Head of Development · time effectively and motivate others, are essential. An appreciation of the wider lives and concerns of high-achieving and ambitious students at a selective

Head of

Development

From the Headmistress

As Headmistress of St Helen and St Katharine, I have the immense privilege of watching our

students experience defining moments that will transform their future. Our exciting educational

environment is one in which the unique talents of each of our students are unlocked.

I am also keenly aware that there are young women whose lives would be transformed by

calling St Helen and St Katharine their school and could do so if fees were no longer a factor.

The belief that we can and should remove this financial barrier remains fundamental to the

School’s ethos. Throughout the history of our School, students have been able to come to St

Helen’s because their families received assistance towards the fees, and this has defined the

School’s character as rooted in the local community with a spirit of inclusivity.

Our fierce pride in all that we do at St Helen’s and the transformative value and efficacy of our

mission make us ambitious to reach out further, to individuals whose potential and aspirations

are currently inhibited by circumstances beyond their control. The new role of Head of

Development will be key to helping us win fundraising support to help achieve our goals.

I hope that you will be excited by the challenge of this opportunity. The appointee will be joining

an outstanding team and working with some of the very best staff and students in the country.

I look forward to your application.

The role

• The role of Head of Development is critical to the ongoing strategic development of St Helen and St Katharine

as one of the leading girls’ schools in the country. Strategist, ambassador, motivator, organiser, completer-

finisher and path finder – this is a position that will draw on a great many skills and abilities. It is also a hugely

exciting and rewarding role, offering the post-holder an opportunity to have a significant profile within the wider

St Helen and St Katharine community.

• The Head of Development is accountable for the creation and implementation of an ambitious philanthropic

strategic plan. She/he will innovate, create, lead and implement the delivery of a growing stream of fundraising

income to support current and future bursaries for the short, medium and long term as well as other strategic

projects identified by the School. Inherent to success will be the creation of a culture of philanthropy to help

support the School’s current and future vision.

• This is a demanding and groundbreaking post but it is also an exciting and rewarding one. The ability and

desire to work cooperatively and flexibly with senior leaders, colleagues and stakeholders across the wider

school environment will be critical success factors for the post-holder.

• Whilst this is a new role, the successful candidate will be building upon the School’s strong foundations of

philanthropy, dynamic alumnae relations and engagement with the wider school community.

• The Head of Development will report directly to the Director of Communications and Marketing (direct line

manager) and work closely, and regularly, with the Headmistress.

• Key areas for the next phase of St Helen’s philanthropic strategy include: winning support for the School’s

bursary vision through optimising major gifts and developing a growing stream of regular giving.

This said, success will be measured in many ways including encouraging the volunteering of time,

of expertise, of goodwill as well as the donating of money to support both capital projects and bursary

and hardship funds.

Key responsibilities

• To develop and implement a sustainable short, medium and long-term fundraising strategy to raise funds in

support of bursaries and other aspects of the School’s development plan. This will include generation of gift

income from parents, alumnae and others through major gifts, regular giving and legacies.

• To lead and manage effective research, identification and cultivation of a pipeline of donor prospects and

supporters.

• To draft and develop compelling case for support communications.

• To devise and lead an engagement strategy through a programme of events, publications and direct contact

including one-to-one meetings.

• To take the lead in donor solicitation activities.

• Ensure appropriate recording of donations and Gift Aid declarations.

• To identify and generate income from grant making trusts.

• Provide regular reports on performance and income generation.

• Present updates to the Headmistress, Senior Leadership Team, Foundation Board and Trustees/Governors on

all fundraising activity.

Key responsibilities (cont.)

• To ensure strong donor stewardship practices are in place.

• To ensure all donors are thanked and appropriately recognized.

• To oversee alumnae relations and line manage the Alumnae Services Manager.

• To ensure that all activities are compliant with all aspects of GDPR legislation.

• To ensure ethical, best practice and compliant fundraising activities as outlined by professional bodies such as

the Institute for Fundraising, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Institute of

Development Professionals in Education.

• To stay up to date with appropriate ongoing professional development.

• Ensure that all fundraising activity is updated and recorded on the database.

• Any other relevant fundraising or relationship management activity as defined by the Director of

Communications and Marketing and the Headmistress.

• Awareness and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare of children.

Philanthropy at St Helen and St KatharineEducation transforms

St Helen and St Katharine has a long history of philanthropy. We focus on making a tangible difference to the

futures of all our students and we believe that we have a responsibility to share this potential for transformation

widely and equitably. This belief underpins the work of the St Helen and St Katharine Foundation.

Today we fund nine students fully for the duration of their time at the School and 10% of students receive some

level of support towards the fees. Through our partnerships with local schools, we are committed to enhancing

the educational experience of significant numbers of children and young people.

We know that the quality of our educational provision, our subject expertise, our access to resources, our

facilities and our powerful network create something very special. We want this to be accessible to as many girls

as possible.

The Foundation's ambition now is to build on what has already been achieved by providing eight new, full

bursaries to support aspiration at Sixth Form level, with an initial emphasis on science, technology, engineering

and mathematics (STEM). These places are for students currently attending a state funded school and a rigorous

process of means testing will apply.

This is a long term ambition that we can only achieve with the support of our community.

