Why Some Fundraising Roles Are So Hard to Recruit Right Now

What the data is telling us about talent shortages in fundraising and philanthropy

Recruiting skilled fundraising professionals has never been straightforward, but over the past few years, it has become noticeably more complex. Across the for-purpose sector, leaders are competing for a limited pool of experienced talent while simultaneously asking more of their fundraising teams than ever before.

To better understand where the biggest pressure points currently sit, I recently ran a LinkedIn poll asking a simple question: “Which fundraising role is hardest to recruit right now?”

The results were telling:

• 50% – Major Gifts
• 33% – Corporate Partnerships
• 17% – Individual Giving / Digital

While none of these outcomes will surprise most sector leaders, the proportions reveal important insights about how fundraising roles have evolved, where the skills shortages truly lie, and what organisations may need to rethink in their recruitment approach.

I also reviewed the latest LinkedIn Talent Insights data for fundraising and philanthropy roles. Interestingly, the fastest-growing positions are:

• Director of Development
• Foundation Manager
• Director of Fundraising / Fundraising Manager

This combination of poll results and market data paints a clear picture: demand is high across senior leadership and strategic fundraising roles, but the supply of skilled candidates is limited. Organisations face a double challenge, needing to hire quickly while also securing the right talent to deliver long-term impact.

Major Gifts: high demand, limited supply

That Major Gifts roles topped the poll with 50% reflects what many organisations are experiencing on the ground. Major Gifts fundraisers are consistently among the hardest roles to recruit and retain.

Why Major Gifts roles are so difficult to fill

At its core, Major Gifts fundraising is highly relational. Success relies on a unique blend of skills that are difficult to teach quickly:

• Advanced relationship management
• Emotional intelligence and influence
• Strategic thinking
• Financial acumen
• Deep understanding of donor motivations

These capabilities are typically built over years, not months. As a result, the candidate pool is inherently limited, particularly at senior or high-performing levels.

Adding to this challenge is the increased pressure placed on Major Gifts teams. Many organisations now expect:

• Faster revenue results
• Larger portfolios
• Increased stewardship and reporting
• Greater collaboration with boards and executives

This intensification of expectations often isn’t matched by additional resourcing, realistic targets, or remuneration that reflects the complexity of the role.

A fundraising recruitment paradox

Interestingly, many organisations hiring for Major Gifts roles unintentionally narrow their candidate pool further by insisting on:

• Prior experience within the same sub-sector
• Existing donor portfolios
• Immediate revenue delivery

While understandable, this approach can exclude candidates with strong transferable relationship skills from adjacent sectors such as corporate sales, professional services, or education advancement.

Corporate Partnerships: A Role Caught Between Two Worlds

With 33% of respondents identifying Corporate Partnerships as the hardest role to recruit, this result highlights a growing tension within the sector.

Why Corporate Partnerships roles are so challenging

Corporate Partnerships fundraising sits at the intersection of:

• Relationship-based fundraising
• Commercial negotiation
• Brand alignment and sponsorship
• Strategic account management

Many organisations want candidates who can “speak corporate” while remaining deeply values-aligned. In practice, this combination is rare.

Candidates with strong commercial and partnership experience often:

• Command higher salaries than not-for-profits can offer
• Expect clearer performance frameworks
• Seek faster progression and broader strategic influence

Meanwhile, candidates from traditional fundraising backgrounds may lack confidence or experience in negotiating complex corporate agreements.

The expectations gap and role ambiguity

A common issue I see is role ambiguity. Corporate Partnerships positions are sometimes asked to deliver:

• Revenue growth
• Brand exposure
• Long-term strategic alliances
• CSR engagement
• Employee fundraising programs

Without clear prioritisation, candidates may perceive the role as high-risk or poorly defined, leading them to opt out of the process.

Individual Giving & Digital: fewer votes, still a recruitment challenge

While Individual Giving / Digital received 17% of the vote, this lower percentage doesn’t necessarily mean these roles are easy to recruit. Rather, it reflects a rapidly evolving skills landscape.

