Sarah Smith, charity manager at The Sheffield Cats Shelter answers some questions on the charity's recruitment practises and gives tips to other organisations
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You’ve recently started recruiting a new fundraising manager, how is that going?

This is going much better than I expected it to. We are blessed, as a charity, with a superb, cat loving, board with trustees specialising in both HR and fundraising. This support has made my role so much easier and sharing the burden is very helpful.

We were aware that fellow rescues and other local charities struggled to recruit fundraising posts this year so were expecting this to be a somewhat difficult process.

As a small charity with a limited budget, seeking a good allrounder we decided to make this a part-time post with the option to outsource elements. We debated whether to advertise and recruit over the summer but our strategic need was to fill the post quickly so we went ahead in the knowledge that if the right candidate was not found that we could recruit again in the Autumn.

We advertised with The Association of Cats and Dogs Homes, Sheffield’s local Charity support hub, VAS, LinkedIn and Indeed. Thankfully a number of good applications came in and we were able to select 3 promising candidates for interview. We are currently interviewing and are hopeful we will recruit this time.

How have you found recruitment for the charity in recent years? Has there been a change since Covid?

I think roles have changed since Covid with a greater reliance on hybrid working. This works well for us as we have limited hot desk space and a growing team of admin volunteers!

I joined the charity in the middle of COVID from a corporate/Public Sector background. Our staff had reduced during the early days of the epidemic – we had no volunteers and our expenditure far exceeded our income each month. We had two shops bringing in a reasonable income and relied heavily on legacies.

A review of our strategy highlighted a need to seek financial sustainability outside of legacy giving due to the erratic nature of this income – and our wish to use legacies to fund specific outreach projects rather than core costs. We decided to recruit an Income Generation Manager across Retail and Fundraising. I was new to the Charity Sector and without the HR support I currently enjoy and this recruitment failed. On reflection this was not COVID related – I believe we were seeking too broad a range of skills.

We then successfully recruited a new Retail Manager post and filled the part-time Shelter Coordinator role using fairly standard practices (and with the help of our new HR Trustee). I was staggered by the volume of applications!

My experience has been a mixture of results. I've learnt from my mistakes and appreciate the power of professional focused support. I think role structure and flexible working has evolved for us since COVID.

I know some organisations have changed up their recruitment processes, e.g. taking names off CVs/giving candidates questions in advance, is this something you’ve considered or done?

No but we may for future recruitment.

What should charities consider before beginning to recruit for a role?

My top tips would be:
● If you don’t have in-house HR support consider outsourcing it, particularly for management roles. Approach local HR specialists and mention you are a charity as you may get supported assistance, charity discount or fall under their community initiatives.
● Be clear about the soft skills you need in your team as well as the tasks you need carrying out. Consider the Person Spec alongside the Job Description very carefully.
● Be clear about the “must have” and “nice to have” experience and characteristics you want - this should help you to filter applications if you are inundated or make it clearer who might be better for a role.
● Research where your ideal new candidate is likely to spot your ad – this could save you time and money.
● Always ask for a covering letter – the more information you have the easier your recruitment process.
● I always remember that a good fit in the team is important and someone with a great attitude can be supported with coaching and training.

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