Development Officer in City of Westminster

As a Development Officer, you'll play a crucial role in sustaining and growing the legacy of two of London's most distinctive museums - Leighton House and Sambourne House. By developing vital partnerships, building donor relationships and driving fundraising initiatives, you'll help ensure these cultural landmarks continue to thrive for generations to come. Secure the future of our historic museums through fundraising and community support.

Working Style

This is a full-time role. You'll be based at the museums for 4 days a week, and attend occasional cultivation and fundraising events out of standard working hours as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead fundraising activity across both museums by identifying, applying for and securing funding from trusts, foundations and other sources aligned with the museums’ mission and programmes.
• Manage documentation for grant-giving bodies, preparing evaluation reports, monitoring performance and ensuring all conditions are met.
• Cultivate long-term relationships with existing supporters and identify and engage new donors.
• Plan and deliver targeted fundraising campaigns and appeals, ensuring messages resonate with audiences who care about culture and heritage.
• Coordinate the activities of the Friends of Leighton House (a registered charity) by overseeing membership and donor schemes, organising member events and visits, processing donations and growing the group’s network and engagement.
• Maintain clear administrative systems and ensure regular, meaningful communication with members throughout the year.
• Deliver key events such as the annual members dinner and garden party, and collaborate with donors, artists and the local community.
• Contribute to a culture of care and competence in service delivery, reflecting the organisation’s values.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven track record in fundraising or development, ideally within the museums, heritage or arts sector.
• Understanding of the funding landscape and ability to prepare persuasive grant applications and proposals aligned with donor priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft tailored messages, liaise with partners and present ideas clearly to diverse audiences.
• Experience working with financial data, preparing budgets and reporting on outcomes.
• Creativity, strategic thinking and ability to spot opportunities to meet fundraising targets; strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.
• Experience in managing or developing membership programmes and events; confidence in engaging and inspiring donors, supporters and volunteers.

Organisation & Values

At RBKC, we are all in—investing in our people, our communities and our future. We operate with integrity, strive for inclusion and teamwork, and support professional development with training and mentoring. The role sits within a close-knit museums team at Leighton House, following a £9.6 million refurbishment and recognition as a finalist for the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2023. This is a pivotal time to join as the museums face new financial challenges, with work directly supporting sustainability and growth and delivering a programme of exhibitions, learning opportunities and cultural events as they celebrate 100 years as public museums.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are a Disability Confident Employer and strive for inclusive recruitment and accessible processes. New hires start at the minimum of the advertised salary range, with annual pay progression.

Interview Details: Face-to-face interviews will take place on 16th and 17th December 2025. Basic DBS is required for this role. Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without notice depending on applicant volumes.