Head of Development Programmes and Operations

• Job title: Head of Development (People, Programmes and Operations)
• Job Type: Permanent, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
• Salary: Competitive
• Department: Development and Alumni Engagement Office
• Reporting to: Director of Development and Alumni Engagement
• Location: Highgate, London
• Start: 4th January 2027 (or as soon as available)
• Closing Date: 1 November 2026 at 5:00 pm

Highgate is looking for a dynamic, ambitious senior operational lead to partner with the Director of Development and Alumni Engagement to transform educational opportunities for young people and deliver a defining new chapter in philanthropy at the school.

You will be an experienced people manager, shaping the team to deliver the new strategy. You will have proven experience of designing and implementing programmes and turning a vision into results. You will be capable, well‑organised and relationally astute, a proactive, and highly visible ambassador for the Department and charity, collaborative, excited by high-quality education and able to take people with you.

Experience of working in fundraising is highly desirable but not essential: this role is about people, implementation and being front-facing and central to delivering a 5-year plan that will transform lives.

Highgate’s Development and Alumni Engagement department has been operating for over a decade and today, manages an established fundraising programme focused on major gifts and our sector‑leading annual Giving Day, and an active and varied engagement programme of events and communications for our 7,500 OCs (Highgate alumni).

The need for the work we do – raising funds to provide means‑tested fee assistance to bursary families at Highgate for children aged 7-18 and meaningfully engaging with OCs – has never been more necessary. Crucially, expanding fundraising and developing OC engagement will be integral to the School’s development plans over the next 5-10 years. Success in fundraising will have a significant and positive effect on the pace at which the school can take these plans forward.

To deliver this, the Director, who brings 20 years’ experience in philanthropy, fundraising campaigns, leadership and consultancy and joined the School from More Partnership in 2023, is seeking a key partner in the Head of Development. The successful candidate will lead fundraising operations, drive the implementation of fundraising programmes, and help shape and develop the campaign team. Working collaboratively with the Head of Alumni Relations to increase alumni participation, both Heads report directly to the Director.

Job Description

This is a new role, operating as a senior operational lead and team manager within the Development Office and deputising for the Director who will drive forward this exciting new growth strategy and advance major gift opportunities. You will play a pivotal role in establishing a successful multi-channel fundraising programme, shaping and line‑managing the team delivering this, and transforming the role of the charity in the school.

• Partnering with the Director of Development and Alumni Engagement to drive the next phase of fundraising growth and build the departmental capacity, culture, systems and brand needed to deliver a successful campaign;

• Manage and inspire a talented team through an exciting period of growth and change, developing capability, confidence and aligning the team’s skills, capacity and ways of working to Highgate’s ambitious fundraising goals. An early priority will be recruiting a new Philanthropy Manager to strengthen major gifts fundraising;

• Turn strategy into impact by designing and implementing new mid-level and legacy fundraising programmes.

• Oversee the implementation of the operational infrastructure…