In the highly competitive job market we’re experiencing at the moment, skills such as change and crisis management, and cost-saving implementation will be paramount in working towards a more stable 2010.
Currently, the focus on recruiting for charities is on those roles that rely on income generation – that is, those that have an income target attached to their role. These are primarily fundraising roles; relationship-building with major donors and community fundraising are currently prevailing. So, what about finance professionals? This would seem to leave little room for the recruitment need for core financial professionals – the demand for qualified accountants seems to have taken a hit. Looking forward, what are the best ways of securing the right role in the not-for-profit sector in such a seemingly bleak market?
Whilst finance-specialist roles might not be sitting at the top of recruitment priority lists, those candidates with some decent exposure to fundraising aspects of charity finance will be valued, particularly those who can demonstrate some interplay with major corporate givers (or, for that matter, individual philanthropists). Exposure to the links between core finance functions and their intricate collaboration with fundraising teams will be prized. And it’s probably worth bearing in mind that such exposure could come from the donor – as well as the charity – side of the equation.
Furthermore, whilst ‘downsizing’ and ‘redundancies’ are terms frequenting many recruitment scenarios, the streamlining of processes, procedures and organisational structures are still prevalent, which is where the need for cost-cutting and money-saving comes in. Larger, international charities will be hit hard in the coming months due to the substandard exchange rate; their finances are going only a fraction as far as they have done previously in a more buoyant market. Consequently, there will be a focus on crisis management within finance functions and the need for financial expertise in this area will be in paramount. This will then allow these larger charities to focus more on development and capital expenditure looking to the future.
So, what of the New Year? I do think that glimmer will start to get brighter, so now is the time to start working on your own ‘personal brand’ or ‘sales proposition’. Work out precisely what will make you attractive to an employer and use that to develop a credible and compelling ‘package’.
Becky Postlethwaite currently recruits finance and accountancy professionals across the Public Sector at WH Marks Sattin. Her portfolio of clients is ever-expanding and covers the Charity, Housing, NHS, Local and Central Government and Education industry sectors.
