- Organisation: Helen Bamber Foundation
- Role: Group Director of Fundraising
- Lead Consultant: Firas El Dib
- Date of Appointment: June 2026
About
Helen Bamber Foundation (HBF) is a human rights organisation providing specialist care, legal protection and housing support to survivors of trafficking, torture and extreme cruelty, and includes Asylum Aid as a subsidiary focused on legal representation for vulnerable asylum seekers. For HBF, appointing a senior fundraising leader was a strategic priority to support long-term sustainability and to strengthen external influence and reputation.
The Brief
We were engaged exclusively to recruit a Group Director of Fundraising on a permanent basis, with hybrid working (UK-based) and regular attendance at the London office. The role sits on the Senior Management Team and partners closely with the CEO, with organisation-wide responsibility for income generation, external engagement and long-term sustainability. The brief called for demonstrable senior leadership in income generation, a proven track record of securing six- and seven-figure support across multiple streams, experience leading fundraising communications, and confidence reporting to Boards/governance through change.
Our Approach
We ran a search combining proactive outreach and an open process to reach both active and passive job seekers. We focused on evidence of strategic income leadership, multi-stream fundraising delivery, stakeholder credibility at senior level, and values alignment with trauma-informed, survivor-centred work. Throughout, we supported an inclusive recruitment process, welcoming applications from a wide range of backgrounds and ensuring candidates could request reasonable adjustments.
The process generated a strong field; overall, 80+ candidates were considered against the leadership, income, communications and governance requirements, with structured evaluation across multiple interview stages. We worked closely with HBF to maintain momentum, keep assessment consistent, and ensure finalists could clearly articulate how they would build sustainable growth and strengthen external engagement.
The Outcome
HBFG successfully appointed Harbi Jama, who started in June 2026. Harbi brought senior philanthropy and partnerships leadership experience, including leading an organisation-wide income strategy and a sizeable team, alongside a track record of securing high-value support and engaging senior stakeholders. The appointment strengthens HBF’s leadership capacity to deliver ambitious, sustainable income growth and deepen relationships with donors and partners over the long term.
Hiring your next senior fundraising leader is a pivotal moment for your organisation, and Prospectus’ Fundraising Team is a trusted partner. We support purpose-led organisations to appoint outstanding leaders across fundraising and income generation, running insight-led searches that balance pace, rigour and candidate care. Get in touch to discuss your upcoming appointment in confidence.