I am the Managing Director of Caithness Consulting, a recruitment agency specialising in finding top tier candidates for a variety of roles within the Impact Sector, particularly concentrating on fundraising and development roles. I am also a fundraiser.
I operate at a Senior Consultant level. My journey in the intersection of recruitment and fundraising began in 1998; that’s over 25 years of witnessing the evolution of this profession first-hand.
What does being a member of the Chartered Institute mean
For me, membership represents the professionalisation and prestige of our craft. Seeing the Institute achieve Chartered status was a watershed moment—it changed how the UK perceives fundraising.
I am particularly passionate about the shift toward geographical equity. Having a Scottish Chief Executive and key leadership roles based outside of London is a vital step forward. Also, since way back in the day, fundraisers from Scotland were not given the opportunity to complete their Fundraising Certificate in Scotland in person. We now have that opportunity and are developing a course in a location in the central belt and one further afield, location still to be identified.
I have been a Member since 2007 and attended some of my first training courses which were run by the Institute. I value the training and resources available as a Member and the peer support. We all know that fundraising can be very stressful (Rogare’s ‘Caring Too Much’: The burnout dilemma faced by fundraisers, and the emotional toll of a fundraising career) published last year is a salutary read, bit.ly/40reUDW
The Institute’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs) offer a "safe space" where we can discuss these emotional tolls and professional challenges with peers who truly "get it."
Why did you want to volunteer with the Scottish Executive Group?
I was invited by our former Chair, Jamie McIntosh, to lead a specific remit, investigating how we attract new talent into professional fundraising. As a recruiter and fundraiser, this is my "why." I wanted the opportunity to review UK-wide best practices and make recommendations that ensure our sector remains a vibrant, first-choice career path for the next generation. I have also been the Vice Chair of the Scottish Corporate Special Interest Group.
It is a wonderful experience to collaborate with different members who have a wide variety of experience that they can bring and share with other members. For example, we have members from charities such as Cats Protection, Leuchie, Age Scotland working within a variety of income streams including individual giving, corporate fundraising and Major Gifts.
How has being a volunteer and member of the Chartered Institute supported your career progression or day-to-day fundraising?
"Every day is a school day." Being a Member helps me stay at the absolute forefront of sector trends, legislation, and talent needs. Specifically, I am incredibly proud of our mentoring programme, developed by an amazing member of the Scottish Executive. Matching a seasoned Trust fundraiser with a rising star for 1-to-1 coaching does not just help the individual, it strengthens the ecosystem of the Scottish charitable sector.
Also, the diversity of thought in our group. We have voices from a wide variety of charities, for example, Cats Protection, Leuchie, and Age Scotland. Collaborating with experts across individual giving, corporate partnerships, and Major Gifts prevents "silo thinking" and keeps my perspective fresh.
What would you say to someone thinking about joining a group, volunteering or becoming a member?
I always highlight two things. First: Community - if you are a solo fundraiser or working remotely, the Special Interest Groups are your lifeline for peer support. Second: Skill-building. Volunteering allows you to "beta test" skills you might not use in your day job. Whether it is marketing, or social media or best practice in EDI, the Scottish Executive is a training ground for leadership.
Do you have a success story that you’d like to share?
The success story that I am most proud of was when I was working with the Teapot Trust. We were looking at running a fundraising campaign and I was planning what would make the campaign successful. We had a wonderful young ambassador named William who supported our events by playing the bagpipes and speaking of his experience with the art therapy we provided. He had a chronic illness and was extremely grateful for the artistic outlet we provided at his hospital appointments. William agreed to be the lynchpin of the campaign, entitled “Not Just William,” highlighting the need for us to secure additional funding to ensure as many children and young people could benefit from professional art therapy in a variety of settings.
What made this campaign so successful was that William was named ‘Inspirational Young Person 12-14 Years’ in the GSK WellChild Awards 2021. Hundreds of young people were nominated but William’s resilience and dedication to speaking out about the effects of a chronic illness won out.
Seeing a campaign built on authentic storytelling receive national recognition, and knowing it secured the funding needed to provide therapy for other children, remains a career highlight.
On a lighter note, I once won the "Best Outfit" award at the Scottish CIoF Conference! It’s a small reminder of an important truth: while our work is serious, we must always "Keep the Fun in Fundraising."