Not For Profit jobs

Jobs in not-for-profit organisations range from fundraising to back-office administration to public relations. Many roles are very similar to equivalent jobs in profit-making businesses, but may have specific requirements such as more detailed record-keeping or regulatory oversight. Jobs in the third sector can be fulfilling and rewarding in ways that go beyond your take-home pay, and many candidates welcome the chance to make a difference.

Expected job role tasks

Your daily tasks and duties will depend on your chosen discipline. You might be asked to work closely with other personnel, or to work with numbers to keep track of fundraising activities and spending. Administrative roles in not-for-profit organisations often involve a lot of planning for future projects, fundraising and awareness campaigns.

Communication is an important discipline for the third sector, and you could find you are asked to recruit and coordinate volunteers, organise door-to-door collections and other campaigns, and deal with the press to promote an event or respond to any negative publicity. Some of these tasks will arise only occasionally and as such may not be a daily part of your job description for non-profit roles.

Primary function

Your primary function may be very well defined, especially if you work for a large non-profit organisation with a structured hierarchy and a large number of employees and volunteers. However, if you apply to work with a small charity or other small third sector organisation, you could find your primary function is quite broad, with a lot of secondary duties to support the day-to-day running of the business.

In any case, you might be asked to work within a tight budget and account for any spending. Third sector organisations must be able to demonstrate that they operate in accordance with the rules for non-profits, so even if you do not work in a finance discipline, you could find this need takes more prominence than it would in a profit-making business.

Necessary hard/soft skills

The exact skills required for a career in charity work will depend on the position you are applying for. Different hard skills you may need include sales and marketing, IT and computer literacy, experience of working in the arts, and good numeracy for finance, scheduling and management vacancies.

Soft skills such as effective communication can be hugely beneficial in public-facing and internal roles with non-profit organisations. You might be asked to work with young people and vulnerable adults, including individuals with substance addictions or specific health conditions. The sector is very broad but not-for-profit jobs are often well suited to caring, helpful candidates with a genuine desire to make a positive impact.

Qualifications required:

Non-profit jobs often do not need any specific qualifications, although it can help your application if you have a degree or equivalent higher-level certificate in the relevant discipline. A degree in finance or business management can help for senior roles, while a degree in marketing or communications is beneficial for PR and other public-facing positions.

Experience in a previous not-for-profit role can also demonstrate that you have the skills to perform well in the third sector. If you do not have any direct career experience, you can include past volunteering work or fundraising activities instead.

If you would like further guidance or more information on a career with Michael Page, please submit your CV today.