British Council | Hong Kong Patron Manager

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

Job Title: Hong Kong Patron Manager

Pay band: 8 / E

Location: Hong Kong

Department: Cultural Engagement, Business Strategy, Performance & Partnerships

Contract type: 23 months

Role Purpose

• To support the launch and growth of our Hong Kong Patrons Circle.
• You will be responsible for all aspects of donor acquisition and stewardship in country, working closely with our volunteer leadership, Director British Council Hong Kong and our Head of Individual Giving to meet our annual income targets and grow our supporter circle in Hong Kong.
• You will work closely with global teams to ensure prospects and donors are aligned to the organisations values and ethics; donor engagement programmes are designed and delivered to leverage our portfolio of global programmes in the UK and internationally; targets are met and due diligence, financial and data management processes are maintained accurately and shared with the wider corporate, pillar and partnerships teams.
• The Hong Kong Patron Manager will contribute to the development of the British Council fundraising strategy and advise on the philanthropic potential of our portfolio of Global Programmes and the design of specific elements with regard to ensuring maximum opportunities for support.

Main Accountabilities

Strategy and planning

• Support the Head of Individual Giving to increase our support from individual philanthropy.
• Work with Development team to shape our fundraising strategy, ensuring that activities to ensure we can increase our support from Hong Kong based individuals are integral to our plans.
• Contribute to the integration of development plans into the design of Global Programmes, helping to establish medium and long-term sustainable development plans with agreed SMART objectives and KPI’s as part of the wider CE development implementation plan.
• Analyse and assimilate multiple commercial data sets and indicators (e.g. profitability, market undercurrents, fundraising/sponsorship/partnership targets etc) to produce tailored reports on performance and trends that enable further development of British Council fundraising.
• In collaboration with the Head of Individual Giving and programme leads, devise and implement strategies for acquisition and retention of Hong Kong Patrons to ensure we grow overall membership to at least 50 by 2025.

Sector/subject expertise

• Proactively build and maintain a sound working knowledge of major developments in the fundraising market to develop intelligence that can be fed into future planning and decision making for British Council fundraising.
• Provide leadership and expert guidance on individual giving for the teams.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of the thought leadership strategy for development for the team so that the British Council is recognised by external stakeholders and audiences as a respected, credible partner with regard to philanthropic giving to support arts and cultural relations programmes.

Relationship & stakeholder management

• Lead on the planning, establishment and account management of all British Council relationships with Hong Kong based individual donors in line with the relationship strategy and objectives established through the fundraising strategy. Ensure that there is a research, cultivation and stewardship implementation plan with SMART KPIs in place and that relationships are maintained and nurtured to the highest standards.
• Work with the Director, Hong Kong to identify and prioritise prospects and to coordinate approaches.
• Develop and manage key patron relationships.
• Design and deliver an annual cultivation and engagement programme, leveraging the Council’s international arts activities across art form disciplines to solicit, steward and engage donors as part of the annual regular individual giving schemes.
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with pillar leads and other internal partners and associates in the UK and across the global network, to ensure effective, integrated and joined-up delivery of agreed programme objectives in a complex matrix environment.
• Draft and submit project reports in line with donor requirements providing other written and verbal updates as required. Liaise with colleagues to ensure that information for reports is gathered promptly and efficiently.
• Ensure that all contact with prospect, current and past donors is logged on the British Council’s central database (or interim Development pipeline) in order to build institution-wide knowledge of the Council’s history with individual donors.

Business development

• Undertake research and identify new prospects and creatively identify and secure new patrons who share the British Council’s values and ethics. Work with global colleagues to map current and potential stakeholders and donors as appropriate.
• Work closely with the programme leads to ensure that the British Council’s multi-disciplinary programme is leveraged to maximise philanthropic income.
• Organise the production of high-quality submission materials for proposals ensuring timely and appropriate input from all necessary internal stakeholders/experts/functional advisors. Ensure compliance with agreed internal governance/review/sign-off arrangements.
• Represent the British Council at presentations and negotiations, ensuring that the strategic interests and professional reputation of the organisation are protected and promoted.

