Charity Development & Operations Manager

Lila; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A nonprofit organization in London seeks a Charity Development Manager for an 18-month full-time contract. You will oversee daily operations, build partnerships, manage finances, and execute projects. The ideal candidate has at least 3 years of charity sector experience, particularly in music or cultural charities. Strong organizational and communication skills are essential, along with an understanding of South Asian communities. A hybrid work model is offered, ensuring flexibility alongside essential in-person meetings.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years’ experience in the charity/nonprofit sector.
• Experience within music, arts, or cultural charities preferred.
• Experience working in small organizations or early-stage initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Manage relationships with key stakeholders and partners.
• Build new partnerships with music organizations and community groups.
• Support trustees with updates and reporting.
• Track income, expenses, and project budgets.

Skills

Organizational skills

Project management

Communication skills

Fundraising experience

Understanding of South Asian communities

Tools

Google Workspace

Notion

Trello

Canva

Job description

Full-time | 18‑month contract | London / Hybrid

Before you read on…

This role is not for someone who wants a neat job description, a large team, or a perfectly set‑up organisation. This role is for someone who:

• Loves figuring things out from scratch
• Enjoys being the person who connects dots, people, and systems
• Can zoom out to think strategically and zoom right in to fix a broken Google Drive folder
• Gets genuine satisfaction from sending the follow‑up email, setting up the Notion board, and making sure things actually happen

If you read that and thought “that sounds like me”, keep going.

About Lila

Our work spans advocacy, research, partnerships, and sector‑facing activity. This includes initiatives such as South Asian Soundcheck, as well as on‑the‑ground work at major industry platforms including Glastonbury, through the projects: Arrivals and the Azaadi Stage. We are at a nascent stage of development, which means this role is about building, and maintaining.

The role

You’ll be the Charity Development Manager, the person who turns ideas into reality and keeps the organisation moving. You’ll work closely with the Director and trustees to:

• Execute Lila’s vision
• Build partnerships and credibility
• Set up systems, processes, and rhythms of work
• Take projects from idea → delivery → reporting

Think of this role as running the charity like an entrepreneurial venture, while staying rooted in charity best practice.

What you’ll be responsible for

1. Running the charity day‑to‑day

You’ll be responsible for keeping Lila operational, organised, and moving forward. This includes:

• Managing relationships with key stakeholders, partners, funders, and collaborators
• Building new partnerships with music organisations, charities, trade bodies, and community groups
• Acting as the main point of contact for external enquiries
• Supporting trustees and the Director with updates, reporting, and coordination
• Helping position Lila as a credible, visible, and respected voice in the industry
• Managing the charity’s day‑to‑day finances, including tracking income and expenditure, monitoring budgets, and ensuring resources are used carefully and transparently
• Sending short weekly written updates or reports

2. Turning ideas into finished projects

If you love taking a project from first conversation to final delivery, this is for you. In practice, that looks like:

• Joining calls with potential collaborators or partners
• Sending clear, thoughtful follow‑up emails after meetings
• Drafting one‑pager proposals or project outlines
• Setting timelines, managing project budgets, and overseeing delivery plans
• Coordinating contributors, freelancers, and partners
• Actively following up with collaborators and decision‑makers to keep projects moving and approvals on track
• Making sure deadlines are met and nothing falls through the cracks
• Reporting back on outcomes, finances, and learnings

You’ll own projects end‑to‑end, with support, but with a high degree of independence and accountability.

3. Fundraising & income support

You won’t be expected to magically raise millions, but you will be involved in the mechanics of fundraising. This includes:

• Researching funding opportunities and grants
• Supporting the drafting and submission of funding applications
• Maintaining relationships with funders and supporters
• Tracking income, deadlines, and reporting requirements
• Helping develop new income ideas alongside the Director

4. Operations, systems & organisation (the unglamorous but essential bit)

This role involves doing the small, sometimes tedious things that keep a charity alive, and doing them well. Examples include:

• Being a Google Workspace wizard (Drive, Docs, Sheets, admin, permissions)
• Keeping folders, files, and documentation organised
• Using tools like Notion, Trello, or similar to manage projects and tasks
• General charity housekeeping and admin
• Managing basic HR admin for a small team / freelancers

If you secretly enjoy a well‑structured spreadsheet or a perfectly organised Drive, you’ll thrive here.

5. Digital presence & communications

You’ll help build Lila’s public voice and online presence.

• Keeping the website updated (no complex coding required)
• Setting up and running social media channels from the ground up
• Planning and posting content
• Using simple design tools (e.g. Canva,) to create posts
• Sending newsletters and updates
• Producing and sending out Newsletters to update our patrons regularly

What we’re looking for

Experience

• At least 3 years’ experience working in the charity / nonprofit sector
• Experience within music, arts, or cultural charities is strongly preferred
• Experience working in small organisations or early‑stage initiatives

You might be a great fit if you:

• Are highly organised and operationally minded
• Can confidently manage multiple priorities at once without losing sight of detail
• Communicate clearly and confidently in writing and in meetings
• Take a proactive approach to work — identifying issues early and finding practical solutions
• Are comfortable working independently, making informed decisions, and moving work forward without close supervision
• Are happy to follow things up, chase responses when needed, and take responsibility for meeting deadlines
• Enjoy both strategic thinking and hands‑on execution

Cultural understanding

• Strong understanding of, or lived experience within, South Asian communities is highly desirable
• Cultural competency in navigating representation, equity, and community‑led work is essential

Practical details

• Contract: Full‑time, 18 months
• Probation: 3–4 months
• Salary: £32,000–£40,000 (depending on experience)
• Location: London / hybrid (with in‑person meetings as needed)

Who this role is not for

• Someone looking for a purely strategic or director‑only role
• Someone who prefers large teams and established systems
• Someone who doesn’t want to handle admin, comms, or operational detail

Why this role is special

By the end of 18 months, you’ll be able to say:

• You attended gigs, met with the makers and the biggest trade bodies in UK music that move the needle.
• You helped build a charity from scratch
• You shaped its systems, culture, and public presence
• You made a tangible impact on representation in the music industry

You’ll evolve your role into something of your liking as we expand the team

If that excites you, we’d love to hear from you.

How to apply:

Submit your CV with a cover letter not more than 400 words and send it to [e-mail] by 19th Jan 2026.