Charities and NGOs

Every employer is different so there are no definitive lists here. The best place to identify what skills the employer is looking for is to review the job requirements outlined in the  person specification, job description and advert for each role you consider applying for. 

The following are core specialist and transferrable skills which are beneficial for the charity and NGO sector: 

• Advocacy - Representing beneficiary interests to influence policy and drive social change
• Bid writing - Securing grants through a competitive process
• Budgeting - Managing resources effectively
• Communication - Engaging clearly with diverse stakeholders
• Community engagement – Developing partnerships with beneficiaries and local groups
• Data analysis - Interpreting information to measure performance and inform strategy
• Digital literacy - Using technology effectively for operations and service delivery
• Event management - Planning and executing professional gatherings and engagement activities
• Financial management – responsibility to funders and for auditing
• Fundraising - Developing donor relationships and generating revenue
• Grant writing – Writing successful funding applications aligned with funder priorities
• Media relations - Managing public profile and communications with journalists
• Monitoring and evaluation - Assessing the impact of activities to measure return on investment and to identify continuous improvements
• Policy analysis - Understanding regulatory environments affecting organisational work
• Project management - Delivering initiatives on time, within budget, and to quality standards
• Public speaking - Presenting confidently to audiences including donors and beneficiaries
• Research skills - Conducting quantitative and qualitative research to inform programmes and advocacy
• Social media - Harnessing digital platforms for awareness and engagement
• Stakeholder management - Maintaining positive relationships with diverse groups ranging from corporate donors to citizens
• Strategic planning - Developing plans for delivering the organisation’s goals
• Team leadership and management - Leading and managing staff effectively in mission-driven environments
• Volunteer management - Coordinating unpaid staff to support the mission of the organisation.

To develop these skills, remember Career Zone offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.   

All experiences ranging from volunteering, active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to develop relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in volunteering, Employability Schemes, Speculative applications and part-time work. 

Volunteering 

• Do It – a database of ways to help and get involved with thousands of UK charities.
• Exeter Students’ Guild - Volunteering and The SU – Volunteering and Fundraising – you can find opportunities to volunteer through the Guild in Exeter and the SU in Penryn.
• Get Volunteering – a website where you can search for local volunteering opportunities in various areas.
• NCVO – Ways to get involved in volunteering, but also details about campaigns, events and networking.
• Reach Volunteering – a skills-based volunteering charity.
• Time for Good allows you to search for volunteering opportunities of all kinds, many of which are in Devon and Corwnall.
• Transform Society UK Public service virtual experience programme – Transform Society is a network organisation advocating graduate take up of front-line public service roles.
• UN Volunteers – volunteer with the United Nations online or in-person.
• Vinspired shows volunteering opportunities for up to 14 – 30 year olds.
• Visit your local Volunteering Centre.
• Volunteering Matters – volunteer to help a local community, reducing isolation, improving mental and physical health, developing essential skills and supporting change.  

University of Exeter Employability Schemes 

• Professional Pathways: a suite of sector specific training courses and paid week-long internships that take place in June. See the specialist pathway to charity and development. 
• Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements.
• Exeter Award:  The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university.
• The Global Leaders Experience is a unique opportunity to develop your intercultural skills as part of a short, outbound mobility experience.
• Green Consultants: provides you with additional skills and experience required to work in the highly competitive environmental and sustainability sector. 

Speculative applications and where to find opportunities 

Undertaking relevant work experience will allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply speculatively. Before visiting the sites below, you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page.  

When approaching Charities and NGOs for work experience, be specific about which area you would like to support (i.e. fundraising events, marketing and communications, operations) and tailor your approach appropriately. Prospects has a helpful guide on how to write a speculative application.  If you have a contact you could speak to about a speculative application, consider an informational interview before applying.  For more information on informational interviewing click here. 

Finding part time work 

Due to the nature of charities and NGOs, many part-time roles may be unpaid. For more roles that are in this sector, please see the ‘volunteering’ section. However, part-time work in a variety of roles will still give you skills to succeed in charities and NGOs.  

• General job sites such as BrightNetwork,  Indeed and LinkedIn will advertise part-time work.
• Handshake is our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students. You may want to search for SCP (Student Campus Partnership) or SBP (Student Business Partnership) roles – to find out more, please click on the links.
• Employers looking for part-time and casual staff attend events such as careers fairs on campus.
• Attend the ‘Finding a Part-Time Job’ advice session which explores the benefits of gaining part-time work, where you can find these opportunities and top tips for your applications. This session will be listed on Handshake events.
• Listen to this episode of the Career Zone podcast for more advice about finding a part-time job.
• Consult sector specific jobs platforms for part-time paid opportunities:
  • Charity People – you can upload your CV and check out the latest vacancies in the charity sector.
  • CharityJob – use the ‘part-time’ filter to find relevant roles.
  • Goodmoves - use the ‘part-time’ filter to find relevant roles.
  • Idealist – find non-profit roles and use the ‘part-time’ filter.