What’s changing in Individual Giving

Individual Giving roles now demand a blend of:

• Data literacy
• Digital marketing capability
• Campaign optimisation
• Customer journey thinking
• Technical platform knowledge

Fundraisers who can confidently manage both strategy and execution across digital channels are in high demand — not just in the for-purpose sector, but across commercial marketing roles as well.

The AI and digital factor in fundraising roles

The rise of automation, CRM sophistication, and AI-enabled tools has further raised expectations. Many candidates are cautious about stepping into roles where systems, processes, or digital maturity are underdeveloped, as this can significantly impact their ability to succeed.

Fastest-growing fundraising roles: where the market is heading

The LinkedIn Talent Insights data also highlights that Director-level and strategic fundraising roles are growing fastest, including:

• Director of Development
• Foundation Manager
• Director of Fundraising / Fundraising Manager

This growth suggests that organisations are investing more in senior fundraising leadership, but it also signals that the competition for these candidates will intensify. These positions require people who can both drive revenue and shape organisational strategy, which makes them highly sought-after and consequently hard to attract.

What these results tell us about the fundraising sector

Taken together, these poll results and LinkedIn data reveal three broader truths about fundraising recruitment today:

• Scarcity is real  and structural
  The hardest-to-fill roles are those requiring deep expertise, long relationship cycles, or hybrid skill sets. These are not easily solved by short-term hiring solutions.

• Expectations have outpaced role design
  Across Major Gifts and Corporate Partnerships in particular, role scope has expanded faster than many organisations have adjusted targets, remuneration, or support structures.

• Transferable skills are still underutilised
  Many organisations underestimate how skills from adjacent sectors can translate into fundraising success, particularly in relationship management, sales strategy, and data-driven decision-making.

How organisations can recruit more effectively

While talent shortages are unlikely to disappear overnight, there are practical steps organisations can take to improve outcomes.

1. Broaden the definition of “fundraising experience”. Rather than focusing solely on sector tenure, consider:

• Relationship depth over donor type
• Commercial negotiation experience
• Stakeholder management complexity
• Strategic thinking capability

This approach can unlock a wider, more diverse talent pool.

2. Get clear on what success really looks like
Strong candidates are increasingly selective. Clear role purpose, realistic KPIs, and transparent expectations are critical in attracting experienced professionals.

3. Align remuneration with responsibility
While not-for-profits may not always match corporate salaries, misalignment between role complexity and pay remains one of the biggest barriers to securing senior fundraising talent.

4. Treat recruitment as a retention strategy
Recruitment decisions made under pressure often lead to misalignment and early turnover. Investing time upfront to get the role design right can significantly reduce long-term cost and disruption.

The results of this poll, combined with LinkedIn Talent Insights data, confirm what many in the sector already feel: fundraising recruitment is becoming more nuanced, competitive, and strategic.

Major Gifts and Corporate Partnerships roles are under sustained pressure, while Individual Giving and Digital roles continue to evolve at pace. Meanwhile, Director-level and strategic fundraising positions are expanding rapidly, signalling where future demand will grow. 

Organisations that succeed in this environment will be those that move beyond traditional hiring assumptions and take a more flexible, market-informed approach to attracting fundraising talent. Recruitment is no longer just about filling vacancies; it’s about enabling organisational impact.

Need recruitment support?

If you’re struggling to attract experienced Major Gifts, Corporate Partnerships or senior fundraising leaders, you’re not alone. These roles require a more nuanced, market-informed approach than traditional recruitment methods can offer.

I work closely with organisations across the for-purpose sector to recruit fundraising and philanthropy talent where the market is tight, and expectations are high. As the Managing Director at Johnson Recruitment, I help leaders rethink role design, identify transferable skills and access both active and passive candidates who can deliver immediate results and long-term impact.

If you’re navigating a complex or critical fundraising hire, I’d welcome a conversation. Contact me, Lisa Pratt, on 0493 632 441, to discuss how Johnson Recruitment can support your hard-to-fill fundraising and philanthropy roles.