Head of Development, Arts & Humanities

This role is for fundraisers with personal experience of, and a passion for, initiating, securing and stewarding six and seven-figure gifts, who want to work where intellectual ambition, global relevance and philanthropic scale come together.

As Head of Development for Arts and Humanities, you will lead senior major and principal gift fundraising, working closely with academics and donors to support the School academic priorities. The role involves managing complex relationships, long timeframes and significant donor expectations, in an environment where judgement and credibility matter.

You will be comfortable operating within a collegiate, matrixed organisation, aligning senior stakeholders around shared priorities and building long-term philanthropic partnerships.

The role

You will develop and deliver a high-value major gifts strategy, securing gifts from £100k through to £5m and above. Your portfolio will include a significant proportion of six- and seven-figure prospects and donors, requiring patience, strategic focus and the confidence to lead trust-based relationships over time.

Working closely with senior academics and leaders within the School of Arts and Humanities, you will help shape compelling philanthropic opportunities across research, teaching and collections. The portfolio will appeal to fundraisers drawn to big, contemporary questions, including the role of the Arts and Humanities alongside the digital world, AI and geopolitics.

What you'll do

• Personally initiate, ask for and steward six- and seven-figure gifts

• Build and sustain strong professional relationships with major and principal donors

• Partner at peer level with senior academics and University leaders to shape fundable priorities

• Navigate complex internal dynamics with confidence and clarity

• Lead, motivate and develop a small, senior team

• Represent the University with credibility to high-profile donors in the UK and internationally

What you'll bring

• A strong track record of personally securing and stewarding-six- and seven-figure gifts, ideally within a complex institution or equivalent relationship-led environment (for example cultural, international or mission-led organisations)

• Credibility with senior stakeholders and sophisticated donors

• Experience building long-term donor relationships, not just closing gifts

• Experience motivating and managing a small team

• Sound judgement, strategic focus and intellectual curiosity

• You do not need prior higher education experience.

Why Cambridge, why Development and Alumni Relations

You will join Development and Alumni Relations at one of the world's leading universities, part of a globally respected advancement operation with the scale and ambition to support truly transformational philanthropy.

This is a values-led environment where senior fundraisers are trusted to operate with autonomy and integrity, and where philanthropy supports free and independent thought, discovery and global impact.

Inclusive approach 

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

University of Cambridge Development and Alumni Relations Do your best work here.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

The closing date for this position is midnight on the 11th of January 2026.

First round interviews for this position are anticipated to take place virtually on the 23rd of January.

Second round interviews are due to take place on the the 2nd of February.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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