At some point you’re likely to move on and one of the hardest things to do is create a good handover document. Whether you’re leaving for good or bad reasons, always remember that the sector is small and you’re likely to meet the people you’re working with again at some point, be it a conference, event, socially or even as friends of friends.
To help you I’ve come up with a document that may help you think about what might need to be included in your handover work.
When Your Database Person Leaves
A guide for fundraising and finance leaders who can’t afford to drop the ball
In high-performing fundraising teams, your database person isn’t just managing systems. They are protecting your income, stewarding supporter trust, and translating strategy into selections, dashboards and insight.
So when they leave, whether with notice or out of the blue, the consequences can be immediate and far-reaching. Direct Debit fails, mailing deadlines slip, Gift Aid claims stall. But the biggest risk? Losing institutional knowledge that took years to build.
This playbook is for senior fundraisers and finance leads who want to move quickly, prioritise well, and keep campaigns, reporting and compliance running smoothly. Whether you are planning a structured handover or already navigating the fallout, here’s what to do next.
1. If They’re Still In Post: Extract the Right Knowledge
Before you even touch recruitment, you need to extract and protect the value that lives in their head.
a. Build More Than a Handover
Most handovers focus on where things live. The best handovers focus on what matters most. Get your leaver to document:
- Weekly and monthly tasks that protect income or insight
- Regular data exports and who they go to
- Reporting routines for IG, SMT and Trustees
- Campaign processes, segmentation logic and drop schedules
- Finance and Gift Aid processes with timing dependencies
- Known bugs, fixes, workarounds and legacy pain points
- Key external contacts and who owns each relationship
- Shortcuts, automations or manual interventions that others won’t spot
Encourage honesty. Get clarity on what works, what’s duct-taped together, and what’s still sitting on the someday list.
b. Build a Timeline That Tells the Story
Ask for a bullet point timeline showing what’s changed during their time in post. Focus on:
- Major external changes like GDPR, PECR updates or PCI reviews
- Internal changes like CRM migrations, campaign redesigns or income coding shifts
- System and tool upgrades (and why they were made)
- Strategic reports or dashboards introduced
- External agencies, tech partners or data suppliers brought in
- Key fundraising campaigns supported or influenced
- Projects or systems that didn’t deliver what they promised
This gives your next hire a running start and stops your team reinventing the wheel.
c. Capture the Unfinished Work
Some of the highest value lies in what didn’t get done. Ask your database person to share:
- Outstanding tickets or feature requests
- Backlog reports or insights still on the wishlist
- Tools or approaches they didn’t have time to implement
- Ideas for data structure, campaign process or supporter journeys
- Early-stage conversations with other teams or external partners
This backlog becomes your shortlist for prioritisation in the months ahead.
d. Get Serious About Access
Make sure your database person securely hands over:
- Admin-level credentials for your CRM, email platform and form tools
- Gift Aid and HMRC access and submission processes
- Secure credentials for financial reconciliation platforms
- Passwords for survey tools, fulfilment portals, third-party software
- Access to shared drives, secure folders or password managers
- A list of who else internally holds access rights (and where gaps exist)
Losing access is the fastest way to lose time, trust and revenue.
2. If They’ve Already Gone: Triage and Stabilise
If the departure has already happened, it’s time to assess the damage and stabilise critical processes.
a. Prioritise by Risk, Not Panic
Start with a 30-day view. Identify:
- Upcoming appeals, renewals or newsletters
- Regular giving or income streams needing database input
- Reporting deadlines for SMT, Board or funders
- Regulatory or compliance deadlines (e.g. Gift Aid claims)
- Known single points of failure in systems or access
Then look further out. Are you preparing for a reforecast, an audit or a peak campaign? Build a timeline and assign clear ownership.
b. Don’t Leave a Vacuum
Assign someone internally to act as data lead, even temporarily. They don’t need deep technical skills. They need the trust of the team, a working knowledge of your processes, and the authority to escalate when needed.
If that’s not possible, get external support. At Actually Data, we offer interim database and insight support for charities going through recruitment, restructures or unexpected departures. We can keep your appeals on track, your reports running and your reputation intact.
3. When Hiring: Think Like a Top Performer
If you’re in a growth charity or a data-mature fundraising team, this is your chance to level up the role.
a. Redesign the Role Around Today’s Needs
Many database roles have grown out of legacy systems or accumulated responsibilities. Ask:
- Are we looking for a data manager, an insight analyst or a systems lead?
- Is this one role, or two jobs crammed into one?
- Which skills do we want to buy in, and which do we want in-house?
- How much time should this person spend on campaign support vs system maintenance?
Start from strategy, not job title.
b. Recruit for Value, Not Just Fit
The best candidates can spot what your team really needs, not just what the job description says. That might be campaign experience, finance literacy, digital integration, or training and documentation skills. Don’t limit yourself to database lifers. The right person might be sitting in a fundraising, digital or insight team right now.
c. Structure the Role for Success
If your last database person sat outside fundraising or reported into IT, now is the time to rethink. High-performing teams ensure their database and insight roles:
- Sit close to income generation
- Have a seat at the table in planning meetings
- Get access to fundraising results and supporter feedback
- Are not treated as post-room logistics or ticketing support
Data is a strategic asset. Treat the people who manage it accordingly.
d. Get Support With the Process
We’ve supported dozens of charities to find, assess and hire strong candidates, from re-scoping the role to salary benchmarking, writing the job ad and designing technical assessments. If you need cover during the process, we can provide interim support that keeps everything moving while you hire. We’re not a recruiter. We’re a specialist partner who knows what good looks like.
Final Word
When your database person leaves, you’re not just losing a colleague. You’re risking continuity, insight, income and compliance. But you also have an opportunity. You can surface the knowledge that’s been hidden in one role. You can strengthen handovers, improve documentation and rethink how you structure data support. Whether you need interim cover, recruitment support or just someone to talk it through with, Actually Data can help. We protect your campaigns, your compliance and your supporter experience. Even when your team is in transition.
Here’s a resournce that you can use to help you “leave well” when you’re moving to your next exciting challenge
Really useful, thanks Ant!