Administrative assistant jobs in dorking, surrey

Job Profile

CAFOD’s mission in the Catholic community of England and Wales is to inspire and equip Catholics to actively engage in the Church’s efforts to overcome poverty and injustice. Our regional teams focus on recruiting and supporting a dedicated group of volunteers within parish and school communities, empowering them to educate, engage, and inspire others to act in solidarity for the common good. Regional teams also collaborate with clergy and other representatives across the Catholic community to ensure CAFOD’s volunteer programme is aligned with faith life.

The primary purpose of this role is to provide administrative and communications support to the Community Participation Coordinators across England and Wales, with a focus on the West & Wales region as the first point of contact. This includes coordinating administrative tasks performed by office volunteers and identifying opportunities for process improvements. The role also involves volunteer recruitment administration, overseeing and training Office Volunteers, and ensuring effective database management.

This role can be based anywhere in the UK including our head office in London, working from home, from one of CAFOD’s Volunteer Centres, or a combination of both. The role requires occasional travel to London and other areas within the East & West side of the country. Travel expenses will be reimbursed, and time off in lieu will be granted for travel beyond normal working hours.

This is a full-time position (35 hours per week) and reports to the Volunteer Support and Development Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities Overview
The post holder will play a key role in driving smooth, efficient operations across CAFOD’s West & Wales region. As the go-to person for admin excellence and volunteer support, you’ll work closely with your line manager and colleagues in the East to streamline processes, improve systems, and keep everything running like clockwork.

You’ll lead on volunteer recruitment and engagement—welcoming new volunteers, managing onboarding, and ensuring everyone feels valued, equipped, and inspired to support CAFOD’s work. Your people skills and attention to detail will shine as you manage applications, data entry, and training coordination.

Communications will be at the heart of your role. You’ll create engaging e-bulletins and social media content that keeps our community informed and motivated, while ensuring messages are clear, consistent, and aligned with CAFOD’s wider goals.

You’ll be the guardian of accurate data, working with office volunteers to maintain up-to-date records that support smarter outreach and efficient workflows. Your collaborative spirit will help strengthen connections across teams, share best practices, and contribute to creative new approaches for engaging communities.

This is a role for a proactive, organised, and people-focused individual who’s excited to innovate, solve problems, and make a tangible impact in a supportive, values-led organisation.

Safeguarding

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Understanding our context

1. Understanding Catholic identity: sympathetic knowledge of the life, culture and structure of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and an ability to work effectively within it and especially an understanding of parish community life.
2. Understanding CAFOD: ability to express what motivates people to volunteer for, and support, CAFOD and the main activities in which Catholic community primarily participate. Being informed about, supportive of, and actively promoting our anti-racism work.

Working together

1. Managing ourselves: strong interpersonal skills including an ability to develop personal relationships quickly and to convince others.  Ability to be self-motivated and able to work in isolation linking with different people in a variety of contexts; confident with articulating support required for you to work well.
2. Working with others: builds positive and fruitful partnerships, particularly with volunteers; works effectively as part of a team which may work at a distance to ensure sharing of good practice and shared workload; being willing and able to help other team members and be helped to achieve delivery of shared objectives.
3. Communicating: ability to identify how best to communicate instructions and processes clearly and how this helps achieve the objectives CAFOD seeks to deliver and how to share knowledge and information across teams.

Making change happen

1. Managing resources: confident with processing data for planning, monitoring and reporting:  proven time-management, data-management and organisational skills/experience of delegating tasks clearly and making improvements to processes.
2. Achieving results: ability and willingness to focus on achieving efficiencies, especially in support of regional plans for community participation and income growth.
3. Managing our performance: ability and willingness to work to targets and achieve results.

Job-Specific Competencies

Administrative Process Improvement:

Proven ability to assess, streamline, and document administrative processes. Strong organisational skills are required to manage a variety of tasks and ensure efficient delegation to volunteers. Ability to identify inefficiencies and propose practical solutions to enhance office operations.

Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement:

Expertise in recruiting, onboarding, and maintaining volunteer engagement. You will build strong relationships with volunteers, ensuring their experience is positive and aligned with CAFOD’s mission. Experience in using volunteer management systems and managing volunteer data is essential.

Communication & Content Creation: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience in producing engaging content for e-bulletins, newsletters, and other media resources. Ability to tailor messaging to different audiences, ensuring clarity and consistency in CAFOD’s communications.

Data Management & Accuracy:

Attention to detail is crucial for maintaining accurate records. Experience with databases, data segmentation, and ensuring data integrity is essential. A strong understanding of data protection standards, including GDPR, will be necessary.

Collaboration & Team Communication:

Effective communicator with internal teams, ensuring smooth communication and alignment across various regions. Ability to foster positive working relationships and collaborate across teams, both virtually and in person. Proficiency with communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Zoom is required.

Training & Support:

Experience in delivering training to volunteers and staff, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Ability to provide ongoing support to regional office volunteers, helping them succeed and contribute effectively to the team.

