Development Officer

£32,260 to £36,251 per annum(for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £41,689 per annum)

Onsite This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact.

Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook.

Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

The External Relations department brings together student recruitment, marketing, PR, social media, profile and reputation management, development and fundraising, alumni relations and stakeholder engagement into one dynamic, expert function.

The team is responsible for telling the University’s story in the UK and internationally – shaping how we are seen, understood and experienced by our audiences.

From creating compelling messaging and content across campaigns, digital channels and events, to building influential partnerships and driving sustainable income, External Relations delivers complex, high‑impact work that is central to the University’s success.

Our work supports growth, strengthens trust and reputation, and makes a significant contribution to the University’s long‑term ambitions.

The University of Derby’s award‑winning External Relations team is at an exciting stage of growth, building on a strong track record of high‑impact philanthropic partnerships and major capital project support.

As Development Officer, you will play a key role in sustaining this momentum by developing and managing relationships with donors, prospects, and key stakeholders.

Working closely with the Head of Development, you will help shape and deliver fundraising strategies that generate long‑term, sustainable support for students, research, and wider community impact.

In this role, you will take ownership of a diverse portfolio of donors and supporters, cultivating meaningful relationships through face‑to‑face meetings, written communications, and events.

You will create compelling cases for support, lead on fundraising campaigns, and steward donors with professionalism and care.

A central part of your work will also involve building strong internal and external networks, collaborating across the University, and identifying opportunities across corporate partnerships, trusts, and philanthropic individuals to maximise income generation.

This is a fast‑paced, collaborative environment suited to someone proactive, highly organised, and confident working with senior stakeholders.

You will contribute to the development of effective fundraising systems and processes, support high‑quality events, and help embed a culture of giving across the University.

In return, you will join a forward‑thinking team where your work directly contributes to meaningful, measurable impact across the institution and beyond.

The ideal candidate is an experienced and confident fundraising professional with a strong track record of developing and delivering successful fundraising campaigns across multiple income streams, ideally with particular expertise in generating income from Trusts and Foundations.

You will have hands‑on experience managing donor relationships, securing philanthropic support, and working with a range of stakeholders including individuals, corporates, trusts, and senior internal leaders.

Experience within higher education or a similarly complex, relationship‑driven environment would be highly advantageous.

You will be a strong communicator with the ability to engage, influence, and inspire a wide range of audiences, from major donors to senior university colleagues.

You will be comfortable developing compelling cases for support, representing the organisation externally, and building long‑term relationships based on trust, professionalism, and shared purpose.

A high level of attention to detail, alongside strong organisational and event management skills, is essential.

Crucially, you will be proactive, self‑motivated, and solutions‑focused, thriving in a fast‑paced and evolving environment.

You will be digitally confident, particularly with CRM systems and data management, and will understand fundraising compliance and best practice.

Above all, you will be collaborative and driven by impact, motivated by the opportunity to help grow philanthropic income that directly supports students, research, and the wider community.

• Supporting the Head of Development in the planning and delivery of all aspects of the fundraising strategy.
• Develop, implement, and deliver compelling and impactful fundraising campaigns.
• Develop philanthropic fundraising initiatives within the University, nationally and internationally.
• Develop cases for “giving” (donor proposition) for each priority, understanding each donor or contact in order to understand their needs and boundaries.
• Represent the University as required at external and internal events and meetings.
• Engage with teams and colleagues across the University to understand the requirements and needs for development of specific fundraising projects.
• Identify and work with all colleagues in the cultivation of prospects (individuals, trusts and corporate) and in the solicitation of major gifts.
• Maximise on current opportunities, including business relationships, sponsorships, suppliers and research partners.
• Manage and deliver a donor programme of engaging and successful events which effectively supports our fundraising priorities and drive to our goals and targets.
• Support and develop relationship building initiatives with key external and potential senior influencers.
• Development and implementation of stewardship mechanisms for donors at all levels.
• Manage and progress relationships and have oversight of all areas of activity.
• Create and maintain a strong network of contacts and partners ensuring that University of Derby is well positioned to identify and respond to donor opportunities.
• Raise awareness of fundraising for University of Derby and develop a culture of giving internally and externally.
• Develop and maintain all processes and operations for effective management of a fundraising office including planning, budgeting, regulation, compliance, processing, reporting, analysis, and data protection.
• Prospect research activities including the implementation of regular prospect review meetings with relevant colleagues.
• Work with colleagues to develop the fundraising data management/Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for tracking fundraising initiatives and relationships/interactions with prospects and major donors.
• Manage gift aid declarations and process gift aid claims with HMRC.
• Degree qualification and/or equivalent relevant work experience

Experience

• Experience and demonstrable experience within a similar role
• Track record of success in co-ordinating and delivering a range of fundraising initiatives, campaigns and events
• Demonstrable track record of fundraising from a range of sources to achieve income targets
• Experience of planning and delivering all aspects of fundraising campaigns
• Demonstrable experience of managing donors and prospective donors
• Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and delivering high quality events
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders, internal and external
• Experience of working to policies and procedures relevant to fundraising

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• A high level of digital literacy, including knowledge and application of CRM/database management
• Ability to write funding applications, proposals or bids to charitable or corporate trust or foundations
• Outstanding communication and inter-personal skills – written and verbal – with proven ability to engage with and influence donors, senior colleagues, and excellent attention to detail
• Confidence and gravitas to represent the department and the University with senior colleagues and external stakeholders
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations
• Driven, self‑motivated, pro‑active and self‑reliant with a positive and proactive manner, solutions focused and adaptive to change
• Not phased and thrives in a busy environment whilst able to work flexibly, on own initiative and as part of a team
• Strives for excellence whilst fostering a team spirit which motivates and engages others to be innovative and to perform effectively
• Business Requirements
• Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner (e. g. Derby and Chesterfield)
• Willing and able to work out of hours, evenings and weekends on occasion, particularly at Open Days/events

Qualifications

Experience

• Fundraising in the Higher Education sector
• Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Sarah Duncan, Head of Development via s. duncan@derby. ac. uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby. ac. uk .

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'.

We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns.

This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates.

Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process.

This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead.

This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings.

Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do.

We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities.

In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

Apply today to invest in your career with University of Derby.

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application.

Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application.

If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@derby. ac. uk .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children.

At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.

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