Development Manager

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MAC is looking for a confident, target-driven Development Manager to help grow philanthropic support. Working closely with the Director of Development, you will deliver individual giving, Supporters' Circle activity and public fundraising appeals, while supporting corporate partnerships and trusts and foundations. The role involves building strong relationships, planning engaging supporter events and writing persuasive fundraising communications, including appeals linked to future capital developments. This is an excellent opportunity for a confident and motivated fundraiser who believes in the power of arts and culture to create positive change.

Job Purpose:

To deliver key strands of MAC's Development and Fundraising Strategy, with responsibility for Individual Giving, Supporters' Circle, donor events and fundraising communications, while also supporting Corporate fundraising and Trusts and Foundations activity.

The Development Manager will be a confident, target-driven fundraiser with excellent writing skills and a strong ability to build relationships. The role will play a central part in delivering public appeals, supporter engagement and long-term giving, including activity linked to exciting capital developments.

Key Responsibilities

Individual Giving & Supporter Circle

• Deliver annual income targets for Individual Giving and Supporters' Circle, as agreed within MAC's Fundraising Action Plan.
• Manage and grow MAC's Supporters' Circle, increasing membership, retention, diversity and engagement.
• Plan and deliver a programme of supporter cultivation and stewardship events, including supporter-only events and experiences.
• Develop and manage supporter journeys, ensuring timely, thoughtful stewardship and clear opportunities to deepen engagement and giving.
• Support the promotion and stewardship of MAC's Legacy Giving scheme, helping to build long-term relationships with supporters and encouraging consideration of legacy gifts through sensitive and inspiring communication.
• Deliver and support public-facing fundraising appeals, including campaigns linked to capital developments and improvements, engaging audiences through clear and compelling asks.

Donor Relationships and Stewardship

• Build and maintain confident and professional relationships with individual donors and prospects.
• Act as a key point of contact for mid-level donors and supporters, ensuring excellent communication and follow-up.
• Support the Director of Development with donor cultivation, including research, briefings, proposals, meetings and reporting.

Fundraising Communications and Writing

• Write persuasive and high-quality fundraising content including donor appeals, cases for support, event invitations, reports and supporter communications.
• Develop written content for public appeals and capital-focused fundraising activity, ensuring messaging is urgent, inspiring and aligned with MAC's artistic and community impact.
• Contribute to the development of legacy-focused storytelling and communications, working closely with the Director of Development and Marketing and Communications to position legacy giving within the wider supporter journey.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications to ensure fundraising messages are consistent, engaging and effective across all channels.

Corporate Fundraising Support

• Support the delivery of MAC's Corporate fundraising activity in collaboration with the Director of Development.
• Research prospective corporate partners, CSR programmes and sponsorship opportunities aligned with MAC's programme and values.
• Assist with the development of tailored corporate proposals, partnership materials and presentations.
• Support corporate stewardship, including relationship management, reporting, recognition and engagement activity.
• Help coordinate corporate cultivation opportunities, including events, site visits and briefings.

Trusts and Foundations Support

• Support the development and delivery of Trusts and Foundations fundraising, particularly small to mid-level applications.
• Research prospective trusts and foundations and maintain an active prospect pipeline.
• Draft funding applications, reports and supporting materials in collaboration with colleagues across the organisation.
• Support monitoring, reporting and evaluation requirements, ensuring funder compliance and strong relationship management.

Events and Engagement

• Plan, manage and deliver supporter, donor and corporate events, ensuring they are welcoming, well-executed and aligned with income and engagement objectives.
• Support engagement activity linked to capital fundraising priorities, including supporter briefings, behind-the-scenes moments and cultivation events.
• Manage event logistics, budgets, guest lists, communications and follow-up activity.

Data, Reporting and Administration

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor and supporter records on the CRM system, ensuring GDPR compliance.
• Track income, engagement and activity against agreed targets and provide regular reports and insight.
• Support gift processing, acknowledgements and reporting to ensure a high-quality supporter experience.

