Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
Development and operations director
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Salary: £45,000–£55,000 FTE, depending on experience
Hours: 0.7 FTE to full-time
Location: Brighton office, with hybrid flexibility
Deadline: 14 September 2026
About Us
Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) has served audiences in Sussex for over 100 years. We perform a season of large orchestral concerts at Brighton Dome. Our musicians come from leading London orchestras and from talented young professionals.
Joanna MacGregor CBE leads BPO as CEO and Music Director. Our vision is bold: to become a regional orchestra with national significance. Alongside our concerts, we run education and outreach programmes, early-career musician schemes, and a growing membership programme.
The Role
We need an Operations & Development Director, a senior leadership role. You will help BPO grow and stay financially strong during an exciting period of development.
You will report to the CEO and work closely with the Board. You will lead our fundraising strategy. You will build strong relationships with donors, sponsors, funders, and other supporters. You will also raise BPO's profile and help grow our audiences and membership.
You will oversee concert production, marketing, and membership. The Concerts & Marketing Manager will report to you and handle day-to-day delivery. You will also manage our part-time Finance Manager.
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This is a broad, hands-on role in a small team. You must think strategically and be ready to handle daily tasks and solve problems.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead BPO's fundraising strategy and build relationships with Friends, Patrons, donors, and sponsors
- Grow trust, foundation, and corporate income through a proactive funding pipeline
- Oversee financial management, budgets, and reporting to the Board, working with the Finance Manager and Treasurer
- Support governance, compliance, and risk management
- Support the CEO and Board in developing and delivering BPO's long-term strategy
- Oversee concert production and maintain key relationships with Brighton Dome, artists, and suppliers
- Set priorities for marketing, membership, and audience development
- Manage contracts with third-party contractors, including our social media agency and orchestral fixer
- Support recruitment, team development, and a positive team culture
What We Need from You
- Experience in a senior management, leadership, or operational role
- Experience in fundraising, income generation, or business development
- Experience building relationships with individuals, funders, or corporate partners
- Experience in financial management and budgeting
- Experience working with a Board, Trustees, or a similar governance group
- Experience managing projects, programmes, or complex operations
- Experience managing people within a small team
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Experience in an orchestra or a professional performing arts organisation is desirable, but not required.
This is a deliberately broad role. We do not expect any one candidate to have every skill listed above. If you have strong experience across most of these areas, and the curiosity and enthusiasm to grow into the rest, we would very much like to hear from you.
Salary and Hours
Salary: £45,000–£55,000 FTE, depending on experience.
Hours: 0.75 FTE to full-time. You will be based at our Brighton office, with some flexibility for hybrid working. You must attend rehearsals, concerts, and events, which are mostly at weekends. We provide time off in lieu. Some travel within Sussex and to London is required.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and a cover letter, up to 2 A4 pages, to the chair of trustees, Jonathan Brigden at jonathan.brigden@brightonphil.org.uk or apply through LinkedIn.
Please tell us your current salary and notice period.
We review applications as we receive them, so early applications are preferred.
Application deadline: 14 September 2026.
Start date: October/ November 2026. We can offer flexibility for the right candidate.
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