Job Description
Chisenhale Gallery is seeking a Head of Philanthropy to join our team at a moment of real change and ambition. Since the appointment of our new Director in 2025, we have been evolving at pace: audiences have grown by 142%, individual giving has risen by 64%, and trust and foundation income has increased by 78%, reflecting a new strategy and a programme that is bold, innovative, and delivering real impact.
This is a new post, created to drive forward a renewed approach to philanthropy that is underpinning this strategy. In this senior leadership role, you will work closely with the Director to build, expand, and embed a growing culture of philanthropy. You will oversee all areas of fundraising, co-designing and delivering the corporate and individual giving strategy, with responsibility for securing donors and nurturing existing supporters, embedding meaningful engagement across the gallery's programmes and initiatives. With only 15% of income coming from statutory funders, you will play a critical role in enabling the gallery to commission and present work by influential young voices shaping new discourse in contemporary art.
As head of the development department, you will provide exceptional strategic and operational leadership, managing the fundraising team, including line management of staff and contracting specialist freelancers as required. You will ensure effective delivery across all fundraising areas, with robust systems, processes, and reporting in place to support both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic goals.
We are looking for an ambitious and strategic fundraiser with a proven track record of securing donations, outstanding relationship-building skills, demonstrable management experience, and a passion for contemporary art. You will join a key institution at a transformative moment, and shape a high-performing philanthropic programme while contributing meaningfully to a gallery that has long been authoritative, influential, and at the forefront of UK and international contemporary art.
Overview
The Head of Philanthropy is a senior leadership role and head of department, acting as a key partner to the Director in devising and delivering Chisenhale's fundraising strategy. The role provides leadership of the development team and oversight of all fundraising activity, while maintaining a central focus securing income through individual and corporate philanthropy.
In close partnership with the Director, the Head of Philanthropy oversees all fundraising activity, co-developing and delivering the individual giving and corporate income strategy. The post-holder will apply strategic, entrepreneurial thinking to grow income, broaden the supporter base, and strengthen the organisation's philanthropic culture. They are directly responsible for identifying, cultivating, and securing donations, while nurturing relationships with existing supporters to ensure a thriving philanthropic programme. This includes fostering engagement and a strong sense of community among supporters through a heavily event-led programme that brings donors together and reinforces their connection to the organisation.
In leading the development department, the Head of Philanthropy holds line management responsibility for development staff and identifies and contracts specialist freelancers as required, ensuring effective delivery across all fundraising areas. They maintain full oversight of fundraising operations, implementing robust systems, processes, and reporting, and managing the Development Coordinator to delegate administrative, database, and financial tracking responsibilities while ensuring accuracy and accountability. They also ensure that all fundraising activity aligns with organisational priorities, monitors performance and impact, and drives innovation and continuous improvement within the team.
The Head of Philanthropy works closely with the Director to support and maximise the impact of fundraising committees, including the Chisenhale Council and other donor networks. The post-holder fosters a collaborative and engaged culture, ensuring these groups are effectively managed and contribute meaningfully to fundraising outcomes.
This is a senior role suited to an ambitious, strategic fundraiser with deep roots in the UK contemporary art world, proven experience securing donations, a strong, established network of individual supporters, and outstanding relationship-building skills, committed to fostering a culture of individual philanthropy that sustains innovative artistic practice.
Key tasks and responsibilities
Individual giving
This is a new post, created to drive forward a renewed approach to philanthropy that is underpinning this strategy. In this senior leadership role, you will work closely with the Director to build, expand, and embed a growing culture of philanthropy. You will oversee all areas of fundraising, co-designing and delivering the corporate and individual giving strategy, with responsibility for securing donors and nurturing existing supporters, embedding meaningful engagement across the gallery's programmes and initiatives. With only 15% of income coming from statutory funders, you will play a critical role in enabling the gallery to commission and present work by influential young voices shaping new discourse in contemporary art.
As head of the development department, you will provide exceptional strategic and operational leadership, managing the fundraising team, including line management of staff and contracting specialist freelancers as required. You will ensure effective delivery across all fundraising areas, with robust systems, processes, and reporting in place to support both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic goals.
We are looking for an ambitious and strategic fundraiser with a proven track record of securing donations, outstanding relationship-building skills, demonstrable management experience, and a passion for contemporary art. You will join a key institution at a transformative moment, and shape a high-performing philanthropic programme while contributing meaningfully to a gallery that has long been authoritative, influential, and at the forefront of UK and international contemporary art.
Overview
The Head of Philanthropy is a senior leadership role and head of department, acting as a key partner to the Director in devising and delivering Chisenhale's fundraising strategy. The role provides leadership of the development team and oversight of all fundraising activity, while maintaining a central focus securing income through individual and corporate philanthropy.
