Senior Relationship and Development Manager – Music Hubs (COO18)

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: £46,709 per annum plus benefits including a final salary pension scheme, generous annual leave, and flexible and hybrid working.

Location: Based at one of the Arts Council’s regional offices in Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Cambridge, Brighton or Bristol (The role will be based at any of the offices listed; 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)

Arts Council England is seeking a highly skilled and knowledgeable Senior Relationship and Development Manager to lead and shape our work within the Music Hubs programme. As part of the Music Hub Senior Management team, you will play a critical role in managing and supporting our Music Hub Relationship and Development Managers, guiding their performance, and ensuring that the Music Hub network delivers high-quality music education to children and young people across the country.

You will be responsible for driving strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including Local Authorities and partner organisations, as well as overseeing the development of Hubs and providing senior-level interventions when challenges arise. Your ability to foster strong, collaborative relationships will be central to ensuring the success and sustainability of the Music Hubs programme, which invests over £101 million annually to provide access to music education.

In this role, you will take a holistic view of the programme, supporting continuous improvement and helping to identify and disseminate best practices across the Hub network. You’ll also contribute to internal and external reporting, ensuring alignment with Arts Council England's broader goals, including the ‘Let's Create’ strategy. Your leadership will extend to coaching and developing the Relationship and Development Managers, while also offering insight into the evolving music education landscape.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior leader who thrives in a collaborative environment, with the vision and expertise to make a lasting impact on music education in England. If you have experience in the cultural or educational sector and are passionate about strategic development and relationship building, we’d love to hear from you.

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

Disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent people and those from Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in our workforce so we particularly encourage applications from people in these groups.

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. To find out more, click here.

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 recruitment@artscouncil.org.uk

We believe our recruitment process should be inclusive and transparent. Find out what to expect with our application guidance and more about our commitment to diversity on our website here.



To view the recruitment pack which outlines more details about working for Arts Council please click here

Job ref: COO18

Closing date: 09:00 am Wednesday 30 October

1st Interviews: (virtual) week commencing 12 November

2nd Interviews: (virtual) Friday 22 November - Candidates will be required to completed a task for the second interview around interventions from the Senior Relationship Manager (Details TBC)

Please note: We do NOT accept CVs or cover letters as part of our recruitment process. If you require any documentation in an alternative format, please contact recruitment@artscouncil.org.uk