Company: The Cape Town Opera Company
Position: Development and Marketing Manager
Reports to: Head of Development and Marketing Operations
Location: Artscape Theatre Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
Period: Full-time
Remuneration: Highly competitive within the non-profit sector

Company overview

Cape Town Opera is one of the largest full-time performing arts institutions in South Africa and the only continuously active and permanently structured opera company on the African continent. The Company offers a diverse array of productions annually, from mainstage operas to musicals and concerts, catering to audiences of all ages.  Our role in championing South Africa’s exceptional vocal talent is crucial. We provide support and development opportunities through programmes like the National Schools Tour, the internationally award-winning Foundation Studio for high-school learners and the Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme for postgraduate singers, pianists, and conductors. As a recipient of numerous accolades, Cape Town Opera is a torchbearer for excellence, inclusivity and employment within the theatre and arts industry. The Company is dedicated to safeguarding opera as part of South Africa’s cultural heritage, a commitment that spans the entire theatre industry, from singers to set builders, fostering the incredible talent found in every corner of South Africa. 

Position Overview

This is a senior role at Cape Town Opera, working closely with and supporting the Head of Development and Marketing Operations. The successful candidate will oversee the day-today work of the Development and Marketing teams — making sure the work is happening, that it is happening accurately, and, crucially, that it is happening on time. Specialist team members handle the underlying fundraising and marketing execution; this role is about managing that activity, driving delivery against tight deadlines and holding the standard that a high-performing arts organisation requires. The ideal candidate is a highly capable all-rounder who understands both fundraising and marketing operations, thrives under pressure and is motivated by mission and excellence — someone who brings calm, structure and follow-through to an environment where opening nights, funder deadlines and campaign launches rarely line up neatly.

Applicant requirements

The ideal applicant possesses the following:

1. Ideally 5 years plus experience in fundraising, development or marketing, preferably within the non-profit or performing arts sector, including demonstrable team coordination or project management exposure. 
2. Relevant degree or diploma in Marketing, Communications, Arts Management, Development Studies, or equivalent. 
3. Solid working understanding of both fundraising operations and marketing operations — enough to sense-check, guide, quality-control and chase the work being done by specialist team members. 
4. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills — particularly for internal briefings, stakeholder reporting, and reviewing and refining donor correspondence, proposals and marketing copy produced by others. 
5. Highly organised, detail-oriented and able to drive multiple projects, campaigns and deadlines through to completion by coordinating other people. 
6. Strong working knowledge of MS Office, CRM/donor-management systems, digital marketing platforms and the major social media channels — enough to guide and quality-check the team’s use of them. 
7. Genuine interest in the performing arts and an appreciation for the unique rhythms, pressures and working hours of a high-performing opera or theatre company; ability to remain calm, constructive and solutions-focused under pressure. 

Additional requirements:

8. Ability and willingness to work long hours, including nights, weekends and holidays, as required.
9. A valid SA driver’s licence and own transport to and from work.
10. Clear criminal and credit record.
11. Must be legally able to work in South Africa.

Applicant responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the position are:

Development 

1. Help ensure that Cape Town Opera’s fundraising strategy is being implemented on the ground — making sure that donor research, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities are happening, happening accurately, and happening on time, and actively managing the team members responsible for them. 
2. Oversee the preparation of funding proposals, grant applications, acknowledgements and donor reports — reviewing drafts from the team for accuracy and tone, and driving them through to on-time submission. 
3. Manage the team’s use of the donor CRM, confirming that records, correspondence, pledges and donation history are kept up to date, accurate and readily retrievable.
4. Drive the rhythm of fundraising events, cultivation activities and routine donor communications — holding team members to their deadlines, quality-checking outputs and stepping in where additional coordination is needed to keep grant compliance and reporting on track. 

Marketing 

1. Help ensure that integrated marketing plans for productions, concerts and educational programmes are being executed across print and digital platforms — driving ticket sales and audience growth, and actively managing the team members delivering the work. 
2. Oversee day-to-day content production across the website, newsletter, social media and other digital channels — checking for brand consistency, accuracy and editorial quality before material goes live. 
3. Manage liaison with the publicist, designers, printers, photographers, videographers and other external suppliers, confirming that marketing material is being delivered on time and within budget, and that the team is getting what it needs from each supplier. 
4. Oversee the production of programmes, brochures, the annual report and related collateral — coordinating the team, proofing and approvals, so that every piece is accurate, on-brand and ready on schedule. 

Project and Timeline Management 

1. Own the timeline: build, maintain and actively drive campaign calendars, project trackers and reporting schedules across both Development and Marketing. This is a critical part of the role — making sure that every key deliverable is planned, visible, on the radar of the right team member and completed on time. 
2. Track progress against every key deadline and status update, chase responsible team members until work is complete, and flag slippage, resource constraints or delivery risks to the Head of Development and Marketing Operations — coordinating across departments (Artistic, Production, Finance and HR) to keep campaigns, performances and events moving.

Team Oversight and Collaboration 

1. Provide day-to-day supervision and support to Development and Marketing team members — helping to prioritise workloads, unblock issues and keep the team focused on what matters most. 
2. Act as a day-to-day liaison between the Development and Marketing team and other departments, ensuring smooth delivery of campaigns, performances, fundraising events and outreach activities.
3. Contribute ideas and execution capacity that strengthen Cape Town Opera’s brand identity, donor engagement and audience reach — staying informed about trends and best practices in fundraising, arts marketing and digital communications, and bringing fresh thinking into team discussions.  

Other Duties 

1. Support the Head of Development and Marketing Operations in preparing presentations, pitch decks, briefings and reports for senior management, the Board of Directors and major donors, drawing on inputs from the team. 
2. Step in to cover for the Head of Development and Marketing Operations during periods of leave or travel — managing urgent donor and supplier queries, holding internal stakeholders to account, and keeping day-to-day operations moving. 
3. Attend relevant staff meetings, rehearsals, performances and fundraising functions as required, including evenings, weekends and public holidays. 
4. Contribute to a collaborative, supportive and resilient team culture that can absorb the pressures of a high-performance arts environment without losing its sense of humour. 
5. Perform other development and marketing-related duties as reasonably required by the Head of Development and Marketing Operations or the CEO. 

Application procedure

The position is full time and is based at the Artscape Theatre Centre, Foreshore, Cape Town, South Africa.  

The deadline for applications is Friday 29 May 2026.   

Please submit:  

1. A motivational letter detailing your specific interest in and skills applicable to the position. 

2. Your CV. 

3. Three contactable references. 

Please note that applications that do not meet all three of the requirements listed above will not be considered. 

Applications should be sent via email to grenvillem@capetownopera.co.za

All information will be kept confidential.  

Cape Town Opera celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all employees. 

Cape Town Opera reserves the right not to make an appointment.