Head of Development Candidate Information Pack
in partnership with
{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
“To inspire and be inspired”
John Baugh, Headmaster
Overview
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Main Objectives
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The School
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Dragon’s History
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Fundraising at Dragon
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Old Dragons
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Reporting
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Duties and Responsibilities
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Detailed Tasks
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Person Specification
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How to apply
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Overview The Head of Development will lead the School’s development programme and support the Headmaster in attracting the keynote donations from prospective major donors. The successful candidate will organise and coordinate all the School’s fundraising activities, including donor identification and cultivation, in order to enable the Headmaster to make approaches to major donors.
John Baugh Headmaster
Main Objectives The Head of Development’s main objectives will be to: •
Secure, with the Headmaster, major donations to sustain the School’s bursary programme and the School’s capital development plans.
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Develop the School’s development programme, building effective and long lasting relationships with all potential donors.
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Develop and lead the supporting fundraising strategy.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
The School The Dragon is a co-educational boarding and day school situated in the leafy suburbs of North Oxford, and it is a school with a remarkable ethos and history. It was founded as the Oxford Preparatory School in 1877 and moved to its present site on the northern edge of Oxford University soon afterwards. For the past 60 years it has been a charitable trust dedicated to providing all that is best in education for boarding and day children up to the age of 13. The School has an ethos that hinges on "robust informality and relaxed rigour" and relies on common sense and individual responsibility rather than a weighty rulebook. The children have a high degree of self-confidence and, unsurprisingly, amongst its old pupils are a large number of successful men and women. Boys and girls leave the Dragon, usually at 13, go on to join the finest schools - and, this year, 48 pupils gained scholarships and awards for academic, cultural and sporting achievement. Even after leaving the Dragon, and in a way more akin to senior schools and universities, the children remain a cohesive group with friendships that survive the years.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Dragon’s History The Dragon School was founded in 1877 by a committee of Oxford dons and teaching started at rooms in Balliol Hall. The school's original remit was to provide a high standard of academic grounding and pastoral care to the children of professors of the University of Oxford and many early teachers were or had been 'dons' themselves. Among the most active of the dons was a Mr George, so the first pupils decided to call themselves "Dragons" after Saint George and the Dragon. The 'Dragon' name, attributed to a quip by a teacher at rival school , gained popularity, and in time, the school was officially renamed to the Dragon School. In 1894, C. C. Lynam took out a lease on 15 acres along the banks of the River Cherwel at Bardwell Road and £4,000 was raised from local parents for the new school buildings. The Dragon is the lead sponsor of a new primary school academy, the Blackbird Academy Trust, established in September 2013. The Dragon and two other educational charities, Family Links and the Hamilton Trust, will help to lead and support the new Academy as sponsors. The Orchard Meadow, Pegasus School and Windale primary schools all retain their identities under the umbrella of the Academy led by Executive Director, Jill Hudson.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Fundraising at Dragon The Dragon has a rich history of financial support from Old Dragons, parents, and friends, and this generosity has helped the School achieve - and maintain - its reputation for excellence. To retain its position among the finest preparatory schools in the world, the school continues to support and enhance the people, programmes, and facilities that make a difference. The Dragon raises money for two key purposes: bursaries and capital and endowment projects. The bursaries scheme ensures that the School maintains the breadth of background of its pupils and the educational experience of every child in the School is greatly enhanced. There is a rolling ten-year plan of capital and endowment projects and the next significant undertaking will be the planning and construction of a new Music School. The School’s first Development Director joined in January 1994 and the most recent appointed in 2002, who moved on in 2009 to join Brasenose College. Following her departure the school revised its approach and the Headmaster’s fundraising role was significantly enhanced and a Head of Development appointed. After four successful years, she is moving to be Development Director at Tudor Hall School. The Development Office has a firm administrative and organisational footing and the database, based on IRIS Donor Strategy, has over 13,500 records. The Development Office is located in the same building as the Headmaster and Bursar and currently consists of the Head of Development and a full-time Development & Events Officer.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Old Dragons
Rageh Omaar Journalist
Hugh Laurie Actor
Leonard Cheshire VC Disabled Rights Campaigner
Tim Henman Sportsman Dom Joly Comedian
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Cressida Dick Assistant Commissioner, MET
Sir John Betjeman Poet
Alain de Botton Philosopher
Emma Watson Actress
Julian Opie Artist
Brent Hoberman Co-founder, Lastminute.com
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Reporting The Head of Development will report to the Headmaster on day to day matters and liaise directly with the Bursar and Director of External Relations on matters relating to budget, staff, facilities, marketing etc. Appraisals will be conducted by the Headmaster. The Head of Development will report in writing to the Governing Body for each meeting and attend meetings by invitation. The Head of Development will attend the School’s Senior Management Team meetings and in particular will be expected to work closely with the Director of External Relations and the Registrar. Duties and Responsibilities The Head of Development’s key duties and responsibilities will be: Development and fundraising: •
Develop with the Headmaster the School’s strategy for development and fundraising initiatives in the short, medium and long term (especially at the major gift level); write the development and fundraising plans to support the strategy.
