Director of Development

Job Description

About Us
We are a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually and 17 million visits to our website.

Today the Museum is more relevant and influential than ever. By attracting people from a range of backgrounds to work for us, we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things.

The Museum has secured investment from the UK Government to build a new science and digitisation centre at Thames Valley Science Park, a science and technology hub on the University of Reading campus. The purpose-built centre will house much of the Museum's collection and will include laboratories, digitisation suites, collaborative research spaces, conservation labs and workspaces.

We employ 900 staff in a variety of roles, all united by our vision of a future where people and planet thrive. We need everyone to have the passion and drive to help us with our mission to create advocates for our planet and inspire millions to care about the natural world.

Diversity and inclusion matter to us.

Our vision is of a future where both people and the planet thrive. Diversity is one of our core values and we strive to build a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. All new staff who join us learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion to the Museum and how to contribute to creating an inclusive environment.

We know we have more to do, but we are committed to ensuring that everyone who works at the Museum feels they can thrive and feel valued and respected.

About the role

We are looking for someone with passion and energy to drive forward our ambitious fundraising strategy. This is an exciting time to join the Museum as we look to develop the next phase in our Fundraising Strategy up to our 150 ^th birthday in 2031. As part of the Museum’s Executive team, reporting to the Museum Director, this role provides strategic leadership and has responsibility for all the Museum’s fundraising activities.

Leading a successful and highly motivated Development Group, the Director of Development will deliver ambitious income targets across the restricted projects portfolio and grow sustainable income across unrestricted programmes. The role will build strong and strategic relationships with current and new donors and supporters, inspiring them to join the Museum in achieving our vision.

About you

We are looking for someone with extensive knowledge and experience of fund-raising in the scientific or cultural sector who can create and deliver a successful fundraising strategy raising c.£15m per annum, with ambition to grow. You will need to have significant experience of building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including individual major donors and philanthropists, corporates, trusts and other key supporters securing six to seven figure gifts. You will also have excellent leadership skills and be able to demonstrate experience of motivating and developing a large development team.

Thriving at the Museum: the way we work
We are proud to work at the Museum and have identified the qualities we all need to embody to reach our shared ambition. This sits alongside the Museum’s values and forms the framework for the way we work.

Find out more here

What we offer

• 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
• Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution 4 - 10%)
• Season ticket, bicycle and rental loan
• Life insurance
• Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across London and the UK.
• Staff discount at our Museum shops and cafes
• We offer a wide variety of training initiatives and opportunities to build skills. Investing in staff development is important to us, and we are ambitious about helping staff to grow and fulfil their potential.
• Affordable membership to the Civil Service Sports Council which offers a range of benefits including an extensive list of special offers and reduced entry fees at a selection of cinema chains, theme parks, theatres, retailers and supermarkets. It also provides entry to up to 300 English Heritage sites and other national treasures. For more details, visit https://www.cssc.co.uk
• Membership to our Sports and Social Association (for a small fee), which includes access to our in-house gym and clubs such as football, softball, table tennis and tennis and classes in Middle Eastern dance, yoga and Tai Chi