Gosforth Civic Theatre
Director of Philanthropy and External Relations
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Director of Philanthropy and External Relations
About us
Gosforth Civic Theatre is a professional public cultural venue in Newcastle: a theatre, café, events space and community building used by artists, audiences, families, freelancers, community groups and local residents. It was shaped from the beginning by people with learning disabilities who wanted to be part of public civic life, and that founding story continues to influence the whole culture of the venue. People with learning disabilities are part of GCT as artists, workers, trustees, volunteers, audiences and contributors — not as a separate project, but as part of the everyday life of the building. Today, GCT is a professional public cultural venue in Gosforth. People come here for shows, gigs, coffee, weddings, community groups, youth activity, meetings, work placements, creative projects and everyday use. Some people come every week. Some come once for a show. Some come because the café is part of their routine. Some come because this is where they feel known. Since 2016 we have grown what GCT achieves each year, now we regularly welcome over 60,000 visitors annually to nearly 700 events, or to our café and bar. Gosforth Civic Theatre is run by Liberdade Community Development Trust. We are the only public-facing theatre in the UK founded and guided by people with learning disabilities. All of that matters.
Context for the Role
Historically, we have wholly focused on approaching trusts and foundations for support, and we have been successful with this approach. Recently, it has become apparent that the number of organisations we can approach in this way has decreased for the following reasons:
- The size of pots and the amount of organisations applying to them,
- Our postcode,
- Our annual income has surpassed £1 million We are therefore focused on diversifying the sources of our fundraised income. Over the last 18 months we have put great foundations in place to build upon. This has included developing:
- A paid for membership scheme currently with 50 members.
- A paid for corporate membership scheme.
- Relationships to encourage larger donations from high net worth individuals, and
- A variety of community fundraising campaigns.
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What you'll bring
You will be responsible for maintaining, developing and implementing strategies to engage the community and cultivate meaningful relationships, thus maximising donations.
We'd love to see you showcasing the following skills and experience when you get in touch:
- You've got a track record of personally securing major gifts from individuals in a charity environment to meet agreed targets.
- You have experience of managing and developing relationships with influential individuals, inspiring and motivating them to meet objectives.
- You work collaboratively as a strong team player, with strong cross team working, influencing and negotiation skills
- You are able to communicate with impact - you're articulate, persuasive and credible with a range of audiences.
- Using data analysis to identify trends and opportunities for increased giving
- You roll your sleeves up and get the job done, understanding the bigger picture.
- Ability to perform at a senior leadership level
What you'll be doing
High Net Worth Individuals
- Cultivate and building a pipeline of new support to expand the network of high-net-worth individuals
- You will focus on prospecting and building high-quality, long-lasting relationships to encourage new donors to make long-term, sustainable and significant donations
- Senior stakeholder engagement, bringing gravitas to all engagement opportunities
Community Fundraising
- Developing community fundraising activity for the organisation which will have an impact
- Continuing the success of two annual Big Give campaigns
Individual Giving
- Overseeing and managing the membership scheme
- Developing opportunities to increase individual giving
- Maintaining relationships to encourage renewals
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Corporate Membership
- Develop and manage a corporate membership scheme
- Responsible for delivering regular donations through corporate giving
- Deliver a high standard of account management to corporate partners through excellent stewardship, meetings, partnership agreements, reporting and sharing success.
External Relations
- Leads the organisation’s external relations, building strategic partnerships and strengthening our profile with stakeholders, supporters and the wider community
What we offer
- A supportive, friendly team who care deeply about what we do
- Opportunities for training and professional development
- The chance to contribute to a venue with a strong social mission and a vibrant creative programme
- Staff discounts on food and drink and a variety of tickets to shows
- Wellbeing Hub access to talking therapies, GP appointments, physio sessions, and mindfulness app; shopping discounts and rewards
- Generous holiday allowance - 30 days plus bank holidays
Terms
- Contract: Permanent
- Hours: This is ideally a full time position due to the impact required, although a minimum of 32 hours per week may be considered
- Holiday entitlement: 30 days per year plus bank holidays
- Salary: £38,896 FTE
- Start date: ASAP
- Reports to: CEO
- Place of Work: Gosforth Civic Theatre, NE3 3HD (hybrid working is available)
- Job title: Director of Philanthropy and External Relations
How to Apply
To apply, please complete the application form on our website: www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk/post/join-our-team-as-director-of-philanthropy-and-external-relations
The closing date is Friday 17th July 2026.
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities and from underrepresented communities. If you require an alternative way to apply please contact emma@gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk
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