Director of Development – St Mary’s Calne and St Margaret’s Calne

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraiser to shape and deliver a transformative campaign within a close-knit and supportive community.

St Mary’s Calne is a leading UK independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18, shaped by the values of a full boarding ethos. St Mary’s currently has 335 pupils of whom around 80% board and has a strong national and international reputation with boarders from over 30 countries. St Margaret’s Prep provides a rich and dynamic educational experience for 170 boys and girls aged 2 to 11, offering boarding from Year 5. The Schools share a beautiful 27-acre campus, where exceptional facilities support a broad and diverse educational offering. Located in the historic market town of Calne, in Wiltshire, the Schools are 20 minutes from Bath, within easy reach of Bristol and Oxford and have direct transport links to London.  

The Head and Governors are seeking to appoint an exceptional Director of Development to establish and implement an ambitious fundraising and engagement strategy for both St Mary’s and St Margaret’s. This will centre around ambitious plans for the estate and the development of an endowment for transformational bursaries.  

Reporting directly to the Head, the Director of Development, who will be a member of the Schools’ Leadership Team, will play a crucial role in nurturing relationships with alumni, parents, and key stakeholders, both in the UK and internationally. 

This role will be suited to a strategic, proactive and energetic fundraising professional who demonstrates commitment to the education of young people and to the ethos and values of St Mary’s and St Margaret’s. They will bring a track record in major gifts solicitation, strategic planning and exceptional community engagement skills. The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge of broad fundraising programmes gained from within or outside the education sector, and the ability to lead and develop a team to release the potential for philanthropy at both schools.  

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics to arrange an informal and confidential discussion about the role:   

Peter Lockhart, Search Consultant: peterlockhart@rsacademics.com 

The closing date for applications is 10.00am UK time on Tuesday 17th February 2026 .

Applications should be made electronically to RSAcademics. To submit your application please click on “Apply Now” and follow the instructions provided.

As part of your online application you will be asked to upload a PDF version of your covering letter addressed to the Head, Mrs Anne Wakefield. The letter should be a maximum of two pages and should explain your reasons for applying and outline your suitability for the role.

If you have any questions about uploading your application documents, please contact Jonathan Barnes, Head of Operations (Leadership Appointments) at applications@rsacademics.com. Jonathan can also be contacted by calling our Head Office on + 44 (0) 204 6269 791.

• St Mary’s Calne is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.   

• This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.   

• The safeguarding responsibilities of this post are detailed in the candidate information brochure.   

• RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.