Associate Director, Gift Policy & Administration

Associate Director, Gift Policy & Administration

We are UCL: a diverse community with the freedom to challenge and think differently. The world urgently needs solutions to diverse problems. UCL was founded 200 years ago on the generosity of a collective of people who believed in an institution that could drive forward those solutions. The world needed collective support then, and it needs it again now.

In response, UCL has launched Here, it will
happen
, our biggest philanthropic and engagement campaign yet.
Here, it will happen sets out our ambitions to solve global health, societal, climate and education challenges in UCL’s next century. Here, we have the determination to double down on our discoveries, translate our innovations into impact and inspire the citizens of the future.

There has never been a more exciting time to join UCL Advancement. We are a team of exceptionally ambitious, creative and passionate individuals who work together to achieve remarkable things with a global impact, and we would love for you to be part of this exciting journey and our success.
Here, it will happen.

We are recruiting for an Associate Director of Gift Policy and Administration to join our Advancement Strategy and Operations team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Advancement Strategy and Operations, you will play a pivotal leadership role in enabling the success of UCL’s bicentennial fundraising and engagement campaign. You will lead the strategic direction of charitable gift management across UCL Advancement, ensuring that the full lifecycle of philanthropic gifts, from acceptance to expenditure, operates effectively, compliantly and with a strong focus on donor intent.

Working closely with colleagues across Advancement and Professional Services, including Finance, Legal and Research and Innovation Services, you will develop and oversee robust policies, procedures and governance frameworks for gift administration. You will ensure UCL’s philanthropic activity complies with internal policy frameworks, charity legislation and sector standards, while also enabling an efficient and donor-centred approach to gift operations.

The role also has institutional oversight of philanthropic income reporting and regulatory compliance. You will act as a key strategic partner across UCL to ensure that philanthropic revenue is managed transparently and reported accurately, supporting the university’s financial governance and campaign ambitions.

As a member of the Advancement Management Team, you will contribute to the strategic leadership of the division and help shape an operational environment that supports the continued growth of fundraising and engagement activity at UCL.

This role is eligible for hybrid working with a minimum of 20% on site.

Please use the attach cover letter upload option to tell us how you meet the essential and desirable criteria in the person specification.

You will bring significant experience in gift administration, philanthropic compliance, or philanthropic revenue reporting within a complex organisation, alongside a strong understanding of charity legislation, fundraising regulations and financial reporting requirements. You will be confident navigating complex governance environments and ensuring that policies and procedures support both compliance and effective fundraising operations.

You will have a proven ability to build and manage strong relationships with senior stakeholders across multiple functions, influencing colleagues and partners to support robust governance, risk management and donor-centred practice. Experience of working within a large and complex institution – ideally within higher education or a similar environment – will enable you to work effectively across organisational boundaries.

With strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, you will be comfortable interpreting complex information, assessing risk and making sound, ethical and timely decisions. You will be highly organised, able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment, and able to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards of governance and compliance.

You will also…