Grants Manager

Applications close 10pm Sunday 15 February 2026. Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an initial interview during the week commencing Monday 2 March 2026. We can provide a BSL interpreter if required.

The Role

Responsible to: Development Director

Working Closely with: Development Manager

Responsible for: Development Officer

General Description 

This role will be part of BAC’s Development Team. It may be expected to contribute to a range of workstreams, but the role will primarily lead on the fundraising work outlined below.

This is a hugely exciting time to join BAC as we have just announced our bold, daring and uncompromising 2026 programme and take on the leadership of the London International Festival of Theatre.

The fundraising team at BAC is small but works across all aspects of the organisation. As Grants Manager, you will focus on raising crucial funds from trusts and foundations, collaborating with colleagues from all different teams. You will identify prospective supporters and fundraising opportunities, nurture existing relationships, and champion BAC’s bold artistic work, our vital local community projects and programmes with young people.

You will be a dedicated individual with a proven track record in successfully managing strategy, cultivation of, and proposals to independent trusts and foundations. You will be an accomplished administrator, who takes pride in all matters of record keeping, compliance and administrative management. You will also bring project management skills and a talent for developing and writing persuasive fundraising arguments. Crucially, you will embrace and enjoy working with the wider BAC team to deliver impressive results against attainable targets. This is an exciting opportunity for a fundraiser seeking a role that offers autonomy and creativity, while collaborating with the Development Director, Managing Director and Artistic Director & CEO.

BAC will provide training and professional opportunities to support your development, and we can be flexible about how this role can work.

The culture at BAC is a collaborative and open one. We work in an open plan space with no closed private offices and frequently work across teams and roles. We are lucky to have an outdoor terrace adjoined to the office which is particularly nice in the summer months. There’s a good culture of people taking lunch breaks away from desks and two equipped kitchen and eating areas where the team tend to spend their down time. We organise regular social events and things can get competitive at our annual sports day and Christmas quiz. Though to be clear, spectating is respected as much as taking part here at BAC!

Role Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Development Director in developing a robust and long-term trusts & foundations strategy;

• Lead on delivering the trusts & foundations strategy, focusing on securing grants towards BAC’s work, including our creative development programme and Next Gen projects (aimed at 11-29 year olds);

• Proactively identify funding opportunities and work with relevant colleagues across the organisation to shape bids and accompanying budgets;

• Oversee and support fundraising work with colleagues across the organisation, including our Next Gen, producing and operations teams;

• Lead on the financial management of trust & foundations income (including reporting and reforecasting);

• Contribute to the delivery of the Development team’s strategic objectives and KPIs;

• Lead on the Counting What Counts and Annual Survey reporting for Arts Council England;

• Line manage and support the Development Officer.

Relationships & Communications

• Lead on the relationship management of a portfolio of trusts & foundations, inspiring them with our vision and motivating them to support of our work, through comms and special BAC events;

• Identify, develop and maintain 1-2-1 relationships with trust supporters, with the ability to build strong and trusting relationships;

• Lead on ensuring high quality reports are submitted to funders in line with relevant deadlines;

• Work colleagues across the organisation to ensure BAC is effectively measuring our impact in a way that supports fundraising and our case for support;

• Deputise for the Development Director as necessary;

• Harness fundraising support and expertise from our Board and stakeholders;

• Keep up to date with fundraising industry changes & opportunities, attending relevant events as required.

Team Development

• Lead by example in your conduct and approach, providing relevant support to team members across BAC where you are supporting with grant fundraising;

• Ensure all your work is delivered to a high quality and uphold BAC’s purpose and values.

General Tasks

• Be an active participant in BAC’s wider creative life, attending performances and events, and supporting the venue’s public-facing activities;

• Contribute to staff meetings, cross-team collaborations, and organisational initiatives that support BAC’s mission and continuous improvement culture;

• Maintain professional development, staying informed of trends in hospitality, retail, and event services to bring fresh ideas and improvements;

• Ensure that BAC’s values of inclusivity, sustainability, and generosity are reflected in all aspects of your work and team leadership;

• As required, undertake occasional special projects in supporting the Development Director to deliver BAC’s fundraising objectives;

• Undertake any other duties as reasonably required by the leadership of BAC.

Person Specification

When we shortlist, we use these criteria to select the best candidates. 

Knowledge:

the understanding of a subject or information that a candidate has

Essential:

• Understanding of the UK charitable funding landscape, ideally with a focus on the cultural sector and community sector

Desirable:

• Understanding of evaluation frameworks and methodologies

Experience:

the practical application of the knowledge that a candidate has acquired through working or living

Essential

• Experience of writing successful grant applications to trusts, foundations and / or statutory funding

• Experience of grant report writing and demonstrating social and artistic impact

• Experience of managing relationships with funders and prospects

Desirable:

• Experience of creating and reviewing project budgets

• Experience of working with stakeholders at senior level, such as Board members

Skills:

the specific abilities that a candidate has acquired through practice or training

Essential:

• Excellent written skills, with the ability to adapt tone and style for a range of funders and stakeholders

• Strong administrative and research capability, with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy

• Ability to prioritise effectively and manage a varied workload, consistently meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to support and motivate team members

• IT literate across Microsoft Office Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint

Desirable:

• Experience of using Spektrix

Values:

the behaviours a candidate should be able to demonstrate

At BAC, we expect our staff to subscribe to the values inscribed on the building: “Not for me, not for you, but for us.” This means we strive for inclusion, equity and fairness in everything that we do.

• A dedication and belief in putting representation, inclusion and access at the heart of what you do

• A positive, proactive, flexible and collaborative approach

• A commitment to BAC’s values & purpose

Terms & Conditions

This role is 5 days a week Monday-Friday; usual office hours are 10am-6pm. We offer flexible working where possible.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required. All staff at Battersea Arts Centre are expected to attend performances and events and be a part of the artistic life of the organisation.

Salary
£37,000 gross per annum

Hours
35 hours per week, excluding a daily one-hour lunch break

OvertimeNo overtime payments; TOIL system

Annual Leave4 weeks per year, pro rata (5 weeks following one full year of service)

Probation period6 months, with a 3 month review

Notice period2 months

Contract PeriodPermanent

Pension SchemeBAC’s pension scheme provided by NEST

Staff BenefitsComplimentary tickets (subject to availability and staff ticket policy)

Employment Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured,

Cycle to Work Scheme

Discount in the BAC cafe (subject to discount policy)

5 Development Days (pro rata)

• Department
• Fundraising
• Locations
• Battersea Arts Centre

About Battersea Arts Centre

Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) is a home for radical artistic ideas. We support artists, young people and communities to spark positive change through their creativity in many different ways, and this social purpose is central to everything we do. Based in an iconic building at the heart of Battersea, our work revolves around an ambitious live and digital programme of performance, heritage, events, and creative and community projects. Projects developed at BAC can also be found in our communities and on tour across the UK and the world.

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