Development Manager

Development Manager

Buxton Opera House Closing date: Sun, 16 Aug 2026

Artform: Theatre
Role: Fundraising
Contract: Permanent
North West

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 "> published -

Job Summary

As Development Manager, you’ll play a vital part in supporting the Development team to increase restricted and unrestricted income. Your key duties will include growing our individual giving income streams, which will include further developing and managing our individual giving membership scheme.

Job Description

In addition, you'll lead on small to mid-level trust and foundation prospecting and bid-writing, as well as overseeing and supporting corporate business development in the local community and further afield. You will work across the organisation to help identify opportunities for funding, build relationships with funders, and achieve related targets. You'll also be responsible for reporting back to trusts and foundations and building lasting relationships with all the people and organisations we work with. If you're highly organised and excited by the buzz of live performance, learning and engagement activities in the local community, and heritage, this is your chance to be part of something truly special.

Individual Giving
Lead on the management and development of our membership and supporter schemes, with support from the Head of Development, including:
-Creating prospect pipelines.
-Leading on campaigns and identifying opportunities to grow membership.
-Creating and leading cultivation events throughout the year.
-Leading on higher-level membership communications.
-Creating communications for lower-level membership, in collaboration with the Marketing & Communications team.
-Creating, implementing and managing admin processes for recruiting and managing the membership scheme.
-Create and lead targeted campaigns to increase individual donations and giving across social media and through our digital channels.
-Identify relevant opportunities across the year to boost our profile and ask people to give.
-Initiate and monitor onsite giving opportunities.
-Working with the Head of Development, assist with the prospecting and cultivation of major donors, particularly in light of a possible impending capital campaign, requiring significant gifts to be raised from Individuals and other ways.
-Work with the Head of Development, Head of Marketing and Communications and Box Office to ensure BOH's database and CRM are utilised to their full potential.

Job Requirements

Experience
-Minimum of 2 years' experience in a fundraising role, ideally in the charity sector. This could include growing membership schemes, individual giving schemes, demonstrable experience of applying to Trusts and Foundations or growing business to customer income.
-Proven experience of building meaningful relationships with stakeholders and funders.
-Experience of meeting fundraising and relevant business-related targets.
-Experience of working with a CRM system.

Skills and Knowledge
-Ability to build and maintain relationships.
-Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.
-An entrepreneurial attitude with the ability to generate revenue schemes that maximise income and impact.
-Ability to create and communicate a compelling case for support.
-Ability to use and work with own initiative and be a 'self-starter'.
-Strong planning and organisational skills.
-Computer literacy (specifically MS office and CRMs).
-Ability to analyse trends and interpret data.

Job Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Corporate
-Ensure all Corporates are effectively stewarded, supported by the Development Officer (leading on all lower-level opportunities) and the Head of Development.
-Support the Development Officer to manage and update the Corporate pipeline and prospect research.

Leadership
-Deputise for the Head of Development when appropriate.
-Contribute to ongoing review and implementation of the Development strategy.
-Keep informed of current best practice and legislation in fundraising.
-Support the Head of Development to embed a culture of giving across the organisation.

Useful Links

Job Overview

  • Job Title: Development Manager
  • Salary: £30k-£40k
  • Hours: Full time
  • Artform: Theatre
  • Role: Fundraising
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Closing date: Sun, 16 Aug 2026
  • Location:
    North West
    | view on Google Maps

Job: Development Manager

Job: Development Manager

Organisation: Buxton Opera House

Postcode: SK17 6AZ

How to Apply

We’d love to hear from you! To apply, please send your CV, along with a covering letter detailing:

Why you’re interested in this role
The key skills and experience you would bring to the position
Email your application to [email protected]

Deadline for Applications: Sun 16 Aug, 11.59pm

If you would like to find out more about the role before applying, please contact Tara Worrall-Hill, Head of Development, on [email protected] for an informal conversation.

We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences. You may not meet every criterion listed, and that’s okay. If you have some relevant experience and a motivation to learn and grow, we encourage you to apply.

Thank you for your interest. We look forward to receiving your application!