Comic relief has a wide remit of roles, ranging from fundraising to Producers and editors, reflective of its unique status a charity that uses creativity and humour as the vehicle for fundraising. We’re not looking for degrees or titles but a genuine desire for working together to achieve our goal of a just world free from poverty.
Our Process
You might notice that our recruitment works a little different from the typical application process. We put more emphasis on your knowledge and skills rather than experience or qualifications. We do this via ‘anonymous recruitment’.
We minimised multiple forms of bias kicking into the process by limiting the amount of information our scorers can see. Though we collect CV’s, we do not use them for shortlisting. We want your knowledge to speak for itself and provide an equitable playing field for all our applicants.
We want candidates to do their best at the interview stage and will share questions 30 minutes before the interview. We have found that sharing questions in advance allows candidates to put their best foot forward and is more inclusive of neurodiverse candidates and those for whom English is not their first language.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at recruitment@comicrelief.com(opens in new window)
Safeguarding
The safety and well-being of everyone connected with our work is paramount. Safeguarding in recruitment is our top priority, and we take every step to ensure a safe and secure process. Your well-being matters to us, and we're dedicated to maintaining a safe environment throughout our recruitment journey.
Your safety is our mission, and we're here to ensure you feel comfortable every step of the way. We have a responsibility to prevent any harm, abuse, or exploitation. Once appointed, new recruits must agree and sign our mandatory policies and Safeguarding Code of Conduct and attend our mandatory training, in order to contribute to maintaining our high standard of safeguarding.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are integral values at Comic Relief. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace not only fosters creativity and innovation but also strengthens our community. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. Our dedication to DEIB extends throughout our recruitment process, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates.
We recognise the importance of representation, lived experience and actively seek to amplify voices that have been historically marginalised. Together, we strive to build a culture of belonging where every individual can thrive. Join us in our journey toward a more equitable and inclusive future.
AI
Comic Relief recognises that Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. Whilst AI offers numerous benefits, including aiding in research for application responses, we've observed a growing trend among applicants relying on AI-generated answers.
However, we've also noted significant drawbacks, often resulting in applicants being less successful in their applications. These pitfalls include a lack of real-life examples, misinterpretation of provided data and scenarios, and a limited ability to showcase essential soft skills like communication and teamwork.
To level the playing field and ensure fairness for all candidates, we strongly encourage responses to be written in candidates' own words, drawing from personal experiences and knowledge. This approach not only enhances transparency but also mitigates the unintended consequences of AI-generated responses. Additionally, we want to highlight that our recruitment tool, Beapplied, utilises AI-generated answers, enabling stakeholders in the hiring process to identify such responses effectively.
If we suspect answers to be AI generated, we may choose to compare the answers against the applicants CV
Careers - Cards DS - interview tops and our recruitment process
Interview tips
Download our useful guide of our top tips for interview success.
Our recruitment Process
Your insider's guide to understanding and acing the Comic Relief recruitment process!
Open Roles
We are currently hiring for a variety of roles at Comic Relief. You can see our open roles by clicking through to our recruitment platform below.
Recruitment FAQS
All the answers to the most frequently asked recruitment questions.
Unfortunately, Comic Relief is unable to support Tier 2 work visas. Applications that require a work visa will not be considered.
We appreciate the dedication and effort applicants invest in their submissions. Through collaboration with BeApplied, we've determined that three thoughtfully crafted questions provide sufficient insight for effective shortlisting.
CVs will undergo review in two distinct scenarios. Firstly, they will be examined just before an interview to provide the panel with a deeper understanding of your employment history, thereby facilitating a more informed interview process. Secondly, in instances where a large volume of applications yield identical scores, we may resort to reviewing CVs as part of our shortlisting process. While we strive to interview all qualified candidates, this approach allows us to prioritise those whose CVs align most closely with the role's requirements.
No. If offered a virtual interview, yet you decide to request a face-to-face interview, this will not increase your chances of being offered the role.
Unfortunately, not. If travel is a financial concern, please email HR and they will consider offering you a virtual interview.
Reasonable adjustments for an interview are simply changes or accommodations made to ensure that everyone, regardless of their individual needs or circumstances, can participate fully and fairly in the interview process. It's all about creating a level playing field and making sure that no one is disadvantaged because of a disability or other factors.
These adjustments could be anything from providing wheelchair-accessible facilities to allowing extra time for those who may need it. Essentially, it's about being flexible and understanding that everyone has different needs and abilities. By making these adjustments, we create a more inclusive and welcoming environment where everyone can showcase their skills and talents to the best of their ability. After all, diversity is our strength, and by embracing it, we can ensure that our team truly represents the rich tapestry of human experience.
It's important to inform HR about any disabilities you might have during a recruitment process for several reasons. Firstly, it allows HR to make necessary accommodations to ensure that the recruitment process is accessible to you. By knowing about your disabilities, HR can provide reasonable adjustments such as scheduling interviews at accessible locations, providing alternative formats for assessments, or arranging for support services like sign language interpreters.
