Consultancy & Fundraising
Working in small to medium arts organisations over the last 25 years, I have wide ranging skills and experience.
As an experienced charity CEO I know that committing to hiring permanent staff can be difficult, and that sometimes that capacity squeeze or expertise gap that you’re tackling is only short-term.
That’s where I can help, whether it’s to deliver a specific project or brief, or simply to be a sounding board and a second pair of eyes to work with you to define a new course of action, structure or strategy. Every organisation needs something different, so please contact me for a conversation about where you are, what you need and how I might be able to help.
These are some of the areas where I am confident I bring value to the right organisations:
Staff Structures, Role Descriptions and Development, Line Management and Recruitment
Organisational Strategy and Change Management
Organisation Vision, Mission and Values
Fundraising Strategy, Bid Writing and Donor Cultivation, including Arts Council England Relationship Management
Governance Systems and Trustee Engagement
Company Policies and HR
Co-Leader Facilitation
My career started in artist management – before I was 30, I was a Company Director, managing a roster of international artists, opening the company’s first London office and managing a small staff team.
Keen to devote myself to one artistic mission and output, in 2011 I moved into orchestral management as CEO of Gabrieli, gaining my first experience of working in the charity sector, managing a board of trustees, running company finances and managing the full staff team as well as the day-to-day work of fundraising, devising and delivering new artistic projects and international touring. A sideways step after the birth of my second son led to me developing a specialism in fundraising, first at Gabrieli, where I tripled Trust and Foundation income in my first year in post, and then as Director of Development at the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
Following three years as CEO of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, in 2024 returned to Gabrieli where I am building and delivering a new company strategy, expanding an ambitious education programme, broadening inclusion, improving staff engagement and retention, expanding the Board of Trustees and increasing financial resilience and oversight. At each organisation I have achieved turnaround in the charity’s relationship with Arts Council England and elevated the charity’s sector profile.
What My Clients Say….
“Susie delivered supportive, insightful help with a much-needed staff restructure. She worked with us to assess job descriptions and explore staff specialisms and ambitions, and then to restructure our staff and reallocate roles. Her support included helping us to advocate to our board for the proposed changes and negotiating new pay agreements. Her ability to be a sounding board, to provide neutral oversight and to ask the right questions at the right moments was invaluable.”
Senior Manager, arts charity
“Susie’s leadership has been nothing short of transformational; it’s been a privilege to be part of this journey.”
Fundraising Manager
“Susie created a suite of company policies for us that have given staff a clearer sense of their obligations and company regulations, and greater security and clarity in their employment terms. It is something we could never have found the time to do ourselves, even if we had the necessary expertise.”
Charity CEO
Let’s Chat!
Phone
07801189879
Email
susie@yorkskinner.co.uk