Candidate Pack for
Director of Philanthropy

Welcome

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of Philanthropy at the Royal College
of Surgeons of England. RCS England has been a cornerstone of professional
excellence for over two centuries, representing tens of thousands of surgeons, dental
professionals, trainees and students across the UK and internationally.
This is an exceptional moment to be joining us. With a strong executive team in place
and a new strategy being developed for launch in 2026, we are shaping a modern,
progressive College - one that honours its proud heritage while building for the future.

Philanthropy is central to that ambition. Through the power of giving, we can
accelerate surgical innovation, transform training and research, and, through our
museum and heritage collections, we can further excite the next generation of
surgical leaders. We are redefining how we inspire, engage and steward our most
significant supporters — and how we unlock the potential of philanthropy to achieve
lasting impact.

As our new Director of Philanthropy, you will play a pivotal role in this transformation.
Working closely with our Chief Executive, Executive Leadership Team, Trustees
and Development Board, you will lead a renewed culture of strategic giving, shaping
a coherent and strategic approach that reflects both the scale of our vision and
the impact of our mission. You will bring clarity, creativity and pace to the role —
identifying new opportunities, building meaningful relationships, and ensuring
philanthropy is embedded as a shared organisational priority.

If you are inspired by the idea of shaping modern philanthropy within one of the UK’s
most respected professional bodies, and by the impact your leadership could have on
generations of surgeons to come, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Jackie Weller,
Chief Executive

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandAbout us

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is a world-leading
professional membership body and registered charity founded to advance the art and
science of surgery. Our purpose today remains firmly focused on improving patient
care and supporting the surgical profession at every stage of its journey.

We represent a diverse community of more than 30,000 members in the UK and
around the world, including surgeons, dental professionals, trainees, students and the
wider surgical care team. Our staff of over 300 colleagues, working alongside more
than 1,100 volunteers, deliver a wide portfolio of education, training, assessment and
support.

Education and training remain central to our role. Each year, we deliver hundreds
of courses to thousands of participants, supported by an extensive faculty of expert
practitioners. Our examinations define the standards of surgical training in the UK,
while our continuing professional development programmes and fellowships equip
surgeons and surgical leaders to thrive throughout their careers.

Alongside training, our charitable purpose extends into research and advocacy. In
2023/24, we raised over £5 million for surgical research and learning initiatives,
awarding fellowships that promote innovation in areas such as robotics, clinical
diversity and global health. We also play a significant role in influencing healthcare
policy. Our leadership engages directly with government, the NHS and regulators to
shape the national agenda, and our authoritative voice is regularly cited in the media,
helping to inform public understanding of surgical issues.

To learn more about our organisation, please use the links below.
•  Annual Report
•  Current Strategy
•  Our Commitment to Diversity
•  Our Commitment to Sustainability

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy
Royal College of Surgeons of England

Our Vision and Mission

Our Vision
We want to see excellent surgical care for everyone.

Our Mission
We will achieve our vision by enabling our members, in all their diversity, to
deliver excellence in everything they do.

Our Values

Collaboration
If you are inspired by the idea of shaping modern philanthropy within one of the UK’s most respected professional bodies, and by the impact your
leadership could have on generations of surgeons to come, we would be delighted to hear from you.
•  We work together, using our collective expertise and experience to effect positive change
•  We are open, honest and transparent, straightforward in our language and actions, acting with sincerity and delivering on our commitments
•  We take our responsibilities to each other, to patient care and to the environment seriously and we act with this in mind across our work

Respect
We value every person we come into contact with at the College as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and seek to understand
and meet their physical and wellbeing needs.
•  We treat everyone we meet with kindness and integrity and we seek to promote these behaviours in others
•  We actively seek a range of views and experiences across our work, and we listen to, and make everyone feel, a valued part of the team

Excellence
We aspire to excellence and success. We share learning from our experiences, apply feedback into practice, and commit to continual improvement.
•  We work hard to be the best at what we do, recognising and celebrating effort and achievement, and reflecting on our work, so we can learn and

improve

•  We value and invest in research, education and training to drive excellence and put improvements in surgical practice, dentistry and patient care at the

heart of our work

•  We always seek to learn and discover more, valuing knowledge and scientific evidence, basing our decisions on insights, fact and experience

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandDiversity and Inclusion
At RCS England, we believe we are only as good
as the people we hire. We know that the people we
hire come from all walks of life and with that comes
different perspectives. Diversity, Inclusion and
Belonging are at the heart of everything we do.

