The journey of a fundraiser: What transferable skills do you

need?

Ashby Jenkins – Senior Consultant

Matt Adams – Senior Consultant

About TPP

• TPP are specialist charity recruiters

• We have a dedicated fundraising team and recruit to roles at all levels

• Since January, we have arranged 210 interviews across the country for fundraising roles

Journey of a fundraiser

• Demonstrating your value

• Staying at the cutting edge of fundraising

• Personal development

• Barriers to promotion

• Cultural fit

Demonstrating your value

• Targets

• KPIs

• Strategic thinking

It’s all about targets

• How many of you know your team target?

• How many of you know your individual target?

Targets

• How did you perform to target?

• Can you link to impact and outcomes?

• What if you don’t know your individual target?

• You need to start tracking now

KPIs

• Evidence of working methodology

• Proves commitment to role/working ethic

• Useful evidence if financial targets not hit

• Demonstrates breadth of knowledge

Strategic Thinking

• E.g. cross-charity working group

• Demonstrating impact

• Understanding of trends in sector/competitor analysis

• Innovation

• Collaboration with other charities

How do youstay at the cutting edge of fundraising?

Staying at the cutting edge:What the experts say

“Digital will be key – across all disciplines”

Peter Rowbottom, Fundraising Director Director

“Successful fundraisers need to understand the business as a

whole… this will help to position fundraising at the heart of the

organisation” Cherry Bushell, Fundraising Director

“Focus on mentoring relationships…. find these inside

and/or outside your organisation” Leo Visconti, Group Head of

Relationship Fundraising, RNIB

Staying at the cutting edge:What the experts say

“US model of philanthropy –one to one relationship

fundraising. Diversification of income with focus on major

donors” Anne Phipps, Senior

Fundraising Consultant

“Smart fundraisers will recognise you don’t push a donor into a specific partnership type. Look holistically – it’s dangerous to try to silo donors. Don’t leave money on the table because you’re concerned with whose

revenue line they sit in” Danae Leaman-Hill, Fundraising Director, Tommy’s

“Don’t just fixate on conferences, set up peer to peer

networking groups” Wayne Murray, Interim Head

of Fundraising and Brand, Refugee Action

Staying at the cutting edge

• Training – sector specific / generalist

• Mentor

• Conference/Seminars

• Blogs/social media

• Network internally – understand charity structure/governance

In what ways can you take responsibility for your own personal

development?

Professional development:What the experts say

“Tell your manager in your appraisals – what you want to achieve, where you want your

next steps to be” Mary O’Hagan, Head of

Corporate Fundraising, Action for Children

“Don’t silo yourself. Don’t focus on one specific technique – gain as much experience as

possible” Wayne Murray, Interim Head

of Fundraising, Refugee Action

“I would always encourage my staff to get a mentor – not just for the sake of it, but to really improve

and develop” Tom Lemons, Head of Volunteer

Partnerships, NSPCC

Professional development:What the experts say

“Networking is vital – have confidence to network with

people from other organisations working at a

senior level”Anne Phipps, Senior

Fundraising Consultant

“We need to encourage our teams to step outside their comfort zones. Seek new experiences. Go to events outside their

field of fundraising. Look at secondments or temporary attachments to businesses”Jonathan Badger, Director of Fundraising,

The Climate Group

“Be open to learning at all times – you can learn from all members of your

team” Humah Akram, Senior Account Manager,

Scope

“Be mindful that as you move up the ladder, you will do less and less of the job

in the title. Your role will one of smoothing over and path clearing”

Malcolm Tyndall, Senior Fundraising Consultant

Managing your own personal development

• Mentors – both internal & external

• Design your own PDP

• Networking – groups, events, LinkedIn

• Breadth of experience

• Volunteer/trustee

But beware the thankless project presented as an ‘L&D opportunity’

What are the barriers to your next promotion?

Barriers to Promotion

• Lack of self confidence

• Low staff turnover

• Thinking small - no strategic vision (Trustee role?)

• Poor relationship with boss

• Take constructive feedback poorly

• Lack of expertise in self promotion

• No mentor / organisational sponsor

• No experience of other income streams

Barriers to Promotion

“You don't become a leader by being promoted, you get promoted by being a leader”

“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how

impressive their other talents”

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”

The only way is up?

• Career progression does not have to mean promotion

• Volunteer for new projects

• Dotted line management

Cultural fit – getting it right when interviewing

Cultural Fit

What is organisational culture?

“Organisational culture is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs, which governs how people behave in organisations. These shared values have a strong influence on the people in the organisation and dictate how they dress, act, and perform their jobs.”

Cultural Fit

Why is it important?

- Skills and experience vs personal attributes

- Survey: 47% hiring managers thought that cultural fit was most important factor in decision making (27% said experience, 26% skills and education) (Allen Associates survey)

- Of hires that fail, 80% are due to cultural mismatch (TPP

Survey)

Cultural Fit

What is important to you?

Think about culture before you start your job search. Use typical questions that interviewers will ask you to assess yourself:

Describe the work environment in which you were most productive and happy

What are the characteristics of the best boss that you've had?What are your expectations of senior leaders?What is the role you are most likely to play in a team?Who inspires you?

Cultural Fit

Research – organisation

- Website and social media- Language on job description- Has the organisation published its

values? - Working for us page

Interview

- Pre-interview contact- Ask what the culture is - describe in 5

words, favourite part of working in organisation, hours in the office typically, social life. Ask for examples

- “Reception test” – arrive early and observe

Research – Other sources

- Recruitment consultant / hiring manager

- Peers, linkedin contacts, mentor, networking, former employees

- www.glassdoor.co.uk

Remember:

Others’ opinions should inform, not make, your decision

Think back to what motivated your move and the importance culture plays in that

decision

Thanks to…

TPP Mentoring Scheme

• Match fundraising professionals

• Based on developmental needs

Thank you

• 020 7198 6040

• fundraising@tpp.co.uk

• www.tpp.co.uk

• @TPPFundraising

Matt AdamsSenior Consultant

TPP Senior Appointments

Ashby JenkinsSenior Consultant

TPP Fundraising and Development