Spread a Smile UK

About

Spread A Smile is a UK charity bringing joy and laughter to seriously ill children and young people in NHS hospitals and hospices, through in-person and virtual visits and events.

In early 2026, Spread a Smile partnered with Prospectus to launch three priority recruitment campaigns back-to-back in just under four weeks, with the first two roles going live on 6 January and the third launching on 2 February. The tight window mattered – these weren’t standalone hires, but three interlocking appointments that strengthened the organisation’s core infrastructure at pace:

• Fundraising Database Manager
• HR and Operations Manager
• Head of Service Delivery

The Brief

Spread a Smile was scaling its activity and needed to ensure the right infrastructure was in place behind the scenes—strengthening:

• Fundraising operations and insight – ensuring supporter data, income processing and reporting were robust, compliant and fit for scale (Fundraising Database Manager).
• Internal people and operational management – building strong HR processes and smooth-running office operations, with a focus on governance, compliance and organisational effectiveness (HR and Operations Manager).
• Safe, consistent service delivery – providing hands-on operational leadership to oversee scheduling, systems and day-to-day delivery across both hospital visits and virtual services (Head of Service Delivery).

Across each appointment, Spread a Smile needed individuals who could combine strong technical capability with a warm, values-led approach—thriving in a small, mission-driven organisation.

Our Approach

Prospectus supported Spread a Smile through end-to-end recruitment across all three hires, including:

• Collaborative scoping to sharpen the brief and define the non-negotiables (particularly where roles blended operational delivery with stakeholder management).
• Targeted search and outreach to reach candidates with relevant charity-sector experience and strong transferable skills.
• Structured shortlisting and assessment focused on both capability and cultural alignment.
• Offer management and onboarding support to help each appointment land well and transition smoothly into post.

As Spread a Smile’s Director of Services, Laura shared:

“Prospectus were super helpful, responsive and supportive through every stage of the process. I particularly valued the regular check-ins, nudging gently if I didn’t respond (understanding how busy I am) and the kind, supportive nature of Victoria.”

The Outcome: Three successful appointments

Fundraising Database Manager – A data-driven fundraising professional with hands-on experience in CRM administration (including Donorfy), data cleansing and staff training. Strong reporting and insight capability, including dashboarding and KPI tracking, and a track record of improving processes through automation and digital tools to create efficient, intuitive systems.

HR and Operations Manager – An operations and people professional with experience overseeing multi-site operations, HR processes and governance support in regulated environments. Skilled in compliance and safeguarding-led practice, budgeting and supplier management, and confident using HR systems (including CharlieHR) to strengthen reporting, consistency and staff experience.

Head of Service Delivery – An experienced programme and service leader with a strong background in managing delivery across complex, people-centred services. Brings strengths in stakeholder management, budgeting and performance monitoring, alongside a clear commitment to safeguarding and high-quality service standards.

If you would like support in sourcing exceptional service delivery talent into a role in your organisation, find out more about our Service Delivery Recruitment, or reach out to the team.