Fundraiser Job Description
Recruit a practical, results-focused Fundraiser to grow income, deepen supporter relationships and deliver organised campaigns and events. This template gives a ready-to-use advert, a clear list of duties and the hiring points charities commonly ask about.
What does a Fundraiser professional do?
A Fundraiser develops and delivers income-generating activity across appeals, events, trusts, corporate and individual giving to meet agreed targets.
Fundraiser job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Fundraiser
About the role
We are looking for a motivated Fundraiser to join [insert charity name] at our [insert location] office. You will plan and deliver fundraising activity across events, appeals, trusts and individual giving, maintain accurate supporter records and help grow sustainable income. This is a [insert hours] role, [insert contract type], with an indicative salary of [insert salary].
Key responsibilities
- Develop and deliver fundraising initiatives across defined income streams (for example events, individual giving, trusts or corporate partnerships).
- Identify, research and cultivate new donor prospects and maintain strong relationships with existing supporters.
- Draft and submit grant applications, manage deadlines and monitor grant reporting requirements.
- Plan, organise and oversee fundraising events and supporter engagement activities, including budgeting and supplier liaison.
- Maintain and update the donor database; ensure data is accurate and GDPR-compliant.
- Prepare regular income and activity reports for the fundraising manager and trustees as required.
- Work with communications colleagues to draft appeals, email campaigns and supporter stewardship materials.
- Track progress against fundraising targets and suggest adjustments to improve income performance.
Essential skills and experience
- Proven experience in a fundraising or income-generation role (charity or comparable organisation).
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience producing fundraising materials and proposals.
- Good organisational and project‑management ability, able to run multiple campaigns to deadline.
- Comfortable working to targets and reporting on performance.
- Experience using donor databases or CRM systems and confident handling data accurately.
- Right to work in the UK.
Desirable
- Experience with grant-writing and managing trust fund relationships.
- Knowledge of a fundraising CRM (for example Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce or similar).
- Event management experience, including budgeting and supplier negotiation.
- A fundraising qualification or membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. Institute of Fundraising).
- Full UK driving licence if role requires travel across the region.
- Experience of corporate partnership development or major donor fundraising.
What we offer
- Pension scheme (details to be confirmed by employer)
- Annual leave: [insert entitlement] plus bank holidays
- Flexible or hybrid working options subject to role requirements
- Training and professional development budget or time for CPD
- Paid DBS or background checks where required
- Season ticket loan or travel support (if applicable)
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Fundraiser role?
Fundraisers create, manage and evaluate activities that generate income for charities and not-for-profit organisations. They plan appeals and events, build relationships with supporters and funders, prepare grant applications, and keep accurate records of donations and communications. Fundraisers balance creativity with strong administration and reporting to meet targets and support organisational objectives.
Income-focused
Work directly on activities that increase donations and secure grant funding.
Stakeholder engagement
Build and steward relationships with donors, partners and volunteers.
Campaign & events
Run timebound appeals and events; coordinate budgets, suppliers and volunteers.
Data and compliance
Maintain CRM records and ensure supporter data is GDPR-compliant.
Typical Fundraiser responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Develop
Develop and deliver fundraising initiatives across defined income streams (for example events, individual giving, trusts or corporate partnerships).
Identify
Identify, research and cultivate new donor prospects and maintain strong relationships with existing supporters.
Draft
Draft and submit grant applications, manage deadlines and monitor grant reporting requirements.
Plan, organise
Plan, organise and oversee fundraising events and supporter engagement activities, including budgeting and supplier liaison.
Maintain
Maintain and update the donor database; ensure data is accurate and GDPR-compliant.
Prepare regular income
Prepare regular income and activity reports for the fundraising manager and trustees as required.
Work with communications colleagues
Work with communications colleagues to draft appeals, email campaigns and supporter stewardship materials.
Track progress against fundraising targets
Track progress against fundraising targets and suggest adjustments to improve income performance.
Fundraiser skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Proven experience in a fundraising or income-generation role (charity or comparable organisation).
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience producing fundraising materials and proposals.
- Good organisational and project‑management ability, able to run multiple campaigns to deadline.
- Comfortable working to targets and reporting on performance.
- Experience using donor databases or CRM systems and confident handling data accurately.
- Right to work in the UK.
Useful where relevant
- Experience with grant-writing and managing trust fund relationships.
- Knowledge of a fundraising CRM (for example Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce or similar).
- Event management experience, including budgeting and supplier negotiation.
- A fundraising qualification or membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. Institute of Fundraising).
- Full UK driving licence if role requires travel across the region.
- Experience of corporate partnership development or major donor fundraising.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Fundraiser job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Lead with impact
Open the advert with the cause and the difference the role will help achieve — candidates in the charity sector respond to mission-led messaging.
Be specific about income streams
State which fundraising channels the role will own (events, trusts, corporate, individual giving) so applicants can self-select.
Set expectations on targets and autonomy
Include whether the role has personal income targets, who provides leads and how much independent responsibility the role carries.
List tools and travel requirements
Mention key systems (CRM) and any regular travel or evening/weekend work to avoid surprises at interview.
Fundraiser salary considerations
Rather than a single market figure, a Fundraiser’s pay depends on seniority, charity size, income streams they manage, location and whether the role is fixed-term or permanent. Employers should benchmark against similar roles in charities of comparable income and complexity, and consider whether additional incentives (performance-related bonuses or professional development) are appropriate.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Fundraiser candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What are the fundraising targets and timeframes?
Experienced candidates want to know annual targets, whether they are achievable and whether targets are individual or team-based.
Who will I work with and who do I report to?
Candidates need clarity on line management, internal stakeholders (communications, finance) and whether they manage volunteers or staff.
What are the working patterns and likely out-of-hours commitments?
Fundraising can involve evening events and occasional weekends; be clear about expectations and flexible working options.
Which CRM and systems are used?
Knowing the database and tools helps applicants assess how quickly they can be effective and whether training is provided.
Are background checks required?
Some roles need DBS or other checks, especially where working with vulnerable beneficiaries — state if checks will be required and who covers the cost.
Where to post a Fundraiser job
Fundraiser vacancies perform well on a mix of general UK job boards and specialist charity-focused channels. Use sector-specific sites and networks (charity recruitment boards, Institute of Fundraising groups) to reach experienced fundraisers, plus LinkedIn and local community noticeboards for event and community roles. For senior or niche posts, add targeted outreach to relevant professional networks and alumni groups.
Fundraiser job description FAQs
Do Fundraiser roles usually require formal qualifications?
Not usually. Employers generally look for demonstrable experience and proven income generation. Relevant fundraising qualifications or professional memberships are an advantage but are not always essential.
Will a Fundraiser need to work evenings and weekends?
Many fundraising roles include occasional evening and weekend work for events or supporter meetings. Set expectations in the advert and note whether time off in lieu or flexible hours are offered.
What checks and compliance should employers expect?
Ensure GDPR-compliant handling of supporter data and be prepared to carry out DBS checks where the role involves work with vulnerable people. Standard right-to-work checks apply to all hires.
How should I assess fundraising experience at interview?
Ask for specific examples of income raised, the channels used, how targets were met, and for metrics such as donor retention, average gift size or event ROI. Request examples of stakeholder management and budget control.
Is this role suitable for someone returning to work?
Yes. Mid-level fundraising roles can suit returners who can demonstrate transferable skills (relationship management, project delivery) and an appetite to refresh technical skills such as CRM use.
Ready to hire a Fundraiser?
Use the template above to create your vacancy, then choose a mix of general and specialist channels to reach experienced fundraising candidates. If you need help distributing the advert or screening applicants, consider partnering with recruitment services that specialise in the charity sector.
