CRM & Finance Executive

Join the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) as a CRM & Finance Executive and play a key behind-the-scenes role in keeping our data, systems, and income running smoothly. This detail-driven position supports fundraising and finance operations, helping ensure every donation and sale is accurately recorded. You will quickly become the internal expert on the newly onboarded CRM system (Beacon), helping the whole team make the greatest possible impact for wildlife conservation.

Summary of the role

The CRM/Finance Executive plays a vital operational role at DSWF, acting as the organisational expert on the charity’s CRM (Beacon) and supporting the Finance Manager with income recording and other finance tasks. The postholder ensures that all supporter data in the CRM is accurate, compliant, and aligned with financial records (in Sage 50), enabling effective fundraising delivery, robust reporting and sound financial management. Working primarily across the Development (Fundraising) and Finance teams, the CRM & Finance Executive will manage day-to-day data integrity and reporting, whilst supporting the Finance Manager in income recording and other finance tasks. The role underpins donor stewardship, income forecasting, Gift Aid claims and regulatory compliance, ensuring that data and payments are recorded correctly and consistently across systems. This is a detail-focused, problem-solving role, suited to someone who enjoys working behind the scenes to ensure systems, processes, and information flow smoothly and reliably.

Key responsibilities

• CRM & Data Management
  • Act as DSWF’s internal expert on the CRM system, ensuring confident and consistent use across all teams.
  • Maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date supporter, donor and art buyer records.
  • Ensure data integrity through regular data cleansing, validation and quality control.
  • Develop and maintain clear data processes, documentation and guidance for users.
  • Support staff training on CRM usage and best practice, including use of dashboards.
• Income Processing & Financial Alignment
  • Support the Finance Manager to ensure that all income is accurately recorded and aligned within the CRM and finance systems.
  • Support accurate tracking of income by fund, by campaign and by source.
  • Ensure Gift Aid is processed correctly, with appropriate evidence and compliance.
• Reporting & Insight
  • Produce regular and ad-hoc reports from the CRM to support fundraising performance, forecasting, and decision-making.
  • Provide accurate data selections and exports from the CRM for appeals, events, and supporter communications.
  • Support the Development team with pipeline reporting, income tracking and KPI monitoring.
  • Assist with Trustee, SMT and statutory reporting as required.
• Compliance & Governance
  • Ensure all data handling complies with GDPR, Fundraising Regulator guidance and internal policies.
  • Support audit processes by providing clear, accurate data and documentation.
  • Maintain secure data access controls and permissions.
• Systems & Process Improvement
  • Act as a key contact for CRM development, upgrades or integrations.
  • Support the Digital Marketing Executive with imports and exports between the CRM, website, email platforms and third-party fundraising systems.
  • Identify opportunities to improve data efficiency, accuracy and reporting capability.
  • Troubleshoot data issues and work proactively to resolve system challenges.
  • Lead on ad-hoc checks to ensure all staff are using the CRM system correctly and where necessary implement further training, guidance and support.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

This role would suit someone with relevant experience, but we also welcome applications from entry level candidates at the start of their career as training will be provided.

Essential

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Demonstrable aptitude for maths (min. maths GCSE B/Grade 6 or above).
• Experience producing reports and managing complex data sets.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Collaborative approach, with confidence working across Development and Finance teams.
• Enjoyment of problem-solving within data and technology setting.

Desirable

• Experience working with CRM systems, ideally within a charity or fundraising environment.
• Level of confidence working with financial data.
• Experience working with charity finance or management accounting systems.
• Experience supporting Gift Aid processing and compliance.
• Good understanding of GDPR and data protection principles for charities.
• Experience supporting fundraising teams or income generation activity.
• Interest in conservation, wildlife and DSWF’s mission.

As with all roles at the Foundation, this position carries a shared responsibility for fundraising and income generation, ensuring work actively contributes to the sustainability of DSWF’s conservation, education and art programmes. Please note that as part of a small team, the role may include occasional additional duties to help meet the charity’s wider needs.

Application Process

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter of no more than two pages to no later than Sunday 31st May. We value thoughtful applications that demonstrate your communication skills. A strong covering letter, clear examples of past work and attention to detail will help you stand out. While we’re not opposed to applicants using AI tools to polish language or design, we’re most interested in hearing your voice and seeing your ideas shine through. First interviews will be 30 minutes long and take place online on Fri 5th June. Second interviews will be 50-60 minutes long and take place in person at our office in Shalford, near Guildford, on Tuesday 16th June. Throughout the interview process, we’ll be keen to hear about your experience in administration, your ability to organise, your willingness to learn, and happiness to plan and attend art events when needed. Please note that experience of having worked in the arts as an administrator will be a bonus, but being an artist yourself is not necessary for the role. We will let the successful candidate know by Thursday 18th June. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team, and we particularly encourage applications from communities and backgrounds currently not widely represented in conservation and the arts.