Strategic Philanthropy Partner (Principal Gifts)

Strategic Philanthropy Partner (Principal Gifts)

Advancement

University College London

London, UK

Salary range of £66,711 - £72,370pa 

UCL is a radically different university. Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, we were the first university in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to welcome women on equal terms with men. Today UCL has over 40,000 students,13,000 staff, and 400,000 alumni, and is one of the world’s top 10 universities.

In 2020, we closed one of the most successful fundraising campaigns in the UK’s higher education sector, which raised £624M and galvanised our community.  We have undertaken a strategic review of our programmes and have started to design a roadmap for what’s next. This has led to the creation of a number of new and exciting roles to build capacity across our Advancement division, with strategic intent. As part of this growth, we are looking to invest in our Strategic Philanthropy team to deliver a step-change in principal giving to the University.

As the Strategic Philanthropy Partner (Principal Gifts), you will work as part of a team of expert fundraisers who work on transformational gift opportunities, building deep and meaningful relationships with trusts, foundations, individuals and businesses with capacity to give at £5m+. Supported by advancement colleagues, your work will span the University’s key priorities and geographical regions. You will build strong working relationships with UCL’s senior leadership and cultivate your own set of prospect and donor relationships, devising solicitation strategies in collaboration with the Provost and with Deans.

The ideal candidate will bring experience of working with high-net-worth individuals in a philanthropic context, preferably in a university or transferable large complex organisation. You will additionally bring a demonstrable track record of working with a portfolio of prospects from whom you have solicited and closed gifts of 7- figures. Key to the success in this role will be your versatility and diplomacy as well as the adoption of an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising activity.

In return, you will join the team at an incredibly exciting time as we plan for UCL’s biggest ever fundraising and engagement campaign, launching in UCL’s bicentenary year, 2026.  We are a team of passionate individuals who work together to achieve remarkable things with a global impact. 

Our people really are our greatest asset and we invest in them so that they can fulfil their potential.  Equity, diversity and inclusion is important to us. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone is encouraged to give their best in a place where their unique experiences, perspectives and skills are seen as valuable assets. We also prioritise work-life balance and offer hybrid and agile working as well as flexibility around working hours.  We are happy to receive part-time applications for all of our job opportunities, and can consider a 0.8FTE working pattern for this role. And we particularly welcome applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.

If you’re interested in hearing more, please contact our recruitment partner at Richmond Associates on +44 (0)20 3617 9240 or you can download further details from their website by following the Apply button.

Closing date for applications is midnight on THURSDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2025