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Senior Patrons and Fundraising Manager, The Design Museum

  •  London
  •  Â£40k-50k
  •  Full time
  •  Closes December 2, 2025
  •  the People Team
  •  peopleteam@designmusuem.org
  • #Museums

Description

Job Summary

The Senior Patrons and Fundraising Manager is responsible for leading on the museum’s regular giving programmes such as Patrons, supporter circles and personally motivated trusts and foundations. They play a crucial role in driving forward the museum's financial growth.

Job Description

*The complete job description/person specification is available to download from our careers portal vacancy listing.

Strategy

  • Develop a strategy for growth in line with organisational targets, developing recruitment campaigns through peer to peer referral, reciprocals, emails, membership and in-gallery promotion.
  • Create and implement a Patrons campaign and programme that delivers new members and retains those currently engaged.
  • Work closely with the Senior Membership and Fundraising Manager to actively promote membership and patronage.

Delivery

  • Support the Philanthropy Executive to plan and deliver the annual Patrons programme and nurture and cultivate high net worth individuals and potential advocates.
  • Work with the Development Director and Head of Philanthropy to develop and support Senior Volunteers on approaches to key prospective supporters.
  • Collaborate with senior staff and Trustees on initiatives to mobilise the support of the world's leading designers for the museum and fundraising.

Analysis and reporting

  • Work with the IT team, Philanthropy Executive and Trusts and Foundations Manager to ensure the CRM database [Microsoft Dynamics] is configured to hold all relevant information on past, current, and potential members and donors and that this information is up to date, accurate, searchable, and capable of essential report writing.

People management

  • Line management of the Philanthropy Executive, providing them with direction and leadership, and ensuring they meet their objectives.

Administration

  • Manage Patrons income and expenditure budgets.

Job Requirements

Person specification

Essential - Experience, Knowledge, Skills

  • Demonstrable experience of implementing and managing Patrons schemes and some experience with major donors or trusts and foundations.
  • Demonstrable evidence of a strategic, proactive, and creative approach to fundraising and development of cultivation plans.
  • Proven track record in achieving significant income targets.
  • Experience of managing income and expenditure budgets.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including attention to detail and building effective and productive relationships with people at all levels.
  • Excellent people management skills with the ability to lead, motivate and inspire others.
  • Highly motivated, organised individual with a demonstrable record of working in an efficient and timely manner.
  • Proven experience of building long-term effective relationships.
  • Knowledge of CRM systems

Job Responsibilities

The successful candidate will have a holistic view of fundraising, identifying opportunities where members can be converted into philanthropic supporters and increasing major gifts. They will work proactively to develop and manage individual donor relationships for the museum.

Terms and Conditions

Salary: up to £40,120 per annum, dependent on experience

Holidays: 25 days per annum + Christmas eve (museum closed)

Hours: full-time, 5 days/35 hours per week, with occasional weekend/evening working when required.

Location: the Design Museum Kensington is the place of work - with a hybrid arrangement of 60% of an employee's role to be performed at the museum and 40% remote.

Closing date: Tuesday 02 December (midnight)

Interviews: Wednesday 10 December & Thursday 11 December

How to Apply

For more information on the job description and person specification, please follow the link: https://careers.designmuseum.org/vacancies

Please note, we can only accept applications made via our online recruitment portal - click link to be directed.

If you encounter any issues while attempting to upload your application form onto the online portal, please email [email protected] before the vacancy post closing date. We will be in touch as soon as possible; (please note the inbox is monitored Monday-Friday).

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