Our commitment to fostering an inclusive
environment is evident through the active
engagement of our employees in the Staff
Council, where their voices play a crucial role
in shaping work life for everyone within the
College. Additionally, our staff networks cultivate
a strong sense of belonging, while social clubs
create a vibrant community spirit. We actively
encourage our team members to openly share
their professional and personal experiences,
contributing to the evolution of our mindset and
organisational culture.

We firmly believe that embracing diversity goes
beyond a moral obligation; it serves as a catalyst
for both individual and collective growth. Our
unwavering dedication ensures that our profession
and the College lead the way in advancing
patient care for future generations. However, we
recognise that achieving this goal demands a
collective effort. That is why we are on the lookout
for individuals like you. Your unique talents and
diverse experiences, acquired through both life and
work, are invaluable contributions that will enhance
and complement our existing team. Join us on this
journey towards a more inclusive and pioneering
future in healthcare

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy
Royal College of Surgeons of England

Organogram – outlining how this role connects to the overall College

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandJob description

Job title:

Director of Philanthropy

Grade:

             6

Directorate:

Commercial and Infrastructure Directorate

Department:

Fundraising

Reports to:

Chief Financial Officer

Responsible for:

Team of three initially, expected to grow over time

Role purpose:
The Director of Philanthropy will work closely with the Executive Leadership
Team, Board of Trustees and other senior stakeholders to identify and
access new and existing networks of wealth, opportunity and influence to
grow the portfolio of the organisation’s most significant supporters.

The post holder will be a highly skilled and experienced relationship
manager, who will manage a limited portfolio of their own donors and
prospects at the highest level and support the team in maximising the
potential of theirs. They will also establish and manage a Development
Board of senior volunteers, committed to peer-to-peer fundraising.

Together with their team and other Directors they will develop the
philanthropy strategy and play a leading role in advocating and promoting
the philanthropy agenda both internally and externally to maximise all
opportunities and grow income.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy
Royal College of Surgeons of England

Main responsibilities:

Strategy and Leadership
•  Actively contribute to the overall College strategy development process;
•  Develop and implement a comprehensive College-wide fundraising

transformation programme aligned with organisational priorities that positions
philanthropic initiatives as a strategic enabler, embedding and cultivating a
culture of donor centric and stewardship excellence.

Fundraising Operations and Delivery
•  Design and execute transformational campaign strategies for major projects,
positioning the College as a leading destination for philanthropic investment.
•  Cultivate and secure breakthrough major gifts from high-net-worth individuals,

foundations, and corporate partners through sophisticated relationship
management and compelling case development.

•  Define and embed industry-leading fundraising standards across all revenue-

generating functions including major gifts, corporate partnerships, legacies, and
individual giving

•  Demonstrate the strategic value of how effective fundraising can fundamentally
drive the successful delivery of RCS objectives while significantly increasing
donor satisfaction, retention, and lifetime value

•  Oversee the strategic cultivation of major donor relationships and complex gift
negotiations with professionalism and impact, turning prospects into committed
long-term partners.
Lead cross-functional collaboration with communications, marketing, delivery
and programme teams to create integrated campaign approaches that
maximise donor engagement and campaign success.

•

•  Participate, and play a positive and engaged role in, the wider College Senior

•  Prepare strategic reports and actionable insights for senior leadership on

Leadership Team (SLT).

fundraising performance that inform organisational transformation and strategic
planning.

People and Management
•  Provide professional advice and guidance to the College Executive, Boards and

Committees, managers, staff, and volunteers.

•  Develop, engage and lead, by example, the team in a culture of customer

service;

•  Facilitate comprehensive training, mentoring, and professional development

Finance & Reporting
•  Establish comprehensive metrics showing how fundraising activity can be
systematically measured and leveraged to inform continuous improvement.
•  Manage the preparation and adherence to the annual and multi-year budgets,
and all new proposals that will require resources (financial or otherwise).

programmes for team members that build deep expertise.

