Relationship Manager, Libraries (LL40)

Arts Council England; Harrow; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Final salary pension

Hybrid working

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Arts Council England in London is seeking a Relationship Manager, Libraries to build empowering and enduring relationships with library services and funded organisations, ensuring alignment with annual business plans and funding agreements.

You will lead on library projects with national stakeholders, collaborate with colleagues across the Libraries national team, travel for meetings, and report to the Senior Relationship Manager who oversees the area.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in building relationships with library services
• Strong collaboration, influencing and advocacy skills
• Willingness to travel across London and beyond for meetings and site visits

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage relationships with library services and funded organisations
• Monitor performance against business plans and funding agreements
• Lead on library projects with national stakeholders and report to Senior Relationship Manager

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Relationship management

Public sector experience

Job description

Relationship Manager, Libraries (LL40)

Contract: Permanent working 35 hours per week (Arts Council also recognises the benefit of flexible working as a valued part of the way we work, and welcome applications from individuals who require flexibility).

Salary: £41,211 per annum Grade C London plus benefits including a final salary pension scheme, generous annual leave, and flexible and hybrid working.

Location: London (The role will be based in London however, we are operating a hybrid way of working and support our staff to make use of remote working options when combined with regular on-site contact days with other members of the team, normally 1-2 days a week).

Do you want to;

• help shape and influence the way arts and culture is delivered today?
• help more people in more places take part in arts and culture?
• help arts and cultural organisations better reflect the diversity of our communities?

We are looking for a Relationship Manager, Libraries to join a mixed team in the Arts Council’s London office which includes Combined Arts, Dance, Literature and Libraries. Arts Council England is the development agency for libraries in England. Our focus is on public libraries which operate within a wider framework of library provision and local and national government services.

In this key role you’ll have a focus on building empowering and enduring relationships with library services and a portfolio of funded organisations. This will include awareness of their performance against their business plan, their funding agreement with Arts Council England, and of their cultural work to identify their investment needs. This role will support libraries in contributing to priority places and work with colleagues in integrating London’s libraries into all of our funding streams.

You will manage relationships with designated National Portfolio Organisations relevant to libraries and specific projects supported by strategic funds. You will take a London area lead on our relationships with the libraries sector, and work with other Arts Council colleagues as a member of the Libraries national team. You will lead on specific funded projects with national library stakeholders (e.g. CILIP and the British Library) and attend regular meetings with regional library colleagues (e.g. London Libraries meetings). You will report to the Senior Relationship Manager who holds the area overview on Strategic Partnerships and Priority Places.

You will have specific knowledge of the libraries sector, along with a good understanding of the cultural sector in England and of the current challenges and opportunities facing it. You’ll also have excellent skills in collaboration, influencing and advocacy, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

The successful candidate will have significant experience of working within a library service or engaging with library services, as well as with artists and arts and cultural organisations. You will need a good understanding of organisational dynamics including business planning, financial reporting, performance management and governance. With a diverse portfolio of external partner relationships to maintain, you will be self‑reliant and enjoy both frequent travel and meeting new people. Experience of working with local authority and other strategic partners would also be an advantage.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Arts Council are committed to being an inclusive employer, building an inclusive workplace, and recruiting a workforce that is as diverse as the communities we serve. However, you identify, and whatever background you bring with you, we welcome you to apply for a role at Arts Council.

If there are any adjustments that would support you in your application, please do let us know when you apply. If you are disabled, Evenbreak are able to provide support with your application. For further information please visit their website here

We participate in the ‘Offer an Interview’ scheme which means that we offer an interview to any disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role they’re applying to, subject to the volume of applications received. Disabled candidates, those living with a long‑term condition and/ or neurodivergent candidates may be eligible for this scheme. The scheme uses the definition of disability from the Equality Act 2010 to determine eligibility. More information is included in the application guidance.

About us

Arts Council offers a range of benefits to our employees including hybrid and flexible working, a generous annual leave allowance and the Arts Council Retirement Plan - a final salary scheme.

Our Code of Ethics requires that employees of the Arts Council are not able to receive an Arts Council grant, investment or loan funding - either in person, as a member of a partnership, or for any organisation they own. There are also limitations on board or CEO positions employees can hold in organisations we fund. For more information on this, please talk to the recruiting manager or contact [e-mail]

Job ref: LL40

Closing date: Midnight Sunday 29 September 2026

1st Interview: (virtual) Thursday 22 October 2026

2nd Interview: (In Person) Friday 6 November 2026