Head of Philanthropy

Fondsenwerving; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 74,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

8% holiday allowance

pension scheme

paid lunch break

commuting costs within the Netherlands

Job summary

Stichting Limelight Foundation in Amsterdam seeks a strategic Head of Philanthropy to grow a Europe-wide funding network for independent journalism and to lead major donor engagement.

You will build relationships with HNWIs and institutional funders, manage a small team, and work closely with the Director and Communications Officer to achieve sustainable growth for Limelight’s mission.

Qualifications

• At least five years of fundraising/partnerships experience.
• Proven track record of securing funding commitments from HNWIs and/or institutional funders.
• Experience building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication.
• Willingness to travel within Europe.
• Permission to work in the Netherlands.
• Experience in philanthropy, foundations or not-for-profit sector.
• Existing network among European HNWIs, foundations and/or institutional funders.
• Knowledge of the European philanthropic landscape.
• Working knowledge of Dutch and/or other European languages.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and expansion of the funding base.
• Identify and unlock funding opportunities among HNWIs and institutional funders across Europe.
• Deepen relationships with existing funders and build long-term partnerships.
• Lead the full donor journey—from identifying opportunities to securing commitments and stewardship.
• Develop fundraising propositions and business cases with the Communications Officer.
• Line-manage and develop the Communications Officer.
• Represent Limelight at meetings, conferences and strategic forums; organise fundraising events.
• Travel within Europe occasionally.

Skills

Fundraising

Partnerships

Relationship building

Stakeholder management

Networking

Communication

Organisational skills

Self-directed

Entrepreneurial mindset

Travel willingness

English language

Dutch language knowledge

Integrity

Leadership of junior staff

Job description

Organisation

Stichting Limelight Foundation (Limelight) is Europe’s leading journalism fund, focused on strengthening the continent’s information infrastructure by backing the reporting itself, the protections around it, and the organisations that hold tech platforms to account. Limelight is entering an exciting new phase of growth, with the ambition to mobilise €150 million over ten years for independent investigative journalism over the next decade.

Limelight is based in Amsterdam and since its founding in 2021, Limelight has made more than 120 donations, totalling €27.5 million. Through 59 active grantee partnerships, its work helps more than 500 million Europeans access independent news.

Now, Limelight is ready to scale up. By bringing together a broader network of like-minded funders, the organisation aims to significantly increase its support for journalism and Europe’s information infrastructure.

The team

You will join a small, ambitious and highly committed team with a shared belief in the importance of independent journalism and reliable information, as well as access to independent news.

Working closely with the Director, you will take a leading role in growing Limelight’s network of funding partners. You will work closely with the Communications Officer and provide line management for this role. This too will be a new role at Limelight, with an appointment expected in the fall.

The Head of Philanthropy is an exciting position for someone who enjoys autonomy, takes ownership and wants to make a visible contribution to a growing organisation with a clear and important mission.

Tasks and responsibilities

As Head of Philanthropy, you will play a pivotal role in Limelight’s next phase of growth. You will lead the development and expansion of the funding base and play a key role in delivering the organisation’s ambitious agenda for sustainable growth.

In this role you will identify and unlock new funding opportunities among HNWIs and institutional funders across Europe, while building a strong and sustainable pipeline of prospective partners. At the same time, you will deepen relationships with existing funders and help build long-term partnerships that support Limelight’s mission and impact.

You will lead the full donor journey—from identifying and cultivating opportunities to securing commitments and ensuring long-term stewardship. This includes monitoring progress toward fundraising targets and providing regular updates to the Director and Board.

Working closely with the Communications Officer, you will develop compelling fundraising propositions and business cases that bring Limelight’s vision and impact to life. You will also line-manage and support the development of the Communications Officer, ensuring a strong and integrated approach to fundraising and communications.

As a key ambassador for Limelight, you will build and maintain a strong network across the European philanthropic landscape. You will represent the organisation at meetings, conferences and other strategic forums and create opportunities to strengthen relationships and expand Limelight’s reach. This includes occasionally organising fundraising events, panels, interviews in strategic publications or network dinners. Staying alert to new developments and emerging opportunities, you will help position Limelight at the heart of a dynamic and evolving philanthropic landscape.

This role offers a unique opportunity to combine strategic thinking, relationship-building and hands‑on fundraising, with the freedom and responsibility to shape a growing function and make a direct contribution to Limelight’s future. Occasional travel within Europe is part of the role.

Job requirements

You are an experienced fundraising or partnerships professional with a results-driven mindset.

• At least five years of relevant experience in fundraising, partnerships and/or business development with a proven track record of securing funding commitments from HNWIs and/or institutional funders;
• Experience building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders;
• A natural networker who is confident representing an organisation externally;
• Proven stakeholder management skills and ability to anticipate partners’ needs;
• The ability to turn complex ideas into compelling propositions for funders;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in (near-native) English;
• Highly organised and able to effectively manage a varied workload with competing priorities, relationships and deadlines without losing attention to quality or detail.
• A proactive, entrepreneurial and results-driven mindset;
• Self-directed with the ability to work independently and thrive in a small, ambitious team;
• Experience managing and developing a junior or mid-level colleague;
• High personal integrity and sound judgement;
• A strong commitment to Limelight’s mission;
• Willingness to travel occasionally in Europe;
• Permission to work in the Netherlands (this is a hard requirement: unfortunately, Limelight cannot sponsor work visas or permits). Candidates need to be based in the Netherlands or be willing to relocate.
• Experience in philanthropy, foundations or the not-for-profit sector;
• An existing network among European HNWIs, foundations and/or institutional funders;
• Knowledge of the European philanthropic landscape;
• Working knowledge of Dutch and/or other European languages.

Job offer

The position is for 28–32 hours per week and follows a hybrid working model, working at least two days per week at Limelight’s office in central Amsterdam. The remainder of the working week can be spent remotely, depending on individual and organisational needs.

The initial contract is for one year, with the intention to extend by mutual agreement. The salary range is €6.666–€7.500 gross per month based on full-time employment, depending on experience.

Limelight offers an attractive package, including 27 days of annual leave based on full-time employment, an 8% holiday allowance, additional days off beyond the Dutch public holidays—including Keti Koti, a generous pension scheme, a paid lunch break, compensation for commuting costs within the Netherlands and excellent opportunities for personal and professional development.

Above all, this is an opportunity to build partnerships that strengthen independent journalism and help safeguard access to reliable information across Europe.

Equality and diversity

Equality and diversity are fundamental to Limelight’s mission. The foundation is committed to the recruitment and retention of individuals from diverse backgrounds who reflect the communities in which they operate.

It should go without saying that a person will read your application. DUX and Limelight do not use artificial intelligence for any phase or part of the recruitment process.