Job Description

Job Title: Head of Supporter Engagement
Location: Oxford Road, Manchester
Salary: 359,139 to 370,579 per annum depending on relevant experience
Job type: Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 09/05/2025
The University of Manchester is part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities and highly respected across the globe as a centre of teaching excellence and research innovation and discovery.
With 25 Nobel Prize winners among our current and former staff and students, we have a history of world firsts, with our impact ranging from splitting the atom to giving the world graphene.
Our purpose is to advance education, knowledge and wisdom for the good of society, putting our three core goals of research and discovery, teaching and learning, and social responsibility at the heart of everything we do.
As Head of Supporter Engagement, you will provide University-wide leadership to develop, plan and implement sector-leading fundraising and supporter engagement strategies, policies and programmes with a particular focus on Regular and Leadership giving (
310k), Legacy Fundraising, and ensuring an exceptional prospect and donor experience for donors giving at all levels.
As the senior lead for the key public-facing aspects of our fundraising programme, youll be accountable for the performance of key fundraising streams. Youll work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that strategies and operational plans are in line with institutional needs. Youll support and inspire your team to deliver ambitious targets. And you will provide support and strategic guidance to University leaders, academics, and colleagues across the University.
Youll also be a member of our Development Leadership Team (DLT), meaning that you will play a significant role in our success across the whole fundraising mix. The transformation enabled by the launch of our first university-wide fundraising and volunteering campaign will provide further opportunities for your role to evolve during the campaigns public phase.
As Head of Supporter Engagement, you will undertake a range of activities commensurate with the grading and responsibility of the post. This includes:

• Lead the strategic planning for the Supporter Engagement team (currently Donor Experience, Regular and Leadership Giving, and Legacy Fundraising), working with area leads to translating business objectives into clear operational plans.
• Take overall responsibility for the development and leadership of strategic supporter journeys for key campaign audiences, and coordinate communications planning across the Division.
• Lead your team to conceptualise, plan and deliver communications, events, products and experiences that deliver strategic objectives, working collaboratively with colleagues across DDAR and the wider University.
• Proactively identify ways for Supporter Engagement activity to support and complement major and transformational fundraising.
• Be the Universitys subject matter expert for your areas of responsibility, providing support and consultancy to senior colleagues, including University Executive members.
• Monitor performance across your areas of responsibility, motivating and inspiring your team members to deliver ambitious goals, supporting their development, and embedding a high-performance culture.
• Take shared responsibility for the overall leadership of the fundraising programme as a member of the Development Leadership Team (DLT).

Essential knowledge, skills and experience:

• Experience of leading significant mass participation fundraising, legacy, and donor experience programme(s) in the higher education or charitable sector.
• A well-developed understanding of the fundraising mix, and the principles and processes that underpin fundraising success at all levels.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategies to achieve business objectives.
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate cross-cutting teams to deliver exceptional work.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills with experience of translating complex information into effective, persuasive and clear language for a variety of purposes.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the necessary listening, facilitation and negotiation skills to represent the University at the highest levels, coupled with the highest levels of tact and discretion required to deal with highly confidential information.
• Enthusiasm and energy to act proactively, and the initiative, drive and commitment to work individually when required.

As one of the leading Universities our employees enjoy exclusive access to excellent benefits and schemes including:

• Generous annual leave allowance, including Christmas/New Year closure
• Pension scheme membership to provide benefits for you and your family
• Well-being programme with counselling, fitness and leading sports facilities
• Learning and development opportunities
• Season ticket loans for public transport
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Workplace nursery scheme
• Staff recognition schemes
• Staff discounts on a range of products and services including travel and high street savings

Please click APPLY to be redirected to our website to complete an application form.
Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Head of Engagement, Director of Supporter Engagement, Chief Engagement Officer, Head of Strategic Planning may also be considered.