Development Manager

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Development Manager will play a key role in helping us realise The Yard’s mission. Fundraised income (excluding Arts Council England) represents 20% of our turnover at around £250,000 annually, which this role leads in securing.
We are a small, dynamic team of 11, working closely together to make and share new theatre, and to develop talent. We are also proud to have raised £6m towards a £6.5m capital project to refurbish and extend our building in 25-26. This role will work closely with the Executive team and Board to set strategy, manage key relationships, and secure impactful funding. They will also work closely with colleagues in producing and communications roles, meaning there is a natural relationship between the creative work of the organisation and the fundraising which enables this work to happen. We are looking for someone well organised who can manage a wide portfolio of supporters – but who also thinks deeply about how to manage relationships effectively, and thinks creatively about how to seize new opportunities for funding. The ideal candidate will be inspired by our work, enjoying the challenge of how to communicate it in creative and compelling ways to current and potential supporters.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

Strategy & Planning

• Develop and implement The Yard’s fundraising strategy.
• Create fundraised income projections, considering risk and likelihood.
• Contribute to wider organisational strategic planning.
• Support the development of a fundraising culture at The Yard, with every team member contributing to raising income.
• Carry out research on prospective supporters, sharing briefings.
• Create lists of potential donors, as well as trustees and managers at Trusts, Foundations and Statutory bodies, pursuing network connections.
• Work closely with the Head of Communications to ensure The Yard’s communications support fundraising goals.
• Maintain an understanding of fundraising best practice and the funding landscape.

Proposal Development

• Work with colleagues to develop high quality proposals and manage the team’s writing of £1-10K applications.
• Lead the writing of £10K+ applications and proposals.
• Support the Executive Director with capital project applications.
• Work with colleagues to create budgets for applications.
• Implement the ethical fundraising policy in advance of making an application.

Grant Management

• Work with colleagues to ensure activities are compliant with grant agreements.
• Work with Finance to ensure compliance and monitoring of restricted funds.
• Maintain up-to-date records of applications, grants, and reports.

Individual & Corporate Support

• Understand The Yard’s current supporters and audiences.
• Map networks of potential supporters, implementing strategies to engage them.
• Identify and cultivate businesses aligned with The Yard.
• Ensure The Yard has robust administration practices.
• Accurately record information on The Yard’s CRM database.
• Support the Theatre Administrator to oversee and grow Friends, Members and point-of-sale support.

Communications

• Manage our portfolio of supporters, developing positive relationships and identifying ways to engage them.
• Manage formal and informal communications to all supporters.
• Write evaluation reports, working with colleagues to ensure data and evidence is collected.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• If the statements in the ‘Essential’ section describe you, then we’d love to hear from you.
• A proven track record of securing multi-year 5 and/or 6-figure grants.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• A proven track record of successfully stewarding funder relationships.
• Experience in producing or overseeing budgets and financial reporting.
• Expertise using a CRM database e.g. Spektrix, Donorfy, Raiser’s Edge.
• Demonstrable interest in theatre or The Yard’s programme.

Desirable

• Strong working relationships with major trusts and foundations.
• Experience of working with Trustees.
• Direct knowledge of The Yard’s work.
• Design experience and/or knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud.
• A fundraising qualifications and/or membership of a fundraising body.

As The Yard delivers work with children, all roles require:

1. A DBS check. This will be administered and paid for by us. We are also happy for this to happen through the sensitive applications route for transgender applicants, as described here.
2. One reference who can comment on the applicant’s suitability to work with children.