• To play a crucial role in ensuring that philanthropic income against the core priorities of the Social Sciences Division rises in a steady and sustainable manner year on year through the successful acquisition of new gifts 
• To identify prospective donors with whom the University will aim to develop significant philanthropic relationships and eventually build a prospect pool of 75-100 quality major gift prospects. These will be drawn from several groups: high net-worth individuals (both alumni and non-alumni), the corporate sector, trusts and foundations and other bodies from whom funding may be obtained. To achieve personal income targets of at least £1million annually and achieve department-wide performance expectations of approximately 15 prospect meetings per month. 
• To be responsible for formulating and implementing stewardship strategies for all donors for whom the post holder is the primary relationship manager

To be able to understand academically complex projects and explain and promote them to potential, non-specialist donors. This will involve working out how to articulate and publicise priority projects, as agreed by the University and Social Sciences Division, in both written and verbal form. This will be undertaken in close collaboration with the Head of Development – Social Sciences and  senior University officials and academics, and with senior fundraising personnel in the Collegiate University both in Oxford and overseas (including the offices located in New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo)

Person Specification to include:

• Proven fundraising experience and direct involvement in securing six-figure gifts.
• Broad knowledge of social science issues and the ability to speak and write about them with fluency and authority.
• Proven experience of thriving within a high-performance, target-driven environment.
• Excellent personal presentation and communication skills, both oral and written. 
• The ability to identify and work with professional and academic colleagues in the cultivation of prospects and in the solicitation of major gifts.
• The ability to converse effectively and convincingly with a range of people, including major donors, academics and senior officers, and to represent the University at the highest levels; the capability of representing the University at a senior level.
• An ability to ask for, or arrange for others to ask for, significant gifts to enable the Social Sciences Division and the collegiate University to maintain their world-class status.