| Location: | London, with hybrid working. We will also consider candidates based in the Netherlands with the correct right to work permit. We combine home working and office-based working to suit individual and organisational needs. |
| Salary: | £75,000-£80,000 |
| Contract: | Permanent, full-time (37.5 hours, occasional evening and weekend work) |
| Responsible to: | Chief Executive Officer |
| Key relationships: | Chief Executive Officer, Legal Director, Development Team, Finance & Operations Director, Capacity Building Team, donors, partners and beneficiaries |
| Closing date: | 1 December 2026 |
Job Description
About the role
The Development Director has responsibility for fundraising, monitoring and evaluation, and impact reporting. You lead and develop your own team to bring a step change in our approach to fundraising, engagement and monitoring of our activities and programmes.
You will unlock significant unrestricted funding and create an engaged community around our work. As Development Director, you will substantially build our annual income from European and US funders, and new philanthropy beyond them, open new relationships and turn existing ones into larger, longer-term partnerships.
As part of the Senior Management Team, you work closely with the CEO, Finance and Operations Director, Legal Director and Media Defence’s board. You are a highly motivated individual, with great people skills and a growth mindset.
Main responsibilities
Strategy and leadership
- Lead, motivate and evaluate a team covering fundraising and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL). Set clear targets and provide regular support and supervision.
- Together with the Chief Executive Officer, build and maintain strong partnerships with Media Defence’s stakeholders and donors.
- Work with the Board of Trustees to strengthen its support for fundraising.
- Deputise for the Chief Executive Officer as required.
Fundraising
- Review and deliver an integrated fundraising strategy that diversifies Media Defence’s income and grows it substantially, from both existing and new sources.
- Grow our income from funders in Europe and the United States, including European institutional funding, and develop existing donor relationships into multi-year partnerships.
- Oversee the maintenance of the database systems and tools used to manage donor relationships.
- Together with the Chief Executive Officer and the Finance and Operations Director, monitor donor-funded work so
that it is delivered on budget and to the standards agreed with donors.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning
- Oversee the development and implementation of Media Defence’s MEL framework.
- Together with the MEL Officer, use evidence of our impact to strengthen engagement with donors, partners and supporters.
Line management
- Line manage the Fundraising Officer and the MEL Officer, including recruiting to any vacant post.
- Recruit and manage volunteers.
Other
- Carry out other duties within the scope, spirit and purpose of the post.
Scope to shape the role
- Depending on the successful candidate’s interests and experience, there is scope for the role to oversee internal and external communications. These are not requirements, and applicants are not expected to have experience in them.
Person Specification
- Demonstrable experience of fundraising success in Europe and the US (individual donors, institutional funders, corporate partnerships), preferably in the charitable or social impact investment sector.
- Successful track record of building effective, long-term, high-value supporter relationships, including through the use of CRM databases.
- Experience of providing strategic leadership within an organisation.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Experience in managing a multi-function team, including mentoring and coaching.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, a collaborative working style and a pleasant, engaging manner in interacting with stakeholders, colleagues and the general public.
- Fluent written and spoken English is essential. Knowledge of other languages, particularly French or Spanish, is an asset.
- Experience of working internationally and in a diverse and multi-cultural environment.
- Willingness/ability to travel regularly to the US, Europe and other countries.
- Experience of successful budget planning and financial decision making.
- Excellent time management and organisational skills including the ability to manage effectively multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to manage a varied and pressured workload, sometimes to tight deadlines.
- Ability to work both independently and with others.
- Passion and commitment to the mission and vision of Media Defence.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Experience in journalism, law or human rights is desirable.
- Experience in marketing or communications, including digital and social media is desirable.
Benefits
- Hybrid working environment.
- Flexible working options to support those with caring responsibilities.
- Pension: Auto-enrolment in our pension scheme and up to 8% employer contributions dependent on matched contribution from employee.
- Office closed between 25 December and 1 January.
- Third Friday of each month off.
- Annual leave: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing up to 30).
- Opportunity to carry over five days into the following annual leave year.
- Days start/finish times is flexible.
- On joining Media Defence, all employees are automatically able to access professional support through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and a digital health app.
- We offer an enhanced maternity and paternity leave package.
- We provide a range of training and development tools to support our employees to improve or develop skills and knowledge for the benefit of both the individual and the organisation.
- Yearly training & development budget per person.
Equality and diversity are fundamental to our mission. We are committed to the recruitment and retention of individuals from diverse backgrounds and who reflect the diverse communities in which we operate.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying to the role, please send your CV and Cover Letter (both in PDF format) to recruitment@mediadefence.org by 1 December 2026.
| Timeline | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| APPLICATIONS CLOSE | SHORTLISTING | FIRST-STAGE INTERVIEWS | SECOND-STAGE INTERVIEWS |
| 1 December 2026 | By 5 December 2026 | Week of 7 December 2026 (online) | Week of 14 December 2026 (in-person) |
