Department/Team: Development
Responsible to: Head of Corporate Development
Contract: Permanent
Location: The Old Vic, 103 The Cut, London, SE1 8NB/ Working from home (hybrid until further notice)
Hours: Full-Time – 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday
The Old Vic offers the ability to work these flexibly under the guidelines in our Hybrid Working policy. Additional hours may be necessary in order to fulfil the requirements of the post
Salary: £35,000
The purpose of the post is to play a significant role in meeting corporate revenue income targets for The Old Vic by contributing to the corporate strategy, identifying innovative partnership opportunities and prospects; securing new business across cash sponsorships, in-kind sponsorships, memberships, and corporate training programmes (ranging from four to six figures); ensuring such partnerships are all stewarded to a high level of excellence and benefits delivered in line with the level of their contribution. Additionally, you will be required to effectively line manage the Corporate Development Officer and oversee their personal professional development.
Your Team
The Corporate Development Manager is part of the Development Team, which fundraises for The Old Vic Theatre Company and The Old Vic Theatre Trust, which is a registered charity. Its aim is to raise voluntary funds for the theatre from individuals, companies, charitable trusts and foundations, and fundraising event activity.
The Old Vic is one of the only theatres in London with such scale, scope and international reputation to operate as a registered charity, receiving no regular public subsidy. The Development Team currently raises approximately £3.9 million a year in revenue fundraising.
Areas of responsibility
The Corporate Development Manager will be responsible for:
Account Management
Supported by the Head of Corporate Development, leading account management for a portfolio of partnerships and sponsorships, including the Old Vic`s Principle Partnership. Deliver agreed benefits, draft agreements, and drive renewals and upgrades.
Building relationships with partners.
Liaising with the Old Vic`s marketing team to deliver across The Old Vic to ensure high quality, seamless partnership delivery.
New Business
Identifying new partnership opportunities (sponsorships, memberships, hospitality, training, in-kind).
Researching prospects, developing proposals and delivering pitches.
Collaborating with Old Vic colleagues to produce effective proposals and renewal reports.
Building a network of advocates and industry contacts.
Corporate Membership
Supporting the strategy and recruitment of corporate members.
Supporting the Corporate Development Officer to lead account management for the corporate members.
Internal & External Events
Corporate Development events with the Developments Events team.
Representing The Old Vic at a range of industry and supporter events, networking effectively.
To support the Corporate Development Officer to create biographical notes of relevant guests/prospects attending with GDPR compliant.
Corporate Training
Collaborating with the Director of Corporate training and Head of Corporate Development to support development and delivery of tailored corporate training programmes, including proposals and budgets.
Administration
Working with the Corporate Development Officer to ensure Financial data and CRM (Tessitura) records for all corporate activity.
Ongoing improvement of systems and processes to enhance team efficiency.
Undertaking any other duties as reasonably requested by the Head of Corporate Development.
Complying with The Old Vic`s Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety and Sustainability policies at all times.
Strategic Planning
Supporting the Head of Corporate Development, to design and deliver the team strategy.
Assisting with Budgets, forecasts and business planning.
Supporting fundraising targets through renewals, prospecting and new approaches.
Contributing to best practices, policies, and sector knowledge sharing.
Line managing, and developing the Corporate Development Officer.
This is not an exhaustive list of duties and the Theatre's management may, at any time, allocate other tasks which are of a similar nature or level.
Person Specification
Essential
Solid experience in developing managing relationships.
Proven experience of partner prospecting and recruitment.
Proficiency in using online research, marketing databases, and Development databases like Tessitura.
Strong history of delivering partner benefits and organising events.
Excellent administration, organisation and prioritisation skills.
Ability to adapt to new situations, and work independently and within a small team.
Self-motivated, proactive, and possesses an entrepreneurial spirit.
Proficient in IT and database management.
Exceptional attention to detail and proofreading skills.
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to maintain professionalism and diplomacy when interacting with stakeholders, including sponsors, and senior staff at The Old Vic.
How to Apply
We understand that everyone is different and we want you to apply in whichever way you feel best shows your skills and experience. There are a range of ways that you can apply with us:
1. Sending a short video file of yourself (no longer than two minutes in length), detailing your experience, why you are applying for the role and what about working at The Old Vic interests you.
2. Sending a short audio file of yourself (no longer than two minutes in length), detailing your experience, why you are applying for the role and what about working at The Old Vic interests you.
3. Completing our application form.
4. Uploading your CV and covering letter, explaining why you are interested in the role and working at the Old Vic.
The Old Vic has made a commitment that all applicants with disabilities who meet the essential criteria for this job will be invited to interview.
All appointments are made subject to satisfactory references and proof of eligibility to work in the UK.
The Process
The recruitment process for this role will be one/two/three [amend as appropriate] stages:
1st stage virtual conversation
2nd stage in person conversation
You may be asked to complete a work based skills assessment or challenge
The closing date for this role is 19 June 2026 First conversations are likely to take place Tuesday 23 & Wednesday 24 June 2026.
Equal Opportunities
We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We are particularly keen to receive applications from people of the global majority, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse and disabled candidates.
We may take positive action, in cases where candidates are equally qualified, to increase the employment of under-represented groups at The Old Vic.
In the event that we ask you to attend the theatre for a conversation and you are struggling financially, we may be able to reimburse you for any reasonable travel costs.
We partner with a range of inclusive organisations, to find out more please read our FAQs.
FAQs
Read our recruitment and selection and equal opportunities FAQs here
The Old Vic under Artistic Director Matthew Warchus is a place that encourages a new love of theatre, as well as offering a refreshing experience to those who keep coming back for more. It is a theatre steeped in tradition yet still innovating and making history today through a huge variety of output on and off stage which grabs the imagination of the broadest range of people.
The Old Vic programme encompasses invigorating new writing; works that engage with a wide social conversation; nurturing new musicals, mounting passionate revivals and famous old plays; experimentation with quirky, eye-opening and challenging pieces; and family shows and pantomimes. In addition, we work with over 10,000 people each year of all ages and backgrounds to unlock creative intelligence through school projects, employability schemes and community engagement. All of this is achieved whilst operating as a not-for-profit organisation without a regular subsidy, in an almost 200 year old building with a touch of magic about it.