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Report progress, results, activity and plans to Governors.
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Develop a culture of giving within the Dragon community.
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Direct and supervise a research programme to identify potential donors including individuals, companies and charitable trusts.
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Lead the fundraising process to identify, cultivate and solicit donations.
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Plan and manage the cultivation of, and approaches to, potential major donors, including the detailed briefing and co-ordination of the Headmaster and key Governors if they are to ‘make the ask’.
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Make personal approaches when appropriate to selected individuals, companies and trusts.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
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Promote the School and its specific projects for which funds will be used.
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Remain well-informed and up-to-date with all fundraising practices (including the necessary tax aspects of giving in the UK and overseas).
Relationships and Communications: •
Manage key donor relationships within the UK and abroad.
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Work in close cooperation with, and promote the interests of the School to, all potential donor constituencies; in particular Old Dragons, current and former parents.
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Establish good working relationships in general with the Governing Body, Common Room, Bursary, Senior Management and support staff and brief them on the School’s fundraising activities.
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Develop the fundraising input to the School’s external communication strategy.
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Produce and distribute fund-raising and promotional publications and material.
Leadership, Management, and Administration: •
Lead and motivate Development team staff.
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Provide support and assistance to the Development Committee.
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Manage the annual Development budget as set out in the School’s annual budget.
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Manage the Development database to meet the needs of Development staff.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Detailed Tasks Management: •
Responsibility for the development office and line management of the Development Assistant and Alumni Officer.
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Assist with the recruitment of development staff.
Strategy & Reporting: •
Report to and work with the Headmaster on all development matters.
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With the Headmaster, develop short, medium and long term strategies for fundraising for bursaries and capital campaigns.
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Prepare termly development reports for Governors.
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Report annually directly to Governors on development progress.
Research: •
Undertake detailed annual research of alumni, parents, high net worth individuals and key prospects and ensure all are entered on database.
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Research and prepare individual profiles for Headmaster’s prospect meetings.
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Research and provide briefing notes of attendees at all events for the use of the Headmaster, Governors and senior members of staff.
Communications: •
With Director of External Relations devise and prepare all development materials including all capital campaign, bursary and legacy literature, and development reports for donors.
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Ensure all processes are in place for stewardship and thanking of donors.
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Communicate with alumni through letters, email, telephone and personal visits for the purposes of donor cultivation and stewardship.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Development & Fundraising: •
Assist the Headmaster with parent and alumni fundraising including the identification, cultivation and solicitation of donors.
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Plan and manage the capital campaign, bursary programme, annual leavers’ campaign, legacy appeal and young givers.
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Undertake regular cultivation meetings leading to ‘asks’ for mid-level and major gifts of up to six figures.
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Research appropriate Trusts and Foundations for possible funding and work with the Bursar on applications.
Events: •
Plan, design and manage a programme of strategic events for cultivation and solicitation of gifts from both parents and alumni.
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Oversee and attend all events and ensure that feedback is appropriately recorded and all necessary follow-up takes place.
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Plan and arrange private cultivation dinners for the Headmaster and Governors.
Financial: •
Work with the Director of External Relations to prepare the annual budget for development.
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Produce detailed financial reports for GPC and Governors.
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Complete monthly development bank reconciliation for the Bursary.
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Ensure all targets are met for the leavers’ campaign, capital campaign and bursary.
Administration: •
Record all aspects of communications and fundraising on database (Donor Strategy).
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Organise annual update mailings for contact details.
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Complete annual ‘rollover’ of database.
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
Person Specification This is a senior appointment within the School and the selected candidate will have the presence, skills, knowledge and experience to deliver the development programme, including: •
Substantial previous experience within a development office either in a school, college or university.
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Graduate or equivalent professional experience
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Computer skills including familiarity of relational databases (preferably Donor Strategy)
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Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
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Meticulous attention to detail
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Experience of in-depth prospect research
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Tact, sensitivity and the ability to handle confidential material with discretion
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Ability to plan and prioritise effectively
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High degree of personal motivation, initiative and drive
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Able and willing to adopt a flexible attitude to working hours and duties including being prepared to work some evenings and weekends
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An interest and sympathy with the ethos and aims of independent education
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Willingness to take an interest and become involved in all aspects of the school
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{ Head of Development } Candidate Information Pack
How to Apply
The recruitment process is being managed by Mairi Shirley from Execucare. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Mairi on 020 3589 0468 To make a formal application, you need to email a copy of your CV along with a short Covering Letter to mairi.shirley@execucare.com Your Covering Letter should be be addressed, but sent by email, to: Mairi Shirley Director Execucare 71-75 Shelton Street London WC2H 9JQ
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