Philanthropy Officer

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

The Royal Opera House describes the place we work, not who we are. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts – we may be a House, but three quarters of our audiences experience what we do outside this building. While our Covent Garden theatre is the nerve centre, the impact and influence of the organisation can be felt in every corner of the country, and around the world.

We could not maintain this range of work or our digital presence without support from philanthropists, funders, members, business partners and sponsors, Our Development and Advocacy department generates over £46m revenue annually, plus additional capital funds, and secures the annual Arts Council England grant (currently £23.8m).  

The Department’s revenue generation and advocacy to Government of the value of our creative sector ensures the RBO can retain the best artists and crafts people, deliver our thriving National Schools’ Programme, maintain our beautiful Grade I listed building, deliver on our charitable mission, and continue to produce world class performances.

Key to our Development and Advocacy department is our Philanthropy team who are looking to hire a Philanthropy Officer to support the team with our RBO Philanthropists. 

The Philanthropy Officer is responsible for managing and delivering a range of administrative and stakeholder engagement workstreams, taking ownership of the planning, coordination and completion of activities agreed with the Senior Philanthropy Administration Manager. The role leads the administration and delivery of selected meetings, events, senior stakeholder engagements, and Royal Box cultivation evenings, as well as supporting Board and Committee activity, ensuring all work is accurate, timely and delivered to the highest standards. The postholder provides dedicated administrative support to the Associate Head of Philanthropy, including diary management, liaison during periods of absence, donor portfolio administration and support for strategic initiatives. Additionally, the role supports the Senior Philanthropy Administration Manager and provides cover for the Philanthropy Coordinator when required, helping to maintain continuity and efficiency across the wider Philanthropy team.

An ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate: 

• Relevant experience in a complex administrative, coordination, events or arts administration role.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, with demonstrable ownership, resilience and follow-through.
• Excellent organisational and workload management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing deadlines and respond calmly to changing requirements.
• A methodical, project management-style approach, with the ability to plan activity, clarify responsibilities and deadlines, coordinate dependencies and maintain momentum through to delivery.
• Strong written communication and document-production skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy, particularly when handling sensitive information and complex logistics.
• Confidence and professionalism when working with senior internal and external stakeholders, Board and Committee members, philanthropists and colleagues at all levels.