Head of Development & Partnerships

The Head of Development & Partnerships will play a key part in developing and delivering an ambitious programme of institutional and individual donor engagement and strategic partnerships in the UK, as part of the organisation’s global fundraising ambitions.

This is a senior position requiring a proactive, hands-on approach to both strategy and delivery. Working collaboratively within a small team, you will personally cultivate and steward relationships with donors and partners, leading the planning and delivery of an engaging programme of events in London and across the UK. You will work alongside the Executive Director, responsible for strategic leadership in fundraising and external relations, as well as the Chair, Trustees and team colleagues to secure philanthropic investment in our mission.

As part of a global development effort, you will collaborate closely with colleagues based at WMF’s headquarters in New York and in offices around the world to develop and deliver coordinated approaches for engaging philanthropists and institutional funding partners.

Job Requirements

• Significant experience in development and relationship fundraising, with a track record of cultivating and stewarding major donors and strategic partners
• An accomplished relationship builder with excellent communications skills who develops trust quickly and enjoys bringing people together.
• Experience planning and delivering high-quality donor cultivation and stewardship events
• Experience managing interns and volunteers
• A solid understanding of the UK philanthropic and cultural funding landscape, including the ecology of private wealth, family philanthropy, charitable trusts and foundations and public sector funding sources
• Collaborative by instinct and comfortable working independently within a small, hands-on team
• Motivated by the belief that culture and heritage make a vital contribution to society by fostering understanding, preserving knowledge, and creating connections across generations and communities.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Executive Director to develop WMF Britain’s philanthropy and partnerships plan, aligned to a global fundraising effort
• Support the Executive Director and Chair to build, cultivate and steward a portfolio of major donors, ambassadors, members, trusts, foundations and strategic partners to meet annual fundraising targets for both unrestricted support and project funding
• Prepare proposals, grant applications, donor reports and stewardship communications
• Work with the Executive Director and the WMF Britain Projects team, Chair and Trustees to secure dedicated project funds from institutional funders and individual donors
• Design and deliver an engaging annual programme of events and visits for members, patrons, donors and partners in London and across the UK
• Work with WMF affiliate colleagues in Europe, and across the globe, to build an integrated annual travel programme and international events programme
• See vacancy page for further responsibilities.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a current CV (maximum two pages) and a cover letter (maximum two pages) as a single PDF document to britain@wmf.org. Include “Head of Development & Partnerships – [Your Full Name]” as the subject line of your email. Applications should be submitted by 31 August 2026. No phone calls please.

A full job description can be found on our website: https://wmf.org/careers.

About the organisation

World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the leading independent nonprofit organisation dedicated to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities.