More than half of fundraising roles in UK now hybrid

Hybrid roles, which mix working remotely and onsite, have become significantly more commonplace in the UK in recent years, new statistics reveal.

Data from jobs board CharityJob, analysed for the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, shows that hybrid roles advertised in the fundraising sector grew by over 900% last year, while onsite roles for the fundraising sector decreased by 64%.

In 2022, 52% of all advertised job roles in fundraising were hybrid, 33% were onsite and 15% were remote. This compares to 5% hybrid, 91% onsite and 4% remote in 2019.

The greatest increases in different ways of working can be seen in experienced non-manager roles. There has been an increase of over 900% in hybrid experienced non-manager roles and an increase of 480% in remote experienced non-manager roles.

In addition:

• Fundraising has consistently more full-time roles than the charity sector in general in the UK. 8% more roles were full time in 2019, with this figure rising to 9% in 2022.
• The number of overall junior roles available in fundraising is comparable to that of the charity sector as a whole, but the base location is more flexible, including hybrid and remote roles.
• There are more managerial roles in fundraising compared to the rest of the charity sector, with these roles also more flexible in terms of their base location.

Commenting on the findings, Ceri Edwards, executive director of people & engagement at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising said:

“The opportunities for flexibility and improved work-life balance ushered in by the pandemic have undoubtedly changed workplaces for the better and will have ensured many of us remain with charities that have given us better prospects for our careers and a renewed outlook on our working weeks.

“These strides forward are to be welcomed and will undoubtedly make roles more appealing to many. And while we know that a career in fundraising brings huge rewards and a lifetime of impact, it won’t always be enough to attract the talent we need to excite our supporters as we connect them with the causes they care about.

“Our focus now must be on ensuring that the advantages new ways of working bring are open to all, are accompanied by a strong focus on wellbeing and professional development; and that together we foster cultures of inclusion and growth for fundraisers wherever they work.”

Raya Wexler, co-founder of CharityJob added:

“In a competitive job market, this is a very welcome shift. The move towards more flexible ways of working both opens up fundraising roles to much broader pools of candidates and offers existing fundraisers the optimal conditions to flourish. This means charities have the best chance of securing top talent. The flexibility and career progression opportunities currently available mean there’s never been a better time to start or progress a career in fundraising.”

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