Deputy Director, Development

Job Number: (19000054)

Development and Alumni Relations Grade 9: - £52,560 - £59,135

Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time

Contracted Hours per Week: 35

Job Family: Business Process and People Services

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are welcoming, collegiate and inclusive.     

OUR VALUES: We are motivated, inquisitive, challenging, rigorous and innovative.

Durham University

Durham University is one of the world's most distinctive and distinguished universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

The Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) at Durham is responsible for coordinating philanthropy, alumni and supporter engagement, and advancement communications on behalf of the University. DARO works with colleges, academic departments, research centres and institutes, wider student experience partners, and professional departments to engage over 180,000 alumni and supporters around the world. 

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide a comprehensive service and deliver the efficient administration and governance of the University.

Overall family purpose

• Deliver direct and indirect services to stakeholders.

• Provide advice and answer queries as part of an enquiry-desk/help-desk function.

• Respond to and manage requests for information and resources.

• Deliver services to meet regulatory requirements and procedures. 

• Plan and deliver a joined-up approach to University business and people services.

• Align business processes and services to meet operational and strategic policy objectives.  

• Deliver business processes to ensure effective management, governance and the economic viability of the University. 

• Encourage, collaborate and participate in the development of productive cross-institution relationships and working.

• Provide excellent professional services that meet strategic and operational goals and business needs.

• Carry out monitoring, analysis, development and planning to design new services and service updates for continuous improvement whilst meeting changes in regulations.

• Engage with specialist professionals, consultants, and suppliers to exchange knowledge and facilitate partnership working.

• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.

• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.

• Engage and encourage participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically sustainable approach to delivering Professional Services across the University;

• A joined-up approach to University professional services, regardless of location or line management;

• A culture and practice of continuous improvement; 

• Design services that meet business need;

• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;

• Support and facilitate programmes that offer intellectual challenge, cohesiveness and a strong sense of progression;

• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.

The Department and role purpose   

The Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) is responsible for coordinating philanthropy, alumni and supporter engagement, and advancement communications on behalf of the University. DARO works with colleges, academic departments, research centres and institutes, wider student experience partners, and professional departments to engage over 180,000 alumni and supporters around the world.

The Development team within DARO are ultimately responsible for: soliciting major and principal donations from alumni, philanthropists, corporations, trusts and foundations, and other charitable bodies; stewarding major and principal donors through reports, presentations, events and face-to-face meetings; hosting and devising engagement opportunities for existing and prospective benefactors on campus; and relationship managing high-level stakeholders on behalf of the University.

The Deputy Director, Development will lead and deliver the strategic direction for all of these activities on behalf of DARO and the University. Crucially, on a day-to-day basis, the post-holder will manage the performance of all (major) fundraising staff and activities across the University to ensure the achievement of targets and metrics/milestones – including ambitious income, volume, and activity targets. The post-holder will have direct management responsibility for major gifts, trusts and foundations, legacies, and donor relations colleagues within their direct reporting structure; this team will include both office-based staff and remote workers.

The post-holder will be expected to work with other professional service and departmental colleagues to develop resources and find solutions which aid fundraising activities, including (but not limited to): developing Case for Support and related materials in partnership with project leaders across the University; coordinating with executive, legal, finance, and governance colleagues on issues related to gift acceptance and administration; and acting as a first point of contact for major global fundraising activities supported by volunteers and partnership bodies (e.g. Dunelm USA).

In addition to being a key member of the DARO senior management team, the post-holder will be a lead stakeholder in the delivery of the Durham Inspired campaign. The Deputy Director, Development will be responsible all day-to-day coordination of campaign-related activities in partnership with the campaign board, its individual members, and any consultants/advisors involved in campaign delivery. These duties will also include producing various bespoke reports for the attention of the University’s executive and governance bodies.

(NB Although the post-holder will not have a personal fundraising portfolio, they will be expected to have substantial major donor, trust and foundation and legacy experience – including working with donors in US/Asia-Pacific markets – in order to support team members, board members, and project leaders with prospect strategies, 1:1 meetings, events, proposals, solicitations and other general fundraising activities. This will include occasionally taking the lead on individual donor relationships.)

Core responsibilities:

• Provide professional and expert leadership at a significant operational level and contribute to strategic planning to meet organisational objectives.

• Provide feedback on team and individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff ADR and performance reviews.

• Recruit, induct, train and develop new team members.

• Help to shape the skills and expertise of team members and design work structures to meet operational and strategic goals.

• Handle the vast majority of welfare issues within a team, referring more complex welfare issues to appropriate support services/senior management.

• Provide expert guidance, advice and problem-solving skills to stakeholders.

• Identify and develop innovative approaches and make recommendations for how these can be implemented within the service area.

• Significant input into the planning and development of future skills and expertise within service areas to meet organisational goals.

• Responsible for the management and leadership of people across service areas, setting operational and strategic objectives for discrete areas.

• Implement change management projects across service areas in collaboration with peers and specialists to ensure a smooth and effective transition.

• Lead the creation, review, design, implementation and monitoring of policy and service level standards. 

• Contribute to wider quality and regulatory audit process for stakeholder systems and services.

