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Development Director, The Silk Heritage Trust

  •  North West
  •  Â£40k-50k (pro rata)
  •  Part time
  •  Closes July 28, 2025
  •  Emma Anderson
  •  director@silkmacclesfield.org.uk
  • #Museums

Description

Job Summary

The Silk Heritage Trust is looking for an ambitious and strategic Development Director to shape the future of our museum and mill and our income streams. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced individual to build a ground up strategy and lead the development of an ambitious organisation.

Job Description

The Trust is working to establish The Silk Museum and Paradise Mill as a national centre for silk heritage and heritage textile crafts. Strengthening The Future of Macclesfield's Heritage moves the Trust towards this vision, strengthening fundraising capacity, staff and board skills, to provide a solid foundation for the future.

This newly created role will build on recent fundraising success, including a recent National Lottery Heritage Fund award, and attract substantial support from individuals and corporate sources. It involves working with internal and external stakeholders to raise funds for core funding, projects, and capital campaigns. This role will drive forward new plans for individual giving, philanthropy and fundraising to significantly rebuild the Trust's reserves.

To lead the Trust's work towards financial resilience through broadening its income streams

To increase voluntary income from funders and philanthropists by 50%, reflating free reserves, through an ambitious Development & Fundraising Strategy

To initiate, lead, and deliver projects to develop and transform the work, premises, and staff of the Silk Museum & Paradise Mill, working with consultancy support to:

  • Develop a 3-5 year business plan
  • Cost and plan options for tackling the site: Limitations to accessibility and visitor welcome; Constraints to income generation; challenges to maintenance, environmental sustainability, care, and display of our collections; rising energy costs
  • Secure funding for major conservation, building repairs and organisational development.

To build a new supporter community and membership offer to attract supporters and philanthropists for the Trust's development plans

To build and lead strong relationships with partners for collaboration, fundraising, and sponsorship

To drive strong working relationships and communication with Museum staff, volunteers, and Trustees, to develop a broad fundraising ethos, including training and mentoring

Job Requirements

This is a part-time, 30 hour 0.8 fte role, hours worked to suit the needs of the role and the business

  • Review and develop the Trust's Development & Fundraising Strategy, identifying and pursuing fundraising opportunities, campaigns, and funding applications in line with this strategy, including:
    • Trusts and foundations
    • Statutory funders
    • Corporate support and partnerships
    • a new legacies programme, Supporters, and individual giving programmes
  • Maximise income and in-kind support through fundraising activities onsite and online, including events and sponsorship, to engage current supporters and cultivate new relationships.
  • Ensure that all fundraising activities are delivered professionally and timely to ensure maximum and meaningful engagement
  • Manage the evaluation of fundraising activities and prepare and submit reports to key stakeholders.
  • Deliver reporting for statutory funders, ensuring that the museum delivers on its reporting requirements in a timely manner.

Job Responsibilities

  • Oversee the work of the Programming Team (Senior Curator, Paradise Mill; Museum Curator; Community Engagement Programmer) in delivering, evaluating, and reporting on existing funded programmes, including Arts Council CIP, Pilgrim Trust, Granada Foundation, Foyle Foundation, and Macclesfield Town Council.
  • Contribute to the success and culture of The Silk Heritage Trust
  • Interact and cooperate with all employees, trustees, and volunteers, ensuring good teamwork.
  • Manage performance of staff, volunteers, and researchers as appropriate and in line with the Trust's performance management processes.
  • Make best use of technology across our activities.
  • Support effective communications and promotion of The Silk Museum and Paradise Mill
  • Work flexibly at times and on occasions that connect with the needs of audiences and communities.
  • Ensure we are adhering to and compliant with our policies, processes, and statutory obligations and equal opportunities

How to Apply

Please submit your updated CV with a covering letter (no more than 2-sides A4) outlining your interest in the role and setting out how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the post, to: [email protected]
In your application, please indicate the notice period for your current role.
We want our recruitment processes to be inclusive and accessible to all candidates, including those with disabilities. Please let us know if you have any access needs in making your application.
Deadline for applications: 12 noon Monday 28th July 2025
If you have any queries about this role in advance of the deadline, or if you have any access requirements please do not hesitate to email: [email protected]
Interviews:
We expect to hold initial interviews – in person or online – during the week beginning 4th August; and in person second interviews for selected candidates during the week beginning 11th August

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