Development Director

About Figurative

Figurative is a new organisation, and this is a brand new role. Our mission is to bring new funding capital to the cultural and creative sectors, and to deploy it in ways that optimise for social impact and for sector sustainability.

We bring together deep expertise through Arts & Culture Finance (formerly part of Nesta) and New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture to unlock new and innovative ways of funding and supporting the UK s arts ecosystem.

Figurative manages three investment portfolios that have supported over 60 organisations and raised more than £30 million in investment capital over the last decade.

About this role

Culture and creativity are essential to human flourishing, yet the financial models supporting them are in need of a serious reimagining. Public subsidy is declining in real terms, traditional philanthropy can't fill the gap, and commercial investment often doesn't align with how cultural and creative sector organisations work best.

Figurative exists to create a third way: impact investment that brings new capital to culture and creativity, while respecting what makes the sector special. But scaling a genuinely new funding model requires more than good intentions - it needs robust infrastructure, diversified capital sources, and deep credibility with the organisations we exist to serve.

This is a unique opportunity to join Figurative in its infancy, and to take responsibility for growing Figurative from £30m to £100m+ over the next 3-5 years. Your work will directly enable cultural organisations to access capital they couldn't reach through traditional routes - capital that allows them to take creative risks, sustain their missions, and amplify their social impact without compromising their values.

You will be joining a dynamic, inclusive, collaborative team that is committed to learning on the job, and in the open. This involves testing out new ideas, and finding partners who are keen to explore innovative ways in which their money can be used to bring about their desired outcomes through the power of culture and creativity.

Key Responsibilities

The Development Director will:

• lead our efforts to raise money into our own parent charity, from primarily new sources;
• support the CEO and investment team to raise investment capital (which may take the form of repayable grants) into our investment funds;
• lead our efforts to support organisations in the sector to raise philanthropic giving as a source of income for themselves, particularly focused around place (including the development of our existing Arts Council funded place-based philanthropy networks) and social impact (including our Big Give Arts for Impact match funding campaign);
• develop and implement our place-based strategy, which will aim to demonstrate the power of blended finance.

The Development Director will be a member of the senior leadership team and report directly to the CEO, working closely on strategy and communicating strategic priorities and progress to existing and potential grant funders (into Figurative) and investors (into our funds); whilst providing philanthropic expertise to cultural organisations and partners to optimise social impact and sector sustainability.

In this role, the successful candidate will have to be/demonstrate:

• Strategic infrastructure builder: Proven track record designing and implementing fundraising/investor relations systems and processes in growth-stage organisations - not just using existing ones.
• Financial literacy: Comfortable with impact investment concepts, fund structures, and articulating risk/return/impact trade-offs to sophisticated investors. You can speak credibly to family offices and institutional investors, not just traditional arts funders.
• Cross-sector translator: Ability to articulate culture's value to investors whose primary focus is climate, social impact, or economic development. Fluency in making the case for why culture matters to non-arts audiences. Ability to build and manage partnerships across philanthropy, commercial creative industries, and the public sector, navigating complex stakeholder environments with diplomacy and credibility.
• Cultural sector credibility: Deep understanding of how arts organisations operate, their funding challenges, and why they might be sceptical of intermediaries. Genuine commitment to supporting sector sustainability, not extracting from it.
• Proposition development: Ability to craft compelling narratives for complex funding models. You can explain why impact investment in culture is different from traditional philanthropy and why it complements (rather than competes with) existing funding.
• Scale-up mentality: Comfortable moving from £30m to £100m+ - you understand what infrastructure and processes are needed at different stages of growth.

Core Skills

Essential:

• Strategic Philanthropic Fundraising: Demonstrated ability to design and execute philanthropic fundraising strategies aligned to mission-driven objectives, including multi-year funding pipelines and donor portfolios
• Major Donor and High Net Worth Engagement: Proven experience cultivating and stewarding relationships with, and securing gifts from high net worth individuals, family offices, and trusts and foundations, and confidence engaging sophisticated donors around arts and the creative industries.
• Foundations and Institutional Giving: Strong capability in identifying, soliciting, and managing relationships with foundations, philanthropic trusts, and institutional funders in the UK and internationally.
• Cultural and Creative Philanthropy Expertise: Demonstrated knowledge of arts and cultural fundraising ecosystems, including experience working with artists, cultural organisations, and creative industry stakeholders, to aid in the development and delivery of place-based philanthropic initiatives.
• Relationship Management and Stewardship: Advanced relationship management skills, including donor stewardship, reporting, and long-term engagement, ensuring trust, transparency, and repeat support
• Proposal Writing and Funding Submissions: Strong written communication skills, with a track record of producing high-quality funding proposals, pitches, grant applications, and tailored donor materials
• Stakeholder Engagement and Representation: Confidence representing the organisation externally at events, briefings, and convenings, including presenting to boards, donors, and advisory groups.
• Data-informed Fundraising and CRM Use: Competence in using CRM systems and fundraising data to track prospects, manage pipelines, and inform strategy, with attention to compliance and good governance
• Project Management and Delivery Strong organisational and project management skills, enabling delivery of fundraising campaigns, events, and reporting requirements on time and to a high standard.
• Judgement, Discretion and Ethical Practice: High level of professional judgement, discretion, and integrity when handling sensitive donor information, complex funding arrangements, and reputational considerations
• Leadership and Team Management: Proven ability to lead and develop teams, work effectively with Boards and senior stakeholders, and collaborate within the wider organisational structures. Experienced in managing direct reports, aligning team delivery with organisational priorities and maintaining strong internal relationships.

Desirable:

• Experience in impact investing, social finance, or blended finance - ideally in a growth/scale-up phas
• Existing relationships with family offices, climate investors, or foundations exploring innovative funding models
• Understanding of place-based funding partnerships and multi-stakeholder models
• Track record of investor diversification - successfully broadening an organisation's funding base

What We Offer

• Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 FTE, depending on experience
• Location: Hybrid working arrangement based at Somerset House in central London, with flexibility and some travel within the UK.
• Reports to: CEO
• Hours: 3 days/ week (0.6 FTE)
• Location: Hybrid working arrangement based at Somerset House in central London, with flexibility and some travel within the UK.
• Benefits:
  • 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + ability to buy additional holiday
  • Pension (Employer Contribution 8% + a further 4% where the employee contributes 4%
  • Life Assurance
  • Post probation - Private health and dental insurance

Making an Application

To apply for this role, please submit your application below before midnight Sunday 22nd February 2026. Please include a one-page cover letter covering the following questions

• What are the main challenges you think Figurative will have to navigate within this phase of development
• What are the most important messages to convey to existing and potential stakeholders about Figurative s mission and motivations?

First interviews will be held virtually on Wednesday 4th March 2026.

Second interviews will be held in person in our London offices on Thursday 12th March 2026.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those who are underrepresented in the investment sector to apply click apply for full job details