Development Executive (Communications and Events)

As a member of the newly formed Development Team, you will lead on supporter engagement for the School and its Students through effective fundraising communications and year-round event delivery. You will support prospect communications, and assure best-in-class stewardship of donors while enabling delivery of rights and benefits to Centenary sponsors and partners.

SUMMARY OF THE ROLE

This role will assist with day-to-day management of Royal Ballet School s fundraising work to support retention of recurring income from existing streams and facilitate the onboarding of new donors.

Reporting to the Development Operations Manager, the post-holder will assist with the planning and delivery of a large number of year-round engagement events through in-house visits and performances, external events and ticketing management for centenary performances. This role will lead on all fundraising communications to donor and prospect segments, and oversee campaign tracking, while relying on accurate data use and record keeping. The role will also support the administrative processing of ad-hoc Legacy request donations.

MAIN DUTIES

Fundraising Communications:

• Lead on communications for the Team, segmenting prospects and donors, ensuring they receive regular and tailored emails
• Oversee key termly campaigns, sponsor reports and videos, event invitations and summer performance comms
• Use Dot Digital to send communications and securely hold and update donor contact information
• Work closely with the School s Communications and Marketing department to advance design and content briefs as required.

Event Planning & Delivery:

• Attend annual School calendar planning meetings
• Manage delivery of approx. 35+ in-house donor visits to Upper School and White Lodge all year round
• Support the delivery external events for existing donors as well as cultivation events for prospects
• Coordinate performance invitations, attendance and hospitality at Opera Holland Park, Linbury Theatre, and the Royal Opera House and other third party venues
• Log and track all event invitations, RSVPs and attendance through the CRM
• Work closely with the teaching staff to coordinate any activities that are student-facing.

Donor Data Stewardship:

• Support the Donor Relations Team to administrate and deliver benefits to a portfolio of donors, sponsors and partners
• Work alongside Artistic, Academic, and Operational colleagues to ensure best Donor Experience
• Develop skills as an integral member of the Development Team in nurturing relationships with internal departments and external individual donors and trustees
• Keep accurate contact data and record keeping for the wider team reporting and monitoring needs

Legacy Gift Administration:

• Administrate Gifts in Wills from Legators working with executors and families and coordinating timelines for income with the Finance team
• Work with the team to build the in memory programme for the School s Centenary and ensuring subsequent In-Memory benefits are delivered.

General Support:

• Support the Development Operations Manager and Head of Donor Relations with the evolving needs of the Development Office, as it seeks to grow income and impact in 2026 and beyond.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria:

• Willing to work collaboratively across all functions of the department and wider School
• Daily working knowledge of Windows PC systems and Microsoft Office programs
• Minimum of two years administrative and operational experience
• Experience in maintaining and managing a contacts database
• Experience of working in a non-profit or charity fundraising environment
• Confident and well presented with strong relationship management skills
• Ability to present information concisely and effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Good organisational skills with ability to prioritise work to meet tight deadlines
• Numerate with a meticulous attention to detail and able to understand budgets
• Flexible to assist at performances and events falling outside normal working hours

Desirable Criteria:

• Empathy with and a commitment to the aims and ethos of the School
• Previous experience of organising premium events and large functions
• A knowledge and appreciation of the arts, particularly dance and ballet
• Previous experience of using Access CRM
• A good understanding Dot Digital
• IoF qualified and/or relevant degree subject

SAFEGUARDING DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and recognises that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone s responsibility. The School expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment to children s safeguarding and to share this child-centred approach. This approach means that staff must consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. Additionally, the following is expected of all staff:

• To uphold the School s policies relating to safeguarding and child protection, behaviour, health and safety and all other relevant policies
• To promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for whom you are responsible and come into contact with
• To report any safeguarding concerns using the relevant channels, such as informing the Designated Safeguarding Lead, in a timely and appropriate manner
• To ensure full compliance with all statutory regulations, particularly the most recent Keeping Children Safe in Education, and to communicate concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, other relevant staff of The Royal Ballet School or local children s services as appropriate.

The information detailed here about this role should not be considered encompassing. Over time, the emphasis of the job may change without changing the general characterisation of the role or the level of duties and responsibilities. This information will be periodically reviewed and revised in consultation with the postholder.

We are committed to creating an environment where all our employees feel part of our team and can flourish, regardless of their background. We re proud to be an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.