About the National Art School 

Our campus is located on Gadigal land in central Sydney, within the historic sandstone walls of what was once the Darlinghurst Gaol and is now one of the nation’s premier art institutions where many of Australia’s leading artists having studied and taught. The National Art School is Australia’s leading independent art school, dedicated to exceptional, studio-based art education and shaping contemporary art practice.

The National Art School (NAS) is accredited through TEQSA and offers Bachelor of Fine Art, Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours), Masters and Doctorate courses. The School is at the forefront of learning, creativity and innovative practice utilising its independent identity and distinctive studio-based teaching model to deliver exceptional higher education and research, scholarship and professional practice.

The Position 

The Head of Fundraising and Development role is a one-year fixed term contract covering a period of parental leave.

The position is a senior leadership role responsible for delivering NAS’s fundraising strategy and leading engagement with major external stakeholders. They provide strategic leadership across all fundraising and development streams, including major gifts, annual and regular giving, bequests, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, grants, campaigns and special events.

The role is accountable for building a sustainable fundraising pipeline, achieving income and donor engagement targets, and cultivating long-term relationships with individuals, foundations, corporate partners and other key stakeholders. It also acts as senior advisor to the Director and CEO, the Chair of the NAS Foundation and the Board on philanthropy, fundraising strategy, donor engagement and development opportunities, and maintaining an ethical, donor-centric culture of philanthropy across the School.

What You Bring to The Role

You’re an accomplished fundraising professional with a track record of delivering results and building meaningful relationships that drive impact. Whether you’re currently leading a fundraising team or you’re an experienced senior manager ready to take the next step into a Head of Department role, you’ll bring the confidence, strategic thinking and leadership capability to shape and grow our fundraising future.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience across fundraising, development, advancement, partnerships or philanthropic engagement.
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts, corporate partnerships, trust and foundation funding, annual giving or campaign income.
• The ability to think strategically while remaining hands-on, leading both high-level planning and day-to-day execution.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with experience engaging senior stakeholders, donors, business leaders, board members and community partners.
• A proven track record of identifying opportunities, building pipelines and converting prospects into long-term supporters.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with the ability to inspire investment in a compelling vision.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing people, creating a positive, high-performing and values-driven culture.
• Commercial acumen and a data-informed approach to decision making, forecasting and performance management.
• A passion for purpose-driven work and an appreciation of the transformational impact that arts and education can have on individuals and communities

Most importantly, you’ll be excited by the opportunity to lead a well-established function, work alongside an engaged CEO and Board, and help shape the next chapter of philanthropy and fundraising excellence.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible leadership position with genuine strategic influence.

Reporting directly to the Director and CEO, you’ll lead the full fundraising and development portfolio, partner with the Foundation and Board, and play a key role in advancing the organisation’s long-term vision. You’ll inherit strong foundations and have the autonomy to lead campaigns, strengthen major donor relationships, expand philanthropic opportunities and leave a lasting legacy.

For an experienced fundraising manager looking to step up into a Head of Fundraising role, or an established leader seeking a meaningful and purpose-driven challenge, this is a rare opportunity to make a significant impact while working with a passionate and committed community.

How to Apply 

Please read the Position Description and include the following in your application:

• A covering letter addressing how your experience matches the job requirements.
• A comprehensive resume citing your academic qualifications and outlining professional experience.

If you have any questions or if we can assist in making the application process more accessible for you, please call Abby Hasleham on 02 9339 8658 or email abby.​hasleham@​nas.​edu.​au

Please email your application to hr@​nas.​edu.​au. 

The closing date for this application is 20 September 2026.

The National Art School is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.