Rooted in history and driven by purpose, Marlborough College is seeking a Director of Development to unlock the power of philanthropy that widens opportunity and transforms young lives.
Who we are
Marlborough College is one of the UK’s leading independent co-educational boarding schools, set on a remarkable 200-acre campus in the heart of Wiltshire. Founded in 1843, the College has a long tradition of developing young people who are intellectually curious, open-minded and ready to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
Today, Marlborough is a community with a clear sense of purpose: combining academic excellence with character, creativity, service and social impact.
Marlborough College seeks to appoint a new Director of Development to lead and build capacity within the organisation’s Development team. The postholder will play a key role in delivering the Master’s ambition to achieve 20% full and partial bursary student places and help ensure the College continues to provide the quality and range of facilities needed for a holistic education of excellence and opportunity for its pupils.
This is a defining moment for the College: one rooted in the belief that education changes lives, and that broadening opportunity stretches not only individual futures, but the communities and world those young people will go on to shape.
About the role
This is a pivotal moment for Marlborough’s fundraising, and a real opportunity for an ambitious development leader to leave their mark. With more than £29 million raised towards the ‘Marlborough Difference’ bursary campaign, we are looking for an experienced development leader who can bring the energy and expertise to secure transformational gifts from high-net-worth individuals.
As Director of Development, you will lead a team, secure transformational gifts from high-net-worth individuals and work confidently across a complex governance structure that includes the Council, the Foundation and the Marlburian Club. You will need the judgement to bring fresh thinking and rigour to the role, while respecting what makes a historic institution like Marlborough distinctive. This is a genuine leadership opportunity for someone who wants to shape the future of one of the UK’s most respected schools, not simply manage an existing programme.
The postholder will lead the strategy, team and relationships that underpin Marlborough’s fundraising ambitions, working closely with the Master and senior stakeholders across the College’s network. You will be the driving force behind a step change in major gift fundraising and a confident, credible presence with donors, volunteers and governance bodies alike.
Key responsibilities include:
- Shaping and delivering the College’s development strategy alongside the Master and Council
- Leading, developing and motivating a small team to deliver ambitious fundraising targets
- Personally cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major and principal gift prospects, including UHNWI donors
- Building trusted relationships across the Council, Foundation and Marlburian Club
- Owning the development budget, forecasting and reporting
Who we are looking for
We are looking for a senior development professional with a strong track record of securing six and seven figure gifts from high-net-worth individuals, and the leadership skills to build and inspire a high-performing team. You will be a natural relationship builder, equally comfortable in the boardroom, at a donor dinner or in front of your team, and skilled at navigating the internal politics of a historic, multi-layered organisation.
You will bring:
- Extensive senior-level development experience, with a proven ability to close major and principal gifts
- A track record of leading, empowering, supporting and motivating a team, including setting clear direction and measurable targets and objectives
- Political astuteness and the ability to build collaborative relationships across governance structures such as councils, foundations, alumni bodies and other internal and external stakeholders at all levels
- Sound strategic and financial planning skills, including budget forecasting and campaign management
- The highest standards of integrity, discretion and judgement
- The flexibility to work unsociable hours (evenings and weekends) when required and to travel in the UK and overseas.
Accessibility
We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities. We offer the following amenities:
- Accessibility dogs are welcome
- Materials can be presented in different formats
- Flexible working patterns
Learn more about the stories that show the Marlborough Difference
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the job pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Matt Skaife | matt@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 749982
Katie Booth | katie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 749956
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the following documents:
To formally apply, please submit the completed application form along with a CV and supporting statement (ideally a maximum of 2 sides of A4) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Marlborough College—Director of Development” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Matt Skaife | matt@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 749982
Katie Booth | katie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 749956
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact Matt Skaife. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Tuesday 1st September 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: by 5 p.m. Tuesday 8th September 2026
First stage interviews (online): Wednesday 16th September 2026
Second stage interviews (in-person): Friday 25th September 2026
Marlborough College’s approach to safeguarding
Marlborough College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Staff must adhere to and ensure compliance with the College’s Safeguarding Policy at all times.
In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education legislation and safer recruitment practices, the College (or appointed third party on our behalf) will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates. The online search is part of the statutory safeguarding checks and will seek publicly available information on candidates’ suitability to work with children. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with further guidance and will be asked to clarify their online presence.
The College applies for an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for all positions at the College which amount to regulated activity with children. As this role meets the legal definition of regulated activity with children, the successful candidate will be required to complete a DBS Disclosure online Application Form. Employment with the College is conditional upon the College being satisfied with the result of the Enhanced DBS Disclosure. Any criminal records information that is disclosed to the College will be handled in accordance with any guidance and/or code of practice published by the DBS.
The College will also carry out a check of the Children’s Barred List. Please be aware that it is unlawful for the College to employ anyone to work with children if they are barred from doing so, and it is a criminal offence for a person to apply to work with children if they are barred from doing so.
This role is also exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the College is therefore permitted to ask applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which would normally be considered “spent”) in order to assess their suitability to work with children. However, applicants do not have to disclose a caution or conviction for an offence committed in the United Kingdom if it has been filtered in accordance with the DBS filtering rules.
Having a criminal record will not necessarily prevent you from taking up employment with the College. Instead, the College will assess each case on its merits and with reference to the College’s objective assessment procedure set out in the College’s ‘Recruitment, selection and disclosure policy and procedure’.
The successful applicant must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post and cannot start in post until all pre-employment checks have been completed satisfactorily.
The College particularly welcomes applications from underrepresented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or religion.
Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Marlborough College and Peridot Partners. Any information you provide as part of this recruitment process will be held and processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. Your data will be stored securely by Peridot Partners and shared with Marlborough College for the purposes of assessing your suitability for the role and progressing your application. Peridot Partners and Marlborough College are responsible for processing your personal data in accordance with their respective privacy policies. For further information about your rights and how your personal data is used, please visit the Peridot Partners Privacy Policy.
For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website: Marlborough College | Co-Educational Independent Boarding School Wiltshire
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Marlborough College are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
The information provided does not form part of the decision-making process and will not affect your application. Learn more about why we collect this data here.