Secondly, disclosing disabilities allows HR to better understand your needs and how they can support you throughout the recruitment process and beyond. They can provide additional information about the organisation's commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as any employee support programs or resources available.
Moreover, informing HR about your disabilities demonstrates your proactive approach to communication and problem-solving, which are valuable skills in any workplace. It also helps to build trust and transparency between you and the hiring team, setting a positive tone for the employer-employee relationship from the start.
Overall, disclosing disabilities to HR during a recruitment process is not only important for ensuring equal opportunities but also for facilitating a smoother and more inclusive experience for everyone involved.
Comic Relief will not use your personal information for anything outside of recruitment. Diversity data is used for reporting purposes in order to feed into our processes, however we cannot see this information on an individual level. After 12 months, all information is wiped out.
Many roles at Comic Relief will be advertised as hybrid, offering a blend of office-based and remote work. For most positions, you'll be required to work in our London office two days a week. However, we understand the value of remote work and may consider candidates outside of London at the discretion of the hiring manager. In such cases, if a remote candidate is selected, the salary will be adjusted to align with the local area, which may impact the overall compensation package.
Yes, you are able to apply for as many roles as you wish. Previous unsuccessful applications will not impact your current applications. Each application will be reviewed on a case by case basis by a variety of panelists.
We strive to provide feedback to all applicants, though this may not always be possible. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, your application will be promptly declined. For those who meet the criteria, your application will be evaluated and scored, which may take some time. We require input from three or more panellists to ensure fairness and accuracy in the scoring process. Following scoring, top-ranking applicants will be invited for interviews, while the majority will unfortunately not proceed further. You will receive your application score, but we are unable to offer additional details. Additionally, we may temporarily pause action on some applications that did not receive interview invitations, allowing for potential replacements in case of candidate withdrawals. If you are unsuccessful in the interview stage, please allow up to a week for personalised feedback from the panel.
Our interview process is tailored to ensure fair evaluation of each role's criteria. Some positions may require multiple stages, particularly for leadership roles, while others may involve a task. However, all interviews will consist of at least two panelists asking competency-based questions. Additionally, we prioritise Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) as well as safeguarding, and thus, we include questions focused on these core values in all interviews.
Please reach out to the RO (Recruitment Officer). The RO will liaise with the panel to explore potential flexibility regarding interview dates. However, it's important to note that interview dates are typically scheduled weeks in advance. While we strive to accommodate alternative times and dates, especially in urgent situations, we may be unable to do so. In such cases, we may regrettably need to proceed without your availability
A STAR template answer is a structured way of responding to behavioural interview questions. Here's what it stands for:
S - Situation: Begin by setting the scene. Describe the context or situation you were in.
T - Task: Next, explain the task or challenge you were faced with. What needed to be accomplished?
A - Action: Then, detail the actions you took to address the situation or task. What specific steps did you take, and why?
R - Result: Finally, discuss the results or outcomes of your actions. What happened as a result of your efforts? Try to quantify the impact if possible.
Using the STAR template helps you provide a clear and concise response that highlights your abilities and experiences effectively. It guides you through structuring your answer in a way that makes it easy for the interviewer to understand and evaluate your skills and competencies.
Inclusive Hiring
Inclusive Hiring
We recognise diversity and inclusion are a source of strength in achieving our mission. We therefore welcome everyone, trusting what makes us different brings creativity, different styles and experiences to help us collectively do our best work. That’s regardless of your gender, ethnicity, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and cultural identity. We especially welcome those from under-represented groups in modern grant-making and fundraising.
Inclusivity
We are on a journey, but if you join our team you will be part of a community that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where we want you to:
Be valued for being yourself
Do your best work, and be supported to break down barriers so you can succeed
Be heard, respected, and treated as an equal, whatever your level, experience or background
Be part of a team that is committed to making this happen – with our colleagues, partners, and contributors.
Disability Confident scheme
As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we take positive action by providing first-round interviews to candidates who have a registered disability, provided they meet the minimum criteria for the role, as demonstrated on their CV.
We ask that candidates that wish to be considered for this scheme indicate so in the relevant area of the job application, or email j.scott@comicrelief.com(opens in new window) to discuss further.
The Mayor's Good Work Standard
The Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard was officially launched in summer 2019 – part of his commitment to making London the best city in the world to work. We are pleased to be one of the first official Good Work Standard employers in London. We believe this is an important recognition of our commitment to our people providing them with a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace.
Pride
Comic Relief is proud to support Pride. We respect and support everyone’s right to choose who they want to be and who they choose to love. So for over 25 years, we’ve funded work that has challenged stigmas, fought for equal rights, and supported those who have been marginalised and discriminated against.
Living Wage Employer
Comic Relief has been accredited as a London Living Wage employer.
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the 'Mini mum Income Standard' for the UK.
For more information on the Living Wage and being a Living Wage employer, please visit the Living Wage Foundation website.