Programme Management

• Manage the UK element of our individual giving income strand as part of the wider British Council development plan to support the arts portfolio of Global Programmes which includes the priority flagship projects of the Collection and the Venice Biennale.
• Develop and deliver cultivation and stewardship activities that are in line with British Council processes and resources ensuring that the programme is designed to engage donors by leveraging the Council’s arts activities across art forms both in the UK and internationally, as well as major external cultural events worldwide.
• Support the effective and consistent monitoring of programmes and projects across the global network with regular management checks to ensure that programmes are effectively responding to KPIs and other targets.
• Create contracts and agreements in line with British Council quality standards and Project Management methodologies, including adherence to all process and procedures, governance requirements and communication procedures.
• Identify and mitigate risk related to potential and current patron and corporate sponsor partners including ethical and reputational risk and due diligence.

Leadership & management

• Lead the day-to-day management and delivery of the Development team activity working closely with the programme colleagues and colleagues across the global arts network.
• Deputise for the Head of Individual Giving.
• Set and oversee comprehensive work plans to meet income targets as part of the wider Development implementation plan, created in collaboration with the Head of Individual Giving and Development Director.
• May provide formal line management to one or more staff, which might consist of staff both within and beyond the local office base.
• Advocate on behalf of development to internal stakeholders, especially at the highest level within the organisation, ensuring fundraising is fully supported and integrated throughout the British Council, thereby contributing to the British Council’s future sustainability.
• Collaborate with the Development Director to develop working relationships with the Board of Trustees, Senior Volunteer Advocates, Chairman and CEO to enable peer-to-peer philanthropic approaches to be undertaken and to leverage the Board of Trustees’ networks.
• To actively contribute to an inclusive and anti-racist organisational culture, being aware of own biases, and taking action to mitigate against these. Ensuring people feel valued and are treated equitably, with support for people’s well-being and mental health.
• Understand the British Council’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to role and make time for learning and development relating to EDI and anti-racism.

Commercial, financial & resource management

• Draw up and manage philanthropic income and expenditure budgets as part of the wider Development Budget, working in collaboration with the Head of Individual Giving and Development Director and with programme teams to ensure that income and expenditure targets for projects are realistic and achievable.
• Negotiate and administer pledges, donations and tax efficient giving for UK & USA taxpayers working in collaboration with the British Council’s finance team.
• Ensure excellent record management and conduct monthly and year-end reporting on income, profitability and risk.
• Ensure that all work is carried out within the operating governance framework and that risks are dealt with efficiently.

Role specific knowledge and experience

Essential

• Experience of managing a membership or individual giving scheme within an arts organisation or a charity.
• Substantial experience of face-to-face fundraising with a proven record of cultivating gifts and ‘making the ask’ up to five figures.
• A demonstrable commitment to excellent donor stewardship at the highest level.
• Experience of close working with programme teams and ability to identify and re-shape existing activity and offers into compelling fundraising opportunities.
• A broad range of contacts within the UK Development sectors.
• Experience of writing copy and corresponding with donors demonstrating strong literacy skills and the ability to create a compelling case for support, both written and verbal.
• Experience of budget management and presenting financial information to philanthropists.
• Line management experience.
• Experience of reporting to Trustees and Senior Leadership and managing internal senior stakeholders to drive a fundraising culture internally.
• Experience of managing fundraising systems and processes (e.g. CRM, due diligence).
• Exceptional written and verbal communication and presentation skills, and the ability to communicate complex ideas in appropriate ways to a range of audiences, including Ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
• Robust donor research skills and the ability to think creatively to identify new fundraising opportunities.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an international context or with different cultures.
• Experience of organising online cultivation events.

Requirements

• Education to university level in a relevant subject or professional experience equivalent.
• The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.
• Proficiency in Mandarin as second language. (Desirable)
• The role may include occasional travel within the territory, region or internationally.

Conditions of Employment: Local Direct Hire

Applications are welcomed from candidates currently in this location with a natural right to work. Applications are also welcomed from candidates currently based in other British Council country offices. However, please note candidates must have a natural right to work in the country, on a permanent basis. Mobility, relocation, and visa sponsoring support will not be provided.

British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

Closing Date: Sunday, 26 January 2025 at 23:59 Singapore Time (GMT+8)

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.