Head Of Individual Giving Jobs
1. About Us
Sound and Music is the national charity for new music.
We support anyone who wants to make music and sound to shape the modern world. We enable individuals to challenge expectations and discover their potential, and act as a friendly guide for those who want to listen deeper. Our work sustains more careers, progresses creativity and achieves greater equity across music in the UK.
We are guided by our Fair Access Principles, a code of best practice which ensures our work is open and inclusive for all.
Sound and Music is supported by Arts Council England and proud to be a National Youth Music Organisation.
The creative programme for Sound and Music makes a unique and distinctive contribution to the arts in the UK. We are a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. NPO funding is confirmed until March 2026.
Sound and Music is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to making recruitment and employment at Sound and Music inclusive and accessible. We particularly welcome applications from backgrounds that experience racism, and/or who are disabled or neurodiverse, to whom we will offer an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role (see section 4).
2. Job Description
The Head of External Engagement is a key leadership post within the organisation. The role encompasses responsibility for the development and delivery of the organisation’s external activity, including profile, brand identity and stakeholder engagement (including the public), fundraising, and driving income generation in new areas, notably commercial partnerships. It also forms part of Sound and Music’s senior management team, who under the leadership of the Chief Executive are responsible for overseeing the organisation’s programme of activity, strategic development, external profile and a positive and productive organisational culture.
An experienced fundraiser and communicator, you will lead the external engagement team and support the delivery of its strategic and operational plans. The broad remit of the role means the successful candidate will be a strong and confident communicator who builds networks easily and prioritises exceptional stakeholder management and relationship development.
Sound and Music operates a hybrid working model with a mix of in person and remote working, so we welcome applications from anywhere in the UK. Our office is in London and the minimum requirement will be to attend one day per week.
The post holder will support Sound and Music’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, contributing to a culture of respect and collaboration in the organisation’s internal and external activities.
3. Key Responsibilities
Leadership and management
External leadership:
· Represent Sound and Music publicly, including through stakeholder and supporter events
· Work with the Head of Programmes to ensure Sound and Music’s advisory groups are meaningfully engaged
· Be the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead for Sound and Music
Internal leadership:
· Shared strategic responsibility and accountability for Sound and Music’s three core aims and their associated objectives, outcomes and outputs
· Shared accountability (with other senior management colleagues) for the successful delivery and implementation of the organisation’s Business Plan
· Lead the organisation’s External Engagements team. This team includes a Communications and Insights Manager and Fundraising Coordinator (both line managed by the Head of External Engagement) plus support from other Sound and Music team members
Development and fundraising
· Develop and support the Chief Executive on the overall business and development strategy for the organisation to ensure we meet fundraising targets (£200k in 2024-25) for annual programmes and major projects
· Develop an ambitious fundraising programme which builds our supporter base and individual funding streams, including individuals, major gifts and public funders
· Drive income growth by identifying and negotiating commercial partnerships and contribute to the development of an enhanced commercial mindset across the organisation
· Develop and cultivate the existing trusts and foundations pipeline
· Prepare documents and reports for key funders including Arts Council England
· Build and maintain positive and productive relationships with key funders, commercial organisations and stakeholders and cultivate existing relationships within the organisation
· Establish new income streams, for example, by maximising the intellectual property created within the organisation
· Engage the Board of Trustees and senior management team in fundraising activities and the ongoing strategy to optimise donor management and stewardship to develop a culture of fundraising across the organisation
· Maximise the opportunities provided by the new CRM system and contribute to the development of a data-led mindset across the organisation
Communications and campaigns
· Develop and lead the overall communications and reputation management strategy for varied stakeholders to ensure we increase our visibility and influence in the sector
· Support the Chief Executive to build the profile of our brand, drive the media messaging and oversee and power our content media campaigns
· Support the Chief Executive to build and maintain positive and productive relationships with government and culture and media opinion formers
Strategy and planning
· Work with the Chief Executive and other senior management team members to monitor, evaluate and review KPIs, strategies and activity so as to maximise Sound and Music’s impact. This includes reporting and presenting to the Board and externally to help build engagement and relationships in the sector and with funders
· Assess the reputational, financial, delivery and other risks associated with current and new projects and partnerships
· Empower, model, support and encourage cross-team working to realise the full income generating possibilities of projects
Finance and governance
· Contribute to creating and monitoring the overall organisation budget
· Work closely with the Chief Executive, Head of Programmes and Finance Manager to formulate financial strategy against specified budget areas, and to ensure that the programme activity is sufficiently resourced, planned and delivered to budget
· Ensure close monitoring of income and expenditure for relevant budget lines and contribute to senior management team financial planning and review
· Attend Board and Financial Subcommittee meetings to present and report impact on a quarterly basis
Special conditions of the post
· Travel within the UK, as required by the role
· A willingness to represent the organisation internationally on an occasional basis
· Evening and weekend working to attend and network at events will be required (time off in lieu is taken afterwards)
· Satisfactory completion of an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (if offered the role, and paid for by Sound and Music)
4. Candidate profile
Essential:
· A demonstrable commitment to Sound and Music’s vision, mission and values
· A track record of generating income across different channels, meeting targets, with the ability and experience to manage and develop long-term and sustained fundraising relationships (for example, with major donors and trusts and foundations)
· Leadership (a strong combination of these are essential):
· A track record of leadership, including leading or working at a senior level in an organisation during a period of growth and change
· Excellent team leadership skills, with high emotional intelligence and generosity, a genuine enthusiasm for encouraging the input and ideas of others
· Strong budgeting and financial planning skills, and the ability to work collaboratively on this
· An entrepreneurial mindset: success in leveraging income, developing new income streams and value through commercial acumen and effective strategic partnership building
· A track record in championing and addressing under-representation in culture and a deep-rooted commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
Desirable:
· Experience of increasing brand profile, developing brand awareness, and expanding audiences for a specialist product or service
· Understanding of the current political, economic, social and technological climate, including the context for culture and public funding and an active engagement with technological developments in creativity
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills: able to engage confidently with different audiences and areas of the sector both publicly and on a 1:1 basis
· Excellent understanding of digital communications and infrastructure and how it can build reach and engagement, including using data to drive decision making
5. How to apply
If you are interested in working with us, please apply by completing the application form.
