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Getting a graduate charity job

AuthorDarcy Nathan, editor
Posted on
View all charity and voluntary work vacancies

If you're passionate about social justice, mental health, the environment or global development, the charity sector offers meaningful ways to begin your career - and make a real difference

Charity jobs at a glance...

  • Over 171,000 charities operate in the UK.
  • Around 1.15 million people work in the sector.
  • About half of charities employ paid staff, while roughly 70% rely on volunteers.

What roles are available?

The charity sector employs around 3% of the UK workforce and offers a range of opportunities across frontline work, administration, advocacy and digital roles.

Below are some common areas and jobs in demand from CharityJobs.

Advice and support roles

Charities increased spending on delivering core services by 10% last year, showing continued demand for frontline roles that involve direct support, advocacy and guidance.

Fundraising and administration roles

Around 2,500 fundraising roles were posted between July and September 2025, though demand has been 46% lower than the overall job market. These roles are essential to long term sustainability, helping charities secure income and operate effectively.

Business and finance roles

Business services saw more than 2,900 vacancies - a 15% rise - highlighting strong demand for organisational and strategic support roles.

Creative and marketing roles

Marketing, PR and digital roles continue to attract high numbers of applicants, with over 100 applications per role on average. These roles suit people who enjoy communication, creativity and audience engagement.

Specialist roles

Categories such as policy, advocacy, governance and campaigns each saw around 600 vacancies. These roles often require deeper subject knowledge and are well suited to graduates.

Explore all of our charity and voluntary work job profiles.

Do I need a degree to work in a charity?

Many charity roles don’t require a degree. Employers care most about enthusiasm, communication skills and a genuine commitment to their cause.

However, certain subjects can give you an advantage, including:

Specialist roles in finance, HR, IT or marketing may also require specific qualifications or technical experience.

What skills do charity employers want?

Charities value people who genuinely care about social issues - but they also rely on practical, especially digital, skills. Useful qualities include:

  • content creation
  • data analysis
  • digital storytelling
  • measuring impact and outcomes
  • online fundraising.

Understanding how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies support service delivery or fundraising is increasingly desirable.

Explore what skills employers want.

How can I get paid charity experience?

Building experience is one of the best ways to enter the sector. There are several routes into the sector, depending on your circumstances and career stage.

Internships

Many charities offer paid or voluntary internships, often flexible or part time, giving you insight into how different teams operate.

Examples of paid internships include:

  • Cancer Research UK - 12 week internships across fundraising, communications, technology, policy and strategy.
  • Greenpeace UK - six month paid internships at the London office, paid at the London Living Wage.
  • Macmillan Cancer Support - 12 week summer internships available across the organisation.
  • Save the Children - a year round programme offering semester‑long paid placements focused on delivering projects within assigned teams.
  • Wellcome - eight week summer placements in finance, accounting and research, paid at the London Living Wage.

You can search for internships directly on organisation websites, or using CharityJob.

Apprenticeships

Charity apprenticeships combine paid work with a recognised qualification, and exist across all areas of charity work - from retail and early years to digital roles and project management.

  • Barnardo's - apprenticeships from Level 3 (A-level equivalent) to Level 7 (Masters degree equivalent) across retail, customer service, beauty therapy and early years education.
  • Cancer Research UK - Level 3 to Level 7 programmes in marketing, software engineering and finance.
  • The National Trust - over 130 apprenticeship opportunities nationwide in areas such as gardening, countryside management, project management, IT, finance and HR.
  • RSPCA - apprenticeships from Level 2 (GCSE level) to Level 7 in animal centres, IT, communications and visitor/income protection.
  • The Salvation Army - opportunities across child‑care settings, care homes, homelessness services, Employment Plus projects and finance, with programmes in management, youth work, business, finance and fundraising.

Salaries typically range from the apprentice minimum wage (£7.55 per hour) up to £22,000, with higher level apprenticeships offering more.

Discover how to apply for an apprenticeship.

Graduate schemes

These structured programmes develop future charity leaders but are limited and competitive. Most require a 2:1 and relevant volunteering or work experience.

  • Cancer Research UK - a two year rotational scheme with clear progression routes into permanent roles.
  • CharityWorks - a year long programme where you work full‑time in a partner charity or housing association, alongside group projects and a research assignment.
  • IntoUniversity - a two year programme requiring a 2:2 in any subject and experience working with children or young people.
  • upReach - an 18 month programme open to graduates from any discipline. The scheme explicitly welcomes career changers as well as recent graduates.
  • Scope UK - structured 22 month graduate programmes in areas such as IT, digital services and customer operations.
  • Wellcome - a two year general graduate scheme and a two year investment programme, open to both undergraduate and Masters graduates.

You’ll be paid a salary while on the scheme. For example, the CharityWorks programme offers £21,255, or £23,302 for Londonbased placements.

For more information, see graduate schemes.

Can I get a job by volunteering?

Yes - volunteering is one of the strongest pathways into paid charity work, with many organisations recruiting directly from their volunteer base. In 2025, for example, around 7,000 volunteer-to-paid roles were advertised on the Reach Volunteering platform.

