The Head of Philanthropy will play a pivotal role in fostering strong connections between the school and our alumni and parent community.

Description

Reporting to: Director of Development

The Head of Philanthropy will play a pivotal role in fostering strong connections between the school and our alumni and parent community. We are entering the early stages of a new major philanthropic campaign, which will significantly scale the ambition for the school’s fundraising and engagement activity. As a team we have a major role to play in shaping the future of the school’s bursary ambitions. Our success will widen access and support the futures and aspirations of disadvantaged young people within our local community, and beyond. This position involves strategic planning, relationship-building, and effective communication to help deliver the school’s philanthropic and fundraising strategic objectives. This is a senior fundraising role, reporting into the Director of Development. You will be required to manage and develop a portfolio of high-level funders (both from the UK and international), securing philanthropic donations, whilst also stewarding our donors effectively, creating innovative and compelling ways to demonstrate the impact of their philanthropic support.

The key responsibilities of this role include:

Strategic

· Work with the senior leadership team and the development team to implement an ambitious, empathetic, and sustainable philanthropic strategy in support of the school’s broader strategic plan and financial objectives.

· This will include promoting and enhancing a culture of philanthropy within the school community, securing major support, leading the regular giving activity, helping the Director of Development to establish a new legacy society and occasionally seek support from trusts, foundations, and corporates.

· The role will involve gathering systematic qualitative information to create compelling impactful stories, alongside using research and intelligence to inform cultivation strategies.

Fundraising

· Deliver the fundraising strategy through the implementation of strong support systems, policies and day-to-day practices for potential donor identification, research, communications, stewardship, and cultivation, whilst maintaining the highest levels of fundraising practice.

· Build a network and establish relationships, providing relationship management to prospects and donors to drive loyalty, secure gifts, and increase contributions.

· Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals by securing contributions from new and existing donors.

· Take responsibility for a portfolio of senior major gift prospects.

· Work with external stakeholders, volunteers, and other supporters to maximise their relationships and networks.

· Ensure all fundraising activities undertaken in support of the school are performed to the highest standards and in accordance with best practice as established by professional bodies, such as the Fundraising Regulator and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.

Communications

· Oversee the implementation of the communication plans for philanthropy and fundraising that are aligned with the wider development office and whole-school marketing and communications strategy.

· Oversee the production of philanthropy related communications appropriate for the operational needs of different stakeholder groups, including invitations, impact reports, appeals, and stewardship communications.

· Ensure that all communications and materials produced are consistent in content, tone, and style and support the school ethos.

· To work with the Director of Development on creating outstanding propositions, including the online narrative that demonstrates impact and inspires the community to give.

· To provide reports and insights for the Director of Development on fundraising related activity, to refine our engagement and fundraising strategies in the future.

General

· Support the development, promotion, and delivery of our 200th anniversary fundraising campaign.

· Engage in all expected line management activities for direct reports.

· Represent the department in the wider school community, external meetings, and events.

· Support the school’s values, ethos, and vision.

· Support and contribute to the school’s responsibility for safeguarding students.

· Responsible for ensuring communications with supporters and prospective supporters adheres to current GDPR legislation and demonstrates high standards around confidentiality and gift acceptability.

· Other reasonable duties as requested by the Director of Development.

Confidentiality

The post entails continued work with personal data and confidential information. The successful candidate must maintain the confidentiality of information regarding the School, its staff and its business. Information must not be communicated to other persons either in or outside the School except in the recognised course of their duties.

Person Specification

The ideal candidate will need to:

· Be able to demonstrate a track record of securing, administering, and stewarding significant gifts from donors, or significant experience in leading income generation activity through regular giving programmes within the charitable sector.

· Work with the Head, Bursar, Director of Development, Foundation Trustees, and other senior colleagues and volunteers to research, plan and undertake donor cultivation and solicitation meetings.

· Maintain positive working relationships with all constituents in the King’s community, including alumni, parents, and pupils to encourage lifelong engagement through participation, advocacy, and support.

· Be a great problem solver with the ability to work laterally to identify opportunities and provide solutions to fundraising challenges.

· Research, engage and effectively steward potential supporters through careful management of the donor pipeline.

· Work with the Director of Development on developing a methodical fundraising programme, ranging from regular contributions, through to major gifts and legacies. Implementing the development fundraising strategy to support the school’s vision and bursary ambitions.

· Demonstrate self-awareness and understand how to bring others with them to collectively make a contribution to our wider social aims.

· Work systematically and maintain the strong support ecosystem that is in place, including the identification, research, and management of supporters, donor stewardship and acknowledgement, gift administration and due diligence procedures.

· Have a high level of written and oral communication and confident presentation skills.

· Be passionate about philanthropy and the need to make giving more effective for donors by demonstrating increased impact across fundraising initiatives.

· Be able to work independently and effectively, is comfortable with ambiguity and has a proven ability to manage competing priorities both operational and strategic in nature.

· Be experienced in using donor and potential donor relationship management systems, for example Raiser’s Edge or ToucanTech.

· Be a flexible and supportive team player, who is willing to roll up their sleeves and do whatever is required.

· Make certain that all activities by the development department are performed to the highest standards and adhere to best practice as recognised by professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, Fundraising Regulator, and the Institute of Development Professionals in Education.

· Be enthused by the ethos and values of King’s College School and our strategic objectives, in particular our ambition around widening access and increasing our bursary provision in the school.

King’s is an extremely sought-after school with outstanding academic results and a vibrant co-curriculum. It strives to appoint able, committed and compassionate colleagues to help ensure every child at the school achieves their best. Overlooking Wimbledon Common, the school is situated in one of the most attractive parts of south east England and benefits from exceptional grounds and facilities.

To apply for this role, please register your details online via our website www.kcs.org.uk (under useful information / career opportunities). Once you have registered your details with us, you can apply for vacancies by logging into the candidate area using your email address and chosen password. Please include a covering letter with your application.

Closing date: Tuesday 30th April 2024 at 9am 2024 at 9am

Interviews: Wednesday 8th May 2024

Interviews may be staged and we may choose to appoint at any time during the application process.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. King’s College School is fully committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusivity in its recruitment of teaching and support staff.