The Edinburgh International Festival is looking for an experienced, creative, and ambitious Philanthropy Manager to join the Development Department. We’re looking for someone who has proven experience in growing fundraising income through both membership campaign strategy and mid-level and major gifts frontline fundraising. Our team is hard-working, driven, and collaborative, and we’re looking for someone who can combine both the art and science of fundraising to help support the Festival’s vision to create the deepest experience with the highest quality of art for the broadest possible audience.  

EIF is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and applications from candidates of all communities and backgrounds. Inclusive culture is the foundation for a successful workplace—this is a key focus for us across our staff, our artists, and our audiences.

To increase the diversity of our staff, our recruitment includes the Rooney Rule - regarding ethnicity – and Disability Confident Scheme for interviews. For more information go to our website.

The Role:
Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, the Philanthropy Manager is responsible for developing and managing individual giving revenue streams (inclusive of membership), alongside their own portfolio of higher-level supporters and legacy donors, working alongside the Head of Philanthropy to shape and implement the overall strategy. The Philanthropy Manager collaborates closely within the Philanthropy team, across the Development Department, and with colleagues in the Audiences Department to design and implement a cohesive, exceptional supporter experience for members and individual supporters of the Festival. The Philanthropy team is a close-knit team, thriving in a fast-paced environment, which requires flexibility, excellent organisation and time-management, and strong communication skills.

Performance Indicators and Deliverables 
•    A fundraising strategy for membership and individual giving (mid-level, online, US-based donors, and legacy) is delivered successfully and meets or exceeds annual income targets.
•    Successfully engaging with donors and prospects in the Philanthropy Manager’s portfolio to move donors & prospects through the fundraising cycle, resulting in new, renewed, and upgraded giving.
•    The Membership scheme and US giving scheme are managed appropriately, adhering to legal and regulatory requirements, monitored and reported on regularly, and are delivered in collaboration with colleagues across the organisation to ensure an exceptional and consistent donor experience.
•    The Festival’s gift aid claim is submitted successfully each year, with underlying data and tracking mechanisms in place and audited regularly for accuracy.
•    Prospects are identified proactively, organised and assigned strategically, engaged consistently, and moved through the fundraising cycle to ensure a healthy pipeline of future supporters.
•    The Philanthropy Manager is abreast of wider fundraising trends, regulatory changes, and best-practice, and proactively shares and implements this across the Philanthropy team and Development Department.
•    The Philanthropy Manager is viewed internally as a collaborative and knowledgeable colleague and contributes actively to organisational policies, culture, and projects.

Learn about our Employee Benefits

Closing date for applications: Monday 28 September 2026, 9:00am

Interview dates:  6 October 2026

Due to the high volume of applications received for this role, it is possible the job opening will close before the application closing date. We advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. 

Funded by The City of Edinburgh Council and Creative Scotland. 
Registered charity number SC004694.