Charity sector salaries on the rise; causes 'huge' spike in job applications

Salaries in the third sector are continuing to rise, causing a 'huge' spike in job applications for charity jobs, new research has revealed.

According to the latest quarterly job market report from CV-Library, salaries in the charity sector grew by 2.6% in the final few months of 2019, bucking the national trend, which saw salaries generally decrease by 7.8%.

The report, which assessed job market data throughout Q4 2019 and compared it with findings from the previous year, found the increase in salaries had coincided with a surge in applications for jobs within the charity sector.

Figures show applications for work within the sector rose by 61.7% during Q4 - the third highest growth rate in the country after consulting (88.4%) and hospitality (71.6%).

CV-Library CEO and founder, Lee Biggins, said the final few months saw an overall decline in salaries in line with political uncertainty, but that charities "bucked the trend".

"The final few months of 2019 saw a great deal of political uncertainty; between the original Brexit deadline and the December general election, many businesses across the country were forced to tighten their belts and prepare for the worst," he said.

"This continued growth shows that businesses in the industry had faith in the economy, keeping salaries high and driving a substantial number of candidates to apply for new roles.”

"Though it’s clear that the competition for top talent is only increasing. In fact, with salaries on the rise across the industry, you might want to consider providing more than just a good wage to new employees," he said.

“By offering flexible working, company benefits and career development opportunities, you’ll ensure that your company will attract the best candidates around. With such fantastic growth in the market, now is the perfect time to think about establishing the best packages and pushing forward with your recruitment efforts.”

    Share Story:

Recent Stories


Charity Times video Q&A: In conversation with Hilda Hayo, CEO of Dementia UK
Charity Times editor, Lauren Weymouth, is joined by Dementia UK CEO, Hilda Hayo to discuss why the charity receives such high workplace satisfaction results, what a positive working culture looks like and the importance of lived experience among staff. The pair talk about challenges facing the charity, the impact felt by the pandemic and how it's striving to overcome obstacles and continue to be a highly impactful organisation for anybody affected by dementia.
Charity Times Awards 2023

Mitigating risk and reducing claims
The cost-of-living crisis is impacting charities in a number of ways, including the risks they take. Endsleigh Insurance’s* senior risk management consultant Scott Crichton joins Charity Times to discuss the ramifications of prioritising certain types of risk over others, the financial implications risk can have if not managed properly, and tips for charities to help manage those risks.

* Coming soon… Howden, the new name for Endsleigh.