Job: Development Manager

Nofit State is driven by the desire to create powerful performances that explore and push the boundaries of accepted forms in new and revelatory ways. The company aspires to create work that is sensuous, immediate and enthralling, that challenges preconceptions and raises questions, that breaks down the barriers created by empty virtuosity, and builds a company in which ordinary people do extraordinary things.

Nofit State Circus delivers:

• Medium and large scale professional touring productions • An extensive participatory arts programme including community workshops and residencies and both medium and large scale mixed media community productions • A professional development programme to support the transition from community participation to professional training and from professional training to employment through a range of educational workshops, mentoring, apprenticeship, and trainee schemes

The quality of the company’s creative vision and creative development practise is demonstrated by:

• The critical response to the company’s work • The growing levels of attendance and participation and thus demonstrated demand for the work • The extent to which other companies and artists wish to collaborate with Nofit State

Having grown from a company with an annual turnover of circa £0.5m in 2005 to the UK’s leading contemporary circus company with a projected turnover of £2.75m in 2012, Nofit State is now seeking an experienced Development Manager to support the company’s next stage of development.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in a range of cultivation and fundraising campaigns, most particularly individual giving, Friends and Membership Schemes, and have experience of applications to Trusts and Foundations.

They will be an excellent communicator with a proven ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders and potential donors.

Purpose of role

• To support the Executive Director to deliver the company’s overall fundraising programme • Deputise for the Executive Director when required at fundraising activities and meetings • To cultivate support from individual donors and Trusts and Foundations to support the company’s ongoing revenue needs and planned programme of work • To manage and develop a range of specific fundraising programmes – in particular the Friends Scheme • Achieve agreed financial targets attached to each of these income streams

Key responsibilities

• Cultivate relationships with and secure support from Trusts and Foundations • Cultivate relationships with and secure support from private donors • Develop and deliver the company’s Friends and Individual giving scheme • Research, identify and draft applications to Trusts and Foundations • Research, identify and develop new corporate income streams • Plan, manage and deliver a planned programme of development events • Oversee and maintain the organisation’s CRM systems and database • Manage development budgets

Position in company

The Development Manager will be line managed by the Executive Director and report to her.

The Development Manager will be part of the Marketing and Fundraising team and will be expected to actively contribute to the integration of fundraising, communications and marketing activities and thus achieve increased sales as well as donations.

The Development Manager will work in partnership with the company’s Communications and Marketing Manager work to engage donors, prospects and key stakeholders with the company, moving from purely transactional relationships to ones based on emotional connection and commitment

Skills, knowledge and experience

Essential • Demonstrable success at raising income against defined targets within an arts context • Ability to create a compelling and strong case for support that positions contemporary circus alongside other performance artforms • At least three years experience of fundraising within an arts, cultural or charitable organisation • A history of working with Trustees, volunteers and Ambassadors and harnessing their support for company fundraising • Demonstrable track record of managing information through bespoke data base systems • Responsible, articulate, confident, with the ability to influence and work proactively with external partners and stakeholders • Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately at a variety of levels and within a wide variety of media with a broad range of external partners and stakeholders • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills and the ability to assimilate complex information • Experience of managing and delivering development events • Passion for the performing arts, and in particular contemporary circus

Desirable • Knowledge and experience of working in the performing arts, and in particular contemporary circus • The ability to communicate in more than one language – in particular Welsh and / or French

Competencies

Relating and networking • Establishes good relationships with customers and staff. • Builds wide and effective networks of contacts inside and outside the organisation. • Relates well to people at all levels. • Demostrates flexible behaviour appropriate to context and environment • Manages conflict. • Uses humour and warmth appropriately to enhance relationships with others.

Presenting and communicating information • Speaks clearly and fluently. • Express opinions, information and key points of an argument clearly. • Makes presentations and undertakes public speaking with skill and confidence. • Responds quickly to the needs of an audience and to their reactions and feedback. • Projects credibility.

Writing and reporting • Writes clearly, succinctly and correctly. • Writes convincingly in an engaging and expressive manner. • Writes in a well structured and logical way. • Structures information to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience.

Learning and researching • Rapidly learns new tasks and quickly commits information to memory. Gathers comprehensive information to support decision making. Demonstrates a rapid understanding of newly presented information. • Encourages an organisational learning approach (i.e. learns form successes and failures and seeks staff and customer feedback). • Manages knowledge (collects, classifies and disseminates knowledge of use to the organisation.

Planning and organising • Sets clearly defined objectives. • Plans activities and projects well in advance and takes account of possible changing circumstances. • Manages time effectively. • Identifies and organises resources needed to accomplish tasks. • Monitors performance against deadlines and milestones.

Delivering results and meeting customer expectations • Focuses on customer needs and satisfaction. • Sets high standards for quality and quantity. • Monitors and maintains quality and productivity. • Works in a systematic, methodical and orderly way. • Consistently achieves project goals.

Terms and conditions

This is a new permanent and full time post subject to a three month trial period.

The post holder will be based at the company’s main offices in Cardiff but will be required to attend events and meetings throughout the UK and sometimes internationally.

Nofit State is an equal opportunities employer and complies with all relevant legislation as regards employment law.

Salary: £21 – 24,000 depending on experience.

The company does not offer overtime but time maybe taken in lieu and does not currently offer a company pension scheme.

How to Apply

This is a new post created with the support of Arts Council England Catalyst Funding.

If you wish to apply for this post please email office@nofitstate.com for a full application pack.

Application is by CV and a supporting statement outlining the reasons for your interest in the post and why you believe yourself to be suitable. Please include your full contact details including daytime and evening telephone numbers on the application cover sheet.

Please apply by e-mail to office@nofitstate.com

If you would like an informal, confidential conversation before submitting your application, please contact

Alison Woods, Executive Director, on +44 (0) 2920 221330 or by email alison@nofitstate.com

Application deadline – July 23rd 2012

Interviews will be held in Cardiff on August 9th or 10th.

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Job: Development Manager