Whitechapel Gallery
This is a unique opportunity to lead the Development Team of one of the world’s most pioneering art galleries at an exciting new stage in its 120-year history. A key member of the Whitechapel Gallery’s senior leadership team, you will work closely with Gilane Tawadros, the incoming Director, and the Gallery’s Trustees to shape and support a new vision for the Whitechapel Gallery, creating a distinctive, radically different voice for the Gallery as a leading cultural institution in the twenty-first century.
The Director of Development provides both strategic and operational leadership of the Whitechapel Gallery’s fundraising, as well as personally holding a portfolio of key relationships. They will be responsible for the successful delivery of income against agreed targets, ensuring that donors at every level, across individuals, trusts and foundations, corporate and statutory funders, are engaged with the Whitechapel’s mission and programme. The Director of Development will shape a new vision for how the Whitechapel Gallery will be funded in the future as it moves into a new chapter, establishing and leading a new fundraising committee for the Gallery.
Working at a senior level, ideally, in the visual arts, you will have an excellent understanding of the funding landscape in the UK, a demonstrable track record of generating significant income and engaging with a wide range of funders, involving and inspiring them about our ambitions and contribution to wider society. You will have superb communication skills, excellent people management abilities and a carefully- honed and sensitive understanding of the ethical considerations of fundraising.
As an eloquent ambassador for the Whitechapel Gallery externally, you will oversee a talented and committed Development team, ensuring that each individual can contribute and participate to their full ability.
Duties & Responsibilities Leadership
- Work closely with the Director, Managing Director and Board of Trustees to create a new vision for the Development department and explore imaginative opportunities to generate more philanthropic income from individuals, trusts and foundations and corporate sponsors and public funding sources
- Agree on fundraising targets with the Director and Managing Director and ensure successful delivery
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the fundraising strategy by monitoring income against agreed targets reporting back regularly to the Director and Managing Director, and revising where necessary
- Contribute to the overall strategic vision of the Gallery and deliver agreed strategic priorities as part of the Senior Leadership Team
- Provide overall leadership to the Development Team, setting targets and clear objectives and ensuring that each individual is supported to deliver to their full potential
- Ensure that the Gallery has effective due diligence processes for fundraising and that these are regularly reviewed and updated
Fundraising and Advocacy
- Take overall responsibility for delivering the Gallery’s fundraising targets
- Manage and build on existing key relationships with funders, including public statutory bodies, trusts and foundations, companies, and individual patrons, including holding a personal portfolio of high-level funding relationships
- Identify and develop new partnerships for the Gallery, working closely with colleagues across the organisation to build compelling cases for support for the gallery’s work
- Oversee strategy and delivery of Patrons programmes, Commissioning Council and other regular giving initiatives, ensuring high donor care standards are maintained at all times
- Work closely with the Director, Curator and other colleagues to help build and steward relationships with key funders, briefing on and/or joining meetings
- Keep apprised of the latest developments in statutory funding, particularly from UK and government agencies, local government, EU, as well as non-UK cultural agencies and embassies
- Deliver presentations and meetings with existing and potential funders
- Oversee all internal Development events, including artist dinners, patrons’ events, private views and our annual fundraising gala, Art Icon
- Liaise with the Director of Communications and other colleagues as appropriate on print, PR, marketing and in-Gallery signage to ensure accurate and appropriate accreditation of sponsors and supporters Administration
- Produce quarterly and annual reports for the Board of Trustees, stakeholders as well as regular reports for Team Leaders
- Oversee ongoing research, identifying and tracking prospects, including preparation of briefings for events and meetings
- Oversee reporting to sponsors and supporters to meet grant requirements and steward supporters
- Maintain high standards in financial processes and record keeping, including oversight of Gift Aid processes and storing personal data consistent with GDPR, and liaise with the Finance Team on the annual audit Other
- Carry out any other duties as deemed appropriate by the Director
- Accompany supporters on the studio, biennale and exhibition tours
- Attend opening views, VIP previews and dinners
- Represent Whitechapel Gallery at public events, meetings and networking on behalf of the organisation
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We want our workforce to represent all sections of the community and expect all our workers to have a strong commitment to work with the Gallery in creating an equal, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Our ambition is to reflect society and to create a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all to experience art.
Person Specification
Essential
- Successful track record of fundraising, including securing significant, six-to-seven figure donations against agreed targets
- Knowledge of art and the art world
- Knowledge of the UK cultural funding landscape
- Strong interest and empathy with the activities and policies of the Whitechapel Gallery, in particular the Exhibitions, Education and Community programmes
- A strategic and creative mindset, with the ability to both plan ahead and respond to circumstances and opportunities as they arise
- Experience in contributing to an organisation at senior manager level
- A track record of team management and/or significant line management experience
- Practical experience in creating and managing budgets; understanding of management accounts
- Excellent communication skills, with the tact, confidence, and maturity to liaise with a wide range of people
- Impeccable writing skills, with the ability to tailor content to specific audiences
- Demonstrable experience of fundraising and cultivation events
- Skills to produce well-presented and professional documents, often to tight deadlines
- Strong administrative and organisational abilities with close attention to detail
- IT literate and experience of Microsoft Office suite
Desirable
- A graduate in a visual arts-related field
- Experience of working in either a public or commercial art organisation
- Experience in using Raisers Edge or a similar CRM database to deliver fundraising goals
- Personal experience in raising funds from a wide range of different income sources, including individuals, trusts and foundations, corporate supporters and statutory funders
Conditions of Work
- Permanent contract: Full Time
- Hours of work: 5 days a week, 9:30am – 5:45pm, with one hour for lunch. Some evening work will be required, compensated by time off in lieu
- Salary: from £65,000, depending on experience
- Probation period: 6 months
- The period of notice is 3 months in writing on either side
In addition, the benefits you are eligible to receive are:
- 25 days annual holiday (pro rata for part-time staff)
- You will be eligible to participate in the group personal pension scheme, with the Gallery contributing an amount equal to an additional 7.5% of your gross salary
- Discount from the Gallery Bookshop
- Discount from the Townsend Restaurant
- Discounts on Whitechapel Gallery limited edition prints
- £200 annual travel grant (pro rata equivalent for part-time staff)
- Free entry to a range of arts organisations across the UK
- Training opportunities
