Gainsborough's House is embarking on a journey over the next five years to raise its profile and grow its audience. As the largest public art gallery in Suffolk and the national centre for Thomas Gainsborough, it serves as a cultural hub in the heart of East Anglia, all within the unique environment of the artist's birthplace and home. The museum and gallery is a significant venue for an exciting programme of exhibitions, both historical and contemporary, and delivers learning and engagement programmes focused on creating a deeper connection with all our audiences and communities.
Gainsborough's House is looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic, well-organised, self-directed and motivated individual who can support the Director in harnessing the museum's considerable potential as its Development Manager. Fundraising is crucial to the museum in terms of sustainability and growth, as currently self-generated income only accounts for up to a third of our running costs and so we require substantial external support to meet our strategic objectives. Fundraising takes many forms, including public grants, trusts and foundations, commercial sponsorship and private philanthropy. The Development Manager will execute the planning, submitting, monitoring and reporting on grant applications, and provide leadership with the Director in the stewardship of our patron groups and individual donors. In addition, the Development Manager will need to cultivate relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, working closely with the Director and other staff. The postholder will be responsible for delivering a successful development strategy, supported by the Board's fundraising sub-committee. The successful candidate will have experience of fundraising in a cultural organisation, familiarity with the development landscape in the UK, and a sound understanding of best practice, including the public sector (local authority, ACE and NLHF) and private sector (trusts and foundations, corporate and private).
Duties & responsibilities
* To implement and manage the Fundraising Strategy to ensure annual targets are met.
* Work with the Director and GH fundraising sub-committee to identify funding opportunities in line with the Strategic Plan and specific planned activity.
* Execute the planning, submitting, monitoring and reporting on grant applications.
* Identify and cultivate existing and prospective donors.
* Manage relationships with stakeholders, public sector (local authority, ACE and NLHF) and private sector (trusts and foundations, corporate and private).
* Manage and help cultivate the patrons groups and support membership subscriptions more broadly.
* Support and assist with fundraising and stakeholder events.
* Develop and maintain relationships with key fundraising stakeholders.
* Help cultivate relationships with longer-term major gifts and legacies.
* Research and develop sponsors from the corporate sector, locally and nationally, for both project-specific support and Corporate Membership.
* Help develop and implement an effective Legacies Campaign as well as building the Endowment.
* Ensure effective communication internally and help to embed a fundraising ethos across all activities of the Museum.
* Seek exhibition sponsorship and support for the creative programme.
* Oversee the Museum's relationship management database in line with GDPR regulations.
* Work with colleagues to ensure the effectiveness and consistency of all fundraising related communications.
* With colleagues, ensure the safe, efficient and timely processing of all income, and its accurate recording, reporting and acknowledgement.
* Any other reasonable tasks that might be required.
Person specification
Essential:
* Demonstrable experience of establishing and developing relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders.
* Proven track record of successful fundraising in a cultural organization, and familiarity with the development landscape in the UK.
* Excellent written and spoken communication skills with the ability to convey the museum's case for support in an inspiring and compelling way.
* Excellent interpersonal skills, with the confidence to communicate effectively with a diverse range of professionals and audiences.
* Experience of writing evaluation reports for funders and sponsors.
* Confidence in presenting financial information, such as budget breakdowns in grant applications.
* Working knowledge of CRM databases.
* Ability to plan and prioritise a demanding workload and to meet deadlines.
* Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
* Ability to be discreet and maintain confidentiality at all times.
* A commitment to working collaboratively in a team and fostering effective working relationships.
* The ability to think strategically, meet demanding deadlines, balance multiple tasks, make decisions and prioritise key issues.
Desirable:
* Knowledge of the visual arts and the work of innovative museums.
* Knowledge of the cultural environment of Suffolk and East Anglia more broadly.
How to apply
Gainsborough's House is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified candidates from visible and invisible minority group members, indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons across the spectrum of sexual and gender identities, and others with the skill and knowledge to engage with diverse communities. We are committed to hiring on merit and to removing barriers in employment.
Application deadline: Monday 15 September 2025, by 5pm
Interviews: w/c Monday 22 September 2025
To apply, please email a covering letter of no more than 2 pages summarising why you are applying for this role, along with a CV to: Trudy Pickerin,
All positions at Gainsborough's House are offered subject to the following conditions:
* Receipt of satisfactory references
* Proof that you are legally entitled to work in the UK
For further questions about the role, please email:
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £35,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Company pension
* Employee discount
Work Location: In person