Head of Donor Relations - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Head of Donor Relations - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us:

Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement (P&A) provides a fundraising and alumni engagement function in support of King’s College London. We are proud to work with colleagues across the university and its health partners to help them serve society through world-leading education, research and healthcare.  Our work also includes a partnership with the Maudsley Charity in support of children’s mental health initiatives between the university’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust.

​We are a committed team that brings together fundraisers working across different channels, alongside colleagues who promote King’s College London’s engagement with its worldwide alumni community. Our work is underpinned and enhanced by a range of dedicated professionals in supporting areas covering proposition development, supporter engagement, supporter operations and business operations.

​We have an impressive, well-established track record of success in securing support that allows the university and partners to deliver on their missions. This includes our global, award-winning World Questions: King’s Answers campaign, which set the standard in the sector and enabled us to raise substantial funds to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. Ambitious and innovative, the team has won awards such as a CASE Platinum Award for Fundraising and a CASE Gold Award for Donor Relations and Stewardship. We are strongly values-driven with a focus on sustaining an excellent and supportive culture, which we see as key to creating a successful team that can support the university and its partners in making a real and positive difference to the world we live in.

More on King’s College London

​King’s College London is an internationally renowned university delivering exceptional education and world-leading research. The university is dedicated to driving positive and sustainable change in society and realising our vision of making the world a better place.  Through its commitment to exceptional education, impactful research and genuine service to society, King’s College London is creating positive change in its communities, both in London and on the world stage.

​Find out more here -

About the role:

As King’s College London approaches a landmark period—launching a new Philanthropy and Engagement Campaign in 2027 and celebrating our Bicentenary in 2029— our community of donors plays a vital role in shaping what King’s can achieve. This moment presents an extraordinary opportunity to inspire, thank, and nurture lifelong relationships that enable our supporters to feel truly connected to our purpose and proud of the impact they help create.

King’s is seeking an outstanding Head of Donor Relations to lead a meaningful and sector-leading stewardship and donor experience programme that recognises every supporter and clearly demonstrates the transformative impact of their giving. Reporting to the Director of Advancement Communications & Engagement and working across Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement (P&A), you will play a pivotal role in helping King’s raise more philanthropic income by strengthening donor trust, loyalty and long-term engagement.

Working in close partnership with academics, you will capture, evidence and communicate outcomes with clarity and credibility, translating complex work into meaningful impact stories that resonate with donors. You will lead the philanthropic naming and recognition strategy and advise philanthropy teams as they shape compelling opportunities.

You will collaborate closely with Advancement Events and Advancement Communications to deliver an exceptional end-to-end donor experience, explore appropriate automation, and showcase philanthropy internally and externally. You will also strengthen scholarship stewardship frameworks, ensuring strong links with the Student Finance Office and an approach that is mindful of safeguarding. As a confident, collaborative leader, with an entrepreneurial mindset and a strong attention to detail you will support the development of your team and deploy department resources strategically to maximise impact.

You will lead a talented team and work closely with senior leaders from across the university, our Estates team, world‑leading academics, and fundraisers to ensure our highest‑value donors receive meaningful, personalised engagement.

This role is ideal for a confident, collaborative leader who can bring creativity, strategic thinking, and insight to a complex and fast‑moving environment.

Whether your background is in higher education, the non‑profit sector, or another complex organisation, you will bring strategic vision, service excellence, and a deep commitment to building long‑term, relationships with donors.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract. P&A has a hybrid working approach, with a minimum of 40% of time in the office. Typically, this equates to two days per week, but we’re very happy for colleagues to be in more frequently if they so wish.