Opportunity for Director

Purpose of Role

We are looking for a visionary arts leader in the role of ASAP Director, developing organisational strategy with a focus on grants management, programme scaling, innovative fundraising, and building & nurturing institutional partnerships. This position is a fixed-term role from June 2026 to July 2027, with the possibility of transitioning into a permanent role in the future.

The role requires a seasoned development professional with a proven track record in organisational development and strategic growth within the cultural or non-profit sector, particularly those with expertise in South Asian contemporary art ecosystems. The ideal candidate will be able to balance their strategic responsibilities, including driving fundraising for long-term sustainability, alongside relationship-building across South Asia and the UK, proposal development, programme design, grants evaluation, impact assessment and public representation. This dynamic individual should be a collaborative team mentor with excellent communication skills, the ability to set a clear organisational voice and have a forward-thinking approach to governance and network expansion. Most importantly, they should be passionate about ASAP’s mission, amplifying South Asian art narratives through research, archiving, publication and professional development initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Development & Growth

•  Passion for supporting infrastructural development within South Asia and for its UK diaspora. The candidate must be driven to empower young arts professionals, community building and cultural development in the regions.

• Actively identifying and attending events relating to modern and contemporary South Asian art in the UK and internationally

• Spearhead organisational development and lead on the delivery of specific strategic goals, which include the creation and execution of multi-year growth plans, effective grants delivery, programme scaling and evaluation frameworks.

• Work closely with the ASAP Trustees and Board on fundraising strategies and proposals, cultivating and maintaining excellent relationships with a range of trusts, foundations and funding partners, while also reporting on funded projects as required.

• Oversee budget development, financial planning and resource allocation to support ambitious programme expansion and operational resilience.

• Drive continuous improvement using data insights on grant & programme outputs, outcomes and impacts to refine strategies and enhance organisational effectiveness.

Partnership & Network Development

• Cultivate and expand institutional partnerships across South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) and the UK, enabling collaborative initiatives such as workshops, symposia, fellowships, publications and exhibitions.

• Represent ASAP at a senior level externally at conferences, forums and events to elevate its profile and secure/ maintain high-impact sector-networks.

• Ensure that the knowledge gained from these relationships feeds back into the delivery of ASAP’s grants and programmes.

Grants Management

• Oversee the effective delivery of ASAP grants (up to £10,000) within our areas of development: research, archiving and publications.

• Sustain or develop new organisational systems for the selection, monitoring and reporting of grantees.

• Provide Support to the Programme Manager, who will lead on grantee correspondence and

• Support the Programme Manager on tracking progress and distribute budgets for all lines of work pertaining to the grants.

Programme Scaling

• Provide leadership and support from inception through development to delivery and evaluation of the ASAP programmes. The areas of development being as follows: research, archiving, publications and professional development.

• Identify programme partners and cross-functional collaborators who will increase ASAP’s visibility and scale programme reach within South Asia and the UK.

• Develop and implement innovative fundraising strategies to fuel programme growth, tapping into public grants, sponsorships and philanthropic activities

• Provide motivation and support to the Programme Manager, ensuring they have the sufficient capacity, expertise and resources to deliver programmes and manage stakeholders.

Leadership & Operations

• Provide operational oversight, team management and mentoring to foster a collaborative environment aligned with ASAP's development goals.
• Ensure robust governance, risk management, compliance and reporting to the Board, while serving as ASAP's public ambassador through media, talks and digital channels.
• Promote visibility of alumni, artists and projects via events, content and networks to build momentum for future development phases.