Head of Philanthropy (Asia) - Development and Alumni Relations Office - 25138 - Grade 8

Job Description

Position Details

Development and Alumni Relations Office

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606

Grade: 8

Full Time, Permanent

International Travel is required for this role

Closing date: 5th January 2026

Background

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research.We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge.Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence.Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

Office Overview

Our University has a proud history of philanthropy stretching back to its foundation in 1900.With a clear vision to change the lives of the people of Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain raised the funds required to build the University from citizens and corporations based locally and around the globe. Since then philanthropy has continued to play an important role in shaping the University. There have been a number of fundraising campaigns, including a £1m urgent capital appeal after the Second World War and a £1.4m campaign to fund the Vale ‘student village’ in the 1960s.In 2015 we closed the Circles of Influence Campaign, raising £ 193 million, making it the largest HE fundraising campaign outside Oxbridge and London.

The University has global reach, including several partnerships with other leading universities around the world, and is grounded in our local community, having opened the first fully comprehensive University secondary school in the country in 2015.We are an ambitious and successful research-intensive University (one of the top 100 research-led universities globally) and have produced 10 Nobel Prize winners, including three who received their awards in 2016.Academics here are exploring the impact of climate change, helping to address global health epidemics, and changing our understanding of Shakespeare.Our students come from nearly 150 countries and our flagship outreach programmes mean that almost 25% of our student population come from underrepresented backgrounds:

one of the highest proportions in the UK.

DARO exists to support this academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities.The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

Role Summary

As the Head of Philanthropy, Asia you will be responsible for growing our major gifts programme in the Asia-Pacific region. The focus will be on increasing six figure + (GBP) giving through the University of Birmingham Hong Kong

Foundation, and from the wider region. Most of our warm donors are based in Malaysia and Hong Kong but there is an active community of alumni in Singapore and scoping to be done across Asia to drive the next phase of our strategy forward beyond alumni donors and to build on a recent seven figure donation as a catalyst for further giving.

As a University we established our Hong Kong Foundation in 2019 and giving is off to a strong start. Continuing on this trajectory you will work to make it financially sustainable, aiming to have multi-year commitments lined up. You will steer and develop the Foundation’s volunteer Board of Directors, increasing giving from their networks, and working with them to distribute funds to programmes at the University that will also benefit Hong Kong.

As a senior fundraiser in DARO, you will be expected to be innovative, self-motivated, and to take ownership of fundraising in this region. As part of a dynamic team and led by some of the most respected names in higher education fundraising, you will work across the University to generate gifts to key philanthropic projects and encourage new donors to make significant gifts. You will also have the opportunity to work with the senior leadership across the University to travel, drive income and develop innovative funding proposals for the region.

Main duties

• The philanthropy lead for Asia-Pacific will excel in the following areas:
• Bring in a minimum of £500k per annum with the aim to grow this to £1million for the region. You will be responsible for increasing six figure+ philanthropic gifts for the University of Birmingham, developing a sustainable pipeline of prospects and philanthropic income.
• Manage a portfolio of 80 -100 prospective donors in the region, some of whom will be alumni of the University but with scope to expand this through peer connections through research.
• Plan and personally lead on the development of a number of key University relationships with a portfolio of senior alumni and other current and prospective donors in the region, through regular, tailored communications, meetings and engagement.
• Demonstrate an understanding that successful fundraising is based on building effective relationships, which match a prospective donor’s philanthropic interest with an area of strength and/or opportunity at the University.
• Be responsible for the end-to-end relationship management process of your contacts including:
• Identifying new prospective donors from your networks.
• Making the approach and managing a tailored cultivation process.
• Translating complex ideas, including academic research and University strategy, into compelling messages tailored to individual supporters.
• Asking confidently, passionately and effectively for key priorities.
• Building long-term relationships that are centred on the donor, including maximising volunteering opportunities where appropriate.
• Stewarding the donor once a gift is made, ensuring the individual remains connected to the University, the project and the impact which they have made.
• Deliver against set targets including money raised, asks made, meetings secured and gift close rate. Regularly report the delivery of these KPT’s to the Head of Philanthropy - Global.
• Work alongside senior DARO colleagues to establish principal giving in the region.
• Responsible for securing major gifts for the University of Birmingham Hong Kong Foundation, increasing multiyear giving, particularly at the six-figure level, making the Foundation financially sustainable over the next three years.
• Work with our consultants, Global Philanthropic, to ensure gifts are banked, thanked and recorded appropriately in line with gift accounting processes.
• Work with the Chair of the Foundation and internal University Directors to drive the agenda for each meeting and working with the Chair to manage, identify and recruit future Board members.
• Develop the Board into an effective volunteer fundraising committee. Work with members to identify, cultivate and solicit major gift prospects (including local corporates and foundations) from their personal networks and from the wider alumni community.
• Ensure that the Foundation’s governance processes are robust, transparent and accountable, and adhere to relevant policies and requirements expected by the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department and the Companies Registry.
• Regularly report to the Head of Philanthropy – Global and Associate Director of Philanthropy on risk management, progress and other governance related issues.
• Lead on identifying programmes and projects within the University to present to the Board for the distribution of funds.
• Working in partnership with Gift Accounting, Contracts, Legal and wider Research Finance teams to ensure gifts are processed in line with donor wishes, financial regulations and counted in compliance with the campaign methodology.
• Recommend, plan and execute top-level visits to the region by, members of the University’s Executive Board, other Senior Officers and academics, for the purposes of cultivating and soliciting prospects. You will need to demonstrate exceptional judgement in recommending whether visits should be tied in with wider University business, or you will justify bespoke visits for specific significant donors.
• Identify opportunities for cost-effective tailored events to engage current donors, potential high-level donors and the wider alumni community and work collaboratively across DARO to deliver these. Knowing when to bring in other key University figures.
• Brief and advise senior University figures as appropriate and attend such meetings in a key facilitating role.
• Work in partnership with other fundraisers and members of DARO to share best practice, discuss prospect development and collaborate with colleagues.
• Share market/industry intelligence with colleagues in Business Engagement, International Relations and Birmingham Global developing opportunities to collaborate and drive the University’s international strategy.
• Efficiently use CRM to log, record and report on activity – feeding into campaign data, team reporting and management information for the senior leadership team.
• Be responsible for adhering to relevant fundraising regulation and current data legislation in the UK and in target markets whilst ensuring fundraising is ethical and that due diligence is undertaken as necessary.
• Manage an agreed budget for travel and programme expenses.
• Actively manage equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.
• Support the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.
  
  

Person Specification

• Relevant degree or relevant equivalent professional qualification plus substantial relevant experience evidencing the experience required in this role.
• Authoritative knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role, including broader sector/commercial awareness.
• Experience of identifying and building long-term mutually beneficial relationships with High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI), donors, supporters, volunteers and corporates internationally.
• Developing medium and long-term solicitation strategies and using these to maximise income and foster a ‘culture of giving’ across the whole of your prospect pool.
• Experience of developing fundraising plans and tactics.
• Extensive experience of working to and delivering against financial targets.
• A track record of securing six figure+ gifts from individuals.
• It would be advantageous, but not essential, to have experience of working within philanthropy in Asia, and a knowledge of the philanthropic landscape across the region.
• The ability to work with initiative, navigate university hierarchy with ease and think creatively and laterally.
• Maturity of judgement to achieve credibility and influence, working independently, with philanthropists, senior alumni, Foundation Board Members, CEOs, senior academics, donors and partner organisations.
• Experience of a range of international cultures and the proven ability to interact with ease across cultural boundaries.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to present complex information, in both written and verbal form, in an engaging and accessible manner to a varied audience.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, with the necessary listening, facilitation, negotiation, influencing and diplomatic skills required to interact with senior individuals.
• The ability to act as an ambassador, representing the University internally and externally with confidence, diplomacy, and authority.
• Ability to work collaboratively with senior members of the University and effectively manage upwards.
• Ability to work with professional services colleagues working in the region, to create shared opportunities that support and advance the University’s international strategy.
• Ability to work under pressure and effectively prioritise a varied and diverse workload.
• Enthusiasm and energy to act proactively, backed up by the initiative, drive and self-motivation to work remotely on a regular basis and through hybrid working, ensuring you play an active part and communicate well in the Development Office even while travelling.
• The flexibility and willingness to work unsociable hours (evenings and weekends) and travel frequently.
• Strong understanding of fundraising and data protection regulation.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied.
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.
• Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied.
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.
  
  

Dimensions

Roles at this level provide authoritative professional advice across a range of activities and/or will lead and managediverse team(s) and resources.You will use your professional skills to resolve problems where the solution is not immediately apparent.Significant evaluation and independent thought is therefore required to resolve ambiguity.You will have wide discretion to decide on direction whilst ensuring activities are broadly consistent with operational policies. You will be able to influence policy through advising on the impact of policy change and implementation in your area of work.You will need to assess the impact of your activities across your area, with related areas and to ensure they fit with the broader objectives of the University.

Planning & organising

• provide professional expertise, and manage resources and/or a diverse team; o integrate and co-ordinate work across different parts of the department/university;
• lead and manage staff who are likely to be carrying out diverse duties, and ensure collaborative working to deliver a successful service;
• project manage activities to facilitate major changes; o develop policy within functional guidelines, and contribute to strategic development within own area; o be accountable for the quality and professionalism of service delivery, with an appreciation of longer term issues.
  
  

Problem solving and decision making

• anticipate, interpret and assess customer needs, identifying trends, generating original ideas and testing innovative solutions;
• deal with significant people management issues such as change programmes; o resolve issues which may not have arisen before through use of experience and judgement.
  
  

Internal and external relationships

• has an excellent understanding of their own working area and a broad understanding of the contribution other areas make to the success of the University;
• has an excellent understanding of how the University operates, together with an understanding of how academia operates in the UK;
• demonstrates empathy with the academic endeavour and seeks to encourage others to do so.o use coaching skills to motivate and develop staff;
• proactively and sensitively manage the performance of their team and create a motivating environment; o influence others (including across the University) to follow a particular course of action;
• represent the department at internal and external meetings/events/network with colleagues in other institutions to share best practice.
  
  

Informal enquiries to Jenny Prigg, email: j.prigg@bham.ac.uk

View our staff values and behaviours here

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .