The Guardian: ‘England hath need of thee’: appeal to save Milton’s Paradise Lost cottage‘
The Mail Online: ‘Paradise could soon be lost: £3.5m drive to save the 16th century cottage where Milton hid from the plague to write his literary masterpiece‘
The Times: ‘Owners launch appeal to save John Milton’s cottage‘
We are hiring!
Milton’s Cottage is seeking a dynamic Head of Development to help us secure a sustainable legacy for this irreplaceable literary landmark.
This is a new role within Milton’s Cottage, and an exciting time to join the organisation as we build on our recent growt and expand our programme of public impact projects. Working across a variety of income streams, you’ll help us achieve a step-change in our fundraising journey.
If you have demonstrable experience of income generation within a charitable setting, and are looking for a part-time opportunity to shape the fundraising future of a small but internationally significant museum, then we would love to hear from you.
To apply, please send a copy of your CV with an accompanying letter – outlining your interest in this role and how you meet the criteria in the job description below – by 4th May 2025 to director@miltonscottage.org. Interviews will be held on Tuesday 6th May 2025 (please let us know in your application if you cannot make that date so we can make alter@miltonsc).
Job Description
Salary: £35,000 per annum pro-rata
Hours: Part-time (14 hours / week based on a 35-hour week pro rata; flexible working schedule at postholder’s discretion)
Location: Chalfont St Giles (remote position with occasional on-site working required)
Contract: 12 months, initially
Application deadline: 4th May 2025
Overview
Milton’s Cottage is the only surviving residence of John Milton, and the place where he completed his epic masterpiece Paradise Lost. We are seeking a dynamic fundraiser to build relationships and raise income to support our future ambitions, and ensure a sustainable legacy for this irreplaceable literary landmark.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with the Director to develop and implement a fundraising strategy for Milton’s Cottage
- Work with the Board of Trustees – in particular the Development Trustee, Paradise Maintain’d Trustee, Fundraising & Capital Development Committee – to develop an integrated, inclusive and ethical fundraising culture at all levels
- Build on the stewardship and management of existing donor relationships to ensure they are fully engaged and informed
- Undertake research to identify new prospects and funding opportunities for Milton’s Cottage across trusts and foundations, individuals, and corporate partnerships
- Securing philanthropic gifts from new and existing donors
- Work with the Director and Treasurer to monitor annual income targets against performance
- Liaise with the Treasurer to ensure that income is properly administered, including acknowledgement, financial receipts, maximising donation values and Gift Aid
- Work with the Director to ensure evaluation requirements are integrated into funded projects
- Manage fundraising data, track prospect and donor journeys, and ensure the data that is stored is fit for purpose and GDPR compliant
- Develop and maintain fundraising policies and procedures
- Act as an advocate for Milton’s Cottage
- Other fundraising and events duties as reasonably required by the Director and Trustees
- Targets and workload will be set at a level that is proportionate to a two-day per week role, with other people available within the organisation to help execute the fundraising strategy
Essential Experience, Skills & Knowledge
- Strong fundraising skills, including demonstrable experience of securing significant philanthropic gifts
- Excellent communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders, including the ability to communicate a vision and build trust
- Strong writing skills with the ability to craft a compelling and persuasive narrative
- Detailed knowledge of the current fundraising landscape and the challenges facing those raising funds within the arts, culture and heritage sectors in the UK
- Experience of raising funds from major trusts and foundations and / or statutory sources
- Experience of raising funds from individuals, including legacies, patron schemes, fundraising events and / or annual / regular giving appeals
- Ability to plan and prioritise a demanding workload and meet deadlines
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
- Understanding of CRM databases
- Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality at all times
Desirable Experience, Skills & Knowledge
- Experience of fundraising for capital projects
- Experience of securing at least 5-figure gifts from philanthropic partners
- Knowledge of / interest in culture, literature and museums
