Description
The Development Manager oversees major corporate sponsorship for Hay Festival Foundation Ltd. They are responsible for generating, managing and growing income from corporate partners and major sponsors and driving the development of corporate relationships and new activation opportunities.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Objectives
- Lead, develop and implement a comprehensive corporate sponsorship and income generation strategy to sustain and grow Hay Festival Foundation's (HFF) programmes in the UK and internationally.
- Build long-term, values-driven partnerships that align with Hay Festival's mission and global reputation for cultural excellence and sustainability.
- Diversify and strengthen income streams through corporate partnerships, individual giving and legacy programme
- Build, cultivate, and manage relationships with potential and existing funders, sponsors, and strategic partners.
- Act as an ambassador for Hay Festival, representing the organisation at public events, conferences, media opportunities, and sector forums.
- Interdisciplinary working across the team to ensure accurate representation and data use for all bids
Sponsorship
- Research, identify, and cultivate new corporate partners and sponsors whose values align with Hay Festival's mission and brand.
- Develop tailored sponsorship proposals, packages, and activation plans that deliver mutual value and measurable outcomes.
- Negotiate and secure sponsorship agreements, ensuring contractual clarity and alignment with HFF's ethical and sustainability standards.
- Secure significant, multi-year sponsorships to sustain the flagship festival in Wales and drive global support for international editions.
- Identify and convert smaller corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities to support specific HFF activities, programmes, and core overheads.
- Develop and implement an inspiring programme of cultivation events, communications, and engagement opportunities to build sponsor and donor relationships and retention.
Individual Giving
- Design and deliver the Hay Festival Legacy Programme, creating a structured approach to legacy giving and membership development across all Hay Festivals worldwide.
The Development Director will be a self-motivated target driven individual who has an understanding of the funding landscape across the UK for charities and the cultural sector.
Essential
Fundraising Expertise
- Proven success in securing significant sponsorships or corporate partnerships, ideally in arts, culture, or not-for-profit sectors.
- Strong understanding of corporate partnerships, brand alignment, and sponsorship activation.
- Knowledge of fundraising compliance, ethics, and due diligence.
- Skilled in research and analysis to identify new markets and partnership opportunities.
Relationship Management & Communication
- Excellent relationship-building and networking skills with senior corporate leaders, philanthropists, and public stakeholders.
- Clear, persuasive written and verbal communication, including compelling sponsorship proposals.
- Skilled negotiator, securing mutually beneficial, long-term agreements.
- Diplomatic, discreet, and culturally sensitive in high-prof
Strategic Leadership & Relationship Management
- Lead the development and delivery of the HFF Fundraising Strategy, covering corporate partnerships, major sponsorships, and other key income streams.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of funding policy, trends, and opportunities, benchmarking HFF's fundraising practices against sector best practice.
Operations
- Manage the development team, undertaking development staff PDR's.
- Ensure sponsors requirements are met at all festival venues at Hay Festival Wales, and maintain excellent working relationships with them through events, reporting and further cultivation meetings.
- Working with colleagues in the financial and communications departments to produce reports, and create fundraising promotional material for print, mailing programme, newsletters, websites and other media
Reporting and Evaluation
- Write and compile reports to funders and sponsors as required by contractual agreements.
 To apply please send a letter explaining how your experience fits the role and a copy of your CV to [email protected] by Friday 14 November – 12.00pm
For an informal conversation about the role, please email [email protected]Â