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Head of Development (People, Programmes and Operations)
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Head of Development (People, Programmes and Operations)
Job Type: Permanent, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
Salary: Competitive
Department: Development and Alumni Engagement Office
Reporting to: Director of Development and Alumni Engagement
Location: Highgate, London
Start: 4th January 2027 (or as soon as available)
Closing Date: 1 November 2026 at 5:00 pm
Highgate is looking for a dynamic, ambitious senior operational lead to partner with the Director of Development and Alumni Engagement to transform educational opportunities for young people and deliver a defining new chapter in philanthropy at the school.
You will be an experienced people manager, shaping the team to deliver the new strategy. You will have proven experience of designing and implementing programmes and turning a vision into results. You will be capable, well-organised and relationally astute, a proactive, and highly visible ambassador for the Department and charity, collaborative, excited by high-quality education and able to take people with you.
Experience of working in fundraising is highly desirable but not essential: this role is about people, implementation and being front-facing and central to delivering a 5-year plan that will transform lives.
The Department
Highgate's Development and Alumni Engagement department has been operating for over a decade and today, manages an established fundraising programme focused on major gifts and our sector-leading annual Giving Day, and an active and varied engagement programme of events and communications for our 7,500 OCs (Highgate alumni).
The need for the work we do - raising funds to provide means-tested fee assistance to bursary families at Highgate for children aged 7-18 and meaningfully engaging with OCs - has never been more necessary. Crucially, expanding fundraising and developing OC engagement will be integral to the School's development plans over the next 5-10 years. Success in fundraising will have a significant and positive effect on the pace at which the school can take these plans forward.
To deliver this, the Director, who brings 20 years' experience in philanthropy, fundraising campaigns, leadership and consultancy and joined the School from More Partnership in 2023, is seeking a key partner in the Head of Development. The successful candidate will lead fundraising operations, drive the implementation of fundraising programmes, and help shape and develop the campaign team. Working collaboratively with the Head of Alumni Relations to increase alumni participation, both Heads report directly to the Director.
"Having the opportunity to go somewhere where you get more resources, attention and more support generally, that's unmatched. You can really explore any passion you have and any identity you have here".
Joshua Massey-Dearman, a recent bursary holding pupil at Highgate; Westgate House
Job Description
This is a new role, operating as a senior operational lead and team manager within the Development Office and deputising for the Director who will drive forward this exciting new growth strategy and advance major gift opportunities. You will play a pivotal role in establishing a successful multi-channel fundraising programme, shaping and line-managing the team delivering this, and transforming the role of the charity in the school.
Key Responsibilities
- Partnering with the Director of Development and Alumni Engagement to drive the next phase of fundraising growth and build the departmental capacity, culture, systems and brand needed to deliver a successful campaign.
- Manage and inspire a talented team through an exciting period of growth and change, developing capability, confidence and aligning the team's skills, capacity and ways of working to Highgate's ambitious fundraising goals. An early priority will be recruiting a new Philanthropy Manager to strengthen major gifts fundraising.
- Turn strategy into impact by designing and implementing new mid-level and legacy fundraising programmes.
- Oversee the implementation of the operational infrastructure needed to support a multi-channel fundraising programme, including all aspects of development services and reporting on all areas of fundraising.
- Champion the Department and philanthropy across the School community, attending staff meetings, identifying opportunities to engage with colleagues across the teaching and support service staff and deputising for the Director at some external events.
- Operate as the Director's key strategic partner, helping to seize opportunities and drive forward the priorities and progress that will leave a lasting legacy for generations of young people.
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Operational Team Leadership
- Senior leader in the Development and Alumni Department, playing an active role in strategy development and planning and fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
- Operational and day-to-day line-management of the team, including 1:1 meetings, appraisals, planning and performance, professional development and pastoral support.
- Overseeing the development and implementation of annual plans by team members for all areas including development services, major gifts, mid-level giving, campaigns and legacy fundraising.
- Representing the Department within the school, taking an active part in school life and identifying purposeful interactions between pupils and staff and development staff to advance fundraising objectives;
- Deputising for the Development Director, participating in and speaking at events and meetings internally and externally.
