James Williams

I provide down-to-earth advice and versatile support to help charities and social enterprises of all sizes meet funding, commercial, communications and operational challenges.

My aim as a consultant is to bring fresh thinking, ideas and enthusiasm grounded in real world experience of what works. For me, the win is in helping leaders build successful organisations that have the resources and platform they need to bring sustainable, practical benefit to people’s lives.

I provide both interim management and consulting on a day rate or per project basis. Through my wider network I can bring in extra pairs of hands and additional expertise to deliver what’s needed.

Clients

Recent assignments include:
– Now Teach – Establishing a new fundraising function focused on high level philanthropic support and providing interim fundraising leadership
– Beyond – Developing a new approach to corporate partnerships for this dynamic youth mental health charity
– Good Neighbours UK – Brand repositioning, marketing/comms strategy and ongoing strategic advice for this international development charity
– Teacher Development Trust – Scoping potential for new income streams and development of a forward fundraising strategy

Since 2020, I have been a Strategic Applicant Consultant at venture philanthropy fund The Fore, a role which involves selecting and preparing small charities and social enterprises for scale-up investment.

“James quickly grasped our situation and worked as both a thought partner to me as CEO as well as delivering. He’s flexible, adaptable in any crisis and delivers fantastic results.” Graihagh Crawshaw-Sadler, CEO, Now Teach

Qualifications

Postgraduate Diploma (Distinction) in Voluntary Sector Management from Bayes Business School
BA in History from Cambridge University
INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Programme
“Mini MBAs” in Marketing (Marketing Week & Mark Ritson) and Behavioural Science (Rory Sutherland)

Experience

I moved into freelance and consulting after 20 years working for social-purpose organisations in a variety of fundraising, business development, operations, marketing and senior leadership roles.

I spent ten years at the social welfare infrastructure charity In Kind Direct, seven as Deputy Chief Executive where I led on corporate partnerships, fundraising and commercial development before becoming Operations Director at The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund, with responsibility for the day to day and operational management of the charity and its commercial and charitable subsidiaries. I have also held Fundraising, Marketing and Operations leadership roles at the youth/education charities ReachOut and Envision.

I was Deputy Chair of Trustees of a leading poverty social enterprise in Sussex for six years and am actively involved in community and family life in Lewes, East Sussex.