Head of Commercial and Major Giving

Golf Foundation

Salary: circa £60,000 - £70,000 pa, depending on experience, plus car allowance

Location: Remote/Hybrid (Hertfordshire)

Hours: Full Time. 4 days a week can also be considered

The Golf Foundation is a registered charity that provides young people with a fun & inclusive introduction to golf, the opportunity to play regularly and to develop lifelong skills.

We believe that the sport of golf has inherent core values that can provide young people with enhanced life skills as well as improved sporting abilities. A core ambition of the Foundation is to help open up the sport to a wide range of underserved communities, encouraging a diverse range of young people to experience and take up the sport.

Last year we introduced a quarter of a million young people from all backgrounds to golf in their school or community and helped 12,000 young people become regular golfers. We place a particular focus on teaching life skills through all of our programmes, including mental resilience through our innovative Unleash Your Drive programme.

This is a pivotal moment to join the Golf Foundation. We recently welcomed a new Chair with a wealth of experience in youth sport development, who has been instrumental in leading our strategy refresh. We have a dedicated and well-connected Board, and our high-profile President, Nick Dougherty - former professional English golfer and broadcaster - is actively engaged in our mission. Our world-class programs deliver proven, impactful outcomes for young people and as a leading and well regarded youth sport development charity in golf, we hold a unique position with assets and connections that create exciting opportunities for growth.

Our goal is to greatly expand our reach and impact for young people and we are investing in our fundraising resource and capability to achieve this aim. Earlier this year, our Board introduced a new Fundraising Committee and we have enhanced our marketing and communications capability with the recent appointment of a Head of Marketing and Digital to the team.

We have a solid track record in fundraising, particularly though events, club engagement and low level giving, however we now want to grow our pipeline of major gifts through corporate partnerships and high-net-worth individual fundraising. The role will collaborate closely with development peers and our existing fundraising team, including our Head of Golf Fundraising.  

We are seeking a driven and ambitious individual with strong commercial acumen and proven experience in new business development - securing six-figure sponsorships, gifts, or sales from corporate partners. While a background in sport development or the charity sector is not essential, alignment with our values and a passion for using sport to enhance young people’s skills, mental resilience, and life opportunities are key.

The Head of Commercial and Major Giving role is an exciting opportunity that will allow the successful candidate fantastic high level access to leading people, organisations and brands in the sport of Golf and beyond, helping to build your experience, networks and career. You will be well supported by a highly collaborative team and Board of Trustees and will have pivotal strategic and operational input into the success of our fundraising, the growth of the team and the reach and impact of our charity more broadly.

To learn more about our work, team and the role itself, please download the full appointment brief below where you will also find out how to apply.

Closing Date: 18th September 2024

First Golf Foundation Interview: 4 October 2024

Second Golf Foundation Interview: 14 October 2024