Diversifying.io
Director New Business Development
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About this role
The Development Director (New Business) provides strategic leadership for Impetus’ new business development, prospect pipeline and high-value funding opportunities. The postholder will have responsibility for identifying, cultivating and converting new corporate, trust and foundation, and high-net-worth donor relationships, as well as continued relationship management for key, established relationships.
In 25/26, the Philanthropy and Partnerships team generated £11m in philanthropic income, alongside £2.8m in probono contributions. The Development Director will play a key role in delivering Impetus' growth ambitions, helping to increase philanthropic income to £14m by 2029.
Working closely with the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, the role will translate the fundraising strategy into clear new business priorities, pipeline plans and prospect engagement approaches, ensuring a strong flow of qualified opportunities and sustainable growth in high-value income.
Working closely with colleagues across Philanthropy and Partnerships, the postholder will personally lead and support significant six and seven-figure prospects and strategic funding opportunities, while overseeing the stewardship and retention of current partners.
Working collaboratively across the Philanthropy and Partnerships team and with colleagues across the organisation, the Development Director will ensure a joined-up approach to donor acquisition, pipeline development, prospect conversion and stewardship, maximising income, partnership value and long-term impact within the agreed fundraising strategy.
Key responsibilities
New Business, Pipeline & Conversion
- Personally lead on six and seven-figure level priority prospects and strategic funding opportunities, managing the full fundraising cycle from qualification to close.
- Work with trustees, senior volunteers, and networks to unlock introductions and new opportunities, providing clear support and follow-up to maximise success.
- Evolve Impetus’ new business strategy, driving the identification, cultivation, and conversion of new high-value donor and partner relationships.
- Translate Impetus’ impact, evidence base, and venture philanthropy model into compelling propositions for new audiences and sectors.
Strategic Relationship Management & Growth
- Own and oversee select donor relationships at six and seven-figure levels within the philanthropy portfolio, ensuring high levels of retention, satisfaction, trust, income growth and long-term value.
- Ensure your donors receive timely, consistent, high-quality and relevant engagement and communications throughout their relationship with Impetus.
- Work closely with the wider team to ensure a smooth transition between new business, and long-term stewardship.
- Ensure account plans for priority donors and partners include clear renewal and growth pathways; engagement and risk-management plans.
- Act as senior relationship owner where required, modelling strong stewardship and coaching the Head of Development and other colleagues to navigate complex or sensitive relationships.
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Research, Insight & Pipeline Development
- Provide strategic leadership for the Research & Insights function, ensuring prospect research, donor intelligence and market insight inform fundraising strategy, pipeline development and organisational planning.
- Lead the strategic development of fundraising pipelines, ensuring focus on opportunities with the greatest potential for long-term income growth, impact and strategic fit.
- Ensure donor intelligence and prospect research are used effectively to identify, qualify and prioritise new funding opportunities.
- Maintain oversight of gift acceptance, due diligence and fundraising compliance in relation to fundraising opportunities, ensuring adherence to relevant regulatory requirements and organisational policies.
- Identify and escalate strategic, reputational or compliance risks associated with donors and partners.
Leadership and Team Performance
- Line manage and develop the Head of Development, providing strategic direction, coaching and performance oversight.
- Establish the Head of Development as the operational lead on new business, ensuring capability, succession and high performance across the wider team.
- Set clear objectives and success measures for new business growth, aligned to Impetus’ wider income strategy.
- Build and sustain an inclusive, evidence-led and high-performing team culture that balances pace and ambition with quality, learning and collaboration.
- Build fundraising capability across your team through leadership, coaching and consistent, fair, and high-quality performance management, including objective-setting, feedback and development planning.
Pro Bono, Events, Volunteering & Partnership Value
- Ensure engagement opportunities, including volunteering, pro bono and events, strengthen strategic partnerships and support long-term income growth through strong collaboration with colleagues.
Operational Excellence, Governance & Risk
- Ensure new business activity complies with due diligence, gift acceptance and risk management requirements.
- Oversee accurate pipeline reporting, forecasting, and performance tracking, using Salesforce and other systems to ensure insights inform decision making.
- Work with Finance and Operations to ensure income is contracted, invoiced, and reported accurately and on time in line with financial controls.
- Identify and escalate strategic or reputational risks associated with prospective partnerships.
Cross-Organisational Leadership & Representation
- Act as a senior ambassador for Impetus, representing the organisation credibly with new donors, partners, and external stakeholders.
- Contribute to organisational strategy, income planning, and senior leadership discussions.
- Lead philanthropic work on Impetus funds including identifying funding opportunities and risks; shaping prospect pipelines; contributing to cases for support and donor presentations; and develop fund stewardship.
- Champion collaboration across the Philanthropy team, ensuring opportunities are shared, relationships are leveraged and expertise is used to maximise income and impact.
- Back Impetus’ values, evidence-led approach, and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion across the Philanthropy team.
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Strategic leadership
- Work in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships to contribute to the fundraising strategy.
- Translate strategic priorities into clear operational plans, objectives and delivery, ensuring new business delivers against organisational priorities, income targets and long-term growth ambitions.
- Provide strategic oversight of annual forecasting, budgeting, pipeline performance and resource planning, ensuring risks and opportunities are identified and addressed proactively.
- Maximise the contribution of trustees, committees, senior volunteers and wider networks to support strategic relationship building and new business development.
- Act as a trusted senior adviser to the Directors of Philanthropy and Partnerships, providing insight, challenge and solutions to strengthen organisational fundraising performance and capability.
- Deputise for the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships where appropriate, within agreed delegations and priorities.
- Build a positive, collaborative and high-performing culture across the Philanthropy team, modelling Impetus' values and supporting continuous improvement.
About Impetus
At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.
We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today:
- Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
- Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
- The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment
We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.
Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life.
We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.
You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.
Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.
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