Philanthropy Officer

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history.

We’ve set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive - a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring.

That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you.

Job Overview

Salary: £34,882 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Band: E / Higher Executive Officer
Closing date: Sunday 11th October 2026 at midnight

About us:

The Philanthropy Officer will sit within The National Archives’ Research, Grants and Academic Engagement department, the central locus for our:
1. Research strategy and delivery
2. Research impact, culture and engagement
3. Grant fundraising and philanthropy
4. Management and assurance of external funding
5. Grant-making to the archives and GLAM sectors.

The National Archives has a strong track record of securing external funding and holds a grant portfolio of over £16m. Our per-annum grant income has grown by nearly 500% since 2022-23, and in April 2026, we consolidated our fundraising operations with The National Archives Trust. The National Archives has a strategic priority to secure new charitable and philanthropic funding, and this post is one of three new roles being advertised in Autumn 2026 to deliver on that goal. We want to grow our research income, including particularly beyond the arts and humanities; reach a wider breadth of funders both nationally and internationally; and raise our profile, through more creative and targeted public engagement and learning programmes with national reach.

About the role:

The National Archives (TNA) is looking for an enthusiastic and creative Philanthropy Officer to work within its newly established Philanthropy team. Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy and working closely with the Philanthropy Manager, the Philanthropy Officer will support income generation and help to strengthen The National Archives’ profile in the philanthropic community.

The Philanthropy Officer will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects at various stages to secure support for priority projects, working collaboratively with colleagues across The National Archives. They will also support the Head of Philanthropy and the Philanthropy Manager to develop proposals and reports for multi-year programmes, and annual exhibition, digitisation and conservation projects.

The Philanthropy Officer will support the delivery of cultivation and engagement activities, work closely with the Projects and Process team to monitor funded projects and maintain accurate records on The National Archives’ CRM database.

The postholder will work closely with The National Archives Trust, a registered charity that supports The National Archives to engage and educate the public, and conserve and preserve the collection. The Philanthropy Officer will also work with the Grant Development team to achieve shared goals.

This is a full time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department.

A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.

Application Process:

We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement addressing the 5 criteria below:

• Graduate-level education or equivalent experience, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Experience in a fundraising role with trusts and foundations and/or individuals.

• Strong time management skills, with ability to prioritise and maintain momentum across a variety of tasks and meet multiple and simultaneous deadlines.

• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate and up-to-date records.

• Good judgement as to when to progress an issue independently, and when to escalate to line manager or other senior staff.

Selection for interview will be based on these 5 criteria so please ensure that your application demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements. You may find it helpful to use each criteria as a subheading, or to use the STAR method to structure your statement.

If we receive a large number of applications candidates will initially be assessed on one criteria:

• Experience in a fundraising role with trusts and foundations and/or individuals.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.

Interviews will be held on-site, ideally in October 2026.

Applicants invited to interview will be assessed against ALL of the essential criteria (see full job description below).

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of donors, generating philanthropic income for The National Archives’ strategic priorities and meeting KPIs as agreed with the Head of Philanthropy.

• Identify, research and qualify prospects, keep up to date with funding calls and deadlines, and maintain an application calendar for the Philanthropy and Grant Development team, evaluating funding opportunities and making recommendations to maximise fundraising success.

• Collaborate with colleagues across The National Archives to develop compelling funding proposals that align with the organisational strategy and the needs and interests of donors.

• Support the Philanthropy team to plan and deliver cultivation events and private tours for prospects and donors, including event invitations, logistics and hospitality.

• Plan and deliver stewardship activities to ensure an excellent donor experience, including regular updates or newsletters.

• Create compelling communication materials, in print and on the web, that raise The National Archives’ profile with potential donors.

• Develop high-quality progress reports, working closely with project delivery teams to secure project updates and data, and identify stewardship opportunities to deliver an engaging donor experience.

• Work closely with the Projects and Process team to monitor funded projects, ensure compliance with funding agreements and deliver accurate and timely financial reporting, including in the submission of grant claims, and identify and resolve issues that may impact successful delivery.

• Support the Development Forum of major philanthropic supporters and patrons, providing high-quality stewardship and providing operational support, including by e.g. booking venues, catering and taking minutes.

• Work collaboratively and strategically with the Grant Development team to coordinate approaches, share intelligence and achieve shared goals.

• Support collaboration with The National Archives Trust and the Friends of The National Archives, contributing to a positive working relationship in pursuit of shared strategic and fundraising goals.

• Ensure accurate and comprehensive donor records are maintained on The National Archives’ CRM database, including information on prospects, donors, proposals, stewardship and gifts.

The post-holder may be required to undertake any other duties which may be reasonably requested within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the post as defined.

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