Image 2023 08 08 T03 44 42

2017 salary survey - are salaries increasing for charity finance and HR staff?

Search by
Search by blog tags

2017 salary survey - are salaries increasing for charity finance and HR staff?

With an ongoing need to improve efficiencies, adhere to new regulations and implement the latest best practice policies, charity finance and HR roles are continually evolving - but are salaries doing the same? Here's the summary from our recruitment specialists in these fields.

For all the finance and HR salary tables, plus those for fundraising, marketing and more, view or download the full 16-page survey here.

 

Finance

With the importance of well-run charity finances (and the consequences of getting it wrong) having been vividly demonstrated in recent years, it's no surprise that charities both large and small continue to seek top quality finance professionals to maintain high standards of governance.

That keeps the demand for talented, efficient and highly capable candidates consistently strong, and the past year's certainly been no exception. Whether qualified or non-qualified, permanent or temporary, from junior assistants to director level, opportunities for skilled candidates are easily found.

But it can be altogether more difficult for organisations to attract and retain the people they need. While finance skills are among the more transferable between sectors, many organisations are still reluctant to consider applicants without significant (and recent) charity sector experience, restricting the options to a limited pool of candidates, the best of whom will often have a number of competing offers.

Conversely, others are actively keen to attract candidates from outside the sector in order to bring a more commercial sensibility to the team, but struggle to do so because of the disparity in salaries.

The results of either approach are fairly similar though when it comes to remuneration. Those looking within the charity sector will often need to raise their offer to fend off rival bids, and continue to offer regular increases to avoid their star talent being swiftly poached away.

Those looking to the commercial sector won't necessarily need to match or exceed the candidate's current salary, since the desire to join the charity sector is more often motivated by other factors - but nevertheless offers may need to be raised in order to reduce the pay differential to a level the candidate will accept.

Either way, salaries are driven upwards, and that's reflected throughout our table this year, with moderate to (in some cases) fairly substantial increases across the board.

And with greater crossover between the charity and commercial sectors we're gradually seeing the pay gap between the two begin to narrow - which in the long-term may benefit charities, who can already appeal to the jaded corporate accountant with a significantly better work/life balance and the opportunity to do something they feel passionately about.

Notable trends

The strongest rise in demand we've seen over the past year has been for Finance Business Partners, both in terms of the number of vacancies and the salaries they command, and that's likely to continue as charities seek to improve efficiency and connect the organisation's financial and operational activities more closely.

One other trend of note: while the total number of opportunities remains high, we're seeing a slight but noticeable shift towards fixed-term, temporary and interim contracts in place of permanent positions, perhaps suggesting that some are taking a more cautious approach in light of uncertainties over future government funding, and the potential consequences of leaving the European Union.

 

Human Resources

The key trend we've observed in HR over the past twelve months has been an increasing move towards specialist roles - fewer generalist HR Managers for example, but more specialists in Employee Relations, Rewards & Benefits or Learning & Development.

Meanwhile the demand for HR Business Partners has continued to grow where, as in finance, there's a drive to align the operational and HR functions more closely, improving understanding and making them better able to achieve the organisation's goals.

These developments don't appear to have had a significant effect on salaries so far, although the figures have continued to nudge gently upwards.

That's not to say there's been little change in other respects though. Like those working in Policy and Research, HR professionals have faced a recent raft of new rules, directives and procedures, and with these more than likely to continue in the current climate, keeping on top of the latest regulations and best practice guidelines has become one of the most important qualities a charity HR professional can demonstrate.

Flexibility is becoming an increasingly important quality too, as we're noticing a number of roles that have would have been offered on a permanent basis in the past now being offered on more flexible, short-term or temporary contracts, leaving organisations more room for manoeuvre to adapt to the unpredictable course of the next few years. This may become an increasingly common pattern until the political and economic landscape is sufficiently settled for charities to make longer term plans with confidence.

 

If you'd like any more information on salaries within any area of finance or human resources, please call the team on 020 7820 7340, email financerecruitment@harrishill.co.uk or humanresources@harrishill.co.uk

Meanwhile for the complete figures for these and all other major charity job functions, view or download the full survey here.

