Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development
St Catherine's School
Surrey
- Expired
- Salary:
- Competitive, commensurate with experience
- Job type:
- Part Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- As soon as possible
- Apply by:
- 1 September 2026
Job overview
Part-Time (0.8 FTE) | Year-round (Flexible working patterns considered)
St Catherine’s is seeking a visionary Director of Strategic Partnerships & Development to join our Senior Leadership Team. In this pivotal executive role, you will lead the strategy for our fundraising, external relations, corporate partnerships, and business development initiatives—shaping the future financial resilience and educational ambition of the School.
You will be responsible for securing philanthropic support, cultivating major donors, developing strategic partnerships and generating sustainable income opportunities. Whether your background is in corporate partnerships, high-value fundraising, commercial growth, hospitality, or professional services, this is an extraordinary opportunity to leverage your relationship-building expertise to make a lasting impact. Prior experience in the education sector is not required.
The Opportunity
As a senior ambassador for St Catherine’s, you will shape and execute an ambitious strategy to diversify income, engage key stakeholders, and maximize the value of the School’s brand and physical assets.
Reporting directly to the Head, you will oversee our Development and Alumnae Relations functions while collaborating closely with Admissions, Marketing, and Finance.
Key Priorities:
Philanthropy & Major Gifts: Build and steward a pipeline of prospective donors, leading capital campaigns, grant applications, and major gift initiatives across alumnae, parents, and benefactors.
Strategic Partnerships & Commercial Growth: Identify and secure mutually beneficial collaborations across business, technology, arts, sport, and the wider community.
Alumnae & Community Engagement: Deliver an exceptional engagement strategy that turns network affinity into meaningful advocacy, mentorship, and support.
Asset Optimization: Partner with executive colleagues to identify commercial opportunities within the School’s Site Masterplan and facilities.
Data-Driven Strategy: Champion CRM systems and performance insights to track growth, evaluate potential initiatives, and guide executive decision-making.
About you:
Senior Commercial Leadership: Proven success in a brand-led, growth-focused, or customer-centric organization.
Relationship Mastery: Outstanding networking, negotiation, and influence skills with high-net-worth individuals, foundations, or executive stakeholders.
Strategic Vision & Execution: The ability to translate big-picture strategy into clear, measurable execution frameworks.
Data Literacy: Comfortable utilizing data insights, CRM systems, and performance dashboards to track pipeline conversion and guide choices.
Ethos & Integrity: Alignment with St Catherine’s values, a commitment to holistic education, and an uncompromising dedication to child safeguarding.
Why Join Us?
At St Catherine’s, we offer a collaborative environment and a competitive benefits package, including:
Flexible Working: Part-time (0.8 FTE) with flexible working patterns considered.
Pension Scheme: Generous employer pension contributions (up to 12% employer).
Holiday Allowance: 25 days plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata), available to book year-round.
Fee Remission: Discounted school fees for daughters attending St Catherine’s.
Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive Health Cash Plan, complimentary lunches during term time, and a Cycle to Work scheme.
Convenience: Free ample on-site parking.
How to Apply
Please submit your application online via the school website
Closing date: 10am, Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled prior to the closing date. Early application is strongly recommended.
St Catherine’s is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to child protection screening, including checks with past employers and an Enhanced DBS with Barred List check. St Catherine’s is an equal opportunities employer.
Attached documents
About St Catherine's School
St Catherine's School, Bramley, an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 3 - 18. Founded in 1885, the school enjoys over a century of tradition and prides itself on its own very special blend of academic excellence and pastoral care.
As a girls' school St Catherine's ensures that its students develop in an environment which suggests to them in everything they see around them that there is nothing that a woman cannot achieve.
They gain a balanced view of the world and their place in it and, with that sense of fearlessness and security, and the confidence it generates, I believe that St Catherine's girls will continue to be very well placed to pursue their education when they leave school at eighteen as sensible, caring and competent young women who will have much to offer in life.
Academic results are important - the school is comfortably placed in the infamous league tables - but we believe that there is much more to an all round education for the young women of the 21st century. The breadth of opportunity afforded to our students and the special atmosphere of support and encouragement which is the hallmark of the school allow St Catherine's to enjoy a reputation as a happy school for bright girls. The philosophy that happiness at school is the key to success and enjoyment for every individual underpins everything we do.
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