Senior patrons and individual giving manager jobs

Scottish Opera is Scotland’s national opera company and the country’s largest performing arts organisation. Founded in 1962 to make opera accessible to all, the company presents productions of international acclaim, from early works to world premieres. Performances are designed to be inclusive, with supertitles, audio-described and dementia-friendly shows, free and discounted tickets for under-26s, refugees, asylum seekers and schools, and touring productions reaching communities across Scotland.

The charity has a network of Patrons, members and supporters who engage with Scottish Opera at varying levels. This role supports that audience to feel connected and engaged with Scottish Opera, deepening their loyalty and seeking new ways to increase giving levels where possible and appropriate. It is a hands-on fundraising role, with scope to think and trial new ways of delivering supporter experience with the ultimate goal of growing the supporter base.

It is an exciting time to join Scottish Opera. They have invested in the fundraising team, there is organisation-wide support for fundraising, and many opportunities to engage supporters with exciting opportunities across Scottish Opera’s calendar.

This role might be for you if you consider yourself a relationship fundraiser – this is a people first role where engaging with donors over the phone and face to face will be the norm. You don’t have to have a background in philanthropy, you could have experience across community fundraising, corporate partnerships, individual giving or mid-value fundraising – the most important factor is that you understand fundraising and enjoy building great relationships with supporters and donors. This role is a great opportunity for an experienced fundraiser to step into a management level role, or for a candidate looking to specialise in mid-value, Patrons and membership fundraising.

Working within an arts and culture charity would be helpful for the candidate to have but isn't essential.

Application notes 

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.

To progress your application, please contact Jo at THINK Recruitment as per the guidance in the Candidate Pack to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date.

If you need assistance with downloading the pack, please send THINK Recruitment and our team will support you.

Closing date for applications: Midnight Monday 20th July 

Interviews are planned for Wednesday 29th or Thursday 30th July (Stage 1) and Wednesday 5th or Friday 7th August (Stage 2) 

About the role

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Patrons’ Circle & Sponsorship Activation to lead the development of its patron engagement programmes and sponsorship (in-kind) activation strategy across the Institut’s major cultural events and flagship seasons.

This senior role has three core objectives:

• to grow and structure the Institut’s existing Patrons’ Circle;
• to create and launch a new Young Patrons Circle aimed at engaging a new generation of supporters;
• to design and deliver an in-kind sponsorship activation strategy across the Institut’s flagship cultural events and programmes.

The role combines community building, relationship management, experiential programming and sponsorship activation. It focuses on audience engagement, visibility and stakeholder experience rather than direct fundraising or financial sponsorship solicitation.

A key dimension of the role is the development of both:

• an in situ engagement programme at the Institut français;
• and a “Hors-les-murs” programme of exclusive events and experiences organised in partnership with leading cultural venues and institutions across London.

Working closely with the Head of Partnerships & Major Donors, the successful candidate will contribute to the Institut’s development strategy by creating meaningful experiences for patrons, sponsors and cultural stakeholders.

About the Patrons’ Circle

The Patrons’ Circle of the Institut français du Royaume-Uni is an active and committed community of individuals supporting the Institut’s mission through its Trust. Bringing together philanthropists, arts supporters and Francophile audiences, the Circle contributes to the development of the Institut’s cultural and educational programmes while fostering engagement with French culture in the UK.

Members benefit from privileged access to the Institut français and enjoy a curated programme of exclusive events and cultural experiences throughout the year, both at the Institut and through a “hors les murs” programme developed in partnership with leading cultural venues across London.

Key responsibilities

Patrons’ Circle & Young Patrons development

• Design and implement a development strategy for the Patrons’ Circle focused on engagement, retention and community growth
• Conceive, create and launch the Institut français du Royaume-Uni’s Young Patrons Circle, defining its positioning, audience, engagement model and value proposition
• Develop a recruitment and engagement strategy targeting younger audiences and emerging supporters
• Build and nurture a strong community through tailored engagement and personalised experiences
• Oversee the full patron journey, including onboarding, stewardship and retention
• Develop targeted communications and engagement campaigns (newsletters, invitations, tailored outreach)
• Structure and evolve benefits and membership offers for Patrons and Young Patrons
• Develop exclusive cultural experiences and networking opportunities for patrons and trustees

In-kind sponsorship activation & event partnerships

• Develop in-kind partnerships and collaborative sponsorship opportunities for major events including the French Film Festival UK, Night of Ideas and other high-profile programmes
• Identify and engage brands, cultural partners and lifestyle organisations aligned with the Institut’s values, audiences and events
• Develop creative non-financial partnership propositions focused on visibility, hospitality, audience engagement and cultural experiences
• Ensure meaningful and high-quality sponsor integration into events through experiences, visibility and tailored activations
• Coordinate sponsor activations in collaboration with programming, communications and production teams
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with sponsors and institutional partners
• Coordinate delivery and follow-up of partnership benefits and sponsor visibility

Events & experiences

• Curate, in coordination with the Institute cultural teams, selected moments from the Institut français’ existing programme for Patrons’ privileged access, including post-event encounters with artists and production teams
• Lead the conception and delivery of the “Hors-les-murs” programme, developed in close collaboration with cultural teams and hosted across partner venues in London
• Collaborate closely with programming, communications and production teams
• Ensure excellence in event delivery and premium stakeholder experience

Administration & coordination

• Prepare administrative committees and Board meetings in close collaboration with the Head of Partnerships & Major Donors
• Draft meeting minutes and coordinate follow-up actions
• Oversee administrative management of the Patrons’ Circle
• Coordinate agreements, partnerships and sponsor deliverables
• Ensure logistical and administrative follow-up for events and activations

Strategic contribution

• Propose innovative formats and initiatives to enhance patron and sponsor engagement
• Contribute to the Institut’s visibility and audience engagement strategy through cultural partnerships and experiences
• Monitor and evaluate engagement outcomes and partnership impact
• Benchmark best practices in patron engagement, sponsorship activation and cultural partnerships

Profile

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in partnerships, sponsorship activation, audience engagement, cultural programming or related fields
• Proven experience in developing and managing high-level relationships and stakeholder communities
• Experience in event partnerships, experiential engagement or brand activation
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to design and implement audience and engagement initiatives
• Excellent organisational and project management skills
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication abilities
• Fluent English and French (written and spoken) essential
• Proactive and entrepreneurial mindset with strong initiative
• Strong interest in arts, culture and international environments

Conditions & benefits

• One-year renewable contract: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Gross monthly salary: £3,292
• 32 days of paid leave + public holidays
• travel allowance provided
• Possibility of joining a supplementary pension fund and health insurance subject to conditions
• Place of work: Institut Français du Royaume-Uni, 23 Cromwell road, London SW7 2EL
• Only applications from candidates who are already eligible to work in the United Kingdom will be considered.
• Start Date: as soon as possible

George Watson’s College wishes to appoint a Senior Philanthropy Officer to lead the school’s individual giving and legacy fundraising initiatives, and support major programmes and campaigns. Develop strong relationships with donors and our alumni community to grow philanthropic income and long-term engagement. 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 

Individual Giving 

• Lead the planning, execution and optimisation of individual giving efforts. Manage campaign setup, timelines, assets, and donor experience.  

• Monitor performance and analyse results to drive continuous improvement in participation, engagement, and revenue.  

• Collaborate with Admissions and Marketing, and other internal teams, to source and develop compelling content.  

• Along with the Head of Development, manage a fundraising communications calendar and play a leading role in content creation.  

• Collaborate with the Admissions and Marketing team to ensure website content, landing pages, and donation pages support digital giving goals.  

• Execute fundraising strategies in partnership with the Head of Development. Build, segment, code, and deploy emails to support giving campaigns and organisational priorities.  

• Manage a portfolio of donors linked to specific programmes and campaigns. 

Legacies  

• Plan and deliver multi-channel legacy marketing campaigns (print, digital, events)  

• Build and maintain relationships with legacy pledgers and prospects  

• Deliver high-quality, sensitive stewardship to recognise and retain legacy supporters  

• Organise events and communications to engage legacy supporters  

• Produce compelling and sensitive legacy messaging and materials  

Campaign/Programmes 

• Manage and grow the patrons programme, including recruitment, retention, and upgrades  

• Develop a clear donor journey, including benefits, communications, and recognition  

• Monitor performance against income targets and KPIs  

• Work in collaboration with Heads of the Creative Arts programmes to monitor and administer funds for maximum impact across the arts 

Foundation Places and Enrichment Fund 

• Support impact reporting and administration of discrete aspects of our widening access programmes. 

