Quick CV Dropoff
Want to hear about the latest non-profit and public sector opportunities as soon as they become available? Upload your CV below and a member of our team will be in touch.
October - December 2025
Non-Profit Recruitment Insights Report
Quarterly report analysing recruitment trends, challenges and improvements within the non-profit sector.
Recruitment insights to support recruiting and retaining talent
Our latest report below analyses data from the non-profit sector for:
- The number of live permanent, temporary and fixed-term contract vacancies
- Availability of hybrid and remote working roles
- Key job discipline hiring, including; fundraising, finance, marcomms, HR & CEO
The data below was obtained between October - December 2025 from non-profit specialist job boards and agencies.
Key non-profit trends this quarter:
- A significant increase in candidate availability - Although applications to live roles declined in Q4, candidate registrations increased by 66% suggesting growing candidate availability alongside more selective application behaviour.
- Slight decline in fully remote roles - Data suggests a modest shift away from fully remote roles and a slight increase in on-site vacancies, however hybrid roles continue to remain the dominant source of live vacancies across the sector.
- Signs of a more stable job market - While vacancy numbers are down year-on-year, the flat quarter-on-quarter picture suggests a market that has stabilised rather than continued to weaken.
2025 Q4 live vacancies
Vacancy levels remained broadly stable in Q4, suggesting a labour market that has levelled off after a prolonged period of decline. Early ONS estimates show total vacancies at 729,000 between September and November 2025, down by just 2,000 roles (-0.2%) on the previous quarter.
Within the non-profit sector specifically, Q4 vacancy levels fell sharply compared to Q3, but the identical decline seen in Q4 2024 indicates a consistent seasonal pattern rather than a deterioration in demand.
While vacancy numbers are down year-on-year, the flat quarter-on-quarter picture suggests a market that has stabilised rather than continued to weaken. This aligns with CIPD Labour Market Outlook data for Autumn 2025 showing sustained recruitment intentions despite low net employment growth.
This will be important as we have also seen an increase in candidate availability, indicating a gradual shift towards a more balanced job market.
Live jobs advertised by job function
*O&SS - This includes roles in administration, PA & executive support, operations, legacy support, membership, programmes, projects, research & policy, data, supporter care.
Across most job functions, live vacancies fell both quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year in Q4, consistent with year-end seasonality and a more cautious hiring environment. However it is notable that CEO and leadership roles proved comparatively resilient.
Live vacancies by job type
Data tracked here is for live vacancies within the non-profit sector advertised as permanent, temporary and fixed-term contract.
This quarter, the share of permanent, temporary and fixed-term contract roles advertised stayed consistent with Q3.
8%
average temporary vacancies
24%
average contract vacancies
68%
average permanent vacancies
Flexible working
Hybrid, fully remote & on-site vacancies
Hybrid working remained the dominant model in Q4, with little change quarter-on-quarter and having stayed consistently at around 50% of all jobs posted in 2025. However, the data suggests a modest shift away from fully remote roles and a slight increase in on-site vacancies, indicating a gradual re-tightening of location expectations (rather than a reversal of flexible working).
151
Average number of live entry-level vacancies
Entry level roles
Roles advertised as entry-level in Q4 were down by 20% when compared to the previous quarter, but have remained consistently at an average of 10% of all live vacancies throughout 2025.
Although the distribution of entry-level roles has remained stable, we will continue to monitor this figure closely due to the anticipated impact that artificial intelligence and automation may have on this sector in the near future.
However, employers should be cautious about eliminating entry-level positions entirely. These roles are critical for developing future talent, bringing in fresh perspectives, and maintaining workforce sustainability. A balanced approach, combining entry-level and more experienced hires, allows organisations to remain efficient while investing in the long-term pipeline of skills and organisational knowledge.
2025 Q4 TPP candidate application & availability data
Applications to live roles declined in Q4, while new candidate registrations increased significantly over this reporting period, suggesting growing candidate availability alongside more selective application behaviour. This pattern indicates longer decision-making cycles and may represent latent demand that could translate into increased hiring momentum as market confidence returns.
29%
decrease in average responses to live jobs YoY
66%
increase in permanent candidate availability in Q4 compared to Q3
15%
decrease in average responses to live jobs in Q4 compared to Q3
With data suggesting a market that is stabilising rather than deteriorating and increased candidate availability in Q4, there are cautious signs of optimism for employers in 2026.
Key pain points
- Cautious hiring decisions and longer approval cycles, with increased scrutiny around role scope and cost.
- Candidate hesitancy despite increased availability, with application volumes down and candidates prioritising security and stability.
- Persistent pressure in specialist skill areas, particularly experienced fundraising, digital, data and transformation roles.
- Salary constraints versus candidate expectations, continuing to stall recruitment, especially at mid-to-senior levels.
Opportunities
- Improved shortlisting conditions for organisations with clear briefs and realistic salary benchmarking.
- Greater appetite for flexible and interim solutions to manage delivery risk and financial resilience.
- Stronger returns from re-engaging known talent pools in a more cautious candidate market.
- Opportunity to strengthen employer proposition, with purpose, flexibility and culture playing a greater role as salary growth slows.
Recruitment activity has not stalled, rather it has become more selective, more deliberate and more outcome-focused. Organisations that approach hiring strategically, remain open to flexible resourcing models, and invest in candidate experience are best placed to navigate the current market and build sustainable teams for the year ahead.
