I’ve worked as a development professional (aka fundraiser) since 1998. I work for the Education Endowment Foundation Foundation, a new charity dedicated to raising the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils in English primary and secondary schools. Before that, I worked within the University of Oxford for a dozen years.

You can view the collection of my writings on fundraising by clicking here.

I’ve been involved with fundraising for four institutions within Oxford:

  • 2012 – present: Development Director, Education Endowment Foundation;
  • 2010-12: Associate Director of Development, University of Oxford;
  • (Summer 2011 – Acting Director of Development, University of Oxford);
  • 2008-10: Director of Development, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford;
  • 2002-08: Director of Strategy & Development, St Anne’s College, University of Oxford;
  • 1999-2001: Development Officer, Mansfield College, University of Oxford.

Here’s a taster of what I’ve done …

Fundraising

>> Helped lead the University of Oxford’s 85-strong development office through the ‘recalibration’ of its £1bn+ Campaign for a fresh phase, including a global feasablity study, summit with top donors, and internal structure review.

>> Managed the University’s seven-figure fundraising budget in order to deliver a fundraising income to expenditure ration of 10:1, among the best in higher education fundraising in the world;

>> Managed teams which have helped generate approaching £Millions in donation income, including 7- and 8-figure donations;

>> Built and managed active lists of individuals and charitable trusts/foundations, personally or jointly asking prospective donors for gifts;

>> Recruited high net-worth individuals around the world to boards to contribute their counsel, networks and gifts;

>> Instituted full stewardship programmes to ensure timely progress reports are issued to major donors detailing project achievements, and devloped strategies to ensure all donors are recognised for their gifts in a personal and sustainable manner.

>> Developed and implemented legacies programmes to maximise legacy giving by making it the natural fulfilment of a lifetime’s giving.

Communications

>> Developed and implemented communications strategies, incorporating an extensive range of print and online media.

>> Devised and written fully-costed Cases for Support to express the financial needs of the institutions.

>> Managed the re-design, re-structuring and re-writing of the St Anne’s College website – www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk – to ensure the College’s image of itself was properly communicated internally and externally.

>> Devised and implemented national and international events programmes to re-connect institutions with current and prospective donors.

>> Built international networks of alumni and supporters in the USA (New York City, Boston MA, Washington DC and San Francisco) and the Far East (Hong Kong and Tokyo).

Leadership

>> Helped lead, as Associate Director and Acting Director of Development, the University of Oxford’s 85-strong development office, in the UK and Asia, through its Campaign ‘recalibration’ beyond £1 billion;

>> Served on senior management teams, finance and investment committees and governing bodies.

>> As a Fellow of St Anne’s College, acting as secretariat to the working party which recommended a root-and-branch overhaul to modernise the College’s governance structures, increasing transparency and accountability, and streamlining the decision-making process.

>> Leadership of fundraising strategies, and the sharing of best practice, across the University of Oxford and its colleges in a range of elected and appointed roles: (i) on Oxford’s Development Council Executive Committee (and its predecessor bodies), 2003-07, and 2010-present; (ii) Co-Chair of the Oxford Planned Giving consortium of 31 colleges and the University (2005-07); and (iii) as elected Co-Chair of the Development Forum, representing all fundraising professionals across the Collegiate University (2006-07).

>> Presented at various professional seminars and conferences on topics such as major gifts fundraising, branding your campaign, involving parents in fundraising, and how to put together a fundraising campaign.