Adaptability & Problem-solving:

Flexible and resourceful, able to adapt to changing priorities. You will be expected to identify challenges and propose solutions to keep operations running smoothly.

Commitment to CAFOD’s Mission & Values:

A deep understanding of CAFOD’s mission and Catholic social teaching, with the ability to align volunteer engagement and administrative activities with the organization’s goals of addressing poverty and injustice.

Use of Digital Tools & Systems:

Competence in using databases, Microsoft Office Suite, and collaboration tools. Ability to train volunteers in these systems to ensure smooth operations across teams.

Project Management & Accountability:

Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring tasks are completed within deadlines and to a high standard. You will be responsible for delivering results aligned with CAFOD’s objectives.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues.  If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).  If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Legacy Officer (Maternity Cover)

Role Summary:

As part of the Major Gifts and Planned Giving team, this role is responsible for managing a caseload of approximately 80 legacy estates, including pecuniary, specific, residuary and life interest estates. The Legacy Officer will also assist the team with legacy enquiries and pledges, supporting donors on their legacy journey, as well as managing PETA’s free will services.

Position Objective:

• Ensure that gifts in wills to PETA are handled appropriately, sensitively and efficiently, maximising legacy income to support PETA’s mission to protect animals.
• Effectively communicate PETA’s mission to potential legacy supporters, and deal with enquiries from supporters in a timely manner.

Term of Employment:

Fixed-term, maternity cover

Hours of work:

Full-time (part-time hours considered)

Reports To:

Director, Major Gifts and Gift Planning

Salary:

£29,000 - £34,000

Location:

Remote in mainland UK

Primary Responsibilities and Duties:

Augustus Club

• Administer legacies in a professional and approachable manner, to include correspondence with solicitors and other interested parties
• Maintain departmental information, files, and records related to legacy estates
• Act as the point of contact and grow and mature relationships with stakeholders and external groups in order to attain information needed to carry out the role
• Work with various stakeholders on contested legacies, collaborating with other charities where needed
• Be able to communicate to supporters how important and desirable legacies are to PETA
• Respond to enquiries and requests for assistance from Augustus Club members and planned-giving prospects
• Document pertinent information about planned-giving members for the purpose of enhancing and building relationships
• Remain current on estate-planning practices as well as fundraising techniques and methods used in the non-profit sector, attending professional training seminars as needed
• Keep up to date on probate and tax laws, informing the team of any changes

Other

• Maintain a clear understanding of – and the ability to articulate – PETA's objectives as well as details about specific global PETA programmes
• Assist in the training of new major gifts and/or planned giving assistants
• Maintain and expand knowledge of relevant departmental software (e.g. Revolution Online, ResearchPoint, Raiser's Edge, and Convio) in order to improve communication with donors
• Assist with the preparation and proofreading of mailings
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the supervisor
• Maintain strict confidentiality at all times

Qualifications:

• Minimum of one year of planned-giving or other development experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Thorough knowledge of animal rights issues and PETA campaigns
• Demonstrated exceptional attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to prepare professional business communications
• Proven ability to organise and manage multiple projects simultaneously and effectively
• Proven ability to use initiative and work independently
• Proven experience in legacy fundraising and administration
• Ability to insert files into databases using high levels of precision and attention to detail while maintaining confidentiality
• Commitment to PETA's objectives
• Adherence to a vegan lifestyle strongly preferred

*Please note - interviews for this role will be held on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th June

Job specification

Team: Fundraising

Location: Hybrid – at our office (Argon House, Argon Mews, London SW6 1BJ) and remotely at home. Required to be in the office at least 2 days per week, including Wednesdays (all-staff office day)

Duration: Permanent (with six months’ probation)

Reporting to: Senior Fundraising Manager

Hours of work: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Salary: £29,060 - £32,700 depending on experience

Overview of the role

As the Fundraising Officer, you will play a key role in delivering a range of fundraising appeals and our individual and regular giving programmes. This position also provides plenty of variety and the opportunity to support and develop skills across several income streams. The Fundraising Officer will work collaboratively with the Fundraising and Communications teams and closely with the Senior Fundraising Managers.

 What you will do as part of our team

Fundraising activities

Individual Giving

· Manage the regular giving programme by implementing a rolling 12-month plan of meaningful touchpoints to deepen relationships

· Develop and implement a plan to encourage increased giving and recruit new regular donors with personalised cultivation and stewardship

· Maximise engagement and retention of individual supporters (giving at a lower to mid level) by prompt thanking, excellent stewardship and building effective donor journeys

Fundraising Appeals

· Manage Glass Door’s direct marketing appeals including our flagship annual Christmas appeal – taking the lead on the direct mail and email campaign

· Lead on content development, and implementation of donor segmentation based on giving history, preferences, and engagement levels

· Work closely with the Communications Team to deliver a robust communication plan – actively taking part in the case studies, content creation and digital campaign plans (social media and website)

· Create and implement a follow-up communication plan to thank donors and provide updates on the impact of their contributions

· Undertake evaluations of each appeal’s performance metrics and donor responses to refine future appeals

Fundraising support

· Monitor the Fundraising inbox and respond promptly to ad-hoc queries from individual donors or prospects

· Support the Senior Fundraising Managers with research into current and prospective donors, and compile information to support funding applications and reports

· Thank and steward in-memoriam gifts

· Support the wider team at events e.g. Sleep Out, Christmas Carols and other supporter events

· Opportunity in due course to work towards managing a small portfolio of trusts, foundations and other grant-making bodies which would involve drafting applications and meeting reporting requirements (depending on interest and aptitude)

Fundraising Administration

· Create and update donor records as required on Access Charity CRM database , ensuring relevant records are kept up to date, accurate and consistent at all times.