The person

The appointee will have a strong track record in securing major gifts. She/he will be confident and able to build

strong relationships and effectively interact and communicate with people of all levels with a high degree of

discretion and gravitas. A strong understanding of the principles and practices of fundraising and development

with an understanding of the legal framework of charity fundraising will be key.

This is an exciting new role suited either to a fundraising professional currently outside education, or an individual

already in the education sector, looking to develop their career in the sphere of educational fund raising.

Whatever their background, our next Head of Development needs to convince us that they are a strategic thinker,

determined and resilient, with the ability to build and grow a stream of fundraising income. Outstanding written

and verbal communication skills, strong organisational skills, and the ability to organise and manage your own

time effectively and motivate others, are essential.

An appreciation of the wider lives and concerns of high-achieving and ambitious students at a selective day

school is a prerequisite, together with a willingness to take part in the wider aspects of St Helen’s life, including a

range of events during both evenings and weekends.

This is a permanent post, working full-time all year round with 30 days holiday per year plus public bank holidays.

Life at St Helen and St Katharine

As one of the leading independent schools in the country, St Helen and St Katharine is an exciting place to work

and appointing the very best staff is integral to our success.

St Helen’s is a welcoming school where students feel able to be themselves and relationships between students

and staff are highly valued. It is a happy place where fun and laughter are central elements of the school day.

Eager to learn, and motivated to do their best, our students take advantage of the many opportunities on offer.

We encourage them to challenge themselves and to take risks, both academically and beyond the classroom; we

are also committed to creating a secure and supportive environment in which students feel they can make

mistakes as they learn.

We are a school where success is celebrated but not revered. Our students achieve excellent academic results

and our goal is to ensure that every girl achieves success as she defines it, so that she can believe in herself, her

talents and abilities, and so that she will feel prepared and equipped for life beyond school.

The School is located on a single campus-style site of beautiful Edwardian and modern buildings set in 22 acres

of grounds on the outskirts of Abingdon, some six miles from Oxford. An extensive school bus network facilitates

a catchment area that includes Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

The School is a thriving community of 730 students aged 9 to 18 years, including 192 in the Sixth Form

and a small Junior Department comprising one Year 5 and one Year 6 class. St Helen’s offers students

an outstanding academic education and a rich and varied life beyond the classroom, including excellence

in sport, the creative and performing arts and a superb range of extracurricular clubs and societies.

Whilst there is a strong commitment to girls’ education, links with Abingdon School add a co-educational

dimension. These links include some subjects taught jointly in Sixth Form and collaboration in music,

drama, extracurricular activities and socially at all ages.

The School staff body comprises 200-plus employed staff (teaching and support), plus sports coaches,

casuals, volunteers, governors and visiting music teachers. Staff are well-qualified, conscientious and

share a strong belief in the School ethos. There is an excellent rapport between the students and staff

and all members of the staff room are strongly committed to the provision of academic, enrichment and

extracurricular opportunities through clubs, societies, trips, lectures and other events.

The School supports and celebrates the professional development of all of its staff with a generous

training budget.

The School has its own salary scale which is reviewed annually. The Head of Development is a new

position; the salary will be commensurate with the appointee’s skills and experience.

Staff benefits

• Competitive salaries; a relocation allowance may be available for certain posts

• Generous holiday entitlement

• Support staff may join a stakeholder pension scheme

• Diverse training and professional development programme

• Employee Assistance Programme – offering free and confidential advice

• Free use of the sports centre facilities, when supervised, including a fitness suite, ergo suite, group cycle

studio and a weekly spin class

• Award-winning free school lunch, plus refreshments available in the staff room during the day and after school

• On-site parking

• Cycle to work scheme

• Free eye tests and annual flu vaccination

• Access to well-stocked school library

• Access to wide range of school events

Next steps

To arrange a confidential discussion about the role, please contact RSAcademics Ltd:

Nina Lambert: [email protected] or call her on 07764 185745

Debra Price: [email protected]

The deadline for receipt of applications is 10am on Tuesday 27 August 2019.

To apply, candidates should complete the application form and email it, together with a brief supporting letter

(both as PDF files please) addressed to Headmistress Mrs Rebecca Dougall, to Jonathan Barnes at:

[email protected]. Jonathan can also be reached by calling the Head Office on 01858 467449.

The process:

• All applications will be acknowledged by email. If a candidate has not received acknowledgement that her

or his application has been received within two working days of sending it, applicants should please contact

the Head Office by telephone.

• Preliminary telephone interviews will take place during the week commencing Monday 2 September.

• Interviews will take place at the School on Tuesday 17 / Thursday 19 / Friday 20 September 2019.

• Candidates will be reminded to bring with them the documents for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

checks and the originals of their academic qualifications certificates.

Please note: All job applicants are requested to read the School’s Safer Recruitment Policy, Staff Privacy

Notice and safeguarding policies: Child Protection, Prevent and Online Safety.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants

must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure

and Barring Service.

Founded in 2002 by Russell Speirs, RSAcademics specialises in schools, in the UK and internationally,

advising on marketing strategy and research, leadership consultancy and the search and selection of Heads

and senior staff. Comprising a team of the best schools’ marketing professionals and respected former school

leaders, RSAcademics provides a high quality service to schools with rigour, experience and warmth. Please

visit www.rsacademics.com for more information.

Independent day school for girls aged 9–18

Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 1BE

01235 520173 www.shsk.org.uk

Company No: 1710695 Registered Charity No: 286892