In close partnership with the Director, the Head of Philanthropy oversees all fundraising activity, co-developing and delivering the individual giving and corporate income strategy. The post-holder will apply strategic, entrepreneurial thinking to grow income, broaden the supporter base, and strengthen the organisation's philanthropic culture. They are directly responsible for identifying, cultivating, and securing donations, while nurturing relationships with existing supporters to ensure a thriving philanthropic programme. This includes fostering engagement and a strong sense of community among supporters through a heavily event-led programme that brings donors together and reinforces their connection to the organisation.
In leading the development department, the Head of Philanthropy holds line management responsibility for development staff and identifies and contracts specialist freelancers as required, ensuring effective delivery across all fundraising areas. They maintain full oversight of fundraising operations, implementing robust systems, processes, and reporting, and managing the Development Coordinator to delegate administrative, database, and financial tracking responsibilities while ensuring accuracy and accountability. They also ensure that all fundraising activity aligns with organisational priorities, monitors performance and impact, and drives innovation and continuous improvement within the team.
The Head of Philanthropy works closely with the Director to support and maximise the impact of fundraising committees, including the Chisenhale Council and other donor networks. The post-holder fosters a collaborative and engaged culture, ensuring these groups are effectively managed and contribute meaningfully to fundraising outcomes.
This is a senior role suited to an ambitious, strategic fundraiser with deep roots in the UK contemporary art world, proven experience securing donations, a strong, established network of individual supporters, and outstanding relationship-building skills, committed to fostering a culture of individual philanthropy that sustains innovative artistic practice.
Key tasks and responsibilities
Individual giving
- Responsible for designing and implementing a high achieving individual giving strategy in close collaboration with the Director, contributing creative and strategic ideas that will grow support across all tiers, as well as through one-off and major gifts.
- Responsible for bringing creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial ideas to shape an event-based donor engagement strategy, supporting the Director in developing and expanding donor activities that are meaningful, artist-centred, and memorable.
- Responsible for identifying, cultivating, and securing donations from new individuals, taking a proactive approach to engaging prospective supporters through meetings, attending events, and drafting tailored communications to secure private support.
- Responsible for bringing an established personal network within the UK and international contemporary art world and philanthropic community, proactively leveraging meaningful relationships to identify, cultivate, and secure significant new sources of private support.
- Supports the Director in maintaining and further deepening relationships with existing donors, bringing outstanding relationship-building skills to steward support and ensuring an engaging, dynamic, and inclusive donor culture within the organisation.
- Responsible for developing and delivering a communications strategy, creating meaningful and engaging content that aligns with the organisation's brand and strengthens relationships with donors, under the supervision of the Director.
- Responsible for the execution of the annual donor events calendar, ensuring optimal timing of engagement opportunities are aligned with key artworld events, consistently delivering high-quality events that strengthen donor support.
- Responsible for ensuring that marketing and communications materials produced by the Development Coordinator reflect and advance the communications strategy, shaping and reviewing all materials prior to presentation to the Director.
- Acts as an ambassador for Chisenhale Gallery, amplifying our artists' ideas and the organisation's strategic vision through meaningful interactions with donors and sector stakeholders, building relationships that secure support and long-term engagement.
- Responsible for identifying, cultivating and securing in-kind sponsorship from brands and partners to support a varied, engaging annual programme of donor events, ensuring contributions enhance the quality and overall impact of engagement activities.
- Manages the Development Coordinator in the operational delivery of supporters' events, ensuring targets are met and that all events provide high quality artist-centred experiences that strengthen donor relationships and engagement.
- Ensures oversight of donor due diligence, including ethical vetting processes and compliance with the organisation's Ethical Fundraising Policy.
- Responsible for developing a corporate philanthropy strategy in close collaboration with the Director, identifying and pursuing opportunities with brands whose values, ethics and positioning are aligned with Chisenhale Gallery's artistic policy and strategy.
- Responsible for proactively cultivating and securing new corporate partners, ensuring relationships are meaningful and that partnerships support strategic fundraising objectives.
- Responsible for identifying and securing significant in-kind donations from corporate partners, including hospitality, production services, materials, print, and other contributions that directly reduce operational costs and enhance the quality of exhibitions and events.
- Develops compelling, tailored partnership proposals that articulate Chisenhale's cultural authority and audience reach, communicating the value of association with an institution at the forefront of international contemporary art to prospective corporate supporters.
- Responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with corporate partners across the duration of agreements, ensuring that sponsors receive meaningful engagement with the gallery's programme and artists, and that partnerships are renewed and deepened over time.
- Oversees the Development Coordinator performing due diligence checks, assessing reputational risk and alignment with the gallery's values and Ethical Fundraising Policy, and presenting recommendations to the Director for approval prior to formal agreements.
- Oversees the Development Coordinator reporting on corporate income and in-kind contributions against targets, maintaining accurate records in the CRM and providing clear analysis to the Director to inform budgeting and forward planning.
- Responsible for the day-to-day management of the fundraising department, leading the delivery of the organisation's fundraising strategy in close dialogue with the Director, ensuring alignment with wider organisational priorities and long-term sustainability.
- Accountable for the performance of all fundraising channels . click apply for full job details
About CHISENHALE GALLERY