Fund Manager in London

Contract: Fixed term - 6 months initially, extendable to 12

Hours: 3-5 days per week dependent on funding

Location: London, SE1

Travel: Some travel within the UK may be required to promote the fund/meet funders

The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) is the UK’s not-for-profit body representing the rights and interests of music artists. We are an inclusive community that advocates, educates, collaborates and researches on behalf of artists, coming together to provide a strong, collective voice within the industry and to governments domestically and abroad.

The UK Artist Touring (UKAT) Fund is led by the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) in partnership with the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and the Musicians’ Union (MU). It is primarily funded through the LIVE Trust which collects money from a £1 contribution from artists touring 5000 capacity venues and above (arenas/stadiums). The UK Artist Touring Fund is a groundbreaking initiative designed to de-risk touring for artists and stabilise the UK’s grassroots music infrastructure. After a successful Phase One, funding 26 artists to tour across the UK, we are seeking a Fund Manager to lead day-to-day operations of future funding phases.

The Fund Manager will lead the day-to-day operations of the UK Artist Touring (UKAT) Fund. You will be responsible for overseeing the entire grant lifecycle—from application and assessment to disbursement and impact reporting. Your goal is to ensure the fund remains a transparent, accessible, and vital resource for artists facing the increasing financial pressures of the modern touring landscape.

The immediate priority is leading the execution of Phase Two —supporting artists on the road from summer—while simultaneously initiating a digital transformation project to scope and launch a new grant management system for Phase Three from November.

Key Responsibilities

• Application Oversight: Manage the online application portal and act as the primary point of contact for all applicant queries.
• Assessment & Moderation: Conduct initial eligibility checks and coordinate the independent assessment process.
• Panel Coordination: Recruit and manage diverse expert panels to review applications, facilitating selection meetings to ensure fair and merit-based outcomes.
• Distribution: Work with the finance team to oversee the execution of grant agreements and timely disbursement of funds.

Partner & Stakeholder Relations

• Collaboration: Maintain strong working relationships with fund partners, reporting to the FAC CEO and consulting with the MMF, MU, and the principal funder, the LIVE Trust, ensuring all stakeholders are updated on fund progress and development.
• Advocacy: Represent the fund at industry events, panels, and meetings to raise awareness and advocate for the importance of touring support for the UK live ecosystem.
• Budgeting: Track the fund’s overall budget, ensuring accurate financial recording and compliance with accounting standards.
• Reporting: Collect and analyse data from successful applicants to produce comprehensive impact reports for funders and industry partners.
• Access: Proactively reach out to underrepresented groups and regions across the UK to ensure the fund is accessible to all artists, regardless of location, background or genre.
• Resources: Develop "how-to" guides, webinars, and toolkits to help artists and managers submit high-quality applications.

Timeline - key workstreams

• Operational Delivery: Phase Two (Immediate Focus)
• Launch: Manage the opening of Phase Two, including applicant outreach, handling technical queries, and ensuring the application process is accessible to a diverse range of UK artists working with PR and coordinating marketing across partners.
• Assessment & Moderation: Coordinate a team of independent industry assessors. Lead the moderation process to ensure consistent scoring and eligibility compliance.
• Selection & Funding: Facilitate final panel decisions and oversee the swift disbursement of funds from early September to successful artists to support tours beginning in the autumn season.
• Grantee Management: Act as the primary point of contact for Phase Two recipients, ensuring all grant agreements are signed and financial reporting requirements are understood.
• Systems Transformation: Phase Three Infrastructure
• Scoping & Requirements: Audit the current application workflow to identify efficiencies. Define the functional requirements for a more robust, scalable Grant Management System (GMS).
• Costing & Procurement: Research and benchmark external platforms (e.g., Submittable, Good Grants). Present a costed proposal to the oversight team (FAC/MU/MMF) for the new system by August.
• Implementation & Migration: Lead the setup of the chosen platform, including custom form building and testing, ensuring the system is fully operational and user-tested by early November.
• Phase Three Launch: Deploy the new tech platform for the launch of Phase Three, providing a seamless experience for both applicants and internal assessors.
• Reporting & Stakeholder Relations
• Industry Liaison: Maintain proactive communication with fund partners, including the FAC CEO (line manager), MMF, MU, and LIVE Trust.
• Impact Tracking: Use data from previous phases to draft impact reports that highlight the fund's role in sustaining the UK's live music infrastructure.

Person Specification

• Project Management: Proven experience in managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Grant management: Experience of administering funding schemes, ideally within the arts or non-profit sectors.
• Financial Literacy: Ability to scrutinise tour budgets and manage fund disbursement schedules and financial statements.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to navigate delicate conversations with artists and industry leaders.
• Agility: The ability to pivot between "high-touch" artist support and "high-level" technical project management.
• Commitment to DEI: A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts.
• Technical Savvy: Experience in scoping and implementing grant-management software solutions.
• An understanding of UK live music, specifically the financial challenges of touring (e.g., fuel costs, crew fees, visas, and commissions).
• Existing network within the UK music industry (agents, managers, promoters).
• Experience implementing grant management software (e.g., SurveyMonkey Apply, Submittable, or GoodGrants).