Job Description

Salary: £36,636 to £38,784 with progression to £46,049 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 31 May 2026

The Role

Newcastle University Advancement

Newcastle University Advancement ( https://www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/) is the driving force behind philanthropy and alumni engagement across the University. We build lifelong relationships with alumni and supporters, create opportunities for students, and inspire philanthropic investment.

Rising financial pressures mean that more students need support to access and succeed at university, while accelerating global change is increasing demand for innovation, skills and research with real-world impact. Our alumni and supporters play a vital role in ensuring our success. We fundraise for Our Students, Our Research and Our Communities, more information about our current priority areas can be found here. www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/support/support-us/

About the role

As Philanthropy Manager, you will develop and manage relationships with high-net-worth individuals and business leaders. You will manage your own portfolio of major donors, contributing across the full fundraising cycle, from qualification, to closing and stewardship.

Working closely with senior academics and University leaders, you will help shape compelling philanthropic opportunities aligned to Newcastle’s strategic priorities and research strengths to secure significant philanthropic income.

About you

You will enjoy developing long-term relationships and bring emotional intelligence and the confidence to engage credibly with a wide range of people and perspectives. You will be a strong communicator with the ability to think creatively and to craft compelling proposals and cases for support.

Experience in fundraising is welcome, but we are equally interested in candidates from other relationship-management roles, who can demonstrate the ability to influence, build networks and manage high-value relationships.

How to apply

To apply please upload your CV and cover letter, evidencing how your skills and experiences align to the person specification as outlined within the job description.

For an informal chat about the role please contact Alexa Charlton, Head of Individual Major Giving, alexa.charlton@ncl.ac.uk

Key Accountabilities

• To deliver against a strategy for Major Giving philanthropy, including prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donations
• To secure philanthropic support of 5-figures and above, through building relationships with individual donors and prospects, both in the UK and internationally
• To prepare and personally present compelling funding proposals aligned to university priorities
• To foster relationships with key internal stakeholders to advance relationships with donors and supporters
• To work in collaboration with the donor relations team, to ensure that all donors are kept informed of the impact of their donation to improve donor retention and increase giving over time
• To support the delivery of an innovative engagement and events programme with donors and prospects. Representing the University at events, briefings and key meetings where needed
• To work towards a 7-figure financial target and contribute to NU Advancement’s income goals
• To diligently record interactions on Advancement’s CRM system (Raiser’s Edge) to enable accurate reporting and analytics on team and personal activity
• To remain up to date with developments in fundraising and be aware of UK GDPR, The Fundraising Code of Practice and other policies, covering alumni engagement and fundraising
• To assist with the development of the major giving fundraising programme and work with the Head of Individual Major Giving to further donor engagement across the organisation

The Person

• A successful track record in major giving fundraising or a similar public-facing relationship management role
• Experience of working towards, and meeting or exceeding income targets
• A demonstrable ability to build internal relationships and use senior stakeholders to help progress major donor relationships
• Excellent and demonstrable verbal communication skills with the ability to build trust with high-net-worth individuals
• Particularly outstanding written skills, with the ability to absorb detailed information from a wide variety of sources and produce compelling proposals tailored to a high value audience
• Experience working with a CRM system, alumni database or equivalent
• Understanding of the importance and impact of universities and a desire to grow support for the sector

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or relevant professional experience in a similar sector

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 29374

#LI-SS1