Fundraising Programmes
- Overall responsibility for designing and delivering a new mid-level giving programme for parents, alumni, staff and friends, meeting agreed targets.
- Refresh the School's legacies proposition, pipeline and engagement programme, including stewardship of the 1565 Society; deliver legacy marketing, events and communications to generate growth.
- Oversee innovative supporter engagement, with punctual thanking and innovative, impactful donor stewardship, such as engaging and user-friendly digital options as well as traditional mailings and thanking telethons.
- Working with the Development Manager, oversee development services, including prospect research, moves management, due diligence and gift acceptance and gift management.
- Management of key stakeholder relationships.
- Collaborate with the Head of Alumni Relations to integrate development and alumni to grow alumni participation at all giving levels.
- Stay ahead of emerging trends and horizon scanning to ensure our philanthropy offering considers the latest developments.
Systems, Governance and Reporting
- Establish regular reporting on income, activity and performance and provide updates and analysis to the Director to inform strategy, decision making.
- Role modelling best practice, ensure accurate data management is adhered to by the team, using the Department's CRM (currently Beacon).
- Ensure compliance with fundraising regulation, SORP, GDPR and internal policies, including internal information management and record keeping.
Culture of Philanthropy
- Promote philanthropy across the school community, proactively building relationships with teaching and Support Staff colleagues and connecting giving to Highgate's mission and value.
- Working with Marketing and Communications, collaborate to build the school's bursary ambitions and culture of philanthropy into school-wide events, publications and digital channels.
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Person Specification
Criteria
Qualifications and Experience
- Educated to Degree level or equivalent.
- Experience of working with major gifts, mid-level giving and/or legacy programmes - strongly desirable but transferable stakeholder programme /management experience will be considered.
- Experience managing teams through change and developing staff.
- Experience of senior-level stakeholder engagement (e.g. CEOs/Heads, trustees, senior volunteers) and public speaking.
- Experience designing and delivering successful fundraising strategies and programmes or equivalent.
Skills and Knowledge
- Excellent relationship-building skills and confidence working with senior colleagues, volunteers and high-net-worth audiences.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives.
- Experience using a CRM for forecasting, regular reporting and moves management.
- Data analysis experience.
Personal Attributes
- Strong planning and front-facing, confident leadership style.
- Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
Benefits
- Location: Highgate Village, adjacent to Hampstead Heath, with quaint shops and easy connections across London.
- Pension: AVIVA workplace pension scheme offered with a generous 26% employer contribution, with the ability to flex up to 16% of this as additional non-pensionable salary, employees contribute a minimum of 5%.
- Personal development: Comprehensive induction support for new staff. Focus on continued professional development for all employees.
- Leisure facilities: Free access, at stipulated times, to our sports facilities, including a fitness suite and swimming pool (recently refurbished).
- Lunch: A complimentary lunch.
- Help with sustainable travel: Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and a Season Ticket Loan scheme for public transport.
- Family-friendly policies: Highgate appreciates that employees sometimes have family commitments so we try to be as supportive as possible, for example with enhanced maternity pay (8 weeks' full pay, then 10 weeks' half pay) and paid dependant leave.
Working at Highgate
A culture of community, kindness and belonging
Highgate is a caring, open-minded community, where we promote kindness, empathy and friendship. Everyone who works and studies with us deserves to feel they are part of a welcoming environment that enables them to be themselves and to thrive as individuals.
Our community extends beyond the school, through partnerships, charity work and our commitment to equality, inclusion and sustainability. All members of our school community are encouraged to look outwards and play an active role.
Following a visit from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in September 2024 to assess Highgate's regulatory compliance and school standards, we are pleased to share the inspection findings, which reports compliance in all five areas and a'significant strength' in our teaching expertise.
Staff wellbeing
Highgate is committed to staff wellbeing, which we promote by encouraging a strong work-life balance; trying our best to support flexible working requests; providing a nutritious complimentary lunch in the dining hall; and offering access to sporting facilities including our recently renovated swimming pool.
The Staff Wellbeing Committee, with representatives across the School, meets
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