Head of Development and Communications

English Touring Opera is recruiting a dynamic communicator, fundraiser and opera lover to lead on all fundraising, on its relationship with Arts Council England, and on strategic communications. We are seeking a creative, innovative, and self-motivated fundraising and communications professional to sustain and increase ETO’s fundraised income, advance ETO’s media presence via the press and critics and craft compelling stories about the Company and its work for its key audiences and stakeholders. 

ETO is entering an exciting period in 2022 when we will be applying for our next Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation grant. The Head of Development and Communications will support this application to secure a future three years of core funding (2023-2026).

The Head of Development and Communications will hold a key position within ETO’s senior management team working closely with the Director and Producer and will lead the work of the Development department, managing two Development Officers whose primary focuses are on private donor cultivation and Trusts and Foundations respectively. With upcoming investment within the Development function, this role will lead the department towards ambitious income targets.

Fundraised income is vital to sustain ETO’s wide-ranging activity, including its two annual tours to theatres across the country and its extensive Learning and Participation Programme, as well as enabling additional projects, all dependent on galvanising significant philanthropic or in-kind support. The role will also lead all ETO’s public facing and strategic communications, managing the external PR firm in the first instance.

We particularly encourage applications from disabled people and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as these groups are currently under-represented in the cultural sector.