Senior Development Executive – Foundations & Corporations (Senior Fundraiser)

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 64,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed educational institution in Oxford seeks a Senior Development Executive to enhance philanthropic relationships with trusts and corporations. The role involves securing substantial donations, supporting innovative research, and collaborating with diverse teams. The ideal candidate will have a proven fundraising track record, strong relationship-building skills, and share the institution's commitment to impactful philanthropy. A range of benefits, including hybrid working and generous leave, is offered.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid working

Excellent contributory pension scheme

38 days annual leave

Training and development opportunities

Membership to various social and sports clubs

Discounted travel schemes

Qualifications

• Strong track record of securing major gifts from corporates, trusts, and foundations.
• Experience in building philanthropic partnerships with organizational donors.
• Desirable experience in higher education fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Establish and grow philanthropic relationships with charitable trusts and corporations.
• Lead on major gift fundraising, securing donations of £500k-£1m+.
• Collaborate with various teams to support fundraising efforts.

Skills

Philanthropic fundraising

Relationship building

Major gift fundraising

Creativity in funding strategies

Job description

Senior Development Executive – Foundations and Corporations (Senior Fundraiser)

University of Oxford

Location: Oxford, UK with hybrid working options

Permanent and full-time role (37.5 hours)

Salary: Grade 8: £49,119 to £58,265 per annum, with a possible extension to £63,489

The University of Oxford aims to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Philanthropy plays a critical role in enabling Oxford to maintain and build on its status as a world-class centre of learning. The Development and Alumni Engagement Office (DAE) at the University of Oxford has been successful in raising funds from a broad, international range of donors. All support enables the University to achieve its key aims of advancing excellence in research and teaching.

Within DAE, the Foundations and Corporations team is a pan-University fundraising team focused on building and maintaining successful philanthropic relationships for the University’s priorities. Funding secured supports posts and key research areas such as the environment, health and societal challenges, as well as scholarship support for postgraduate students. We work closely with our colleagues in specialist fundraising teams as well as those in business partnerships, innovation teams and research services.

This is an exciting time to join our Development and Alumni engagement team. The role of Senior Development Executive – Foundations and Corporations will support the University to establish and grow new philanthropic relationships with charitable trusts, foundations and corporations across a range of subject areas and themes, from global health and climate change, to civil society and the role of AI. Funding secured will support capital projects, academic posts, innovative research and enable talented students to undertake further studies at Oxford. To achieve this, you will have the support of excellent colleagues across DAE as well as wider academic, departmental and professional service staff at Oxford.

About you

You are an experienced philanthropic fundraiser with a strong track record of securing major gifts, a confident approach and the ability to think creatively. Your ability to build rapport and relationships swiftly will enable you to lead on major gift fundraising (securing donations of £500k-£1m+), working with a range of donors (corporates, trusts and foundations). Your ability to establish credibility and foster trust across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders will be key to your success. Your strong experience of building philanthropic partnerships with organisation donors will be key. Experience of work in higher education is desirable. Above all, you will share Oxford’s mission and be driven to create meaningful impact through philanthropy.

What We Offer

Your happiness and wellbeing at work matters to us, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including:

• Flexible hybrid working
• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days annual leave
• Membership to CASE
• Training and development opportunities
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loan

You could be helping to deliver philanthropic support that funds breakthroughs in science and health, enables new public policy and interventions, or facilitates education for the next generation of leaders in their fields. If this sounds like the kind of challenge you’ve been looking for, we’d love to hear from you.

Application process

• Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.
• Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application in your own words, in PDF format (maximum of 2 pages; no AI-written applications, please) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.

Only applications received before 12.00 noon on Tuesday 13 January 2026 can be considered.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21 January 2026, in person in Oxford.

Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.