The report also highlights the main reasons fundraisers like and dislike the profession, as well as making some recommendations that could help to retain talent and inspire more people to choose a career in fundraising.
The full report is available for members to view or download below.
CharityJob analysed the 48,500 jobs that were posted on their website throughout 2023. Some of the key takeaways are:
- The overall average fundraising salary was £39,800 in 2023.
- The number of fundraising roles available has decreased from 2022 by 19% to 7,700 roles available in 2023.
- Hybrid roles made up 54% of all fundraising roles in 2023.
- On-site jobs made up 30% of roles, but paid the most with the average on-site job salary being £40,100.
- Remote roles made up 16% of jobs available but were the most in-demand from candidates.
The education sector continues to be the highest paying sector for fundraising jobs, with an average salary of £46,400, a 6% increase from 2022. The animal sector paid the least on average at £36,800. Most sectors saw increases in the average salary, except for charity suppliers and the animal sector, which saw decreases of 2% and 1% respectively.
When it comes to demand, the human rights sector got the most clicks on ‘Apply’ on average and saw a 57% increase from 2022. Demand generally increased across all sectors.
95% of roles were based in England, and 35% of the roles were London-based. Salaries for roles in all locations increased from 2022 to 2023, with Northern Ireland seeing an average 40% increase in salaries offered. In the capital cities, the average salaries for all fundraising roles are:
- London - £41,100
- Edinburgh - £37,900
- Cardiff - £37,900
- (no data available for Belfast).
CharityJob spoke to current and former fundraisers to understand what they like and dislike about the profession, and to see what could be done to improve it. The majority of fundraisers liked that their role makes a positive social impact, and building relationships with donors. Job satisfaction and flexibility were also high-scoring.
The flip side was that poor pay, rejection from donors and burnout were the most common answers when fundraisers were asked what they dislike about the profession.
The report makes eight recommendations for improvements that could be made to make a career in fundraising more appealing to those considering it, or to retain the talent already working as fundraisers. The eight recommendations are:
- Increased recognition for fundraisers
- Burnout prevention and better work/life balance
- Competitive pay
- Board representation
- Better support from management
- Clearer career paths
- Enhanced training and development
- More networking and collaboration opportunities.
Paula O'Neill, Head of Member Experience at the Chartered Institute, said: "This report is really useful for fundraisers to understand how their role fits in the wider context of the sector, and for hiring managers to know what the expectations are from candidates.
We know that a career in fundraising can be exceptionally rewarding, and it's heartening to see that 'making a positive impact' is the number one thing fundraisers like about their jobs."We are working to support fundraisers and hope that charity leaders will be able to work towards implementing the improvements that fundraisers want to see.
For those fundraisers who want to connect and network, we have a brilliant selection of special interest, regional and national groups that would welcome you to join them. We also provide lots of training and development opportunities, including free training for fundraisers who work for our organisational members. Our comprehensive resources and guidance can also form part of learning for fundraisers."
The jobs market in 2023 was more recruiter-led due to their being fewer roles and more applicants. Many fundraisers find their jobs rewarding and have high levels of job satisfaction, with a number of ideas for improvement.
The CharityJob report contains much more information, members of the Chartered Institute can download the report using the link below or click through the digital book.