Charity officer: Job description

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• Communications and enquiries officer: Donna MacIver

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A charity officer works for, or is a trustee of, a charitable organisation. The job title can refer to personnel in several roles within a charity. Roles vary considerably depending on the size, aim and type of organisation.

In larger organisations, the role may focus on a specific area, such as project management, business development, finance, marketing, public relations, fundraising or volunteer management.

In smaller charities, the charity officer may undertake multiple tasks. Common activities range from applying for grants or managing volunteers to providing advice and information.

Charity officers may also be called charity administrators, community liaison officers or project development officers.

Typical work activities

Tasks vary according to the organisation and the individual role. A charity officer in a global charity will have a different experience from a charity officer in a small, local charity. Due to limited funds and personnel, staff in small charities carry out several functions within a small team.

Despite diversity in roles, there are typical tasks that a charity officer undertakes, including:

• marketing and public relations to raise the profile of the organisation's services and campaigns;
• designing fundraising materials such as leaflets and flyers;
• creating and organising fundraising initiatives and events;
• approaching potential donors and maintaining donor lists;
• liaising with external agencies, including voluntary sector organisations, the media, local authorities, business contacts, trustees and other stakeholders or clients;
• recruiting and coordinating the work of volunteers;
• lobbying government and other policymakers on behalf of a cause or a client group;
• administrative tasks such as applying for grants and other sources of funding, managing budgets, gathering data, preparing reports, database management and clerical work to meet the charity's needs.