Sound and Music is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to making recruitment and employment at Sound and Music inclusive and accessible. We particularly welcome applications from backgrounds that experience racism, and/or who are disabled or neurodiverse, to whom we will offer an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.
If you feel you have just some of the required skills and experience but meet the person specification, we would still encourage you to apply; we are very open to continuing the training and development of individuals who are self-motivated to acquire new skills and knowledge relevant to the role.
Head of Finance
Location: King's Cross, London
Contract length: Permanent
Salary: £72,000
This post is London-based. We have a hybrid working model of minimum 2 days per week (for full time staff) at our King’s Cross office (2 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH).
Who are we?
Art Fund is the UK’s national fundraising charity for art. We give grants to help museums, galleries, historic houses and public arts organisations to acquire objects for their collections, to share them with as many people as possible, and to support research and training for museum professionals. We are supported by our growing membership of 135,000 through the National Art Pass, as well as the generosity of many individuals, trusts and foundations.
The role
This is an important and exciting post for the organisation and as the Head of Finance, you will be responsible for leading best practice financial reporting and analysis for the charity. The role has two direct reports (as part of a team of five) and involves working across the organisation and with senior leadership and trustees to deliver and communicate first class management information.
This is impactful and broad Head of Finance role, but to give an idea of focus, the core areas of delivery will include:
- Statutory accounts & audit – act as the primary contact for the external auditor, ensure the accounts are consistent with financial standards requirements and delivered on time
- Budgeting, forecasting, monthly reporting and financial analysis - present management accounts and reforecasts to senior leadership, trustees and staff
- Change & improvements – proactively support transformation on CRM systems upgrade, be fully involved in the selection of a new finance system for implementation in 2025
Key Employee Benefits
- Generous Annual leave– 25 days annual leave and bank holidays, with additional non-contractual office closure dates at Christmas.
- Free National Art Pass (NAP)- for yourself and another person of your choice.
- Free Entry to Exhibitions
- Life Assurance- cover for up to three times your basic salary.
- Season Ticket Loan
Pensions- Eligible employees are enrolled into the scheme with the exception of those who have contracts of three months or less. Art Fund contributes 8% of the basic annual salary during the first six months of employment or until probation is successfully completed, whichever is the later. At that point the contribution is increased to 10%.
Closing deadline: 23.59 on 5 April 2024.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
We are committed to building our team and trustees from the broad range of backgrounds and experiences across the UK, valuing difference and diversity, and building a workplace based on shared values of equality and mutual respect.
We have ambitious plans for the future and will be holding ourselves to account and putting our principles into action, as we all work together to help bring about positive change and a fairer future for everyone. We therefore want to encourage applications from all races, ages, religions and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with any kind of disabilities and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our organisation.
No agencies please.
As the Interim Chief Executive of Hijinx, you will be at the forefront of championing our vision and mission.
Your leadership will steer the organisation towards achieving remarkable milestones in inclusivity, representation, and professional employment for learning disabled and/or Autistic creative professionals.
The Interim Chief Executive is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership with specific emphasis on financial and people management, income generation and all legal and contractual obligations of the company.
We are ideally looking for someone with experience in a senior leadership role in the arts or wider third sector, who can quickly get to grips with a busy and dynamic organisation.
It is important that the Interim Chief Executive is able to lead with confidence through this transitional period and to provide important reassurance and leadership to the senior and wider team.
We’re looking for specific skills in people leadership, finance and change and familiarity with the arts and/or third sector.