We are looking for a Social Media Manager, Development Officer and Festival Assistant to join our small, friendly and ambitious team. Details of all jobs, and how to apply can be found below.
Social Media Manager
We’re looking for a creative and imaginative social media manager to work with us throughout the year, helping us reach new audiences, grow our following and tell the stories behind the Festival.
From internationally recognised artists and extraordinary performances to beautiful Yorkshire places and opportunities for young people, there’s no shortage of stories to tell.
We’re looking for someone who can bring fresh ideas, create engaging content and help us make the most of what makes Ryedale Festival special.
This would be a paid freelance collaboration throughout the year, with a particularly active role during the summer Festival, attending events in person, meeting artists, discovering stories and capturing the excitement of the Festival as it happens.
We’d love to hear your ideas. We’re inviting proposals from individuals or small teams who think they could make a difference. Please tell us a little about your approach and experience, including examples of previous work.
This will be a two-stage process. Following an initial review of proposals, we’ll invite a shortlist of applicants to respond to a specific creative brief, giving us a chance to explore their ideas and approach in more detail.
Please send your initial proposal to recruitment@ryedalefestival.com by 16 November 2026.
DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Initially 12-month fixed term | 0.3 FTE
Salary: £10,000 – £12,000 per annum, depending on experience
Hours: 10.5 hours / 1.5 days per week
Location: Pickering, North Yorkshire, with considerable flexibility for home working
About the role
The Ryedale Festival is one of the UK’s most distinctive and ambitious classical music festivals, bringing internationally recognised artists to beautiful and historic venues across North and East Yorkshire.
We are seeking an enterprising Development Officer to help build the fundraising needed to sustain the Festival’s progress and ambitions. This is a new role at an exciting point in the Festival’s development, offering an opportunity to help shape the next stage of its work.
The principal focus will be trusts and foundations, researching opportunities, developing a strong pipeline and preparing high-quality applications and reports. The role will also support the development of corporate partnerships and sponsorship and identify other appropriate fundraising opportunities.
The Development Officer will report to the Artistic Director and work closely with the Festival’s active Development Committee, drawing on its considerable experience and network. Although initially a 12-month fixed-term appointment, there is considerable potential for the role to grow and develop over time as the Festival expands its fundraising activity.
We are looking for someone who enjoys spotting opportunities, writing persuasively, building relationships and keeping things moving.
For further information on the job, and details of how to apply, please see the role description below:
FESTIVAL ASSISTANT
Fixed term January – August 2027 | 0.6 FTE
Salary: £14,687 per annum pro rata (£24,479 FTE)
Hours: 21 hours / 3 days per week
Location: Festival Office, Pickering, North Yorkshire. This is an office based role, with limited flexibility for working from home.
About the role
The Ryedale Festival is one of the UK’s most distinctive and ambitious classical music festivals, bringing internationally recognised artists to beautiful and historic venues across North and East Yorkshire.
We are seeking a Festival Assistant to join our small, friendly and ambitious team and help with the preparation and delivery of the 2027 Festival. The role is central to the smooth running of the Festival, with hands-on involvement in everything from planning and administration to Box Office and the delivery of concerts and events.
This is a varied and rewarding role, offering the chance to learn new skills, take on responsibility and work closely with outstanding performers. It could suit someone looking for a first step into the arts, or someone bringing transferable skills from another area.
The focus will vary throughout the contract. Earlier in the year, the emphasis will be on planning and preparation. As the Summer Festival approaches, the role will increasingly focus on Box Office and event delivery, with July being the busiest period.
The appointment is initially fixed term from January to August 2027 but the role has the potential to grow and develop over time.
For further information on the job, and details of how to apply, please see the role description below: