Queens’ College is looking to appoint a Senior Philanthropy Officer. This is a major/principal gift fundraising role, working within our small, friendly Alumni and Development Team.

As one of the most successful development teams in Collegiate Cambridge and having recently expanded its Alumni & Development Office team, we are proud to work for one of the most well-known, diverse and widely respected colleges in Cambridge.

We support the College in delivering its strategic aims by ensuring that financial resources are available through philanthropy and increased donor participation. We support student bursaries, Fellowships, the general costs of delivering first class education in a historic setting, student accommodation and to help increase our Endowment Fund, upon which we largely depend.

Our department is responsible for raising regular and major philanthropic gifts both from alumni and non-alumni, as well as fostering lifelong relationships between the College, its alumni and supporters, ensuring that the global community of more than 13,000 alumni is informed about new developments in College and actively engaged with its aims.

With a new Campaign, Bridge to the Future, launched formally in May 2026 we have momentum and support to continue our success. Dame Menna Rawlings, our President, is Chair of the Campaign Board and actively supports the work of the Alumni and Development Team.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team. We will be increasing our fundraising and alumni engagement activities to support the campaign, as well as continuing to deliver the excellent service we have grown over several years. Identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding new donors is essential to the success of our Campaign and to building financial stability for Queens’ into the future.

This role will take over a strong portfolio of wonderful, committed donors, and, importantly find new donors for Queens’ from our alumni base and others. There is scope for development, including potential future involvement in legacy giving and opportunities to take on line management responsibility.

The office is situated centrally in Cambridge, with scenic views of the river Cam, the famous Mathematical Bridge and buildings dating as far back as 1448.

This is a 36.5 hours per week role, with a requirement for these hours to be worked usually Monday to Friday. There will be a requirement to work additional hours for attendance at events, including evenings and weekends (which may include travel within the UK). Time off in lieu will be provided.

We are looking to appoint a hardworking, committed team member who has the core skills we need:

Strong, demonstrable experience of managing, building and nurturing strong long-term relationships with a large number of alumni / clients
Experience in major gifts fundraising, relationship management, or a comparable role requiring high-level influencing skills
Proven success in securing 5 and 6 figure donations
Experience in engaging, building credibility and rapport with senior academics, alumni, and high-value donors to secure support
Demonstrably excellent written communication skills, including proposal and impact report writing
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with people at all levels, ages and of varying backgrounds – internal and external stakeholders
Strong organisational, prioritisation skills and attention to detail
Good decision making skills and able to work independently and proactively
Strong productivity levels with a flexible approach and skill in problem solving
Great team player who wishes to work within a small team
Able to bring a creative and strategic approach to the role
Good problem-solving skills and able to deal with difficult situations diplomatically and calmly

Remuneration and Benefits:

Salary range: £43,549 – £46,721 per annum (dependent on relevant skills and experience)
Final salary pension scheme after qualifying period
26 days’ holiday, in addition to public holidays (34 in total)
We offer a range of non-contractual benefits, currently we offer:
- One free meal during working hours (prepared daily by our chefs)
- Parking on-site (when available)

Sporting facilities, including on-site gym

- Free annual flu vaccination
- Subsidised nursery fees
- Subsidised sports and social events
- Discounted membership of dental or medical insurance
- Access to University Card; which also offers subsidised travel on U bus between Madingley Road Park and Ride and the College
- Subject to qualifying periods: annual service awards, additional holiday entitlement and a day off every year for your Birthday

For a full overview of the role, requirements, and person specification, please refer to the job description.

To apply for this position, all applicants are required to complete the HR Details and Application forms and submit them to jobs@queens.cam.ac.uk

Closing date for completed applications will be 10am Monday, 22 June 2026, with interviews being conducted shortly after.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure all staff have the legal right to live and work in the UK. If you are made an offer of employment, we will need to verify this right before you start work.

Queens' College is a Registered Charity, registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales, number 1137495

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Senior Philanthropy Officer