Development Director

To meet the funding needs of our ambitious future plans we’re now seeking an exceptional Development Director to lead on the delivery of our income generation strategy and supporter engagement. This will include our planned campaign marking our 30th anniversary in 2028 through which we’re aiming to help secure the future growth and impact of the charity’s work.

Reports to: Chief Executive

Contract: Initially 24 months, to be extended by mutual agreement. There will be a three month probationary period.

Hours: Part time or full time (0.6 to 1.0 FTE, based on a 35 hour working week), with the final working pattern to be agreed within core organisational hours of 09.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday.

Candidates are asked to indicate a preference in their application. Implications for role expectations will be discussed with shortlisted candidates.

Annual Leave: 26 days per year, plus bank holidays, for full time; pro rata for part time.

Salary: £70,000 to £75,000 FTE, pro rata according to agreed hours, plus statutory pension contributions as applicable.

Location: Home working with frequent travel for meetings and events. Any travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed.

Young Sounds exists because musical talent is everywhere but opportunity isn’t: family finances and other obstacles too often get in the way. We’re here to change this in two key ways:

• We support young musicians from low-income families with funding and other help;
• We support music education through training, advocacy and research.

We became an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation in April 2023 and also joined an expanded cohort of National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs). We currently support over 1,400 individual young people across the UK every year and demand for our support is increasing. It’s an exciting time to join a pioneering organisation at the forefront of British music education.

Our small and fully remote team work across the UK, comprising a mix of full time and part time employees supported by specialist part time and term time freelancers.

Young Sounds UK is the working name for registered charity Awards for Young Musicians.

The Development Director will play a pivotal strategic role in driving philanthropic income growth for the organisation. You’ll lead on identifying, cultivating, and securing high-value donors and funders capable of making transformational gifts in support of our work, with a particular focus initially on our 30th anniversary in 2028.

This is an opportunity for an ambitious and relationship-driven fundraiser to shape and lead a major development function within a respected national charity at a significant moment in its growth.

Young Sounds UK already has substantial support from a diversity of generous individual donors, many giving regularly as Angels and Champions with others making substantial one-off gifts. The successful candidate will build on and manage what’s already a strong pipeline of prospective major donors and funders, develop compelling cultivation and stewardship strategies, and personally lead high-value fundraising conversations and asks.

Alongside managing their own portfolio of prospects and donors, the Development Director will lead and support a small fundraising team, including a Head of Development, Development Coordinator (Trusts and Foundations), and with plans to recruit an additional new role focusing on individual giving early next year.

The role requires a strategic thinker with excellent interpersonal skills, strong fundraising judgement, and a proven ability to inspire confidence among senior stakeholders, Trustees, philanthropists, and colleagues across the charity and its partners.

You’ll be…