Chief executive jobs for the Animal sector

The Vacancy

**Part-time fixed term contract until December 2027 with possible extension. This is a new role that could be carried out 3 or 4 days a week **

Who we are

We are RCVS Knowledge, a charity with a mission to advance the quality of veterinary care for the benefit of animals, the public and society. We empower and support veterinary teams to provide evidence-based, quality care and improved animal health and welfare outcomes.  We are the charity partner of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). This role reflects our organisational values: integrity, collaboration, ambition, inclusion and empowerment

Job purpose

We are seeking a strategic, collaborative and experienced Head of income and partnerships to drive forward and deliver our plans for income growth and diversification in line with our 5-year organisational strategy.

This is a new, pivotal role at a defining moment for the organisation. As we evolve our operating model and ambitions, you will lead the development of a more diverse, sustainable and innovative income portfolio, ensuring we can continue to grow our impact in advancing the quality of veterinary care for the benefit of animals, the public and society.

Reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with your senior team colleagues, you will develop and implement our income generation strategy, unlocking opportunities across industry partnerships, trust and foundations and individual giving.

We’re looking for someone who is both strategically minded and comfortable with hands-on delivery, and who will take a proactive approach to building our income-generating capacity from the ground up.

Key responsibilities

Strategy and leadership

• Play a key role in developing and refining our income strategy to meet our organisational strategy and priorities
• Take a leadership role in income generation, collaborating with colleagues to identify and take forward opportunities for income generation and partnerships
• Advise the CEO and senior team on growth opportunities and strategic partnerships while providing coaching, guidance and support to the team on best practice in developing successful partnerships to generate income
• Encourage cross-team collaboration on income opportunities
• Work with the CEO and the rest of the senior team to set the annual business plan and budget, and monitor delivery and performance

Delivery

• Build, manage and deliver a pipeline of opportunities across multiple income streams, with a primary focus on industry partnerships, trusts and foundations, and the development of individual giving.

• Develop and secure high-value partnerships with carefully selected industry partners in line with our partnerships policy. Oversee stewardship of partners to develop successful strategic relationships in both the short and long term

• Work with senior team colleagues, clinical leads and other team members to develop compelling, outcome-driven cases for support
• Explore and support potential opportunities for income generation in other areas such as public sector and earned income.

Performance and compliance

• Monitor and report on progress towards KPIs and income targets
• Create and enhance systems, processes and tools to develop the charity’s income-generation capability
• Ensure compliance with fundraising regulation and best practice
• Work with finance colleagues on forecasting, reporting and income tracking.

Person specification

Essential

• Substantial experience leading income‑generation activity, including developing strategies, building pipelines and securing income across multiple streams
• Strong track record of developing and stewarding high‑value partnerships that deliver income and impact
• Experience personally leading successful bids, proposals and pitches
• Confidence operating both strategically and hands‑on within a small or medium-sized organisation
• Strong senior‑level stakeholder‑management skills and the ability to translate organisational strengths into compelling cases for support
• Solid financial literacy, including budgeting, forecasting and income tracking
• Clear understanding of best practice, governance and ethical considerations in income generation

Desirable

• Experience working within the veterinary or animal‑health sector, or in a similarly technical or evidence‑based environment
• Familiarity with developing income opportunities in collaboration with technical or clinical experts.

Closing date 21st June 2026

1st interviews (Online) 29th June or 2nd July 2026

2nd Interviews (In person) 7th July 2026

*The application page will give you a single 'Upload your CV' option. Please use this CV upload option to upload a single document that includes both a Cover letter and a CV within a single document. Please use the Cover letter to outline how your skills, experience and knowledge meets the essential criteria of the role*

A rare and newly-created opportunity to join David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) as Director of Development at a pivotal moment of growth. As part of the Senior Mangement Team (SMT) you will help shape the future direction of the Foundation, leading its fundraising strategy, inspiring support and delivering significant and sustainable income growth.

We are looking for a collaborative team player, who leads with integrity, warmth and passion. Experience in the conservation sector is an advantage but not a prerequisite. The right candidate will be the person who can prove that they are able to ignite action, build lasting relationships and generate meaningful growth in support of the DSWF’s mission.   

Throughout the interview process we’ll be keen to hear about your track record in fundraising at a leadership level and your experience of making an impact on an organisation of our size or larger. You will demonstrate how you develop strategies and implement them successfully, show an understanding of DSWF’s existing development portfolio, and a view on where you see you might help to take us over the next 3 years and beyond.

Application Process
To apply, please email a CV and supporting statement of no more than two pages no later than Monday 15th June.

