Reading is one of the most powerful gifts we can give a child. Yet one in four 11-year-olds leave primary school unable to read or write properly. Doorstep Library exists to change that, and when they needed the right person to help secure the funding that makes their work possible, they turned to Charisma.

About Doorstep Library

Doorstep Library is a literacy charity with a beautifully simple idea at its heart: bring books and the joy of reading directly into the homes of children who need support most. Trained volunteers visit families with children aged 0 to 11 in under-resourced communities across London, spending around 20 minutes each week reading together in a child-led, enjoyment-first way.

It is not just about the books. Volunteers build trusted, ongoing relationships with families, encouraging parents and carers to get involved and helping make reading a natural part of everyday home life. Each volunteer arrives equipped with a backpack of carefully chosen titles, tailored to the child in front of them.

Currently running 15 projects across Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Westminster, and Kensington and Chelsea, Doorstep Library also offers an online service that reaches families well beyond those boroughs. Founded as a pilot in 2008, it became a registered charity in 2010 and has grown steadily ever since.

The role: fundraising manager

To sustain and grow that kind of impact, Doorstep Library needed a Fundraising Manager with real depth. This was not an entry-level hire. The successful candidate would work at leadership level, balancing operational delivery with strategic thinking. Their responsibilities would include cultivating and developing relationships with stakeholders, managing a diverse funding portfolio, and overseeing donor cultivation and stewardship.

Getting this appointment right mattered enormously. The wrong hire could mean missed funding opportunities and reduced reach. The right one could help Doorstep Library go further for the children and families who rely on them.

Charisma's approach

Charisma has worked in partnership with Doorstep Library across several key roles, and this appointment was approached with the same care and rigour that defines everything we do.

We launched a robust talent acquisition and advertising campaign, drawing on our networks and knowledge of the charity sector to identify candidates with the right blend of skills, values, and ambition. Fundraising in the charity sector requires a particular kind of person: someone who understands that every pound raised translates directly into impact, and who can build the kind of authentic relationships that sustain long-term donor confidence.

Following that process, the Fundraising Manager was successfully appointed.

A partnership that keeps giving

What we are particularly proud of is what came next. Charisma has since supported Doorstep Library with the appointment of an interim Fundraising Manager focused on partnerships, as well as a Finance Manager. That pattern tells its own story.

83% of our portfolio comes from repeat and referral clients. Doorstep Library is a perfect example of what that looks like in practice: a genuine, ongoing partnership built on trust, results, and a shared commitment to the sector.

When an organisation comes back to us again and again, it means something. It means the process worked, the placement landed well, and the relationship between recruiter and client has moved beyond transactional into something more meaningful. That is exactly what we aim for.

Why it matters

Doorstep Library's work is grounded in evidence and driven by passion. The volunteers who knock on doors every week, backpacks full of books, are making a real difference to children's life chances. Behind those volunteers is a team working hard to keep the charity funded, focused, and growing.

The Fundraising Manager sits at the heart of that effort. It is a role that requires strategic thinking, relationship-building, and a genuine belief in what the charity stands for. Finding people like that is what Charisma does best.

Work with Charisma

If your organisation is looking for exceptional fundraising talent, or any other specialist charity sector hire, we would love to hear from you. We bring the same commitment, care, and sector knowledge to every search, whether you are a large national charity or a small but mighty organisation doing brilliant work in your community.

Get in touch with the Charisma team