Are you passionate about making a difference through philanthropy? Join the University of Glasgow as a Philanthropy Officer and play a key role in advancing our fundraising and alumni engagement strategies. In this exciting position, you’ll have the opportunity to build compelling propositions, identify and cultivate relationships with prospective donors, and secure major gifts ranging from £10K to £1M. Your efforts will directly contribute to meeting ambitious activity and revenue targets, helping us drive meaningful change.

Candidates should have a strong understanding of major gift fundraising and experience in fundraising, sales, or a similar target-driven role is essential. If you’re ready to make an impact and bring your skills and motivation to an inspiring cause, we’d love to hear from you!

Job Purpose

Contribute to the implementation of the University of Glasgow’s fundraising and alumni engagement strategies by building compelling propositions and identifying, cultivating and soliciting prospective donors with capacity to give from £10K to £1M, meeting targets for activity and revenue.

Main Duties

1. Contribute to the development and execution of the University’s fundraising strategy and particularly for the programme to secure gifts of between £10K and £1M. Assist in the development of the complex action plans to deliver the strategy.

2. Keep abreast of developments in leading major gift cultivation and solicitation practice to ensure all work is subject to continuous improvement.

3. Lead the development of relationships with key alumni and other potential donors by managing a pool of potential donors. Devise and execute bespoke programmes of involvement and communication that lead to major gifts (e.g involvement in alumni programmes, invitations to prestigious/intimate University events, devising visits to campus and individual meetings with academic staff and University leadership).

4. Both solo, and with other staff, use professional expertise to deliver a programme of proactively meeting with potential donors to understand their interests and motivations, set them on a path to major gift support and solicit gifts in person (mostly five, but also six and seven figure gifts). The post-holder will need to represent the interests of the entire University in developing these relationships from research and teaching to widening participation, entrepreneurship and civic programmes. Conduct a target number of face-to-face meetings per annum.

5. In collaboration with academic colleagues, articulate convincingly the University’s priority themes and projects for philanthropic support. Develop powerful case statements, project descriptions and tailored proposals for presentation to potential major donors. Liaise with beneficiary areas to ensure the object of any proposal is properly costed and can be delivered.

6. Drawing on specialist knowledge, provide advice to prospective major donors (whether proactively engaged or approaching the University independently) on how to structure and best effect their giving intentions.

7. Negotiate gift agreements, managing donor and academic expectations to balance the donor’s intent with priorities and capacity of the beneficiary area to deliver and ensuring this is communicated appropriately to donors.

8. Using detailed knowledge, use the University’s alumni and donor database (Raiser’s Edge), to ensure relationships with potential donors are recorded and tracked so a complete record of the relationship is maintained. Analyse progress and provide relevant reports on activity.

9. Build and share thorough understanding of University priority projects for philanthropic support. The postholder may be required to become the expert on a particular project, School, College or beneficiary area and to brief fundraising and other colleagues appropriately.

10. Provide specialist advice to academic and other colleagues on individual potential donor relationships, on fundraising and alumni/donor engagement generally and on its operation at the University of Glasgow.

11. Be prepared to undertake projects appropriate to the grade of the role – including line management - but that might fall outside its direct remit as the Director, Head of Philanthropy and/or Vice Principal External Relations may advise.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Either: Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar role. Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9 (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4, Higher National Certificate) or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or number of different roles

A2 Thorough knowledge of the principles, theory and practice of major gift fundraising including regulation (e.g. Data Protection) and legal requirements

A3 Understanding of and belief in the importance of universities and why they merit philanthropic support

Desirable:

B1 Ability to rent and drive vehicles in the UK

Skills 

Essential:

C1 Proven ability to ask for and secure gifts or financial commitments in person

C2 Results oriented self-starter

C3 Team player, able to both respect and work across boundaries

C4 Intellectually curious with an interest in people’s motivations and in the University’s work

C5 Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills – including active listening and the ability to build persuasive, concise, evidenced propositions

C6 Excellent time management and organisational abilities

C7 Resilient problem solving; able to withstand negative reactions and find solutions

C8 Excellent attention to detail – able to deliver accurate relationship tracking, proposals, briefings, event plans, budgets, prospect strategies and reports without close supervision

Experience

Essential:

E1 Experience in fundraising, sales or similar role and of working successfully to monetary targets

E2 Experience of representing an organisation’s interests and advocating for them

E3 Experience of working with a range of stakeholders and managing competing interests

E4 Experience of working with Raiser’s Edge or similar database to track donor or customer relationships

Desirable:

F1 Experience of fundraising in Higher Education

Informal enquiries may be directed to Jessica Constable, Strategic Philanthropy Manager, Jessica.constable@glasgow.ac.uk.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 7, £40,247 - £45,163 per annum.

This post is full time and open ended.

Closing Date: 23:45 on Monday 17 February 2025