, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in a fundraising role with trusts and foundations and/or individuals.
• Strong time management skills, with ability to prioritise and maintain momentum across a variety of tasks and meet multiple and simultaneous deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and liaison skills, with the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and build relationships with a wide range of colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records.
• Good judgement as to when to progress an issue independently, and when to elevate to line manager or other senior staff.
• Excellent IT skills, including working with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and the ability to use or learn CRM databases (such as Donorfy, Raiser’s Edge, Microsoft Dynamics).
• Interest in arts, culture and heritage, and ability to advocate for the work of The National Archives.

Desirable Criteria

• Prior experience in an academic or arts, culture and heritage organisation.
• Experience using design software (such as InDesign) to prepare high‑quality visual materials such as proposals and presentations.

Other Requirements

• A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site. Our expectation is that 60% of our time is spent in the office or working offsite (e.g. on visits), with 40% being from home.
• Requirement to work flexibly, including attendance at evening events and occasional travel.

Benefits

• Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on‑site cafe and opportunities for training and development.
• Annual leave entitlement of 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum.
• Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ (opens in new window)

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non‑disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact The National Archives via [e-mail] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
Complete the "Reasonable Adjustments" section of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK, nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS), nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020, Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service. Further information on nationality requirements.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Contact point for applicants

Name: The National Archives Recruitment Team
Email: [e-mail]

Further information

Contact Point: If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: [e-mail]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)

What we want

The National Archives need passionate, ambitious and innovative individuals to help us change the way people think about archives. We employ more than 500 staff in a diverse range of roles, from records specialists and researchers to web developers and marketing assistants – and we want you to join us. To find out more about us, please visit our website: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk (opens in new window) or view our Accessibility Statement (opens in new window)