Development Manager

Main Duties

The Development Manager will work with the Executive Team to design and deliver a fundraising strategy that secures sustainable income for Lewisham Youth Theatre (LYT). This strategy will focus on multiple income streams, including trusts and foundations (across the arts, social impact, health and education sectors), statutory funding, individual giving, and corporate sponsorship.

The postholder will lead the delivery of this strategy — managing the fundraising pipeline, writing compelling bids and proposals, and cultivating strong relationships with donors, funders, and partners. They will also help build and sustain long-term partnerships that support LYT’s creative and strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Planning

• Develop a three-year fundraising strategy aligned with LYT’s mission, values and strategic goals.
• Identify and map potential income opportunities across health, arts, trusts & foundations, individuals and corporate partners.
• Set annual income targets (in consultation with the Executive Producer) and monitor progress through regular updates.
• Maintain a fundraising pipeline, tracking prospects, applications, outcomes and stewardship actions. 

Trusts, Foundations & Grant-making Bodies

• Research and identify relevant funders in the arts, health, youth & community sectors.
• Prepare high quality funding applications, proposals and reports to trusts, foundations, statutory funders and other grant-makers.
• Manage relationships with existing funders and ensure timely fulfilment of funder requirements, including reporting and monitoring.

Individual Giving Development

• Develop and implement a strategy for individual giving, including regular giving and major donors opportunities.
• Cultivate donor relationships through tailored communications, events, stewardship plans.
• Work with the team to create meaningful donor journeys — from prospect to supporter to long-term partner.

Corporate Sponsorship & Partnerships

• Identify and approach potential corporate partners whose values align with LYT’s mission and values.
• Develop sponsorship packages, partnership proposals and activation ideas that deliver mutual value for LYT and corporate supporters.

Collaboration & Embedding Fundraising Culture

• Work closely with the Executive Producer, Executive Creative Director and other senior staff to align fundraising activity with programme, participation and strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with marketing/communications to ensure fundraising messaging, case for support and storytelling are consistent and compelling.
• Support the organisation in maintaining fundraising best practice, including compliance with fundraising regulations, donor data protection (GDPR) and ethical standards.
• Participate in fundraising networks and sector events to keep abreast of trends, share learnings and help build LYT’s fundraising profile.

Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation

• Maintain accurate donor/funder records and contact history (using internal systems).
• Produce regular reports for the Executive Producer and Council of Management on income performance, pipeline status, risks and opportunities.
• Support the development of evaluation frameworks for funded programmes and ensure learnings feed back into fundraising and organisational strategy.

Skills and Experience Required

Person Specification

Essential

• A minimum of previous middleweight-level industry experience or higher in fundraising / development role, preferably within arts, youth work or cultural organisations.
• Proven track record of securing income from statutory bodies, trusts, foundations, individual donors and/or corporate partners within the arts, youth or community sector.
• Strong understanding of the funding landscape at a local, London wide and national scale.
• Excellent grant-writing skills, including research, proposal development, budgets, outcomes and reporting.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills: able to engage funders, donors and corporate partners with credibility and enthusiasm.
• Strategic thinker who can translate organisational ambition into deliverable fundraising plans and targets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling cases for support, presentations and donor materials.
• Organised and self-motivated, able to manage a varied workload, meet deadlines and prioritise effectively in a part-time (3-day) role.
• Commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, especially in participatory arts contexts.

Desirable

• Experience of individual giving programmes
• Experience of corporate sponsorship and stewardship in arts or charitable settings.
• Familiarity with donor database/CRM systems and ability to interpret data to inform strategy.
• Understanding of the creative health sector funding landscape and how health-related funders engage with youth arts work.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, youth participation and applied theatre practice.

Equal Opportunities Statement

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their race, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and caring responsibility. We are committed to offering a working environment where everyone is valued and feels appreciated.