Head of Donor Relations

The Talent Set is privileged to be partnering with The Royal Ballet School to recruit a Head of Donor Relations, who will play a pivotal role in delivering a best-in-class donor experience and stewardship to support the long-term relationship development and engagement of high value supporters. 

Head of Donor Relations
£55,000
Covent Garden (min. 3dpw on site)

The Royal Ballet School is one of the world’s leading ballet training institutions, offering world-class education to young dancers that combines classical ballet training with a robust academic curriculum. It is more than just a ballet school, it is a vibrant community steeped in history, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of world-class dancers and preserving the legacy of classical ballet. 

As the school approaches its centenary in 2026, this marks an exciting time to join this prestigious organisation, celebrating the school’s remarkable achievements whilst also looking to the future of ballet and inspiring the next wave of talent. 

The Head of Donor Relations is a new position for the team, following investment to ensure the school can deliver the best donor experience and retain long term financial commitment from its supporters. This role is the cornerstone to continued donor loyalty, focused on further developing the systems, processes and operations to assure internal reporting and compliance and robust external relationship management that exceeds donor expectations. 

As Head of Donor Relations you will lead a team of 6 (4 direct reports), with personal responsibility for high value supporters giving £100k+. Currently this portfolio is weighted to HNWIs, but as new support is secured by the Head of Development and their team the Head of Donor Relations will also onboard corporate and family trust relationships. 

Your approach to donor relations will be focused on nurturing long-term relationships that have the potential for continued commitment/future growth and uplift, recognising the steps and processes that are required to underpin this. You will lead the team by example, leading on comms with internal departments (Finance, Academic, Artistic, CEO Office ), interfacing with the Endowment Fund Board, and modelling best practice and ensuring quality donor interactions across all levels of the portfolio. 

About the role:

• Lead a talented and capable team, supporting their growth and development in role by offering opportunities to upskill/support significant donor relationships where appropriate. 
• Take responsibility for the onboarding, stewardship and retention of all Royal Ballet School donors, with personal relationship management of those giving £100k+. 
• Further develop and implement the systems/processes required to ensure exceptional donor relations, modelling best practice to the team by remaining operationally hands on.  
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Development, with a high level of knowledge and awareness for upcoming relationships (HNWIs, corporates and trusts) that will require onboarding and continued stewardship.
• Lead on centenary activations and subsequent onboarding processes for supporters with rights/benefits attached to specific centenary events/activities, with a view to developing longer term engagement.
• Maintain close liaison with the Endowment Fund regarding legacy management and major gift opportunities as well as stewardship of pre-existing scholarship and bursary funds. 
• Ensure team commitment to fundraising best practice and compliance.

About You:

• A proven track record in donor relations/high level relationship management and a comfortability of working with HNWIs/high value audiences.  
• A compassionate team leader and manager, inherently leading with kindness to support the development and upskilling of reports and aligned to The Royal Ballet School’s values of striving for excellence, nurturing individuals, actively widening access and always innovating. 
• An individual with a growth mindset, able to recognise the potential to increase support and deepen donor commitments to establish uplift and income growth and lead the working ways required for onboarding and stewardship by the donor relations team.
• A strong collaborator, working in a matrix formation across the development team to oversee KPIs for Stewardship and Retention, Comms and Marketing, CRM and Finance, Events and Operations. 
• An interest and appreciation of the arts, particularly dance and ballet.  
   

Closing Date: Wednesday 2nd April
Interviews: 1st stage interviews will commence on site between 8-10th April, with 2nd stages taking place the following week. 

To be considered for this position please apply with your CV as soon as possible, regrettably please note we may not be able to reply to each and every application.

We are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices that ensure equal opportunity for everyone, regardless of race, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age or gender. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and will happily make reasonable adjustments to always ensure a fair process.