Friends Manager

Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland (RCN 20158958)

The National Gallery of Ireland (“the Gallery”) is Ireland's major national cultural institution devoted to the collection and care of fine art. Comprising more than 18,000 paintings, drawings, watercolours, miniatures, prints, sculpture and decorative arts, the institution's extensive holdings include masterpieces by many of the most celebrated figures in the history of western European art. In addition, the Gallery houses the most representative collection of historic Irish art. Funded mainly by the State, the Gallery employs more than 180 staff and provides free access to the public 361 days a year. In 2024, the Gallery received numerous awards and accreditations. These included the RIAI's Silver Medal for Conservation and Restoration.

The Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland (“FNGI”) was established in 1986 to support the activities of the Gallery by recruiting membership, to encourage an appreciation of painting, sculpture and architecture. It is a self-funding organisation with charitable status (RCN 20158958). It is committed to promoting the Gallery and its collections and to expanding awareness and appreciation of the visual arts through a range of educational and social events. Members play an important role in supporting the Gallery in various aspects of its work and can avail of a number of benefits related to membership.

The FNGI wishes to recruit a Friends Manager on a permanent basis. The Friends Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to attract, engage, and retain members and managing the busy FNGI charity. This role involves managing FNGI human resources, budgets and the membership lifecycle, while delivering exceptional member experiences, and ensuring the smooth operation of the related systems, policies and processes.

Reporting to the Head of Development, (National Gallery of Ireland or nominated deputy), the successful candidate will:

•  Lead the staff of FNGI in delivering the Friends Strategy.  
• Create and implement annual action plans to increase membership income, with an emphasis on sustainable growth and exceptional programming.
• Develop and implement new strategies and campaigns to increase membership and maintain an excellent retention rate.
• Work closely with Gallery colleagues to maintain a strong focus on member satisfaction and experience (this include the Communications, Commercial, Education, Exhibitions, Curatorial, Visitor Experience and other Gallery Departments).
• Monitor membership trends, assess relevant data and prepare data insights reports to present FNGI performance and activities to Senior Management and the Friends Executive Committee (Trustees).
• Prepare and manage the annual Friends budget and re-forecasting as well as ensuring the cost-effective delivery of membership services.
• Manage membership databases, and liaise with system providers, ensuring constant improvements, accuracy, compliance, consistency and maintenance of accurate membership records and sector best practice.
• Manage FNGI staff and day to day operations of the office and Friends desk, including rostering, ensuring cover for leave and the delivery of day-to-day duties of Friends team members (Membership Assistants operating Front of House and office staff)
• Ensure all membership activities comply with relevant legislation, data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR), and organisational policies.
• Support the Gallery's Development Department by identifying opportunities within the FNGI membership base that lead to Patron memberships, donations, legacies and other funding streams.
• Working closely with the Development Department on the delivery of Friend benefits across the International Friends charity organisations (based in the UK and USA)
• Have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of the members and the FNGI staff.
• Manage complaints in line with Gallery processes.
• Carry out other duties and responsibilities as requested by their line management.

The successful candidate will have:

• A third level qualification (minimum NFQ Level 7 or above) in business, finance, arts management or other related discipline.
• Previous work experience in a membership organisation and/or visitor experience or a customer service environment, with an enthusiasm and interest to work in an arts, heritage or cultural institution.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills both written and oral, with the ability to engage and build relationships at all levels coupled with confidence, drive, integrity and enthusiasm.
• Strong organisational, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to contribute to the FNGI and Development growth plans.
• Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills with a customer-focused mind-set, ensuring a positive member experience resolving any issues efficiently and effectively.
• A commercial acumen with an aptitude for analysing progress and measuring success against set targets.
• Strong presentation skills, with the ability to deliver engaging and persuasive presentations to stakeholders and senior management.
• A proven track record of managing membership systems and database management.
• A proven ability to lead and motivate a team to achieve results to a consistently high standard.
• Strong project management ability with previous work experience of managing budgets.
• Exceptional accuracy and attention to detail coupled with a methodical approach and the ability to develop and implement practical and effective processes and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to perform effectively under pressure, with a collaborative and adaptable approach to supporting a small, fast-paced organisation.
• A flexible and energetic approach to work alongside a responsible work ethic, with a proven ability to work on own independently with minimal supervision or as part of a Team.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office programmes and databases including box office/ticketing and CRM systems.
• A general knowledge of GDPR and national data protection laws
• Experience with marketing campaigns and community engagement (desirable)
• Experience of Event management and programming for Membership (desirable)
• An understanding of Ticketsolve and E-tapestry systems (desirable)

Conditions of employment

This job description is a guide to broad areas of responsibility and accountability and should not be regarded as a comprehensive listing. This may be subject to review in view of new structures and/or the changing needs of the FNGI. All employees are required to be compliant with FNGI screening and Garda Vetting procedures. The post will be subject to a satisfactory medical check and successful completion of a successful probationary period. Applicants must be fluent in English and be eligible to work in Ireland.

Citizenship Requirements

Eligible candidates must be:

1.  A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway; or

2.  A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

3.  A citizen of Switzerland, pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

4.  A non-EEA citizen who has a valid work permit.

To qualify candidates must be eligible by the date of any job offer.

Job Details and Application Information

Salary: €58,000 gross per annum

Annual Leave: The successful candidate will be entitled to 25 days of annual leave pro rata

Duration: Permanent

Working hours: Full time, 5 days a week – 35 hours per week (net of breaks). Please note, flexibility is required and the successful candidate may be required to work occasional early mornings, late evenings and weekends.

How to apply: To apply for this position please submit a

•          Cover Letter of not more than two pages

•          CV of not more than two pages

Panel:

Candidates should note that at the end of the candidate assessment process a panel of successful candidates may be formed based on order of merit, from which future positions may be filled.

 Any personal data that you provide when applying for this position shall be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 8 March 2025, Sunday, 11:45 pm  

 Interviews are expected to take place in March 2026.

 At the Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland, we value equity, diversity and inclusion. We recognise the benefits it can bring to our staff and our visitors interactions. We celebrate difference and want our people to be representative of all communities. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland is an equal opportunities employer