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.  

• Bond - platform focusing on jobs in international development, providing a broad range of opportunities with international charities and NGOs.
• CharityJob - UK's largest and most popular online job board specifically for roles within the charity and voluntary sector, covering a wide range of positions.
• Not for Profit People – recruitment platform specialising in third sector jobs.
• Prospectus - specialist recruitment consultancy and advertising agency dedicated to connecting talented individuals with purpose-driven and not-for-profit organisations.
• Third Sector Jobs - recruitment arm of industry insights magazine of Third Sector magazine.
• TPP Recruitment: specialist recruitment firm in non-profit, charity, and public sector jobs 

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page. 

Graduate schemes and internships 

This sector unlike other sectors is not noted for graduate schemes. Where internships exist these often present as unpaid opportunities.  

• Collection for internships on Handshake  

Examples of employers in the sector offering paid internships: 

• Wellcome Trust summer internship programme
• Cancer Research UK internship scheme 

Placements  

Finding a placement is possible in charities and NGOs. You need to be aware that when searching for placements, you may find that many are unpaid, due to the nature of the organisations. If you are interested in an unpaid role, you may find searching for ‘volunteer’ opportunities will bring up more results. 

 Charities  

• Amnesty International – focuses on protecting human rights and offers internships in various fields and countries.
• Cancer Research – offering 12-week paid internships in various areas, e.g., ‘marketing, fundraising and events’, ‘technology’ and ‘policy, information and communication’.
• CharityJob – this platform advertises voluntary and paid roles across the UK, both in-person and remote.
• International Rescue Committee – find internships in various roles across the globe in an organisation that responds to humanitarian crisis.
• Macmillan – a charity specialising in healthcare, offering summer internships over a 12 week period, and various volunteering and work experience placements.
• Oxfam – a global movement of people working to help end poverty and injustice, providing aid in emergencies. Oxfam have various volunteer opportunities, with some needing more specialist skills.
• Red Cross – a charity working to provide international aid, offering volunteer placement.
• Reliefweb – this is a humanitarian information service and here you can find internships in various global organisations.
• Save the Children - explore international opportunities, working on international development, international relations and more. Be sure to use ‘intern’ as a key word in your search.
• Wellcome- a global charitable foundation offering an 8-week paid summer internship for undergraduates. 

NGOs 

• Amnesty International – focuses on protecting human rights and offers internships in various fields and countries.
• Human Rights Watch – find international internships advertised working in an organisation that investigates and reports on human rights abuses around the world.
• International Rescue Committee – find internships in various roles across the globe in an organisation that responds to humanitarian crisis.
• Liberty Human Rights – become a Liberty Volunteer, working either in administrative support or advice and information.
• Oxfam – a global movement of people working to help end poverty and injustice, providing aid in emergencies. Oxfam have various volunteer opportunities, with some needing more specialist skills.
• Save the Children - explore international opportunities, working on international development, international relations and more. Be sure to use ‘intern’ as a key word in your search.  

Search for vacancies on Handshake and other helpful vacancy sites: 

• TARGETjobs
• Rate My Placement
• If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad. 

Further sources of support 

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

For help with making speculative applications you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to develop their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. Use the sites below to research your further study options.  

• NCVO Training and Events - The National Council for Voluntary Organisations offers comprehensive training covering essential topics including project management, trustee development, data protection, finance strategy, and volunteer management. Courses are available online and face-to-face, specifically tailored to the voluntary sector.
• Prospects Postgraduate Course Search - Search for relevant postgraduate qualifications including Master’s degrees in International Development, Social Policy, Public Administration, and Charity Management offered by UK universities. 

Information and links from professional bodies 

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector.  

• Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) - The professional membership body for UK fundraising that champions excellence in fundraising and supports fundraisers through professional development and education. Offers qualifications including the Certificate in Fundraising and Advanced Certificate, plus extensive CPD opportunities and networking events.
• National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) - The largest membership organisation that supports charities and not-for-profit organisations in England. Provides sector-specific training, research, policy advocacy, and professional development resources for charity sector professionals.
• Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy - Offers specialised training in philanthropic psychology and sustainable fundraising practices, with courses and certificates focused on donor relationship developing and ethical fundraising approaches.  

Advice 

If you are considering postgraduate or doctoral level study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study.