Development Officer - Major Gifts

The Development, Alumni Relations and Engagement (DARE) team at Kingston University plays a vital role in delivering the ambitions of Kingston University. Major gifts are central to successfully delivering the fundraising growth strategy at Kingston University. We are an ambitious team and we have seen significant success in major gift fundraising over the last several years.

Reporting to the Head of Major Gifts, the Development Officer (Major Gifts) is a crucial role in the pipeline development of major gift fundraising. The postholder sits within in the major gifts team but also links into the work undertaken by the individual giving team to cultivate and upgrade high end regular donors.

Managing a mid-level portfolio of prospective donors, this role will personally solicit and secure gifts at the four and five figure level as well as support the pipeline of UHNV prospects to make transformative gifts. This role is integral in the development of major gift strategy, supporting the major gift team with cultivation and solicitation events and initiatives and assisting with the production of fundraising collateral.

The post holder will have a creative approach to spot or manufacture opportunities, be passionate about the impact of higher education, and have demonstrable experience securing philanthropic gifts.

The Person

You will be a driven and highly-motivating fundraiser. You will have a track record of securing and successfully stewarding donations, ideally in a charity or higher education, alongside achieving ambitious personal KPIs and income targets. You’ll be passionate about the power of fundraising in higher education.

To be successful, the postholder will have outstanding communication skills including interpersonal, written, speaking and presentation skills – you will also have demonstrable experience building relationships across stakeholders and fostering collaboration.

Further information

This is a full time, permanent position with a starting salary of £39,407 per annum.

The interviews are expected to be held in person on Monday 9 February 2026.

For informal enquires about the role, please contact Philippa Randle.

Bring your true self, expertise, and passion to Kingston where we are continuing to strive to build a university where authentic inclusion and belonging is at its heart. Every one of our staff and students’ identities, backgrounds and diverse experiences makes us who we are - so harness and embrace yours by applying today. We welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities and those with disabilities.

We are a place-based organisation, proud of our location in Kingston and the civic role we play in our community. Our campuses inspire collaborative, innovative and creative communities. Being present on campus is important to us because it helps us to create a sense of belonging for both our staff and students. Therefore, staff are expected to be on campus for the majority of their working week.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. Where required, this may include entry clearance or continued leave to remain under the Points Based Immigration Scheme.

To apply click on ‘Apply Now’. If, for accessibility reasons, you need to apply in an alternative format, please email jobs@kingston.ac.uk or call the HR Shared Services team on 020 8417 3118.

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