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Head of Fundraising, Yehudi Menuhin School (via Ashby Jenkins Recruitment)

  •  London
  •  Â£50k+
  •  Full time
  •  Closes September 28, 2026
  •  Heather Burgess
  •  heather@ashbyjenkinsrecruitment.co.uk
  • #Music
New

Description

Job Description

Thank you for your interest in the Yehudi Menuhin School. We are one of the world's leading specialist classical music schools, with around 95 prodigiously talented young musicians aged 10 to 19 from across the globe. Former pupils include classical superstars such as Nigel Kennedy, Nicola Benedetti, Alina Ibragimova and Tasmin Little CBE. The school is highly selective, and places are awarded on musicality, potential, and passion rather than the ability to pay, with over 90% of students in receipt of bursary support.

Throughout our existence we have depended upon philanthropy to fulfil our mission to nurture and educate the world's brightest young string players and pianists. The role of Head of Fundraising therefore plays a vital role in building sustainable voluntary income through major gifts, trusts, individual giving and legacies. The successful candidate will hold their own donor portfolio and line manage a small, dedicated team, working collaboratively to help embed a wider culture of giving across the school.

ounded in 1963 by celebrated violinist, Yehudi Menuhin - one of the defining figures of 20th century western culture, the school manifested his pioneering vision for a stimulating academic environment in which musically-gifted children, of all nationalities and socio-economic backgrounds, could hone their talents.
Standing firm on this foundation, today we are global leaders in music education.

Our innovative approach is underpinned by a broad and balanced academic curriculum, centred in music. Our charitable status and the generosity of philanthropists ensures a place for any young musician with ambition, passion and potential.

Working together, we strive to nurture well-rounded, resilient and happy individuals. We seek to guide all pupils towards a crystal-clear sense of purpose in an ever-changing landscape. 21st century musicians prepared to engage, inspire and astonish 21st century audiences.

Job Requirements

Support the Director of Development in delivering the fundraising strategy, financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting. Lead, develop and support the fundraising team.

Drive donor acquisition, development and stewardship, identifying and cultivating major donors, growing mid-level giving programmes, developing compelling cases for support and securing funding. Oversee donor, alumni and Friends engagement, ensuring excellent stewardship, retention and recognition of supporters.

Lead the development and delivery of the School's legacy fundraising programme, including managing the legacy society, supporter journeys, communications and legacy administration.

Plan and deliver high-quality cultivation and stewardship events. Maintain effective fundraising systems, database management, reporting and pipeline tracking, producing regular performance reports for senior leadership and committees.

Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations, GDPR and sector best practice.

Job Responsibilities

Proven fundraising experience with a strong track record of delivering income growth and achieving targets, ideally within the arts, education or related sectors.
Demonstrable success in securing, managing and stewarding major donors and other high-value supporters.
Experience developing and implementing fundraising strategies supported by effective systems and processes.
Strong people management skills with experience leading, motivating and developing staff.
Excellent relationship-building abilities, capable of engaging donors, trustees, colleagues and senior stakeholders.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including proposal and report writing.
Strong financial and IT literacy, including CRM management, pipeline tracking, performance monitoring and reporting.
Sound understanding of fundraising regulations, GDPR and sector best practice.
Experience in arts, education, independent schools, membership or alumni fundraising.

Useful Links

How to Apply

Submit a CV and supporting statement (maximum 2 pages) by 5pm on Monday 28 September

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