Mark Jefferies
Member Profile: Mark Jefferies
january 2003
Name: MARK JEFFERIES
Position: Principal and Chief Executive
Company: CRAIGMYLE & CO LTD
e-mail: first(at)craigmyle.org.uk
Web: http://www.craigmyle.org.uk/
FACT FILE | |
Main business areas: fundraising, marketing and strategic consultancy. | Date business started: 1959 |
Number of consultancy staff: 16 | Countries of operation: UK, Netherlands |
THE BUSINESS
What range of clients do you serve?
Craigmyle works across the whole of the sector. We are actively working for national charities, in education, health and conservation, and for ecclesiastical organisations.
How has your business evolved since it was started?
The business started with its main emphasis being on single fundraising campaigns for schools. Since then it has evolved and expanded to serve a wide range of clients across the whole of the third sector. At this stage in our development, schools are still an important part of the business, but now represent well under half of our client base, reflecting considerable growth in other areas.
In addition, the nature of our business has changed. We are still working on campaigns, but are providing much more strategic support to our clients. We offer supporting consultancy, training, development etc, with the emphasis on long-term support. This change from management to support is a reflection of the move by institutional charities to develop their own resources. This shift can also be seen in UK universities. 20 years ago none of them had a development department, now practically all of them do. The same is true for schools. Therefore our strategy is to support in-house operations overall, rather than managing single campaigns.
Where will your consultancy be in a few years time?
We see the UK as our key market, and that will remain so. We will continue the shift away from parachuting in to do a job and moving on - we will increasingly work towards building a long-term consultancy relationship with our clients, where we are retained to offer strategic advice, interim management and other services according to the need. This will result in much more marketing and strategic consulting, with fundraising really only being viewed as the end product of an overall strategy.
Which opportunities and threats do you see for your work in the sector and for the development of NPOs?
The UK government's increasing dependence on the voluntary sector is a definite opportunity, but it is also a threat. There is the potential for the voluntary sector to work more efficiently, be more effective and for the government to save money. However, the danger is that the sector will move towards being an arm of government and therefore be subjected to too many statutory controls. Over-regulation would not be good for the sector.
Another major issue is donor fatigue, especially in national charities. With all the emphasis on the ask and not enough on support and replenishing the reservoir, particularly in the case of the bigger charities, donor fatigue is set to become a major issue. This is an example of the fact that even the big charities are in need of support and advice, however sophisticated their internal structures are. There is a slowness on the part of many organisations in realising the value of external expert support. The challenge is to convince such organisations that consultancy can build business rather than be a threat to internal structures.
Which sources of information do you find most useful in your business:
- Trade magazines
We subscribe to most of the major trade magazines.
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Web Sites
I don't personally have a great deal of time for browsing, so just use the internet if I have to refer to a site for specific information.
EUCONSULT MEMBERSHIP
Why did you join EUConsult?
We wanted to keep abreast of what is happening in the sector outside of the UK and to be able to spot any opportunities in Europe. Although there is more than enough work for us in UK, the UK is a part of Europe and with UK charities looking towards Europe, we want to be able to follow developments. Also, we may well decide at some point in the future to expand a specific area of our business - education, health or whatever - into Europe and want to keep a broad view of what is going on.
With which other EUConsult members have you found the opportunity to cooperate on projects?
None.
BACKGROUND INFO
Where and what did you study?
I took part in a degree-equivalent industrial career scheme which included three years of army service.
How did you first get involved in NPO consultancy?
I started my career in industrial marketing and then went to work for Craigmyle in 1980.
What interests you most about staying in the field?
The vocational commitment of the vast majority of people in the sector is extremely important. Also the variety of the work involved and the challenges that go hand in hand with the growing importance of the non-profit sector in the country.
What do you do to relax and forget your consultancy work?
Windsurfing, house renovation, reading, walking - however, all these interests are limited to a greater or lesser degree by the demands of my five year old son!