• Influence and contribute to operational and strategic scoping and resource planning across a range of activities, developing and presenting complex business plans and strategy documents where required.

• Set operational objectives for the scoping initiation, planning and implementation of significant projects in service areas.

• Devolve key responsibilities to experienced team members to ensure succession and encourage skills development.

• Provide leadership and influence the governance of service activities, processes and transactions to meet regulatory and professional service and policy standards.

• Build and lead an influential network of contacts both internally and externally to influence the development of service provision.

• Provide leadership within project teams to shape and determine specifications and key deliverables, problem solve and guide implementation.

• Lead internal and external business meetings, working groups and committees at operational and strategic service level to influence governance, organisational policy and standards for the service.

• Budget responsibility for allocating and managing expenditure of consumable and capital items.

Role responsibilities:

• Conduct horizon scanning and research with internal and external stakeholders, local government, professional bodies and sector agencies to provide briefings and reports.

• Provide leadership with relationship building with external agencies and service providers, identify and develop opportunities to increase influence in keeping with strategic objectives.

• Deputise for strategic managers and take responsibility for the feasibility analysis, development, planning and implementation of new service areas and activities.

• Create opportunities to promote services via internal and external events and activities.

• Set service metrics and expected levels of efficiency of service delivery.

• Analyse and interpret complex data sources, to provide business intelligence and business forecasts.

• Deliver professional development learning activities designing individual workshops, sessions and a programme of activities.

• Responsible for the overall design of a set of learning activities as part of a wider skills development programme.

• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements:

The Development team within DARO are ultimately responsible for: soliciting major and principal donations from alumni, philanthropists, corporations, trusts and foundations, and other charitable bodies; stewarding major and principal donors through reports, presentations, events and face-to-face meetings; hosting and devising engagement opportunities for existing and prospective benefactors – remotely and on campus; and relationship managing high-level stakeholders on behalf of the University. 

 

The Deputy Director, Development will lead and deliver the strategic direction for all of these activities on behalf of DARO and the University. Crucially, on a day-to-day basis, the post-holder will manage the performance of all (major) fundraising staff and activities across the University. The post-holder will have direct management responsibility for major gifts, trusts and foundations, legacies, and donor relations colleagues within their direct reporting structure; this broader team will include both office-based staff and remote workers in the UK and internationally.

In addition to being a key member of the DARO management team, the post-holder will be a lead stakeholder in the delivery of the Durham Inspired campaign - a major philanthropic initiative within its first phase at the University. The Deputy Director, Development will be responsible all day-to-day coordination of campaign-related activities in partnership with the campaign board, its individual members, and any consultants/advisors involved in campaign delivery. The post-holder will not be expected to carry a personal fundraising portfolio, but must have substantial experience of major gifts, trusts and foundations, corporate and legacy fundraising both in the UK and key philanthropic markets around the world. 

Recruiting to this post 

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above (including those listed in the section ‘Realising Your Potential Approach’).  

In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.  

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply 

We prefer to receive applications online. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What you are required to submit

1. A CV; 

2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;

3. Examples of how you satisfy both the person specification and the Realising Your Potential Approach criteria shown below. 

Contact details 

For further information please contact; Andrew Harston, andrew.harston@durham.ac.uk  

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.

• Excellent IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office and proficiency with CRM systems (preferably Raiser’s Edge).
   
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).

• Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition.

• Expert knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines, including Data Protection, GDPR and adherence to Gift Acceptance procedures – both in the UK and within overseas markets
   
• Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including executive and governance bodies

• Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels.

• Experience of being able to network effectively and develop strong and productive working relationships, to influence perceptions of the University.

• Substantial and sustained experience of negotiating and closing major donations with new and developed prospects, or equivalent business development experience
   
• Proven ability to manage, coach and develop individual fundraisers and fundraising teams to achieve ambitious activity, volume and income targets

Desirable Criteria

• Regarded as a thought-leader on fundraising management within the advancement industry, publishing or speaking regularly on cutting-edge issues facing the industry

• Proven experience of leading the development function within a major, global philanthropic campaign within HE or equivalent sector

• Personal and sustained experience of raising regular £1M+ gifts from UK trusts and foundations and international major donors

Realising Your Potential Approach

Essential behavioural attributes

PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION - Seeing the work that you do in the context of the bigger picture and taking a long-term view. Communicating vision clearly and enthusiastically to inspire and motivate others.

1. Simultaneously deal with complexity, make decisions in a climate of uncertainty and bring colleagues with them through change 
2. Engaging and well-informed communicator 
3. Interests audiences with mixed levels of understanding 
4. Marshals information and presents compelling arguments 
5. Negotiates to achieve satisfactory outcomes when solutions seem impossible 

FINDING SOLUTIONS - Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically and with creativity to analyse problems and develop innovative and workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation. 

1. Developing creative approaches to improve problem resolution processes
2. Using a variety of processes and the participation of others to develop solutions that are acceptable to those concerned and have benefit for the University
3. Supporting innovation where potential benefits outweigh risks 

ACHIEVING RESULTS - Planning and organising workloads to ensure that deadlines are met within resource constraints. Consistently meeting objectives and success criteria. 

1.    Delivering excellent results through others, without necessarily possessing specialist knowledge and skills.