Cross-Organisational Working

• Work collaboratively with Programming, Producing, Marketing, Finance, Visitor Services and Senior Management.
• Champion fundraising internally and identify opportunities to integrate development activity across MAC.

Other

• Implement MAC's Environmental, Diversity, Safeguarding and Health and Safety policies.
• Undertake other duties that reasonably support the work of the Development team and organisational priorities.

Person Specification

Core

(You should meet most of these requirements)

Desirable

(You should meet some of these requirements)

Professional Experience

• Experience in fundraising, development, partnerships or supporter engagement roles.
• Demonstrable experience delivering income or engagement targets.
• Experience planning and delivering events or supporter activity.

• Experience working in arts, culture or charity sectors.
• Experience supporting or promoting legacy giving or long-term donor stewardship.
• Experience supporting corporate partnerships, sponsorships, writing or supporting trust and foundation applications or CSR activity.
• Experience contributing to public fundraising campaigns or capital appeals.

Knowledge

• Understanding of individual giving and donor stewardship best practice.
• Awareness of corporate fundraising and trust and foundation fundraising processes.
• Knowledge of GDPR and data protection in a fundraising context

• Understanding of capital fundraising or public appeal campaigns.
• Awareness of best practice in legacy giving promotion and stewardship.
• Knowledge of charity fundraising regulation and sector best practice.
• Awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion principles within fundraising and audience development.

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to write persuasive fundraising content.
• Confident communicator, comfortable building relationships with donors, corporates and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.
• Confident CRM user with strong attention to data quality and reporting.

• Experience using CRM systems such as Spektrix or similar fundraising databases.

• Confidence presenting, hosting or speaking at supporter, donor or corporate events.
• Ability to analyse fundraising data and use insight to improve supporter engagement and income.
• Experience tailoring fundraising messages for different audiences.

Personal Attributes

• Target-driven and results-oriented.
  Confident, proactive and self-motivated.
• Warm, professional and relationship-focused.
• Organised and detail-conscious.
• Enthusiastic advocate for arts, culture and community impact.

• Confident public presence when representing an organisation externally.
• Creative and enterprising approach to supporter engagement and fundraising activity.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, target-driven environment.
• Willingness to test new approaches and contribute ideas to improve fundraising performance.

Values & Behaviours

• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion;
• Commitment to environment and sustainability.
• Strong alignment with MAC's mission, artistic ambition and community focus.
• Commitment to inclusive practice and broadening participation in philanthropy.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to work flexible hours for supporter events.

Equal Opportunities & Diversity

All staff are expected to further, promote, and ensure the implementation of, the equal opportunities and diversity policies of MAC.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work. We are also committed to ensuring our people are a reflection of the communities we serve. We ensure that our recruitment and promotion processes are fair and open to all.

Note

This job description outlines the principal responsibilities and duties of the post holder. It is not meant to be, nor is it, an exhaustive list of specific responsibilities and duties. The post holder will be expected to undertake any other duties which could reasonably be expected as being within the remit of the post and which arise out of changes in legislation, regulations, orders, rules and working practices, methods and procedures and reviews, as directed from time to time.

Whilst we recognise the development of AI in the modern workplace, we would encourage you to take the time to complete your application without the use of AI; no generative AI tool can create the personal touch that you can inject into your own application.

Information Session

If you'd like to find out more, we invite you to join Sally, our Head of Development for a 20 minute online chat. You can find out her availability and book a slot by clicking on the link below.

Enquiry Meeting Booking Form

Deadline

All applications must be received no later than 12pm midday Monday 16 February 2026

Late applications will not be considered.

Please be aware that we may close this vacancy before the stated deadline if we receive a high number of applications. We strongly advise you to submit your application as early as possible.

Short-listing

Shortlisted candidates will be informed at the latest by end of day Friday 20 February 2026

Interviews

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview the week commencing 23 February 2026