Development People
Caroline Underwood, Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, Save the Children
What inspired you to work in the sector?
I feel very strongly about the work of Save the Children and its vision and commitment was a very strong motivating factor for me. Save the Children is in a very exciting place and its work in the field is extraordinary. Jasmine Whitbread (CEO) has steered the organisation in a very positive direction over the last two years and I wanted to be a part of it. The role of Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships is a challenging one, and I think it will develop as time goes by. I have changed sectors before and as a practice it is more prominent now than it used to be. Staff with transferable skills from a different sector can be highly attractive to employers as they often bring with them a fresh and new approach as well as a wide range of applicable knowledge, expertise and experience.
What are the highlights from your career so far?
There have been a lot! I am lucky in that I have worked with some amazing people. For me, engaging with donors on a cause or project is wonderful. I hope to make a difference through listening to their needs and working out a solution, and to move it forward to an outcome or conclusion. Many years ago I worked with a couple whose daughter had tragically died when she was in her 20’s. They wanted to commemorate her life and made a major donation to a cause that meant a lot to them. Getting to the point of donation required genuine involvement and understanding of their particular needs.
Describe your role at Save the Children
The Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships is a brand new role for Save the Children. Put simply, it involves engaging with our partners, including companies, trusts, foundations and individuals, to raise income for Save the Children so that we can continue to work with some of the world’s most vulnerable children to positively change their lives and transform attitudes towards them. It is a strategic role and the key is to build long-lasting relationships with donors. Save the Children has a long history of support from private sector and I look forward to engaging with existing and new supporters.
What are you working on at the moment and what do you hope it will achieve?
It is too early to talk about specific pieces of work or projects. At the moment I am getting to know the organisation and the team. There is a lot of work to do and time needs to be taken to make sure that together we can make the most of the opportunities that present themselves.
What are the main challenges of your role?
Most immediately, it is the urgency with which it is needed. This is, of course, a highly competitive area. There are lots of organisations looking for supporters and we need to demonstrate why they should champion Save the Children and not another charity or non-governmental organisation (NGO). We need to be business like. Donors, quite rightly, expect transparency. They want to know where and how their money is being used, and to what effect. We need to be able to give them the information they require while making sure that the day to day work of saving children’s lives continues.
What do you think the expectations of your role are?
There is a lot of discussion around philanthropy at the moment, what does it mean and how NGOs are going to respond. There are a lot of questions that need answering. There is a sense of pioneering with this role and it highlights the importance that Save the Children places on this area of work and major donor fundraising. I wouldn’t be surprised to see other NGOs follow suit, but the main issue is the shortage of talented fundraisers especially at a senior level.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Fundamentally, it is being involved in the work of an inspiring organisation and the end result of our work at Save the Children - saving children’s lives. It doesn’t get much more rewarding than that. I have run my own company in the past, but this is very different sense of reward. Prior to joining Save the Children, I watched short films on the website and now I am contributing to its success.
Are there specific skills needed to do your job well?
Fundraising at this level needs strategic vision. It encompasses a range of skills including marketing and the ability to communicate effectively. In this type of role you need to be able to see the bigger picture as well as to engage with people at different levels.
What lessons have you learnt from your career so far?
Most important is the need to build momentum because then you can push hard to get what you need. It can be difficult to keep your head above water and it often feels like a case of sink or swim, but without the momentum you will sink.
What is the best piece of professional advice you have been given?
To see the bigger picture and think externally, rather than internally which can sometimes be the easier option. It is very challenging to work in this way. I am lucky enough to have worked with some amazing people who have big vision and this has helped me in my career.
Who or what is your mentor or inspiration?
There have been lots of people along the way who have provided inspiration. There is no single person but it goes back to the need for a vision, and the determination to make a difference.
What is the key challenge for the sector or your area of work over the coming year?
The shortage of talented, experienced fundraising staff, especially at a senior level and major gift fundraisers, is a big challenge for the sector. Those of us that have built a career in this area have been talking about it for the last 10-15 years so we know it’s a problem. It’s a complex situation. Traditionally, it’s been a female role and although this is not so much the case now it is still female-dominated. You have to constantly prove yourself in a tough environment. There needs to be more career development opportunities – graduate training, peer mentoring schemes and so on. It has changed, but needs to change further if we’re going to move on and increase the pool of fundraising talent for the future.