Here is the case study, followed by the two additional items:

Finding the right fundraising leader for Wooden Spoon, the children's charity of rugby

About Wooden Spoon

Some charities wear their heart on their sleeve, and Wooden Spoon is one of them. As the children's charity of rugby, they fund life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland, supporting over 100,000 vulnerable children and young people every year. Based in Hampshire, they are a grant-making charity with genuine reach and real impact, channelling the spirit of rugby into communities that need it most.

When it came to recruiting their new Director of Fundraising and Marketing, they turned to Charisma.

A role with real weight

This was not a straightforward appointment. The incoming director would be responsible for developing and implementing a bold, integrated fundraising, marketing and communications strategy at a national level. That meant overseeing campaigns, community fundraising, events and individual giving through their membership product, while also leading and inspiring a dedicated team, nurturing stakeholder relationships and managing the charity's national fundraising and marketing programmes.

In short, they needed someone with vision, energy and the kind of proven track record that speaks for itself.

A focused and thorough search

Following detailed consultation with the Wooden Spoon team, Charisma got to work. With a clear role description and person specification in place, we launched a rigorous public search and selection campaign as the charity's retained recruitment partner.

The campaign drew on multiple channels: a vibrant marketing proposition, database search and targeted headhunting, all backed up by in-depth candidate screening through vetting interviews. One important practical consideration shaped the search from the outset. Although Wooden Spoon has a national presence, the role required the successful candidate to be in the Hampshire office for at least one to two days a week, which meant our proactive search had a geographic focus within 60 miles of the base. Finding someone with national-level fundraising expertise who could also make that commitment was a challenge we were well placed to meet.

Strong results from a competitive process

Within four weeks of launching the public campaign, Charisma had secured 11 individuals for the longlist. Each one brought a strong track record of impactful, influential leadership in fundraising and marketing within a not-for-profit context, alongside demonstrable experience of developing effective and integrated marketing, communications and fundraising strategies.

Shortlisting was competitive. Six candidates were selected to progress to interview with Wooden Spoon, and following both first and second stage interviews, the final two candidates took part in a one-to-one session with the panel. The right person was appointed, with Charisma handling the offer and providing full candidate aftercare to ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved.

What this appointment means

Recruitment at this level is about more than filling a vacancy. For a charity like Wooden Spoon, whose work directly touches the lives of tens of thousands of children and young people, getting this right matters enormously. The Director of Fundraising and Marketing will play a central role in shaping how the charity grows its income, tells its story and builds the communities of support that sustain everything it does.

We are proud to have played our part in that.

Working with Charisma

At Charisma, we specialise in charity and not-for-profit recruitment. We understand the sector, we understand what good leadership looks like within it, and we bring genuine care and rigour to every search we undertake. Whether you are looking for a director-level appointment, a specialist role, or something in between, we would love to help.

If you are recruiting for your charity and want a team that will treat the process with the same commitment you bring to your mission, get in touch with us today.

Contact us about your recruitment needs