New Look Fundraising Team for Practical Action

Practical Action, the Rugby-based international development charity, has announced two new recruits to its fundraising leadership team. Ruth Baker will be joining as Head of Major Partnerships and Lisa Gardner as the organisation’s Supporter Care Manager. A third post – Head of Individual Giving – is currently being advertised. Both Ruth and Lisa will be working to longstanding Practical Action staffer Jackie Taylor, the charity’s head of Fundraising. The duo join hot on the heels of Rachel Hudson, the new Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications at Practical Action, who herself started in January this year.

Paul Smith Lomas, Chief Executive said. “Practical Action is a dynamic go ahead charity with big ambitions for the future. We want to help many more people get the technology that can make a life changing difference to their lives in the developing world. These two new members of staff, together with Rachel as our new Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications and the new head of Individual Giving - for which we are currently advertising - will form a core part of the team that will deliver this ambitious growth. It’s an exciting time to be part of Practical Action and I welcome them all to the team.”

Rachel Hudson joined Practical Action in January 2016 from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust where she was Director of Marketing, Communications and Development. Prior to that she worked with DMS a direct marketing agency with various clients such as CAFOD, Send a Cow, Everychild and Oxfam, and in marketing roles with a range of other charities and private sector companies. She has also been a Board member for a number of non profit organisations for both international and national issues.

Lisa Gardner arrives at Practical Action from the commercial sector where she was previously the Senior Operations Manager for Customer Service and Fulfilment at Bravissimo Ltd. As Supporter Care Manager, Lisa will be responsible for building long term relationships with Practical Action’s 40,000 plus donors.

As Head of Major Partnerships at Practical Action, Ruth brings many years of experience to the sector, most recently as Head of Fundraising at Doctors of the World UK, part of the Médecins du Monde network, where she devised and launched individual and major giving programmes and managed all high-value funding relationships.

Candidates interested in applying for the final vacancy – that of Head of Individual Giving – are asked to further details of the position from: Marylebone Associates website maryleboneasociates.com/jobs/head-of-individual-giving-direct-marketing. For an informal confidential discussion call Richard Evans on 07958 984161 or 020 3126 4858.