THE STRAWBERRY HILL TRUST Donor Relations and Membership Manager

Strawberry Hill House after restoration in October 2010

Background

Strawberry Hill House and Garden is internationally important as one of the first and most influential Gothic Revival landmarks. Created between 1747 and 1792 by Horace Walpole - historian, man of letters, socialite, collector and son of Britain’s first Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole - the Grade 1 listed House, set within a Grade II* listed garden, represents a defining moment of cultural innovation: architecture, literature, collecting and landscape combined into one extraordinary vision. Fifteen years after opening to the public following a landmark restoration project, Strawberry Hill House and Garden attracts over 25,000 visitors a year. As an Accredited museum, it leads the internationally significant work of tracing, reuniting and interpreting Walpole’s dispersed collection, both onsite and online.

The Donor Relations and Membership Manager will have proven experience in developing sustainable income streams and building philanthropic relationships. Key areas of focus include growing the individual donor, patron and membership base and on converting visitors into regular supporters.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Donor Relations and Membership Manager

Reports to: Executive Director

Key Relationships: Internal: Trustees (incl. Chair of Development Committee), Executive Director, Senior Curator and other members of staff

External: donors, patrons, members and volunteers

Contractual terms: Part-time 3 days per week Working hours usually Monday-Friday, 9:00 to 17:30, with occasional evening and weekend working required. Salary £20,400 (Full time equivalent £34,000)

Job Summary

We are looking for a Donor Relations and Membership Manager to join our team and lead our supporter engagement and stewardship efforts. The postholder will play a critical role in building and maintaining strong relationships with individual donors, patrons and members, developing and implementing strategies to ensure long-term support for our organisation’s mission and programmes. The ideal candidate will have a passion for fundraising in the cultural heritage, excellent communication skills and a proven track record in campaign management, donor relations and in membership development.

The successful candidate will be proactive, maintain high attention to detail and be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously. As a Donor Relations and Membership Manager, you will oversee the donor acknowledgment process, manage supporter databases and coordinate fundraising events and campaigns. You will support the Executive Director to create compelling cultivation materials, reports and proposals.

Working with the Executive Director and the Chair of the Trust Development Committee, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact by strengthening the organisation’s support base and helping to secure its long-term sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Donor, Patron and Membership Relationships

• Steward existing relationships with individuals ranging from individual donors and patrons to members

Coordinate donor recognition events and campaigns

• Devise, implement and manage campaigns and appeals to support development of the Accredited museum collections

Prepare fundraising materials, reports, and proposals

Analyse donor data to inform retention and growth strategies

• Monitor and report on fundraising progress and goals to the Trust Development Committee

• Ensure timely and personalised supporter communications highlighting the positive impact of their support

• Organise Patron and Members events, design and issue invitations and manage attendance lists, following up events as appropriate.

• Maintain and develop Support Us pages and content on the Trust website

Financial

• Support Gift Aid claims with the provision of Gift Aid Declarations and completed HMRC Gift Aid template to Finance for submission on a regular basis (no less than quarterly)

• Track specific Campaign funding pledges and liaise with Finance to reconcile actual received vs forecast

• Provide input to the Annual Budget process for memberships to the Executive Director and Finance Manager, including pricing and to maximise potential Gift Aid as appropriate

• Participate in any Audit requirements for correspondence or audit evidence

Liaise monthly with the Finance Manager to reconcile income received, as needed

Legacies

• Develop and implement a legacy programme

Manage/administer any legacies received

Data management

• With new NLHF funding, procure, develop and implement a new fundraising CMS

• Responsible for the maintenance of all fundraising and membership records and data bases, ensuring they are accurate and up to date at all times

• Ensure relevant data protection procedures (GDPR) are followed

• Provide reports on fundraising activity as required

The Individual

The individual will come with relevant experience, ideas and energy as they join the Strawberry Hill House & Garden team, together with an understanding and passion for the arts and cultural heritage.

Experience		3+ years' experience of stewarding existing supporters, managing prospects and proactively recruiting new supporters Demonstrable experience of devising and implementing fundraising strategies and appeals Experience of managing CRM systems and donor databases Highly experienced in event planning Strong financial acumen with budget management experience Good working knowledge of Gift Aid legislation
Skills & Knowledge		Excellent written and verbal communication skills Excellent organisational and project management abilities Ability to analyse data and generate reports Strong prioritisation and resource allocation skills. Negotiating and influencing skills Ability to build strong relationships both internally and externally Good knowledge of the UK Arts/Heritage sector Knowledge of GDPR in relation to fundraising practices Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Personal Qualities	organisations diplomacy.	Highly organised and self-motivated Personal enthusiasm, energy, integrity and professionalism A methodical approach and eye for detail Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines and multitask Passion for the arts and cultural heritage and mission-driven Outstanding interpersonal skills with an ability to interact with people from all backgrounds and ages with confidence, using tact and

HOW TO APPLY AND TIMETABLE

CV and Personal Statement

All applications should be sent electronically and consist of a CV and a supporting statement, outlining your suitability for the role as outlined in the person specification.

Sending us Your Application

Please send your CV and a personal statement by email to jobs@strawberryhillhouse.org.uk

Timetable

Closing date for applications: 12 July 2026

Interviews: week commencing 20 July 2026