Freelance Corporate Business Development Officer

University of the Arts London; England; Hybrid; GBP 3,300 - 6,700; Part time

Job summary

Afloat Theatre seeks a Freelance Corporate Business Development Officer to grow In Unison, a programme that brings creative practice into workplaces. The role blends remote networking with in-person outreach, averaging two days of work per month from January to June 2027, at a day rate of £150.

You'll build relationships with corporate buyers, convert interest into paid bookings, and help create a sustainable income stream for the CIC while expanding social impact.

Qualifications

• Proactive and commercially minded freelance Business Development Officer
• Experience building relationships with businesses and decision-makers
• Networking and generating new leads
• Sales, pitching or securing contracts

Responsibilities

• Grow In Unison to two bookings per month
• Turn interest into paid opportunities and long-term partnerships
• Develop relationships from first conversation to delivery and beyond
• Promote income generation to support Afloat Theatre as a CIC

Skills

Relationship building

Lead generation

Sales pitches

Value of creative offerings

Independent worker

Job description

Freelance Corporate Business Development Officer

Hours Commitment: 2 days per month, January-June 2027 Fee: £150 per day (8 hours)

Seeking a Freelance Corporate Business Development Officer for In Unison. In Unison brings Afloat Theatre’s creative practice into workplaces, using music to help teams connect in a different way. We guide teams through a creative process where they work together to create their own company anthem

Job Description

• Working pattern: A mixture of remote working and in-person networking
• Commitment: 2 days per month, January-June 2027
• Fee: £150 per day (8 hours)
• Contract: Freelance, with potential for an ongoing/extended contract based on the success of the role

You’ll help Afloat Theatre turn In Unison from an emerging offer into a sustainable source of earned income, playing a key role in shaping how it grows commercially.

We’re looking for someone who can take ownership, work independently and make things happen. You’ll build relationships with corporate organisations and the people who buy this kind of work, introduce them to In Unison, and turn interest into bookings.

From the first conversation through to delivery and beyond, you’ll develop relationships that lead to paid opportunities, repeat bookings and long-term partnerships generating income that supports Afloat Theatre as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and enables us to reinvest in the creative work and communities we exist to serve.

Your goal will be to grow In Unison to around two bookings per month to support Afloat Theatre to become less grant reliant.

Skills and Experience Required

We’re looking for a proactive and commercially minded freelance Business Development Officer who can build relationships and generate new opportunities for In Unison.

You will have experience in:

• Building relationships with businesses and decision-makers
• Networking and generating new leads
• Sales, pitching or securing contracts
• Communicating the value of creative, wellbeing or team-based offers
• Working independently and managing your own workload
• Understanding how organisations can use creative experiences to support their teams
• Ideally, an existing corporate network and experience working with agencies, businesses or social enterprises

Most importantly, you’ll believe in Afloat’s mission and understand how generating income can create wider social impact.

Disability Confident Employer

We can confirm that we are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 1-3) who can welcome a wide-range of disabled applicants within our level of training.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, regardless of their race, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and caring responsibility. We are committed to offering a working environment where everyone is valued and feels appreciated.