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Head of Development, English Touring Opera

  •  UK-wide
  •  Â£40k-50k
  •  Full time
  •  Closes July 8, 2026
  •  ETO Admin
  •  admin@etopera.org.uk
  • #Performing arts
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Description

Job Summary

ETO is recruiting a dynamic fundraiser, strategist, team-builder and opera lover. This senior role will work closely with ETO’s CEO and Artistic Director, leading on all fundraising and on supporting a high-achieving and happy Development team.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced, creative and self-motivated individual with the skills and passion to sustain and increase ETO's fundraised income and maintain and develop our crucial relationship with Arts Council England. ETO is part of ACE's National Portfolio, receiving £2.24M in the 26/27 NPO funding extension period.

The Head of Development will hold a key position within ETO's senior management team working closely with the Executive Director and the CEO and Artistic Director. They will lead the work of the Development department, managing a Philanthropy Officer who works with our individual supporters, a Development Manager whose work focuses on Trusts & Foundations and our NPO grant, a Trusts & Foundations Officer, and a part-time Corporate Partnerships & Philanthropy Manager.

The Head of Development will be a key part of ETO's management team, with vital responsibilities for income generation, strategic planning and organisational culture. We particularly encourage applications from disabled people and people from global majority backgrounds, as these groups are currently under-represented in the cultural sector.

Permanent, full-time position. The normal working week includes seven paid hours a day, five days per week (a one-hour lunch break each day is unpaid), Monday to Friday. ETO's office is based at The Workstation, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX. The office/home working pattern is currently split 3:2. This is being continually reviewed and full-time office working may be a requirement. Travel in the UK to our touring venues will be required for this role.

Job Requirements

A passion for the arts, music and ETO's mission;

Self-motivated, goal-oriented approach;

Significant experience of working in charitable fundraising and of asking individuals and/or grant-giving bodies for donations or grants directly and with confidence;

Excellent written and verbal communication skills;

Highly numerate and able to create reports presenting a variety of financial data (e.g. budgets, financial forecasts) and interpret company accounts;

Outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with people from all backgrounds and ages with confidence, using tact and diplomacy;

Curious, and informed of new trends in the fundraising and press sectors;

A methodical approach and eye for detail;

Well-organised, enjoy working both independently and as part of a close-knit team, managing a varied workload;

Committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Experience of management;

Knowledge of UK GDPR, tax and Gift Aid legislation

Job Responsibilities

Lead the strategic development and increase of our voluntary income streams

Manage the operational delivery of voluntary income streams

Line-manage and support the work of the Development department across Trusts & Foundations, Philanthropic and Corporate giving, setting goals and helping the Development team to deliver their best work

Work with the Executive Director to ensure financial targets are represented within the company's budgets

Set, manage, and report on the budget for expenditure within the Development Department

Ensure that ETO's commitment to ethical fundraising is upheld and potential reputational risks are identified and assessed thoroughly

Report regularly on progress against targets to the ETO Board and Finance Committee

Ensure compliance with GDPR in relation to data gathered from and about ETO's donors and donor-prospects, and compliance with tax and Gift Aid legislation related to fundraised income

Attend board meetings as required

Useful Links

How to Apply

Please email your CV (maximum two pages) and a covering letter (maximum two pages) outlining in detail why you are applying for the role and how your skills and experience make you a suitable candidate to [email protected]. If you would like to submit your cover letter & submission of interest in a non-written format, please submit a video or voice recording (or a link to one). Please ensure these are no longer than 5 minutes.

Please also fill in the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, which will be anonymised, stored separately from your application, and will not be considered as part of it. If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact [email protected].

Please follow the "Apply Now" link for the job pack.

We actively encourage applications from disabled people, working class people and people from global majority backgrounds, as these groups are currently under-represented in the cultural sector.

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