Head of Prospect Development

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university

Salary from £63,370 to £73,163 pa inclusive with potential to progress to £80,927 pa inclusive of London allowance

Are you passionate about prospect development and the strategic value it brings in shaping philanthropic success? We are seeking an exceptional individual to lead the Prospect Development team in LSE’s Philanthropy and Global Engagement division and play a pivotal role in delivering one of the UK’s most ambitious fundraising campaigns.

For 130 years, LSE has pioneered research that has improved lives, reduced poverty, and expanded the frontiers of human knowledge. We count 20 Nobel Prize winners among our alumni and staff and 40 international leaders, past and present, across 27 countries. Named University of the Year 2025 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide and ranked the UK’s top university in 2026, LSE is now delivering its largest-ever philanthropic campaign Shape the World, aiming to raise £750 million.

As Head of Prospect Development, you will lead a high-performing, specialist team responsible for driving the identification, research and management of a global pipeline of high-value prospects. This is a rare opportunity to lead a critical function at the heart of LSE’s fundraising ambitions. Your work will directly enable the success of the Shape the World campaign and contribute to research and ideas that address global challenges and contribute to a fairer world.

What you will bring to the role

• Experience of leading or playing a senior-role within a high-performing prospect development function in a university or charity setting.
• Experience of shaping prospect development strategies to support major (£100k+) leadership (£1m+) and transformational (£12m+) giving programmes.
• Experience of prospect identification and prospect research in global markets, particularly North America, Europe and Asia.

What you can expect from us

• The opportunity to work within a highly professional and supportive division at a university in the heart of London with an exceptional global brand as it embarks on its largest ever fundraising campaign.
• Competitive salary, occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and flexible hours,
• Excellent training and development opportunities.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join LSE.

Ready to make an impact? Apply now and help us shape the future of social science. Please see the how to apply document, job description and the person specification.

To apply for this post, please click the 'Apply' button above. If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email s.pyner@lse.ac.uk

The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 17 July 2026  (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.

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