Working at MCS

There are many benefits to working at Magdalen College School. Founded in 1480 by William of Waynflete, the school has a rich history and an enviable location at the heart of Oxford beside the River Cherwell.

MCS is one of the country’s leading independent day schools. Shaped by its Christian Collegiate foundation and links with the university city of which it is part, it aims to inspire in all its pupils a desire to learn, flourish and serve.

The School will celebrate its 550th anniversary in 2030. The current generation of MCS staff and pupils wish to ensure that we shape a school that is able to flourish for at least another half millennium, and hopefully many more beyond. There are around 950 pupils, boys aged 7-18 and Sixth Form girls, and 350 members of staff who learn and work on the School’s central Oxford site.

To learn more about the opportunities and advantages of working at MCS, please refer to the attached ‘Recruitment Pack (Head of Philanthropy)’.

The Role

The School is seeking to appoint someone with the ability to help us build and secure philanthropic relationships with individuals in the MCS community.

You will be able to engage with a wide range of donors, ask them to support school projects and help them as they make their choices. Crucially, you will share the MCS story effectively and fearlessly.

We welcome applications for an ambitious development professional who is able to demonstrate fundraising experience and is ready to make their move to a more senior development post and continue their professional development further.

The successful candidate will be working closely with the Director of the Waynflete office, Susie Baker to meet prospective donors and secure donations.

You will be supported to develop your skills when you are in post through an induction and appraisal programme.

Responsibilities will include but not limited to:

Essential

• Working with the Director of the Waynflete Office to develop the major gift programme, to secure new donors and deliver new fundraising initiatives,
• Use your drive and listening skills to build focussed and exciting short, medium and long-term engagement plans with donors and supporters,
• Manage and steward a portfolio of 30 – 40 prospective donors capable of making five figure gifts to MCS,
• Plan and undertake face-to-face cultivation and solicitation visits with alumni, current and past parents, corporations and trusts, working with the Master and the Director of the Waynflete Office but frequently working alone,
• Attend events at Magdalen College School and elsewhere,
• Undertake any other reasonable tasks which may be necessary in order to assist the efficient and effective running of development activity and the Waynflete Office.

Desirable

• Show that you can work at a strategic level to understand and articulate an institution’s mission, vision, and operating context,
• Manage and steward a portfolio of 30 – 40 donors capable of making six figure+ gifts to MCS,
• Show that you can develop and implement plans over a sustained period with a range of stakeholders that measurably contribute to the institution’s ambitions,
• Project manage our regular giving programme (currently the telethon in alternate years and the school’s Giving Days),
• Have experience of fundraising through regular giving programmes, legacy programmes, giving circles and stewardship,
• Be familiar with the Raiser’s Edge database system or similar relationship management system,
• Have experience of integrating development or community-building into a wider institutional context,
• Deputise for the Director of the Waynflete Office and undertake other responsibilities as necessary.

The Candidate

The successful candidate will have the gravitas and communication skills to build relationships with prospective and current donors, and ideally have experience of face-to-face fundraising or regular giving. Additionally, you may already have their own portfolio of prospective donors. You will also be able to demonstrate your ability to take the next step in your career.

Energy and commitment to the school and the ability to develop relationships with individuals who would like to support the school financially are important attributes.

Personal Attributes

• A professional attitude, discretion and proven levels of confidentiality.
• A high level of emotional intelligence that allows you to understand our donors and how best to support them to enjoy giving and seeing school life flourish.
• Excellent communication skills, spoken and written.
• A proven ability to cultivate relationships which lead to financial support.
• Ambition and drive to deliver the school’s development plans,
• Ability to succeed as part of a small team and to share expertise in support of the wider success of development activity.
• An understanding of and sympathy with the goals of the school, independent education, and development activity in an education context.
• Ability to understand and articulate the strengths and needs of the institution in a compelling and engaging way to donors at all levels.
• Ability to work well with a variety of people including alumni, parents, colleagues and senior volunteers.
• Ability to use own initiative and work under pressure.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.

At interview we will ask you to provide concrete examples of successful donor approaches you have led: from cultivating the initial relationship, articulating the impact of the gift, through to how this has directly led to securing a significant contribution to your organisation’s mission.

The postholder will work closely with the Master and reports to the Director, Susie Baker.

The current office staffing is the Director, the Head of Development Services, the Head of Information Management, the Communications Manager and the Office Administrator. In addition, a retired teaching colleague works as Director of Alumni Relations. There are close wider relationships with the Archives staff.

Remuneration

This is an all-year-round full-time contract with 38.75 working hours per week 08:15-17:00, Mon-Fri with one hour (unpaid) lunch.
This role offers an attractive and competitive salary range of £40,000 to £50,000 per annum commensurate on skills and experience.
Non-teaching staff are automatically enrolled/ can choose to enroll in the school’s contributory Group Pension Scheme. This is a defined contribution pension scheme into which the employee contributes 5% of gross salary and the employer contributes 10%.

Application Process

Candidates should submit the following two documents to the Recruitment Officer, Miss Yelena Molcanova (recruitment@mcsoxford.org), which can be found here.

1. MCS Application Form for Teaching and Support Staff
2. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

All documentation should be sent no later than Monday 25th November, at midday. The school’s preferred method of communication is by email and it will not be necessary to send a hard copy of the documents by post.

References may be taken up in advance. If you do not wish for your references to be called for at this stage, please make that clear on the reference section of the application form.

Interviews

We anticipate holding interviews either on Monday 2nd December or Tuesday 3rd December. We will be in contact with shortlisted candidates by telephone.

Please be aware that all shortlisted candidates will be requested to complete a ‘Self-Disclosure’ form before attending their interview.

We reserve the right to interview and appoint before the above dates.

Equal Opportunities

Magdalen College School recognises and is committed to ensuring applicants and employees from all sections of the community are treated equally regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marital and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We welcome applications form all sections of the community.

Safeguarding Policy

Magdalen College School is committed to the safeguarding of pupils, and any offer of employment will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure, the receipt of satisfactory references, the school’s pre-employment medical questionnaire, plus sight of relevant ID documentation and degree certificate(s). The enhanced DBS check is due to this role being exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.