Challenge Events Officer

Contract: Permanent, 35 hours per week

Salary: £26,660 to £31,000

Location: Burford OX18 4PF

Closing date: 21/01/2026

Interview date: 02/02/2026

Do you want to turn adrenaline into animal welfare?

At Blue Cross, we believe every pet deserves a healthy life in a happy home. We are looking for a passionate Challenge Events Officer to help us make that happen one marathon, muddy obstacle course, and skydive at a time.

This isn t just about marketing and logistics; it s about inspiring ordinary people to do extraordinary things for pets in need.

More about the role

As our Challenge Events Officer, you will be the driving force behind our third-party events portfolio. You will be the person who rallies the troops for the iconic London Marathon and recruits everyday heroes to take on challenges that change lives.

Reporting to the Community and Events Manager, you will be responsible for the full lifecycle of the fundraiser experience - from the moment they see an ad to the moment they cross the finish line.

What you ll be doing

• Championing the portfolio: You will take full ownership of our third-party challenge events, including managing our presence at major events like the London Marathon.

• Recruiting our heroes: You will develop and execute creative marketing plans to recruit participants using social media, paid advertising, and by engaging with our public-facing centres, hospitals, and shops.

• The ultimate cheerleader: You will design and deliver a sector-leading "stewardship journey." Your goal is to ensure every fundraiser feels supported, motivated, and maximized in their fundraising efforts.

• Managing the money: You will deliver and manage income and expenditure budgets, ensuring we stay on track and transparent in our financial reporting.

• Always Improving: You will review current processes and analyze fundraising activities with a sharp focus on improving Return on Investment (ROI).

• Staying ahead of the pack: You will research and benchmark our activity against the charity sector to ensure Blue Cross remains competitive and innovative.

• Innovating: You will help develop, implement, and evaluate new fundraising concepts to keep our offers fresh and exciting.

• Collaborating: You will work hand-in-hand with internal teams to ensure our marketing, recruitment, and supporter journeys are seamless.

• Upholding standards: You will ensure all challenge event activities follow best practices and compliance.

About you:

This role requires a highly organised individual with a passion for fundraising. The ability to manage multiple projects whilst consistently meeting deadlines is essential.

Experience in developing fundraising reports, managing income and expenditure budgets. Strong communication and a collaborative spirit are key, as is a creative mind for developing fundraising strategies. Flexibility for occasional travel and out of hours work is required.

Essential qualifications, skills, and experience

• Proven experience working in challenge event fundraising

• Demonstrable experience in researching, planning, delivering and evaluating a range of challenge event fundraising activities.

• The ability to develop and deliver marketing plans to recruit third party challenge event participants through a variety of channels.

• The ability to develop and execute an inspiring stewardship journey to maximise income generation.

• Experience of budget management including income and expenditure.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders (donors, sponsors, participants, volunteers, team members)

• Ability to lead on and manage a variety of projects with simultaneous priorities

• A full driving licence is required

• The ability to demonstrate, apply and understand our key Blue Cross Values

Desirable qualifications, skills, and experience

• Experience in obtaining corporate sponsorship for challenge events

• Experience working with fundraising databases (D365) and MS office suite to manage donor data, create reports and communicate effectively

• The ability to thrive in independent and collaborative environments

• A creative and innovative mind for developing marketing, stewardship and development strategies

How to apply

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on 21/01/2026.

Ready to hit the ground running? Apply today and help us change lives.

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it weren t for their amazing efforts and commitment, we wouldn t be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, we want to provide you with the best working environment we can.

With a wide range of perks aimed at enhancing your life both inside and outside of work, you'll
thrive in a supportive and rewarding environment.

Our generous benefits package includes:

• 38 days per year, increasing to 43 with service (including bank holidays). For part-time roles, holiday entitlement is calculated pro-rata.

• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution

• Life assurance

• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme

• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support

• Free access to GP via MetLife

• Recognition scheme

• Annual volunteer days

• Claim for professional fees

• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers.

We want you to feel valued and supported throughout your career with us. For more details on our benefits and to see how we invest in our team, visit the 'Why Work for Us' page on our website.

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.