Museums Vacancies
Join our dedicated and friendly team at Leighton House and Sambourne House.
Development Officer, Leighton House and Sambourne House
Secure the future of our historic museums through fundraising and community support.
As a Development Officer, you’ll play a crucial role in sustaining and growing the legacy of two of London’s most distinctive museums – Leighton House and Sambourne House. By developing vital partnerships, building donor relationships and driving fundraising initiatives, you’ll help ensure these cultural landmarks continue to thrive for generations to come.
Working Style
This is a full-time role, You’ll be based at the museums for 4 days a week, and attend occasional cultivation and fundraising events out of standard working hours as needed.
What you’ll be doing
This is a hands-on, creative and relationship-focused role. Working closely with the Senior Curator and the Trustees of the Friends of Leighton House, you’ll take lead in strengthening fundraising activity across both museums. Your main responsibility will be identifying, applying for and securing funding from trusts, foundations and other sources that align with the museums’ mission and programmes. You’ll also manage documentation for grant-giving bodies – preparing evaluation reports, monitoring performance and ensuring all conditions are met.
A key part of your work will be cultivating long-term relationships with existing supporters while identifying and engaging new donors. You’ll plan and deliver targeted fundraising campaigns and appeals, ensuring that the museums’ messages resonate with audiences who care about culture and heritage.
You’ll also coordinate the activities of the Friends of Leighton House, a registered charity, by overseeing membership and donor schemes management, organising member events and visits, processing donations and finding creative ways to grow the group’s network and engagement. This includes maintaining clear administrative systems and ensuring regular, meaningful communication with members throughout the year. You’ll work to deliver key events such as the annual members dinner and garden party, – moments that bring together donors, artists and the local community.
Collaboration is central to this role. You’ll work with colleagues across the museums – from marketing and curatorial to operations – to understand ongoing activity in all areas, identify potential projects for external funding, ensure the promotion, running and development of donations and membership schemes, and the appropriate acknowledgement and allocation of funds raised.
For more information, please review the Job Description and Person Specification
Why join us
At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future.
You’ll join a close-knit, dedicated museums team working within the beautifully restored surroundings of Leighton House – a place of creativity, collaboration and inspiration. Following a £9.6 million award-winning refurbishment in 2022, the museum was named a finalist for the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2023, recognised for its excellence and team spirit.
This is a pivotal time to join. As the museums face new financial challenges, your work will directly support their sustainability and growth. You’ll play a key role in ensuring both houses continue to deliver an ambitious programme of exhibitions, learning opportunities and cultural events as they celebrate 100 years as public museums.
We’ll support your professional development with access to training, mentoring and opportunities to shape fundraising strategy and delivery. You’ll be part of an environment that values inclusion, creativity and teamwork – where your ideas and initiative can make a tangible impact.
About Us
Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough.
As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.
In this role, you’ll bring that same commitment to every shift – helping your team, supporting the smooth running of operations and making each visitor feel at home. Your efforts will shape the experience people take away from these iconic buildings, making culture and heritage more accessible and enjoyable for all.
Application and Interview details
We’re all in – are you? If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we’d love to hear from you.
Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description.
Applications close 10 December 2025 at 23:55pm (BST)
Interviews for this position will take place in person at Leighton House Museum on 16 and 17 December 2025.