Head of Strategy and Operations

Founded in 1753, the British Museum's remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated, strategic development operations professional with experience in leading fundraising operations teams. In this role, the Head of Strategy and Operations will create and lead a world-class development operations function, play a pivotal role in developing and planning the Museum's major capital campaign, and embed best practices in fundraising and information management across the Development directorate.

The postholder will manage the Development directorate's strategy development and delivery planning, and is responsible for campaign management, research, stakeholder data and insight, fundraising proposition development, reporting, gift management, business processing, and compliance. The role drives, facilitates, and underpins activity across the Development department and makes a significant contribution to the Museum's fundraising and stakeholder engagement activity.

This is an exciting time for the British Museum. We are embarking on our Western Range project - one of the biggest museum redevelopment projects anywhere in the world. This physical transformation is in the service of an intellectual transformation. We are rethinking how we display our collection - the most holistic and ambitious redisplay in the Museum's history. We have appointed world-renowned architect Lina Ghotmeh to rejuvenate and redevelop our Western Range, accounting for over a third of our galleries. The Development Directorate will enable this transformation by delivering a major capital campaign, in which the Head of Strategy and Operations will play a central role.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the Museum's fundraising strategy, including the capital campaign, working closely with senior leadership to set targets, milestones, and deliverables.
• Inspire and manage the team to implement cutting-edge tools, data systems, and practices to analyze donor behaviour, ensure operational efficiency, and drive revenue growth.
• Develop and implement a prospect research strategy, aligning stakeholder data with CRM operations to optimize fundraising opportunities and engagement.
• Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations and standards, manage risks related to stakeholder data, and make recommendations for system and structural improvements.
• Oversee the Museum's CRM database, ensuring efficient data management and analysis of gift information to support donor stewardship.

Experience in a senior role in a major fundraising campaign.

Experience of leading fundraising operations teams in the cultural sector, higher education, a charity, or for-profit organisation.

Experience of leading change.

Tax-efficient giving, charity compliance, and data protection.

Ability to speak with authority on regulatory and technical issues, adjusting to the audience.

Track record of delivering projects on time and within budget.

Excellent people management skills, with experience of leading teams, developing staff, and motivating colleagues to achieve ambitious targets.

Strong prioritisation and resource allocation skills.

Diplomatic ability to achieve consensus with diverse stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

Degree or equivalent experience and fundraising industry network memberships.

Conditions of employment

You need to have the right to work in the UK.

Working locations

Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely.

How to apply

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.

The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make the best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum that represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated based on their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.