Development Manager

Development Manager

The post of Development Manager is a role which will make a fundamental contribution to our growth and development. We hope also that it will be a great opportunity for you in your own career.

The English Concert is recognised as one of the world’s great chamber orchestras and has been at the forefront of period instrument performance for 50 years. We are now working to build a new future for the orchestra to ensure we can continue to share exceptional musical experiences. With a solid financial base, The English Concert has already surpassed its pre-pandemic scope and aspirations. Our Handel for All initiative signifies a noteworthy leap forward in both size and vision, and your involvement would be instrumental in making this aspiration a reality.

As part of a small and close-knit team, you will work with the Chief Executive and Trustees to expand our prospect pipeline and build valuable relationships with supporters at all levels of giving.

We are looking for a talented individual who takes the initiative, brings excellent organisational skills and a passion for classical music and the performing arts that will inspire both existing and potential donors. If that is you, whether you are a seasoned fundraiser or coming from a bigger team, we would be excited to hear from you.

George Burnett
Chairman

Alfonso Leal del Ojo
Chief Executive

We have been at the forefront of period instrument performance for 50 years, gaining worldwide recognition as one of the greatest chamber orchestras.

Led by the artistic direction of Harry Bicket and principal guest Kristian Bezuidenhout, we combine precision, delicacy, and beauty with urgency, passion, and fire, which has earned us a reputation for delivering exceptional musical experiences. Our collaboration with artistic partners such as Joyce DiDonato, Dame Sarah Connolly, Iestyn Davies, Trevor Pinnock, and others helps us to shape the way we perform and bring our music to life in new and innovative ways.

We invite you to join us in our mission to share our music-making, whether through live performances, award-winning recordings, or online. As a member of our team, you will have the opportunity to contribute to this legacy and help us to build an exciting future for the orchestra.

The Development Manager will work together with the Chief Executive and the Board to secure new income across all support streams, including individual donors, trusts and foundations and relevant public sector funds, and develop the existing members and patrons programme to increase support across all levels of membership. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Trustees and Strategy and Planning Committee, which includes a number a players, the post-holder will expand our prospect pipeline, focusing resources and prioritising areas with the greatest impact and maintaining the highest level of donor stewardship and communications at all times.

Our fundraising target for the current financial year is £500,000, which includes substantial contributions from regular donors and assistance from The English Concert in America. Our ambitious Handel for All project has already garnered substantial fresh philanthropic support, and with your participation, we are confident we will achieve this goal.

After 6 months in post, the successful candidate will have:

• Built good relationships with Trustees and existing supporters and gained a thorough understanding of the orchestra’s character and approach
• Defined the case for support to ensure a range of opportunities are available
• Implemented an action plan for fundraising, including the submission of early grant applications and donor approaches
• Established effective systems and practices to manage and monitor progress in fundraising.
• Planned a proactive cultivation plan to reach new prospects and upgrade existing supporters, supporting the Trustees as appropriate
• Taken the lead on personal approaches to upgrade existing supporters and recruit new donors.
• Made significant progress towards achieving annual targets for income, renewals and new members

FUNDRAISING

• Develop a yearly action plan for individual giving to include philanthropic year-on-year giving and fundraising for specific projects and targeted appeals, particularly our major Handel for All initiative.
• Retain and increase support by overseeing the delivery of an excellent programme of donor care, including the delivery of a range of benefits
• Active stewardship of current donors to ensure sustained giving
• Meet agreed annual fundraising targets
• Continually monitor progress against targets, ensuring fundraising costs stay within budgeted expenditure
• Implement new fundraising approaches, creating documents that articulate a compelling case for support, with tailored proposals and timely reporting to funders as required

PROSPECTS & NEW SUPPORT

• Generate and convert new support by maintaining your own prospect pipeline and supporting the Trustees to convert their portfolios of supporters and contacts
• Stay in regular touch with new and existing supporters to encourage new or increased giving, adopting a personal and tailored approach
• Undertake relevant research to expand the prospect pipeline and increase overall giving to The English Concert
• To update and maintain a prospect tracking system and help monitor the solicitation process

FINANCE, DATA & GIFT AID

• Monitor monthly fundraising income and report progress to agreed KPIs
• Liaise with the Chief Executive to ensure that management accounts reflect expected, received and forecasted income figures
• Be responsible for maintaining and updating all individual giving information on The English Concert’s database, recording donations, memberships, prospects and events.
• Set up Gift Aid for all individual memberships and work with the Chief Executive to manage the processing of Gift Aid for individual gifts
• Ensure that all data complies with procedures for data integrity (e.g. Gift Aid, Data Protection and PCI compliance)

DONORS COMMUNICATION AND EVENTS

• Manage and attend cultivation events, liaising with players in the orchestra and venues as appropriate
• Draft and manage communications going out to supporters including season announcements, other news, updates and invitations
• Ensure any funding reporting requirements are submitted in a timely manner
• Support the marketing efforts to ensure The English Concert’s website and social media are regularly updated with relevant fundraising information

In addition to an interest and commitment to the overall aims of The English Concert, we are looking for someone with the following experience and aptitude:

EXPERIENCE

• Experience as a front-line fundraiser, with a proven record of cultivating gifts and ‘making the ask’ up to four figures.
• Experience of following through individual donor approaches from research through to soliciting and securing gifts.
• Excellent track record of stewardship and building relationships with donors
• Experience of working to, and achieving, financial targets and KPIs

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and the ability to build good relations both internally and externally
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to inspire trust; takes personal responsibility for delivering results effectively and swiftly and matches resources to business priorities.
• Skilled and confident communicator, both written and verbal, with a meticulous attention to detail
• Robust IT skills and confidence using databases (TEC uses Salesforce to track fundraising performance)
• Knowledge of individual giving schemes and of the wider arts or fundraising sectors
• Knowledge of Gift Aid, Data Protection and PCI compliance regulations

Salary
£37,000-£40,000 depending on experience.
This is a full-time position, but we will consider applications from highly experienced candidates seeking part-time work.

Working hours
Core hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm. While The English Concert is situated at 240 High Holborn, London WC1V 7DN, flexible work arrangements can be considered and are open for discussion.
Work for concerts and cultivation events are part of the role and time off in lieu will be agreed regularly as appropriate with the Chief Executive.

Annual leave entitlement
Statutory Annual leave. 25 days a year and additionally, public holidays. The nature of the job may necessitate working on weekends and public holidays. If such circumstances arise. Time off in lieu is granted in line with TEC’s TOIL policy.

Pension
Statutory pension contributions. Employer 3%, Employee 5%.

Applicants who most closely fit our criteria will be shortlisted and invited for interview between the 18th and 21th September 2021.

Fill in application form below.