WORK WITH FQ!

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Development Manager

REPORTING TO: Artistic Director and Company Manager

POSITION TYPE: Part-time 0.4 FTE (averaging 16 hours per week)

START DATE: Commencing in February-March 2022 for an initial 12-month contract with a view to renewal; 4-month probation period

ENTITLEMENTS AND SPECIAL CONDITIONS: Standard superannuation, Workcover and pro-rata leave conditions apply. Flexible work-from-home position averaging 16 hours per week (Flinders Quartet operates a time in lieu system) but occasional out of hours work should be expected. 

About Flinders Quartet

Flinders Quartet (FQ) is an internationally respected force in Australian chamber music with a mission to challenge and champion the role of the string quartet in 21st century Australia. For over 20 years, it has been an industry exemplar for diversity, relevance and masterful performance and the vanguard of artistic excellence and generosity, championing art-form renewal, community engagement, creative and commercial vibrancy.

FQ’s year round activity involves its celebrated subscription concert series (Melbourne and regional Victorian venues); regional, national and international touring; education activity as mentors for Musica Viva’s Strike a Chord winners; Artistic Patrons of John Noble’s Quartet Program (seven regional Victorian centres) and Resonance String Orchestra (Woodend and Castlemaine); an ongoing residency at Footscray High School involving multi-arts mediums; and industry development involving recordings, and composer development and advocacy.

FQ is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit organisation with an enviable Board of Directors and six permanent part-time staff: four musicians (two of whom undertake additional Artistic Director and Education Coordinator roles within the organisation), a Company Manager and the Development Manager. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

Working closely with the Artistic Director and Company Manager, this position will be responsible for delivering the Flinders Quartet (FQ) development strategy, securing and building on philanthropic revenue from private donors, as well as deepening relationships with Trusts, Foundations and granting bodies. This role works closely with the whole FQ team to support the organisation's strategic vision.

For our perfect match, we would love someone with exemplary skills in both written and verbal communication. Our new Development Manager will be self-motivated, possessing excellent organisational skills and with a keen eye for detail. Oh, and we would expect a high level of independence. 

FQ values everyone’s contribution to the organisation and seeks to support learning and professional development opportunities and the growth of the individual to support the growth of the organisation. We imagine our future Development Manager is currently an arts administrator who has quite a bit of experience and who might be looking to develop skills in fundraising and philanthropy, as well as the joy of grant writing. Alternatively, you might already have these skills. (Bonus, but not essential.)

The FQ Development Manager:

  • Engages with individual donors through our enticing fundraising campaigns and FQ’s donor programs. Our donors are a gorgeous bunch (and we are always looking to meet new ones), so you’ll have lots of fun getting to know them and building rewarding new relationships.

  • Builds on our current relationships with Trusts and Foundations. We thoroughly believe in our programs and their ability to change lives, which has resulted in long-standing relationships with some pretty special Trusts and Foundations. We have some ambitious (but highly achievable) targets to make sure we can continue to grow our impact, so our Development Manager will need to seek out new Trusts and Foundations to join our little FQ family, which will involve grant writing, management, and acquittals. (Those are always a team effort - more heads are better than one.)

  • Our Development Manager will be able to think outside the proverbial box in a proactive way to help us continue to think strategically, particularly in regard to revenue streams and income diversification. 

  • FQ was recently successful with Creative Enterprises Program funding. (We didn’t celebrate too hard - too much great music to be made!) Our Development Manager will be able to maintain high-level relationships with Federal, State, and Local government funding bodies and contribute to reporting and acquittal requirements.

  • You are going to love representing FQ throughout the arts sector and at key events. It’s easier approaching new donors when you believe in the worth of the program and we are constantly striving to ensure our programs are relevant and meaningful, having as much impact as possible. 

  • As part of the FQ team, the Development Manager is expected to:

    • Be a decent person, work resourcefully and generously to support the entire arts sector, and be ready to collaborate. (We love a good brainstorm.)

    • Embrace optimism, excellence, and tenacity.

    • Sleep well at night knowing that you have always done the right thing.

Work Autonomy

  • Working predominantly from home with occasional attendance at face-to-face meetings, concerts, and events.

  • Flexible hours / time in lieu.

  • Provision of own technology hardware (computer/tablet, mobile phone) and equipment.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders. (We’re a lovely bunch.)

  • Highly developed organisational and time management skills, with the ability to self-manage and motivate, set priorities, meet deadlines and work autonomously. We’re a creative bunch as we support each other to meet deadlines effectively. (Believe it or not, we have been ahead of schedule on our grant submissions recently.)

  • Current knowledge of Australian cultural and philanthropic trends and networks, and the ability to proactively research/update knowledge and skills. 

  • Ethical and supportive behaviour aligning with FQ’s core values of: 

    • Boldness

    • Excellence

    • Optimism

    • Tenacity

    • Generosity and humility

    • Diversity


Highly desirable: 

  • Experience in initiating, developing, implementing, and evaluating effective fundraising activities. We love a good idea.

  • Experience in successfully applying for and acquitting grants from philanthropic Trusts and Foundations and/or from government funding bodies. 

Flinders Quartet musicians undertake regular education and mentoring activities, and FQ therefore maintains a Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy. The Development Manager must be able to obtain (or already have) a Working With Children Check if needed and be willing to abide by the terms of this policy.

Flinders Quartet requires the successful candidate to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in line with Victorian Government regulations. 


TO APPLY

Please forward a single PDF made up of a cover letter that responds to each of the key selection criteria (no more than two pages) and a resume that includes the contact details of two referees to admin@flindersquartet.com by 5pm AEDT, Thursday 10 February 2022. Applications will be treated in confidence, and interviews will take place on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 February 2022 via online video conference. 

Enquiries about the role can be directed to Wendy Avilov admin@flindersquartet.com.

Interviews may be conducted during the application period, so applicants are encouraged to submit early.

Download Position Description PDF: click here

Download Position Description Word document: click here