If you can imagine a different world, you can create a better one

Since 1969, The Booker Prizes have identified and rewarded the best stories of our time. The Booker occupies a unique place in the literary sphere, impacting audiences across the world. As the world’s most influential prizes for a single book, the Booker Prizes have become trusted markers of excellence and enjoyment. Over the past 55 years, more than 600 extraordinary books have been brought to the attention of the public, influencing reading tastes and transforming global culture along with the careers of some of the most renowned contemporary writers, including Salman Rushie, Margaret Atwood and Bernadine Evaristo.

With this heritage, the Booker has become more than a prize. We are one of the world’s most revered cultural institutions, harnessing the power of fiction. Over 80 Booker Prize books have been adapted for film or TV – ensuring that audiences all over the world have fallen in love with them, whether those people consider themselves to be readers or not. Our work is catalytic, inspiring celebrities and many other Booker enthusiasts; Dua Lipa, Barack Obama and the Queen are among our recent keynote speakers.

The Booker Prize Foundation – the charity that awards the Booker Prizes – exists to inspire people to read the world’s best fiction, driven by a simple belief: that great fiction not only brings joy to millions but has the power to change the way we think about the world we live in. The prizes are just one of the ways in which the Foundation fulfils its mission. Over the next decade, we will broaden our content; build our community; and nurture the readers, writers and translators of tomorrow. Now bolstered by a significant digital and audiovisual presence, we aim to both deepen our engagement with existing fans and seek new audiences around the world.

The current primary funders of the Booker Prize Foundation are Sir Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman. Their financial support, as well as creative, business and tech expertise, positions the Booker as one of the most vibrant cultural brands, with a meaningful impact on the futures of millions. We are at an exciting juncture, embarking on new and innovative funding, having recently secured sponsorship with Maison Valentino. To this end, philanthropy and other support will be critical in realising our future ambitious goals. We are looking for a Director of Development to join us as we look forward to the next decade and beyond. This is an opportunity to cultivate new and existing support and to weave funders into the fabric of our future evolution.

The Director of Development will play a crucial role in advancing the mission and vision of the Booker Prize Foundation by securing philanthropic, corporate and wider support as well as delivering excellence in donor stewardship. This new role offers a unique opportunity for a results-driven fundraising leader to contribute to the growth and success of the Booker Prizes. The Director of Development is an influential role within a small team, working directly with the Chief Executive and the Board to drive growth in fundraising income with an emphasis on major gifts, grants and corporate partnerships.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in raising seven and eight-figure donations to support growth objectives and will also demonstrate a history of excellent donor stewardship. You will have a truly global outlook, be creative, and have a strong commitment to our mission as well as a deep affinity with our ethos as an internationally recognized prize. This is a career-defining opportunity to help shape the future of the Booker Prize Foundation.

To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter, detailing how you fulfil the role description and personal specification to https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies/  quoting reference 7526. The deadline for applications is 9 am Sunday 20^th October.

The role will be based in London

The Booker Prize Foundation are open to flexible ways of delivering this role, including compressed hours and less than full-time. Please discuss this with Perrett Laver.

The salary will be commensurate with experience and with the range of £80,000-£95,000

Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process in parallel with the public advertisement of the role. Longlisted candidates will be invited to interview with Perrett Laver in early November and the Selection Panel will subsequently meet to decide upon a final shortlist for the post in mid-November, following which, formal interviews with the Booker Prize Foundation will take place in early December. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Diversity Statement

The Booker is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities. We welcome applications from candidates with culturally diverse backgrounds and encourage applications from minoritised groups.

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Statement

Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Perrett Laver and we take this responsibility very seriously. Any information obtained by our trading divisions is held and processed in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation. The data you provide us with is securely stored on our computerised database and transferred to The Booker Prize Foundation for the purposes of presenting you as a candidate and/or considering your suitability for a role you have registered interest in.

Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interests’. You have the right to object to us processing your data in this way. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website https://perrettlaver.com/privacy-statement/.

Accessibility Statement

To confidentially get in touch about this role, or for advice on your application please email, Arshya Dayal on Arshya.Dayal@perrettlaver.com.

Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, please contact Laura Egan on Laura.Egan@perrettlaver.com.

If you have comments that would support us to improve access to documentation, or our application processes more generally, please do not hesitate to contact us via accessibility@perrettlaver.com.