Published - Fri, 21 Feb 2025
Job Summary
English Touring Opera (ETO) are seeking an ambitious and driven Trusts & Foundations Officer to join our busy Development team as we look to grow our voluntary (fundraised) income to support our work on the stage, in schools, and in the community.
Job Description
The role will be an integral part of a small team, working closely with the Head of Development, Development Manager, and Philanthropy Officer, supporting vital fundraising efforts from Trusts and Foundations.
This is an ideal job for anyone looking to work in fundraising in the performing arts, offering insight into all aspects of activity in a busy touring company. The ideal candidate will be a proactive, outgoing individual with excellent interpersonal skills. The role requires rigorous attention to detail and an ability to work well to deadlines. It would suit someone with a passion for opera or theatre, and the ability to inspire others about the importance of ETO's work and the value of the arts more generally.
The role will be based in our Sheffield office, with the option to work from our temporary London office in 2025, and with some remote work. The role will require some travel to performances, meetings, and events around the country, especially during touring seasons (usually September - November and February - June).
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.
Job Requirements
1. Excellent administration and organisation skills.
2. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, able to interact with people from all backgrounds and ages with confidence.
3. Good time management skills with the ability to prioritise multiple requirements, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.
4. A passion for the arts and ETO's mission.
5. A commitment to establishing a career in fundraising.
6. Excellent writing skills.
7. An adaptable team player who is comfortable working as part of a busy team, but also able to work independently.
8. Confident and well presented with a professional telephone manner.
9. Ability to handle sensitive material with confidentiality.
10. A passion for, and good working knowledge of, opera.
11. Experience in a target-driven sales environment and/or customer services setting.
Job Responsibilities
Trusts & Foundations
* Research & identify funding opportunities & support the creation of an annual submission timetable for Trust & Foundation applications.
* Create proposal templates/cases for support for all key projects.
* Take ownership of preparing & writing proposals and reports to a range of grant-making Trusts & Foundations for grants up to £10,000.
* Establish & maintain relationships with this portfolio of funders.
* Support with preparing & writing proposals and reports to a range of grant-making Trusts & Foundations for grants of £10,000 and over.
* Liaise with teams internally to keep centralised project information up to date.
* Create a solid communication plan to increase interactions with Trusts & Foundations throughout the year.
* Keep up to date on funder trends & future opportunities including changes in funding priorities, and ensure the Development team are aware of these opportunities.
For a full list of opportunities, see job pack.
Please email your CV (maximum two pages) and a separate document (maximum two pages) that answers the following four questions to admin@etopera.org.uk:
1. Tell us about your biggest success or a piece of work of which you are most proud.
2. This role will involve writing persuasive applications for Trust and Foundation grants. Please can you write a short paragraph explaining why a Trust or Foundation should award a grant towards ETO’s Spring 2025 season, including our opera for children.
3. You’ll have to work as part of a busy team in this role. Please can you give us an example of how you’ve worked in a team before?
4. Please tell us if you have any previous fundraising experience, or previous experience which has given you skills which are transferable to fundraising.
Please also fill in the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form - more information via our website.
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