Hampton School

Hampton School in South West London is a vibrant community educating over 1,500 pupils of ages 3 to 18 and is one of the country’s leading and most successful independent schools. Hampton is dedicated to nurturing pupils from a wide range of backgrounds in an academically stimulating environment where personal interests and achievements are celebrated and pupils are encouraged to be open-minded, tolerant, and supportive of those around them.

Fundamental to Hampton’s ethos of inclusivity is its long-standing commitment to offering free places to pupils whose parents or carers cannot afford any educational costs at all. The aim is not to offer partial reduction in fees but complete remission of all fees and educational costs for those who can afford nothing. The aspiration is to increase such places substantially and in seeking to realise this goal Hampton has established the Fitzwygram Foundation. This is a separate charity dedicated to raising funds solely to fund these free places, called Fitzwygram Scholarships, with the funds ring-fenced for this purpose of aiding children in financially disadvantaged circumstances. The Foundation is Hampton’s main fundraising focus.

The Foundation Office (located at the heart of the School) and Trustees have laid excellent groundwork so far, with extensive friend-raising and alumni networking already underway. The case for the Foundation is well-established and enthusiastically supported throughout the Hampton community; early fundraising has seen pleasing success. The Foundation and the School now seek a dynamic and inspiring Director to lead the fundraising, alumni programme and social impact to even higher levels. The incoming Director will have the opportunity to work in a forward-thinking, inclusive and values-driven organisation, and to design the strategic blueprint for the next 5 to 10 years of growth. They will have the opportunity to develop a diverse fundraising programme, identify and engage with major potential donors, and enhance the alumni and external relations strategy, as well as manage a team of talented and self-motivated colleagues in the Foundation Office.

Significant fundraising experience in the charity or education sectors is desirable; but the post is open to candidates who have the required core skills from varied career backgrounds without a direct fundraising involvement. The successful candidate will have a clear understanding of the Foundation’s purpose and mission and be a passionate and compelling advocate for its ethos of social mobility through education. They will have the gravitas to establish credibility with donors, including those who are senior figures in their fields, and will possess perseverance and resilience. The successful candidate will be able to exercise tact and diplomacy combined with personal warmth and openness; they will demonstrate creativity, innovation, and the ability to contribute fresh ideas to the School community as a member of Hampton’s Senior Leadership Team.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Hampton School on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference GAQAOA. Alternatively, telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Thursday 16 September 2021.