In a recent webinar, Simon Allen, OA Chief Operations Officer, shared his experiences of working in the charity sector.
Overview of the sector
(Figures from the Charities Commission, covers England and Wales only)
- 167,000 registered charities
- 853,000 people work in the sector
- Combined annual income of £74 billion
- Majority (73%) are small (income < £500,000 a year)
- But 11,300 bigger charities (income > £500,000 a year) – they have a combine annual income of £67 billion
- Large proportion are based in London and the South East
- Diverse sector, covering many causes, industries, locations and campaigns.
What can former officers offer the sector?
- Soft skills – flexibility, adaptability, leadership and a ‘can do’ attitude, integrity and courage
- Staff skills – analysis and planning, organisation and communication
- Technical skills – IT, project management, financial, HR, events management and logistics.
Finding the right charity
Charities vary considerably in size, values and culture, so you need to choose a charity whose purpose you believe in.
A larger charity will generally have more roles available, higher salaries and be better resourced. However, these charities can be more bureaucratic and the roles more specialised. In smaller charities, employees will likely be generalists, have lower salaries and fewer opportunities for career progression, but can often make a greater individual impact.
