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Head of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Department: Marketing & Development

Employment Type: Permanent

Working Hours: Monday to Friday from 0830hrs-1700hrs

Commencement: October 2026

Salary: Up to £50,000 dependant on experience

Pension Scheme: Eligible to job the Support Staff Pension Scheme

Holiday: 30 days plus bank holidays

Fringe Benefits: Free lunch in term time if eligible, membership of BUPA Cash Plan Scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, discounted membership of School Sports Centre & Golf Course, discounted rate to Layard Theatre productions, Cycle to Work Scheme, free parking

Probationary Period: 6 months

Selection Process: Interview

Closing Date: 13 September 2026

Head of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Overall Purpose

The Head of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement is responsible for the effective management and day-to-day running of the Development Office. Reporting to the Director of Engagement, the post holder will be responsible for delivering the school’s fundraising strategy and the further development and enhancement alumni engagement programme.

The Head of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement will manage and motivate their team to deliver an engaging and effective alumni programme, and in regards to fundraising, will identify and develop a portfolio of prospects with the aim of raising philanthropic income, including but not limited to, major gifts, legacy pledges and regular giving. A key responsibility will be to promote a culture of giving within the Canford Community, and beyond, to support the school’s educational mission.

The post-holder will be a skilled and diplomatic communicator, who excels at building relationships, and implementing strategies, processes and tactics to deliver the best outcomes. They will be able to connect, empathise and engage with multiple stakeholders from significant donors, parents, alumni, pupils, staff and school governors.

Duties

Fundraising

  • Meet annual fundraising targets as defined and agreed in the school fundraising strategy, by growing and developing the existing legacy programmes, identifying prospects for major gifts and promoting annual giving to support activities such as the provision of financial aid for pupils and other projects.
  • Work with the Director of Engagement to develop a culture of philanthropy at the school.
  • Produce compelling Cases for Support to meet donor motivations and increase the financial support of pupils.
  • Develop and implement solicitation plans for major donors, including making personal asks, and develop cultivation plans for other types of fundraising.
  • Keep abreast and work within the various codes of practice and legislation for fundraising.
  • Prepare regular evaluation reports including cost benefit analyses for new fundraising initiatives.
  • Maintain detailed analysis of giving, attendance and response levels to monitor progress against KPIs, with a view to continually improving fundraising efforts.
  • Establish swift and straightforward acknowledgement procedures for donors.
  • Account for all gifts and pledges.
  • Investigate and, where appropriate, carry out applications to trusts and foundations.
  • Work with the Director of Engagement, Headmaster, and other senior leaders across the school to maximise the value and impact from alumni and fundraising activities.

Alumni engagement

  • Ensure regular and appropriate communications with current and former pupils, parents and other supporters.
  • Maintain a comprehensive database of the external community through which the school can tailor communications effectively.
  • Ensure the school’s development database in managed in accordance with GDPR and other data management requirements.
  • Act as key liaison between the school and the Old Canfordian Society, Friends of Canford committees and other ‘special interest’ groups (e.g. Friends of Canford Music).
  • Develop links and contacts between alumni, former staff and governors, parents and the school on a long-term basis.
  • Develop and oversee an events programme to foster engagement with the community.
  • Develop relations with overseas members of the community.
  • Foster the involvement of alumni, parents, staff, governors and friends as volunteers to harness their goodwill as supporters, advisors and ambassadors for the School.
  • Ensure regular communication with the community through newsletters, email/online communication, and occasional publications.
  • Support the work of the careers team by engaging the alumni community to share experiences and guidance to pupils.
  • Oversee appropriate communication on behalf of the Old Canfordian Society committee, Friends of Canford committee and other groups where necessary and as agreed.

Leadership and management

  • Line management of the Development Officer and daily operations of the team, ensuring effective workload management and delivery against deadlines and objectives.
  • Manage the team budget to ensure effective delivery of key objectives.
  • Prepare an annual report on alumni engagement and fundraising for the Director of Engagement, Senior Leadership Team, and School Board committee.
  • Work closely with the Head of Marketing and Communications to create well-crafted and persuasive fundraising and alumni engagement materials.
  • Report to the Director of Engagement on alumni engagement and fundraising performance, issues and opportunities.
  • Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by the Director of Engagement or Headmaster.

Knowledge / Experience

  • Track record of building and managing fundraising relationships with mid and high-level prospective donors.
  • Excellent knowledge of legacy, major, and regular giving including telethons.
  • Strong knowledge of the principles of charity law, guidance and ethical codes.
  • Excellent knowledge of data protection regulations and how it applies directly to fundraising and alumni engagement.
  • Experience of school-based (or higher/further education) fundraising and alumni engagement procedures is highly desirable.
  • Experience of developing good professional networks and working relationships with a range of colleagues and external stakeholders.
  • Proven experience of developing and delivering fundraising and alumni engagement strategies, monitoring performance and delivery results within a budget.
  • Demonstrable experience of managing high-value stakeholder relationships.
  • Strong experience of managing a team in a busy, customer-focused environment..
  • Strong understanding of customer service principles and relationship management in an educational setting.
  • Highly skilled in creating rapport with senior stakeholders, negotiating and positively influencing others.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, including a confident and professional telephone manner and the ability to represent the school positively with parents, pupils, feeder schools and colleagues.
  • Excellent planning, organisation and project management skills, including the ability to manage complex multi-stakeholder projects.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
  • Good analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and report on data effectively.
  • High level of computer literacy; experience of CRM database systems is essential.
  • Strong organisational and administrative abilities with the capacity to prioritise and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
  • A collaborative, supportive and “hands-on” team player who leads by example.
  • A proactive problem solver who can think ahead and adapt to changing circumstances.
  • Reliable, approachable and customer-service focused with a positive “can-do” attitude.
  • A sense of humour, calmness under pressure, and the ability to cope with the unexpected. 
  • Flexibility to work evenings and weekends
  • Ability to travel throughout the UK and overseas as required to meet with alumni and fundraising prospects.
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