Director of Development in London

St Mary's Calne is a leading UK independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18, shaped by the values of a full boarding ethos. St Mary's currently has 335 pupils, of whom around 80% board, and has a strong national and international reputation with boarders from over 30 countries. St Margaret's Prep provides a rich and dynamic educational experience for 170 boys and girls aged 2 to 11, offering boarding from Year 5. The Schools share a beautiful 27-acre campus, where exceptional facilities support a broad and diverse educational offering. Located in the historic market town of Calne in Wiltshire, the Schools are 20 minutes from Bath, within easy reach of Bristol and Oxford and have direct transport links to London.

The Head and Governors are seeking to appoint an exceptional Director of Development to establish and implement an ambitious fundraising and engagement strategy for both St Mary's and St Margaret's. This will centre around ambitious plans for the estate and the development of an endowment for transformational bursaries.

Reporting directly to the Head, the Director of Development, who will be a member of the Schools' Leadership Team, will play a crucial role in nurturing relationships with alumni, parents, and key stakeholders, both in the UK and internationally. Working closely with the Head and Head of Prep, trustees of the Calne Foundation Trust, Governors and the Leadership Team, this is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraiser to shape and deliver a transformative campaign within a close-knit and supportive community.

This role will be suited to a strategic, proactive and energetic fundraising professional who demonstrates commitment to the education of young people and to the ethos and values of St Mary's and St Margaret's. They will bring a track record in major gifts solicitation, strategic planning and exceptional community engagement skills. The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge of broad fundraising programmes gained from within or outside the education sector and the ability to lead and develop a team to release the potential for philanthropy at both schools.

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSA Academics to arrange an informal and confidential discussion about the role: Peter Lockhart, Search Consultant: peterlockhart@rsacademics.com

For more information about the role and details of how to apply, please visit: www.rsacademics.com

Closing date: 10.00 am on Tuesday 17th February 2026.

St Mary's Calne is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. The safeguarding responsibilities of this post are detailed in the candidate information brochure.

RSA Academics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.