CEN025 - Director of Development

Job title: Director of Development

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: Grade 8: £66,679 - £88,977. Appointments for this role will generally be made at £80,000 per annum

Working arrangements: Full time, 35 hours a week. Standard working hours between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Hybrid working, with a minimum of 6 days per month in the office. This role requires travel within the UK and internationally and attendance at evening and weekend events.

An exciting opportunity to lead a high-performing fundraising team and help shape our new fundraising campaign to improve patient care and reduce ill health across communities.

As Director of Development, you’ll lead our efforts to bring major donors, trusts/foundations and corporate partners into long term relationships of trust with the Royal College of Physicians. Your core responsibility will be to encourage and motivate the fundraising team, including line management of the Deputy Director for Corporate Partnerships and the Head of Philanthropy. You’ll also cultivate your own individual portfolio of international donors and find opportunities to engage face-to-face with prospective supporters at the major and principal gift level.

You’ll be trusted to work autonomously to develop and implement our fundraising strategy and work with our development board on planning for a new fundraising campaign, following the successful close of our £10 million Giving Health campaign. You will help achieve our strategic aim to increase our income from major gift fundraising and, depending on results, you’ll also have the opportunity to grow the size of the fundraising function.

You’ll report to and work closely with the CEO, Chief of Staff, and have the full support and involvement of the President, College Officers and Trustees.

Purpose and scope

Key responsibilities

• Shape the overall strategic goals of a new multi-year fundraising campaign and ensure that we deliver our ambitious income generation targets on an annual basis
• Work closely with the president, trustees, chief executive officer and other senior colleagues and volunteers to develop and implement the RCP's fundraising strategy
• Enhance our fundraising profile to highlight the contributions of donors and the impact of funded projects at all levels
• Refresh our fundraising comms strategy and produce high quality, in-depth digital and hardcopy materials
• Plan an annual programme of engagement between the President/CEO and international major gift prospects, including from the 20% of our membership based outside of the UK
• Facilitate the work of development committee members in advising on strategy, monitoring progress towards agreed targets, introducing new prospects, and helping with cultivation
• Support the development of fundraising skills among colleagues - both your direct reports, the Deputy Director for Corporate Partnerships and the Head of Philanthropy - and senior colleagues involved in making asks
• Maximise the fundraising potential of the RCP’s heritage collections and grow the fundraising income of our museum, archive, and library
• Ensure due diligence on prospective donors and adherence to internal processes and procedures for fundraising, reporting, financial management and information management
• Oversee the existing awards programme, which is administered by the development administrator

About you

• A proven track record of effective fundraising leadership
• Substantive major gift experience, including securing six figure gifts from either individuals, trusts/foundations or corporate partners
• Influencing and negotiating at the most senior levels externally and within an organisation; able to describe and communicate compelling propositions and to 'ask' for the gift
• Track record of developing a fundraising strategy over time, demonstrating innovation and creativity as well as knowledge and experience of successful programmes from peer organisations
• Highly developed stakeholder management skills with proven ability to create, develop and sustain trusted and effective relationships with major philanthropic partners and potential partners
• Highly developed networking skills to build and sustain a network of supporters for the RCP
• Track record of successful line management that builds and motivates a successful team
• Strong skill set in decision making, understanding complex environments, strategic thinking and an exceptional ability to communicate
• Strong organisational skills to maximise outcomes against multiple competing priorities
• Understanding of fundraising regulation and compliance

For more information about the role please view the job description and person specification.  

Our benefits

Working at the RCP comes with lots of benefits designed to ensure that you feel valued and supported in your role. The benefits we offer include:

• 29 days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays
• group personal pension plan with 7% employer contribution
• interest-free season ticket loan 
• life assurance
• annual pay award 
• flexible working hours
• employee assistance programme – 24/7 advice and support for any work-related issues as well as any problems affecting your home life
• occupational health team – includes employment and work-related health assessments, health checks and work station assessments
• cycle to work scheme 
• corporate eye care scheme
• professional training and development opportunities
• enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• staff discounts platform – including discounts on cinema tickets and a range of high street brands

About the RCP

The Royal College of Physicians is a rewarding and friendly place to work with an incredible history, dating back to our foundation in 1518. We are a professional membership body for physicians – doctors who work in hospitals – with over 40,000 members in the UK and around the world working to improve patient care and reduce illness. Our activities focus on educating, improving and influencing for better health and care.

About the selection process

Please note that the selection process will take place over two days. The expected dates are 17 and 18 September.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend the following: -

Day 1

• Meeting with the team (30 minutes)
• Negotiation skills based scenario with a key stakeholder (30 minutes)

Day 2

• Pre-interview time limited preparation of presentation (15 minutes)
• Delivery of presentation and panel interview (60 minutes)

How to apply

Please submit an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining how your suitability for the role and how your skills and experience meet the job description. Please note that applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.  

If you have any queries about the application and selection process or the role, please contact our recruitment team at: recruitment@rcp.ac.uk.

Key dates

Closing date: 11:59pm 6 September

Shortlisted candidates will be notified by email on: 12 September 2024

Interview dates: 17 and 18 September 2024

The RCP positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.

The RCP is all about our people – our members, staff, volunteers and leaders. We educate, influence and collaborate to improve health and healthcare for everyone and know we can only do this by being inclusive, encouraging and celebrating diverse perspectives. Welcoming into our community people who represent the 21st-century medical workforce and the diverse population of patients we serve is a priority for us.

Last updated on Aug 9, 2024