•  Ensure that if approved, there are appropriate monitoring procedures in place to

•  Engage, and maintain good relations with SLT colleagues across the College
and encourage the team to do likewise with appropriate colleagues in their
areas of responsibility.

ensure visibility, control, and value recognition of individual initiatives.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandGovernance, Risk & Compliance
•  Review, redesign and implement fundraising policies and procedures across
the organisation that support donor experiences and exceptional stewardship
practices.
Identify and establish ambitious yet achievable fundraising KPIs and targets
that drive breakthrough improvements in donor acquisition, retention and overall
revenue generation.

•

•  Develop, measure and monitor a schedule of ongoing departmental risks.

Identify and implement mitigating actions. Escalate any high and critical risks to
the CFO for potential inclusion in the Corporate Risk Register.

•  Develop and continuously maintain effective communications with Board &

Committees, and other stakeholders.

•  Ensure compliance with best practise guidance from the Fundraising regulator

and maintain the highest ethical standards.

Other
•  Any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job, the title

of the post and its grading as may be assigned by the CFO.

•  A flexible approach to work including occasional out of hours work.
•  The post-holder is expected to represent the College in a professional manner

and ensure their own continuing professional development

The post holder will be expected travel throughout the UK and possibly overseas
and make overnight stays. There will also be a requirement to attend some
meetings and events out of normal office hours.

This job description will be subject to review in the light of changing
circumstances and may include other duties and responsibilities as may be
determined.  It is not intended to be rigid or inflexible but should be regarded
as providing guidelines within which the individual works.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy
Royal College of Surgeons of England

Person specification

Knowledge and experience
•  Extensive experience of philanthropy fundraising, with a demonstrable track record of securing high value gifts.
•  Extensive experience of working with senior ambassadors, stakeholders and trustees to solicit donations.
•  Experience as a member of a senior leadership team with strong experience of leading, managing, motivating and developing high performing teams.
•  A thorough understanding of the UK philanthropy market.
•  Knowledge of the changes in charity legislation, (including GDPR requirements) and how it impacts on philanthropy fundraising.
•  Demonstrable experience of developing team/department strategies and managing significant budgets and operating plans, setting and achieving fundraising targets

for a team.

•  Experience of developing effective relationships across an organisation to achieve mutual objectives and of working across functions, to maximise income generation

opportunities.

Skills and Abilities
•  A leader with a strategic orientation and an ability to see the big picture .
•  A self-starter who has initiative and drive to deliver results and make a difference .
•  An excellent influencer and negotiator with both internal and external stakeholders.
•  A proven communicator who takes the time to listen, understand, and communicate constructively, and is able to present complex data simply and provide focused

feedback in a clear manner.

•  A problem-solver with commercial acumen, intellectual curiosity and a desire to find better ways of achieving our goals.
•  A truth-teller who acts with courage, integrity and authenticity.
•  An inclusive team player who treats everyone with respect.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are open to all talent and we actively ensure that all qualified applicants will
receive equal consideration for employment without regards to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity,
race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandTerms of appointment

Salary
The salary for this role is c£95,000 per annum on a full-time permanent
basis.

Location
Hybrid: 2-3 days in London.

Our excellent benefits package includes:
•

27 days paid holiday + bank holidays and up to 4 college closure
days over the festive period & other leave entitlements (carers leave,
fertility treatment leave, etc.)
•  Hybrid and flexible working.
•  Enhanced contributory pension scheme
•  Equal access to enhanced parenthood leave
•  A range of staff and peer networks
•  Employee health and wellbeing committed (Healthcare cash plan,

menopause friendly, disability confident employer, mental health first
aiders, EAP etc.)

•  Retail discount platform
•  Sabbatical and volunteering opportunities
•  Variety of learning and development opportunities Further information

around our benefits can be found here.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy
Royal College of Surgeons of England

How to apply

We hope you will consider making an application. To make an application, please go to
https://starfishsearch.com/jobs/rcs-dir-phi/ and click on the apply now button, with
the following prepared:
•  Your CV (no more than three sides).
•  A supporting statement (no more than two sides) that sets out why you think this
role is the right move for you and how you meet the knowledge and experience
criteria.

We would also be grateful if you would complete the Equality and Diversity monitoring
form on the online application process. This form is for monitoring purposes only and is
not treated as part of your application.

Closing date:

Friday 9th January 2026

Preliminary interviews:

w/c19th January 2026

Final Panel interviews:

w/c 9th February 2026

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Candidate Pack for Director of Philanthropy Royal College of Surgeons of England