About Figurative
Figurative is a new organisation, and this is a brand new role. Our mission is to bring new funding capital to the cultural and creative sectors, and to deploy it in ways that optimise for social impact and for sector sustainability.
We bring together deep expertise through Arts & Culture Finance (formerly part of Nesta) and New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture to unlock new and innovative ways of funding and supporting the UK’s arts ecosystem.
Figurative manages three investment portfolios that have supported over 60 organisations and raised more than £30 million in investment capital over the last decade.
About this role
Culture and creativity are essential to human flourishing, yet the financial models supporting them are in need of a serious reimagining. Public subsidy is declining in real terms, traditional philanthropy can’t fill the gap, and commercial investment often doesn’t align with how cultural and creative sector organisations work best.
Figurative exists to create a third way: impact investment that brings new capital to culture and creativity, while respecting what makes the sector special. But scaling a genuinely new funding model requires more than good intentions – it needs robust infrastructure, diversified capital sources, and deep credibility with the organisations we exist to serve.
This is a unique opportunity to join Figurative in its infancy, and to take responsibility for growing Figurative from £30m to £100m+ over the next 3-5 years. Your work will directly enable cultural organisations to access capital they couldn’t reach through traditional routes – capital that allows them to take creative risks, sustain their missions, and amplify their social impact without compromising their values.
You will be joining a dynamic, inclusive, collaborative team that is committed to learning on the job, and in the open. This involves testing out new ideas, and finding partners who are keen to explore innovative ways in which their money can be used to bring about their desired outcomes through the power of culture and creativity.
Key Responsibilities
The Development Director will:
- lead our efforts to raise money into our own parent charity, from primarily new sources;
- support the CEO and investment team to raise investment capital (which may take the form of repayable grants) into our investment funds;
- lead our efforts to support organisations in the sector to raise philanthropic giving as a source of income for themselves, particularly focused around place (including the development of our existing Arts Council funded place-based philanthropy networks) and social impact (including our Big Give Arts for Impact match funding campaign);
- Develop and implement our place-based strategy, which will aim to demonstrate the power of blended finance.
The Development Director will be a member of the senior leadership team and report directly to the CEO, working closely on strategy and communicating strategic priorities and progress to existing and potential grant funders (into Figurative) and investors (into our funds); whilst providing philanthropic expertise to cultural organisations and partners to optimise social impact and sector sustainability.
What We Offer
- Salary: £55,000 – £65,000 FTE, depending on experience
- Location: Hybrid working arrangement based at Somerset House in central London, with flexibility and some travel within the UK.
- Reports to: CEO
- Hours: 3 days/ week (0.6 FTE)
- Location: Hybrid working arrangement based at Somerset House in central London, with flexibility and some travel within the UK.
- Benefits:
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- 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + ability to buy additional holiday
- Pension (Employer Contribution 8% + a further 4% where the employee contributes 4%)
- Life Assurance
- Post probation – Private health and dental insurance
Making an Application
Download a full Job Description here.
To apply for this role, please submit your application below before midnight Sunday 22nd February 2026 via Charity Jobs.
Apply for the role via Charity Jobs here.
Please include a one-page cover letter covering the following questions:
- What are the main challenges you think Figurative will have to navigate within this phase of development?
- What are the most important messages to convey to existing and potential stakeholders about Figurative’s mission and motivations?
First interviews will be held virtually on Wednesday 4th March 2026.
Second interviews will be held in person in our London offices on Thursday 12th March 2026.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those who are underrepresented in the investment sector to apply.
Please note that we actively screen for AI-generated applications. We are looking for authentic, personal responses that reflect your own experiences and motivations.
If you have any questions about the role, please email hello@figurative.org.uk.
