Entry level jobs for the Disability sector

This role is vital to the growth of our charity and represents an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to join our small but dynamic team.

You will work closely with the Director of Fundraising and Events Manager on events, corporate, trusts and foundations, community, and individual fundraising efforts.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience in a fast-paced fundraising environment. 

The successful candidate will be motivated to improve life for autistic people - joining a team that is passionate about delivering impact. They will be a strong advocate for ensuring that all opinions are heard and respected and will have the ability to communicate with people of all backgrounds and with different communication styles and support needs.

Main duties and responsibilities

As Fundraising Officer, you will:

• Develop and maintain positive relationships internally with colleagues and externally with stakeholders, donors, and funders. 
• Create marketing materials, including content for social media and our website. 
• Work with the Director of Fundraising and Events Manager, to deliver a series of high-quality, high-profile fundraising events, including assisting with logistics and supporter engagement. 
• Take initiative to explore new areas of fundraising and contribute to innovation. 
• Own and manage delegated tasks or parts of projects, ensuring successful and timely delivery of work. 
• Provide administrative support to the fundraising team, including sending fundraising packs, processing donations and fulfilling orders from our e-shop. 
• Respond to supporter queries via phone, email, and web with professionalism and empathy. 
• Maintain accurate supporter data in the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. 
• Create quarterly Gift Aid claims reports via the CRM system and liaise with the finance team to ensure timely submission to HMRC.
• Prepare thank-you letters, certificates, and merchandise to support fundraisers and events. 
• Manage incoming post for fundraising and donors, process Gift Aid declarations, and maintain stock levels for shop and event materials. 
• Produce monthly reports on income, donor activity, and progress against target. 

Person specification (who are we looking for?)

Essential

Qualifications

• While there are no specific essential qualifications, the successful candidate will need to demonstrate a good standard of numeracy and literacy and proficiency in MS Office Suite.

Experience

• Knowledge of and/or personal interest in autism and current issues relating to autism and community preferences.
• At least one year’s experience in a similar role within a charity or nonprofit organisation.
• Experience in using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems.
• Track record of managing multiple tasks autonomously and meeting deadlines.
• Experience in building strong relationships, managing expectations and engaging confidently with a range of stakeholders.

Skills

• Organisational and administrative skills, including the ability to manage your own time and multiple priorities to achieve high-quality outcomes.
• Ability to maintain systems for data management and keep accurate records of fundraising activities and donor interactions.
• Confident communicator, able to explain ideas clearly in writing and in conversation.
• A reliable team player who can prioritise work effectively and manage tasks under pressure. 
• Good numeracy skills and the ability to work on simple budgets. 
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to contribute to team discussions and work collaboratively with colleagues.
• Demonstrate an awareness of, and commitment to, inclusion, equality, and diversity.
• A good working knowledge of MS Office 365 and ability and willingness to learn new IT systems (with support/training where needed).

Desirable (please still apply even if you do not have these)

Experience

• Knowledge of data protection and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance for handling donor information. 
• Experience of process mapping and CRM migration projects.
• Experience of digital content creation and donor engagement.
• Experience of remote and/or hybrid working.

Skills

• Able to apply basic marketing skills across different channels, such as emails, social media posts, or printed materials.
• A proactive learner with a passion for exploring new areas of fundraising and developing professionally. 

We are aware that the skills required for this role may be interpreted differently by different people. Our selection process will focus on the desired outcomes, and we are open to different ways of achieving them.

Calibre Audio is a national charity providing accessible audiobooks to people who are unable to read print due to visual impairment, dyslexia, or other conditions. Through a digital-first service and a diverse library, we enable people to experience the joy and lifelong benefits of reading.

Everyone has the legal right to equal access to information, yet only 7% of print books are converted to audio, the format needed for many disabled people. For young people, this has serious implications for their ability to learn and develop, and for the elderly, socially isolated, or disadvantaged, coming to terms with the loss of their sight, health and mobility, losing a lifelong love of the written word can be a real blow.

Calibre Audio’s vision is an inclusive society where everyone with a print disability can enjoy accessible books. The charity distribute 1,500 books daily to children and adults whose lives are transformed by access to literature. They work with all major publishers and record many of their own titles, including books unavailable elsewhere in audio. Calibre Audio are now broadening their mission to deliver wider social impact: improving literacy and education outcomes, supporting wellbeing, and tackling loneliness.

This is a pivotal role responsible for leading and growing income from trusts and foundations. Reporting to the Director of Fundraising & Communications, the postholder will develop and deliver a strategic trusts fundraising programme, securing five- and six-figure grants, building long-term partnerships, and contributing significantly to organisational sustainability and growth.

As Senior Trusts Fundraiser, you will: 

• Develop and implement a multi-year trusts and foundations strategy aligned with organisational priorities
• Identify and cultivate new funding opportunities, with a focus on high-value and multi-year grants
• Build a robust pipeline of prospective funders
• Develop compelling, high-quality funding proposals and reports
• Secure significant income from a portfolio of trusts and foundations
• Manage and grow relationships with key funders, ensuring excellent stewardship
• Work closely with colleagues across services and senior leadership to gather impact data and shape funding cases
• Act as a key ambassador for Calibre Audio with external stakeholders

Essential skills and experience: 

• Proven track record of securing five-figure+ income from trusts and foundations
• Excellent written skills, with the ability to craft persuasive, tailored proposals
• Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate organisational need into compelling cases for support
• Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines

Desirable:

• Experience securing six-figure or multi-year grants
• Knowledge of the charity, disability, literacy, or arts sectors
• Advanced CRM skills (preferably Beacon CRM) and pipeline management

Employee benefits include: 

• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with an additional day at Christmas
• 7.5% employer pension contribution

Do you want to support the growth of our volunteer-enabled work at Share? We are looking for a passionate person to join us as our new Volunteering and Social Inclusion Project Officer, helping to grow our social inclusion provision.

Share is a registered charity and a centre for training and wellbeing. We provide a range of programmes helping adults with learning disabilities, autism and other support needs to become happier, healthier and more independent. Our vision is a world where disabled people are fully included in society, living the life they choose, and we need talented people to help us make that happen.

Our Go Anywhere, Do Anything (GADA) project is part of our social inclusion provision at Share. It sees volunteers and students go on regular social outings to do things our students want to do. Our volunteers make this possible, supporting our students to navigate challenges and have fun on the trips. We currently run 36 GADA trips a year but are only scratching the surface of demand. We are looking for someone to support the growth of this project to 65 trips a year.

Main responsibilities

• You’ll work with our students to co-design a programme of GADA trips, as well as sign up students and volunteers to the trips.

• You’ll recruit and train GADA volunteers and support them on trips.

• You’ll organise GADA trips, including risk assessing them, planning how to make them accessible, carrying out administration such as buying tickets, and providing volunteers with the information they need.

• You’ll provide broader volunteer support, helping to deliver inductions for new volunteers, including supporting with interviews, taster days and induction training.

• You will support volunteer check-ins and surveys for all volunteers, including those in non-GADA roles.

Who we’re looking for

• You’ll have experience of working or volunteering with people who need support, either in your personal or professional life.

• You’ll have experience of coordinating volunteers or projects, preferably in a community setting.

• You can build good working relationships with a range of stakeholders, including volunteers, staff, students, families, carers and external venues.

• Most importantly, you share our strong commitment to the inclusion of disabled people in society and believe in equality for all.

Why work for us?

Share is committed to empowering disabled people. You’ll make a difference every day, helping people to live as independently as possible.

Our values drive us forward. They provide the framework for everything we do, including who we hire. We believe everyone has something to offer others, and we build on people’s individual talents, interests and abilities. We think happy employees are successful employees.

We truly understand the value of people: we focus on what people can do, not what holds them back. We also have robust policies in place so that every person working at Share takes ownership of bringing our programmes to life.

We’ve been praised for our supportive working environment, where everyone has a voice and is valued. You’ll be surrounded by people who support you, challenge you and inspire you.

A full list of benefits can be found on our website.

How to apply

We actively encourage applications from people from minoritised ethnic communities and those with lived experience of a learning disability and/or autism. This is because we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of our student body wherever possible, in order to provide the best possible service.

To apply, please complete the application form on our website or send us your CV and a cover letter addressing the three questions below:

• What are three qualities that make you an excellent Volunteering and Social Inclusion Project Officer? 

• What relevant experience do you have of organising trips that enable people with support needs to access the community? 

• What would a successful GADA trip look like to you? 

If you would like to have a chat about the role or visit us prior to applying, please contact a member of the HR team.

We focus on ability and believe people work best when they feel valued, safe and happy. We do all we can to ensure that Share is friendly and welcoming to everyone. All CVs and applications are anonymised to support unbiased recruitment.

This job is subject to two satisfactory references, evidence of qualifications, an enhanced DBS check, and proof of the right to work in the UK. If you are disabled and would like to discuss alternative ways of submitting your application, please contact us.

Our privacy policy for job applicants can be found on our website.

We look forward to receiving your application.