Attracting professionals with skills who will work for salaries that UK charities can afford is one of the most critical issues facing the socalled Third Sector, according to charity executives.

And despite the sector’s reputation for attracting people whose sole interest is wanting to ‘make a difference’, a reasonable salary, benefits and career development are important to charities’ employees as well, said Candice von Memerty, head of HR for Action Against Hunger.

Lesser known charities face an even more uphill battle, von Memerty told Recruiter at a London event last week. “We’re an organisation that is still unknown in the the UK — we’re competing against a number of leading organisations like Oxfam,” she said. “So to recruit the top talent is one of our biggest challenges.”

Von Memerty was among 50 representatives from charity organisations who attended a client event last Thursday hosted by multisectorrecruiter Eden Brown.

Topping von Memerty’s wish list of recruits are nutritionists and sanitation experts to deploy to the charity’s projects around the world. Also needed are economists and logisticians. Action Against Hunger prefers recruits to have at least two years’ work experience so that they are better prepared to adapt to rough living and working conditions. Niche job boards currently provide the greatest source of candidates, she said.

At the RSPCA, a critical need exists for skilled major donors and trusts fund-raising professionals, said Louise Shara Mattock, supporter development manager. The animal charity uses its suburban Horsham, Surrey location to attract candidates who may be weary of commuting into London. “We’re looking for people who have either done it [the work] before or have skills from, say, the corporate world and can operate at a very senior level,” Mattock explained.

“They’re like gold dust,” added Christina Lewis, HR officer for the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

Eden Brown chairman Ian Wolter said that operating in the charity sector fit well with the firm’s values. “Everyone’s pleased we do it,” he said.

The event, featuring a talk by Dragons’ Den’s James Caan, proved to be rewarding for both clients and the recruiter. The firm’s charity sector division team secured 20 client visits as a result.