· Work with Finance and the Income Processing Assistant to ensure accurate and timely processing of donations, including scanning cheques, coding bank transfers and web donations, entering details in the CRM database, banking cash, setting up Direct Debits and acknowledging/thanking donors via email or post.

· Ensure all fundraising activity is compliant with relevant charity and statutory legislation, and the Fundraising Code of Practice

Person specification

Essential

Knowledge and Experience

· Demonstrable experience in a fundraising role

· Understanding and experience of developing and stewarding supporter relationships

· Experience of project management

· Experience of using a fundraising database to segment and select data, produce reports and analyse information

· Experience of copywriting to produce fundraising letters and other materials

Skills and aptitudes

· Strong research, analysis and numeracy skills

· Excellent attention to detail, taking pride in work at all times

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a professional telephone manner and the ability to adapt style appropriately

· Ability to work under pressure, manage time effectively and prioritise a varied workload

· Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with a wide range of people from a variety of different backgrounds

· Competent IT skills in standard Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and CRM/supporter databases

Personal attributes

· A confident self-starter with a positive approach who takes the initiative to get things done

· Highly organised with an ability to prioritise and work independently through a calendar of deadlines and goals

· Able to work collaboratively within a team, as well as with different colleagues from across an organisation

· Being compassionate, insightful and sympathetic to the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness with a passion to help improve their lives

· Willingness to work flexible hours occasionally, for example at evenings and weekends

Desirable

· Experience of project managing direct marketing activities and campaigns.

· Experience of working with Mailchimp and Access Charity CRM

· An interest in developing skills and securing income from trusts and foundations

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEAD (OASIS ASHBURTON PARK)

FULL-TIME, 40 HOURS PER WEEK

SALARY:  £33,422 per annum

LOCATION:  CROYDON

PROJECT: 100 YEARS OF ASHBURTON PARK   

Want to make your community and local park a better place?

Will you support young people to recognise and reach their potential?

Are you passionate about how education and youth work can work alongside each other to make a positive impact on young people’s lives?

Want to be part of a supportive, dynamic, fun & quality team?

Oasis Ashburton Park are now in a position to employ an experienced Youth Development Lead to work alongside wider team in Croydon. The role will be focussed on the Ashburton Park area (surrounding Oasis Academies; Arena, Shirley Park and Ryeland’s) working closely with the academies as part of Oasis Ashburton Park and the ‘100 Years of Ashburton Park’ Project funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund.

As a Youth Development Lead you will;

• Develop and oversee a Youth Advisory Panel to ensure that youth voice is central to the design of our Youth Engagement Programme and the 360 Youth Centre.
• Develop and oversee the Youth Engagement Programme as part of the ‘100 years of Ashburton Park Project’ including a range of activities in and nearby to Ashburton Park, including after school drop-in’s, evening sessions, group work and one-one mentoring.
• Support the development and engagement of young people in a Food Growing Enterprise based at Ashburton Lodge.
• Work closely with Croydon Council and other partners to support young people to engage with a wide range of programmes and activities that are part of the ‘100 years of Ashburton Park Project’.
• Deliver open access sessions, group and one to one interventions with young people including; half term, afterschool, evenings and residentials, using a planned youth work curriculum.
• Line manage youth workers, sessional youth workers and youth volunteers to plan, deliver and evaluate youth work termly.
• Contribute to the development of youth work across the area and lead on specific areas of work on behalf of the team.

Amongst other requirements, the successful post holder must have:

· Relevant experience OR qualification in Youth & Community (JNC), Social Work (QSW) or SEND.

· Proven experience working with young people ‘at risk’.

· Reliability, with a flexible approach to changes and able to work unsociable hours.

· Experience of project and/or people management

As part of the package, Oasis offers:

• A pension scheme, currently offering 7% employer contribution.
• A generous holiday allowance and training opportunities.
• A supportive, friendly work environment, with flexible working arrangements.

If you are interested in this position, please email a CV and covering letter detailing why you feel you are suitable for this role. Please visit the Oasis Chartiy Jobs website for further information.

Completed applications should be returned by 5pm 23rd May

Round one Interviews will take place on W/C 2nd June

Round two interviews will take place on W/C 9th June

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers to application, please let us know. 

Oasis is a multi-national charity supporting young people and their families in 10 countries worldwide. Our vision is for building healthy communities: places where everyone is included, making a contribution and reaching their full potential.

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1163889