Working for Hay Festival

    The festival is put together by hundreds of people, from building the site and producing the events to welcoming our guests and spreading the word. We currently looking for a Fundraising Assistant and a Finance Officer.

    Fundraising Assistant

    We are looking for a talented fundraiser to work with the festival team. The post-holder will successfully contribute to the winning of sponsorship from existing and new clients, and manage sponsor relationships for Hay Festival, Wales. You should have proven success in a sponsorship or fundraising environment, have excellent communication skills and be able to work collaboratively and positively with a wide range of stakeholders. 

    The purpose of the role is to support to assist in fundraising and commercial activity in achieving annual income targets for Hay Festival. The key duties will include

    • Fundraising – assisting with research and prospecting, cultivation, stewardship,  development of proposals and reporting and data entry 
    • Commercial – assisting with research on exhibitors, assisting with data collation, advertising opportunities and wider commercial activities. 

    Main Duties and Responsibilities

    • Assist both the Commercial Manager and Fundraising and Sponsorship Officer to research and proactively identify funding and commercial opportunities across a wide range of areas as necessary. 
    • Provide administrative and research assistance for the development of the membership, Patrons and Benefactors schemes, sponsors, advertising and exhibitor income streams and any other duties as necessary.
    • Assist the team to deliver fundraising and stakeholder events, receptions and other events throughout the year and at the flagship festival
    • Maintain and update accurate records for correspondence and invoicing and prepare reports as required

    Type of contract: Full Time Permanent  

    Salary: £26,540

    For full duties and responsibilities please see the application pack

    We welcome applications regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age, religion or belief.  Disabled applicants are invited to contact us in confidence to discuss steps that could be taken to overcome operational difficulties presented by the job, or if any adjustments or support are required regarding the recruitment process.

    To apply please send your CV and a letter explaining how your experience fits the role to sian@hayfestival.org by midday 8th September 2025

      Finance Officer

      Hay Festival are seeking a Finance Officer. This is a job for an extremely organised, confident and proactive multi-tasker, it requires an abundance of energy, resourcefulness and a keen eye for detail. The ability to prioritise effectively and communicate efficiently is key. 

      Reporting to the Finance Director, the Finance Officer will be the key contact for day to day financial aspects of the organisation and will assist in the administration and maintenance of an effective and robust finance department for the Hay Festival.

      • Knowledge of VAT schemes including partial exemption and EU VAT.
      • Experience and knowledge of working in the charity sector.Highly organised and motivated.
      • Excellent written communication and administrative skills with a strong attention to detail.
      • The ability to be independent and self-motivated - taking initiative and ownership - as well as participate in a team with sensitivity and flexibility.
      • A good communicator able to deal with staff / suppliers/ sponsors and statutory funding bodies effectively.
      • The ability to manage multiple priorities and meet project timelines and a flexible approach to developing and delivering the post.
      • Discretion and a proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.
      • Demonstrate a willingness to undertake training as required for the development of the post and enhancement of the company’s skills base.
      • Knowledge of Sage Accounts Payroll and accounting systems
      • Excellent IT knowledge, strong excel skills. Full Driving Licence

      We are happy to hear from college or university graduates and apprentices who may be working towards their AAT qualification

      General Duties

      This list is not exhaustive and the successful candidate should be flexible and prepared to support the core staff team at busy times. 

      • Manage payroll and pension function and ensure all returns and payments are made accurately and on time.
      • Manage purchase ledger invoices, expenses, and credit notes.
      • Prepare and post weekly and monthly supplier payment runs in GBP and other currencies.
      • Reconcile supplier statements and bank accounts, resolving any discrepancies.
      • Monitor donor/membership schemes reporting to Development team
      • Reconcile monthly credit card accounts and post to relevant expenditure codes.
      • Reconcile all card sales transactions
      • Identify opportunities to claim Gift Aid and process and manage all gift aid claims
      • Maintain a grant management system to ensure reporting requirements are met and to inform cash flow management.
      • Manage petty cash, and onsite cash during festivals
      • Proactively chase customer payments and manage overdue accounts.
      • Create sales invoices and allocate sales receipts
      • Maintain Fixed Asset Register
      • Produce quarterly VAT returns

      Type of contract: Full Time Permanent 

      Salary: £24 – £26.5 per annum. Part time hours would be considered. 

      Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week, to be worked during the hours of 9.00am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday inclusive, with a daily unpaid lunch break of 1 hour. The post holder will be expected to be flexible and there may requirement to work such days and hours that might vary in accordance with business requirements, such as Festival periods. 

      Holidays: 25 days per year, plus Christmas shutdown (3 days) and public holidays

      Location: Hay Festival offices, The Drill Hall, Lion Street, Hay on Wye, HR3 5AD

      We welcome applications regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age, religion or belief.   Disabled applicants are invited to contact us in confidence to discuss steps that could be taken to overcome operational difficulties presented by the job, or if any adjustments or support are required regarding the recruitment process. 

      If you would like an informal chat about the role before applying please do get in touch with Amanda -amanda@hayfestival.org 

      To apply please send your CV and a letter explaining how your experience fits the role to  sian@hayfestival.org by midday 8th September 2025

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