About the job

What's the goal?

The job is all about chatting with people, and raising awareness of the amazing service the charity provides.

You will be playing a vital role in saving lives by educating the public in how to #RespectTheWater, while also signing up supporters for a regular donation. Last summer, when we had seven drowning deaths on UK beaches in one weekend, this was a key part of the face-to-face fundraisers' work.

Being on the front-line to reassure the public and answer coastal safety questions was truly rewarding as the reaction we received was incredible. Never before have I felt so appreciated and welcomed by complete strangers.

Ellie Baldwin

Senior Face-to-face Fundraiser

How we do it

We'll make sure you have plenty of training so that you feel comfortable approaching people to talk to them and confident in what you're talking about.

What we look for

Vibrant, friendly personalities are a must. You'll need to be self-motivated and happy working to targets. If you're a flexible team player who enjoys working with and encouraging others then this is for you.

Our lifeguards and volunteer crew members give their all to save lives and the work you're doing makes all of this possible. You will need to be able to commit to working full time from mid-June to early September.

While you don’t have to be a driver to be in the team, there is some travel involved so if you're a confident driver with a valid UK or Irish license that will be really beneficial.

A good fundraiser generally has to be friendly and relaxed, but also energetic, able to talk to anyone and have fun. And passionate about what they do.

Dan McGovern

Senior Fundraiser

What's in it for you?

This is a great role for enhancing your CV. You'll be working for a highly respected charity and will be able to develop team-working and organisational skills, as well as interpersonal skills.

Whatever career you’re looking for, face-to-face fundraising’s transferrable skills will help you get there. Understanding things like how to pitch to an audience and how to interpret body language will stand you in good stead, wherever you head next. It’s hard work, but an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding job.

But it's not all about the work. Face-to-face fundraising is full of huge highs and proud moments with a bunch of like-minded people working towards the same goal: to halve drowning in the UK and Ireland by 2024.

You'll make new friends, have fun and gain the confidence to talk to anyone and influence them in a positive way. You'll also have the knowledge and satisfaction that comes from knowing you are doing something that really makes a difference in people's lives.

The details

Teams have around 4–16 fundraisers led by 1–3 senior fundraisers. You'll work in pairs covering different locations in the area and your senior fundraiser will help coach, motivate and inspire you to fulfil your potential and achieve your goals.

Go for a local role and you can stay at home, but don’t let that put you off applying for a role somewhere new. If you apply for an area that isn't local to you, we can set you up with temporary accommodation while you're working with us (there will be tax implications). You'll be sharing with other fundraisers, so it's a great way to get to know your team.

Whether you stay at home or with other fundraisers, you’ll be able to make the most of out-of-hours activities such as barbecues and watersports.

Accommodation is also provided for the annual Face-to-Face Training Conference at our headquarters in Poole, Dorset.