Edinburgh Napier graduate Barbara Kidd has returned to her old university to take charge of the fundraising campaigns which will reinforce the quality of its teaching programmes.
She moves to the key role of Head of Development from Children 1st, where she was Director of Fundraising and Communications.
Based at the Sighthill campus, her remit is to increase the University’s pool of donors and identify new fundraising projects, and to take the lead in delivering them.
She will work directly with the University Leadership Team, department directors and Deans of the six academic Schools to set strategic priorities, and act as the main point of contact for influential donors, alumni, companies, trusts and foundations.
Barbara, 48, said: “As a graduate of Edinburgh Napier’s Business School, I value the quality of the learning and the network of opportunities that became the springboard for my own career.
“The University has many facets and I am already recognising the benefit of coming to the role having worked across several sectors; university start-up, fast-paced corporate environments, tech start-ups and new challenger charities as well as long-established institutions.”
Barbara added: "Our goal, as a Development team, is to deliver sustainable, transformational change through income generation.
“We will be harnessing the funding progress made to date, working alongside supporters old and new to deliver a strategy which will successfully underpin a number of new developments for the University.”
Barbara graduated from Edinburgh Napier in 2001 with a Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma.
She held various fundraising and communications roles with healthcare charities, including Maggie’s Centres, and was company secretary and marketing manager with electronics start-up Elonics.
She moved to Children 1st in 2011, where she was Corporate & Events Manager, Head of Development and, latterly, Director of Fundraising and Communications, working across the organisation to shape fundraising support packages and implement a strategy to grow funding though a broad portfolio of income streams.
Geoff Day, the University’s Director of Marketing & External Relations, said: “I am delighted to welcome Barbara to the team. She brings a wealth of experience in the private, public, and most recently, Third Sector, which will make a significant contribution to the University’s Development activities.
“We have so many worthy and impactful projects across all of our Schools and also many students and alumni that can add to our story of growth and recognition. I look forward to working with Barbara as she leads the team into the next stage of our Development vision and strategy.”