• Manage application process to the Enrichment Fund, including managing enquiries, disbursements and liaison with Finance. 

• Any other duties related to these programmes as directed by senior staff. 

IDEAL CANDIDATE 

Essential: 

• Relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent professional experience  

• Demonstrable experience in Individual Giving, Direct Marketing or Legacy fundraising, with an annual income return of 6+ figures  

• Proven track record of delivering successful multi-channel campaigns  

• Strong understanding of supporter journeys, acquisition and retention  

• Skilled in data analysis, performance tracking and forecasting   

• Proficiency with graphic design tools, experience with Canva would be an advantage.  

• Demonstrable experience with Raisers Edge, or similar CRM system 

• Ability to manage complex projects and programs and deliver to set KPI and timelines 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.  

• Experience with content writing, brand voice, and digital fundraising best practices.  

• Ability to build and foster relationships across business functions.  

• Understanding of charity law, GDPR and best practices in fundraising  

• Commitment to high level of professional standards  

• Genuine appreciation of George Watson’s College’s mission and the ability to communicate it  

Desirable: 

• Fundraising or marketing qualification such as CIOF accreditation or CIM qualifications. 

• Event management experience  

• Experience of working in the education or charity sectors  

• Understanding of the Independent School sector   

Part-funded by a generous donation from Backstage Trust, this is a new and pivotal role designed to transform Theatre Centre's fundraising capacity by strengthening systems, increasing income diversity, and building long-term financial resilience. The postholder will play a key role in helping the organisation capitalise on its artistic impact and case for support, while building momentum towards its 75th anniversary in 2028.

This role will keep us focused on our development strategy and will have support from across the whole company: the Board, Executive and the core TC team. We have been steadily building our foundations and have some good funding relationships in place, committed individual givers, a strong, evidenced case for support, some incredible stats and feedback and above all an inspiring and exciting programme of work to offer for young people, artists and teachers across the country.

Our Development Manager will help us to bring in resources so that we can continue share our high-quality, specialist work as far as we can. We see development as a collaborative effort and we understand the need for the whole team to support development, that effective fundraising needs to be resourced with realistic timelines and expectations.

About the Role

Contract type: Fixed term to March 2028

Hours: 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE) - we're happy to discuss flexible working patterns that work best for you.

Salary: £24,000 per year (based on £30,000 per year pro rata)

Location: This role can be hybrid or predominantly home based, with some time spent working with colleagues in the office. Theatre Centre is based near Three Bridges station at Unit 4 Crawley Business Centre, Stevenson Way, Crawley, RH10 1TN.

Job Requirements

• A strong affinity with Theatre Centre's mission and a passion for creating opportunities for young people through the arts.
• A values-driven approach, with commitment to equity, inclusion, social justice and environmental responsibility.
• Collaborative, open and transparent working style.
• Comfortable working in a changing environment.
• Proven experience of fundraising within an arts organisation.
• Strong strategic thinking skills.
• Good written communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling cases for support and reports.
• Good understanding of the financial context of this work.
• Experience of building and managing relationships with funders, donors and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including data management.
• Experience of monitoring and reporting to demonstrate impact.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work flexibly under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Job Responsibilities

The Development Manager will lead delivery of a phased fundraising strategy:

Phase 1 - Foundation: Build on our strong systems and processes and give us consistency in fundraising delivery, including building a robust pipeline of Trusts & Foundations and developing place-based income in Crawley and the Gatwick area.

Phase 2 - Private Phase: Expand individual giving by deepening relationships, developing major donors, and securing multi-year funding partnerships.

Phase 3 - Public Bring together all strategic and fundraising priorities in our 75th year, amplifying them into a public campaign that advocates for our change-making work.

If you'd like more information you're welcome to visit our website and download the job pack.

Lichfield Cathedral is about to embark on an exciting period of fundraising and development.

Are you a team player

• With senior fundraising experience?
• With experience of managing a team?
• Who enjoys engaging with stakeholders?
• Who has worked on large grant applications?

Do you have

• An excellent eye for detail?
• A desire to support a good cause?
• Excellent communication skills?

If you have the skills and qualities required and would like to work within our dedicated team at Lichfield Cathedral, then we would love to hear from you.