Common volunteer roles include:

  • administrative tasks
  • advice and support roles
  • fundraising and event support
  • specialist roles (marketing, social media, IT, design, research, data)
  • trustee or committee positions.

You can find volunteer opportunities via:

  • charity websites and local volunteer centres
  • local council volunteer hubs
  • national platforms such as Doit Life!
  • university volunteering services and students' unions.

Where can I find a charity job?

You can find charity jobs in a range of places - from major national organisations to smaller local charities. While large charities often recruit across the UK, many opportunities are communitybased and regionspecific.

Current growth areas in the sector include:

  • environmental causes
  • mental health
  • social justice
  • tech‑enabled fundraising and digital services.

Specialist recruitment agencies can help match your skills to suitable roles, offer feedback on your CV and applications, and advise on pay and progression. Agencies include:

Many charities advertise through dedicated job boards, including:

These platforms are updated frequently, making them useful for tracking emerging vacancies.

Speculative applications can also be effective - especially with smaller charities - as long as they're well‑researched, personalised and clearly show how you can contribute.

Most charities actively use social media to:

  • share updates and campaigns
  • highlight new roles
  • connect with potential applicants

Engaging with staff and organisations via social media can also help you spot roles early, build visibility, and grow your network. Platforms such as LinkedIn and local volunteer centres also list a range of opportunities, including entry level, part time and volunteer roles.

How do I apply for a charity job?

Applying for a charity role is about more than meeting the job description. Employers want to see relevant skills, real motivation and a genuine connection to their mission.

When preparing your application:

  • Link your experience to the charity's mission and show how your values align with their work.
  • Highlight transferable skills, such as communication, collaboration, problem solving and adaptability.
  • Tailor your CV and cover letter to the specific organisation and role - generic applications are rarely effective.

Charities want to understand why you want to work for them. Research their mission, beneficiaries and current priorities, and reflect this insight in your application.

Interviews for jobs in the sector often include competency-based questions, especially about working with limited resources or balancing competing priorities.

Be ready to discuss:

  • examples of working ethically, collaboratively or under pressure
  • your understanding of the charity's impact and the communities it supports

For extra support, discover how to answer common job application questions.

What will I earn working for a charity?

The median salary for charity roles in the UK is around £35,000, with London based positions paying on average 24% more than those outside the capital.

Entry level graduate roles typically start at around £27,000, although salaries vary by organisation and job type. Some roles begin slightly lower - for example, a research assistant at Oxfam earns around £23,000, while graduate positions at Cancer Research UK usually start at £24,000.

As you progress, pay increases steadily. Mid level roles, such as a community fundraiser at Brain Tumour Research, average around £31,000. Senior specialist positions can rise well into the £40,000s. For example, a senior trusts and foundations officer at Doctors Without Borders earns between £46,700 and £57,200, depending on experience.

Pay also varies depending on the type of work you do. According to the CharityJobs Salary Report, average salaries include:

  • finance roles - £50,000
  • fundraising - £38,150
  • business services - £37,300
  • marketing, PR and digital - £37,500
  • policy, advocacy and governance - £35,000
  • administration and support - £30,000.

Although pay often falls below private sector levels, charities usually offer strong benefits that support wellbeing and work/life balance, including:

  • 25 to 30 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays
  • flexible or hybrid working, often including remote options
  • employer pension contributions
  • a clear sense of purpose and alignment with personal values.

Can I work for a charity abroad?

Yes - around 10% of UK charities operate overseas in development, humanitarian or community‑based projects, creating options for graduates who want to build a global career.

Large organisations such as Save the Children, Oxfam and the British Red Cross regularly offer overseas placements and international assignments, typically in areas such as:

  • emergency response
  • humanitarian aid
  • policy, research, and advocacy.

You can gain international experience through:

Many international organisations prioritise recruiting local staff in the countries where they operate. This means UK based candidates may face greater competition for overseas roles, and international secondments from the UK may be shorter or tied to specific projects.

Discover what it's like to volunteer abroad and explore whether international charity work could be the right path for you.

What will my career look like?

You might start as a fundraiser or charity officer and progress into roles such as:

  • campaigns manager
  • charity director
  • head of fundraising.

Many graduates move into government, consultancy or social enterprises, as charity sector skills are highly transferable.

The sector is rewarding but can be challenging:

  • funding is often project based meaning some roles are time limited
  • frontline and international roles can also be emotionally demanding
  • limited resources mean that staff in smaller charities often juggle multiple responsibilities.

Can I set up my own charity?

Yes - you can, but starting a charity takes careful planning, commitment and a clear understanding of what already exists in the sector. Before launching a new organisation, it's important to check whether other charities are already addressing the issue you care about. If they are, partnering or volunteering with them may have a greater impact.

The NCVO provides detailed guidance on deciding whether to set up a new charity, understanding legal responsibilities, and exploring alternatives such as social enterprises or community interest companies.

Find out more

Written by Darcy Nathan, editor

Prospects · February 2026