  • Image 2022 11 26 T23 39 23

    Opportunity for all

    Find out how we’re working to deliver more diverse, equitable and inclusive recruitment…

    Find out more

  • Image 2022 11 26 T23 39 23

    Recruiting a charity CEO?

    Our executive recruitment specialists have an exceptional record of successful CEO, chair, trustee and…

    Find out more

  • The Harris Hill Salary Survey 2023

    Charity sector salaries

    Check out the market rate for your charity role in the latest Harris Hill Salary Survey.

    View our latest survey

News and insights

For more careers and recruitment advice: Read the Harris Hill Blog
Blogthumb Final

Thinking of temping? Here’s what to consider…

Temping offers flexibility, variety and a chance to boost your CV - but is it right for you?​ Hear from current Harris Hill temps as freelance writer and guest blogger Nicola Greenbrook explores...Do you ever catch yourself gazing out of the window, dreaming about a work life that breaks away from the conventional nine-to-five? Are you someone with multiple interests and many interconnecting ca...

Read more
Blog Thumb 2

Celebrating UK charity jobs for UK Charity Week 2023!

It's UK Charity Week 2023, so join us for a whirlwind festive tour of some of the best opportunities with charities around the country!​Yes, even though it feels about 30 seconds since you bundled last year’s decorations into an overstuffed box in the loft*, it’s December already, which means it’s time to get them down but more importantly, time for UK Charity Week 2023, celebrating the brillia...

Read more
B Corp Blogthumb Final

Harris Hill is now a Certified B Corporation

We're delighted to share the news that Harris Hill is now B Corp Certified! It makes us part of a global community of businesses meeting high standards of social and environmental impact, accountability and transparency, and leading the transformation of the global economic system. That's a big ambition, but at the simplest level, being certified is recognition that we're here for the right rea...

Read more
Blogthumb 2

Access all areas: how to use the Recite Me toolbar

As part of our diversity and inclusion strategy, the Harris Hill website now features the award-winning Recite Me assistive toolbar, providing a wide range of accessibility and language support tools for a more inclusive online experience. Here’s an overview of the benefits and how to use it.​There’s a lot to look out for when you’re searching for a new job online. In most cases, you'll actual...

Read more
Blogthumb

Meet the 2023 Charity Softball finalists!

​Landing just ahead of the big day and 20th anniversary celebrations, meet the teams playing for glory in the 2023 Charity Softball League!Like any other year, 2003 gave the world some things we’d rather it hadn’t - war in Iraq, the SARS outbreak, the Black Eyed Peas – but over the course of that long hot summer, it also gave us (courtesy of founding father Leo Visconti) something we’re very gl...

Read more
Finance Blog Thumb

2023 Salary Survey: finance market trends

They’re certainly earning their keep in these financially-challenging times, but are charity finance professionals securing higher salaries and what’s happening in the market? Here’s what our finance experts have to say on the subject, updated from our 2023 Salary Survey, which you can view or download below for all the figures.​​​​​​Finance market trendsTo the world of charity finance now, whe...

Read more
Blogthumb Final2

How to secure new talent (without spending a fortune)

Candidate scarcity and high inflation have made securing new staff more challenging (and expensive) than ever, but there ARE ways to improve your hiring prospects that needn't cost a thing...(updated and extended from the 2023 Harris Hill Salary Survey)Beyond the world of marketing, where they grow on carefully-branded trees, our 2023 Salary Survey finds candidates in short supply and high dema...

Read more
Temps Blog Thumb

Considering hiring a temp? Here’s what you need to know…

​Hiring temps is a flexible and cost-effective way to fill gaps and bring in extra resource or skills, but if you haven't before, where should you start and what are the benefits? Freelance writer and HR specialist Nicola Greenbrook talks us through everything you need to know.What is a temp?A temporary agency worker or ‘temp’ differs from a permanent member of staff as, rather than being direc...

Read more