JOB DESCRIPTION
Role: Director of Development (DoD)
Reports to: CEO
Works closely with: CEO/COO/CFO as part of the SMT
Line manages: Development Team: Development Manager, Trust and Foundations Manager, Development Executive, CRM Executive
Hours: Part-time, 28 hours per week (4 days)
Location: Hybrid working between the DSWF Shalford Office (GU4 8JU) for a minimum of two days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), and home with occasional travel
Annual Leave: 25 days per annum pro rata. Bank Holidays are also provided, and at DSWF’s discretion the office usually closes between Christmas and New Year (additional to annual leave)
Salary: Competitive executive-level salary dependent on experience and breadth of impact. Please ask for salary range on application.
Start date: Asap.

Summary of the Role
The Director of Development (DoD) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all fundraising income and supporter engagement activity at DSWF. The role is accountable for delivering sustainable, diversified revenue growth aligned with DSWF’s mission across conservation, education and art, while building lasting relationships with major donors, trusts, foundations, corporate partners and senior supporters.

Working in close partnership with the CEO, COO, CFO, and Board of Trustees, the DoD translates organisational strategy into compelling Cases for Support, effective fundraising plans and measurable outcomes. The postholder leads and develops a high-performing Development team, ensuring strong delivery and continuous improvement.

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Director shares responsibility for shaping the Foundation’s overall direction, contributing to governance, organisational culture and high-level strategic decision-making.

This is a pivotal position combining senior management with hands-on major gift fundraising and team leadership. Central to enabling the Foundation’s long-term impact and growth, the DoD is a driving force behind DSWF’s ability to successfully deliver its mission to protect endangered species in Africa and Asia.

Key responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
•Lead on the development, implementation, delivery and continuous refinement of DSWF’s multi-year Development strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and long-term financial sustainability.
•Advise the CEO and Trustees on fundraising performance, trends, risks and opportunities.
•Own and articulate the organisational Case/s for Support, ensuring a clear, compelling narrative that integrates conservation impact, education outcomes and artistic heritage.
•Working closely with the rest of the SMT, embed a culture of philanthropy across the organisation, enabling all team members, Trustees and ambassadors to actively support income generation.
•As part of SMT, be jointly responsible for over-arching decisions regarding the direction of the Foundation, its mission, strategies and culture.

Major & Strategic Fundraising
•Working closely with the CEO, cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of DSWF’s most significant donors and prospects, including major individual donors, trusts and foundations, legacy campaigns and strategic partners.
•Responsible, alongside the CEO, for the overall management of all corporate partnerships and sponsors.
•Design and lead bespoke solicitation strategies for new high-value prospects, involving the CEO, Trustees and senior colleagues as appropriate.
•Oversee the development of structured approaches to major giving, trusts & foundations, legacy giving and corporate partnerships.
•Have strategic oversight of lower-level individual giving programmes including appeals, regular individual giving and adoption schemes.
•Be responsible and ensure best practice in prospect research, due diligence, stewardship and ethical fundraising.

Team Leadership & Management
•Lead, manage and develop the Development team, setting clear objectives, KPIs and income targets aligned to the overall strategy.
•Ensure the structure, resourcing and capabilities of the team are fit for purpose and scalable as income grows.
•Coach and support all those within the organisation that are responsible for fundraising, providing professional leadership, mentoring and performance management.
•Lead on all training and offer career progression for all staff within the Development team.
•Foster strong collaboration between Development and all departments, including; Policy and Programmes, Marketing and Communications, Education, Art, Finance and Operations.

Supporter Engagement
•Represent DSWF externally with senior donors, partners and sector peers, enhancing the organisation’s profile and credibility.
•Oversee a high-quality supporter journey across all touchpoints, ensuring donors feel valued, informed and connected to impact including lower-level individual giving.
•Champion systematic all level stewardship, donor care and impact reporting to maximise retention, lifetime value and advocacy.
•Ensure accurate, GDPR-compliant data capture and effective use of CRM systems (Beacon) to drive insight-led fundraising.

Events
•This senior role will have overall responsibility for any fundraising or donor profile events (at present this would include the Wildlife Ball which is an annual fundraising/profile raising event that takes place at the Dorchester Hotel).
•Working closely with the rest of SMT, this role will direct the Development team to ensure that all events deliver optimum, high level donor experiences and are run professionally (with logistics and operational support from the COO and team).
•This role will have overall responsibility for ensuring the CEO has all information required to support engagement with donors at all events.

Governance & Reporting
•Report on Development performance to the CEO, SMT and Trustees, providing clear analysis against agreed targets.
•Work closely with Finance to support forecasting, budgeting and long-term income planning.
•Work closely with Finance and legal advisors in relation to all legal matters pertaining to legacies and bequests.
•Ensure all Development activity aligns with regulatory, governance and ethical standards.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
•Significant senior leadership experience in fundraising and development within complex, mission-driven non-profit organisations, at Director level or equivalent, where philanthropy is critical to organisational impact and growth.
•Significant experience in leading and delivering long-term development strategies, with a demonstrable track record of translating organisational ambition into clear, costed and achievable fundraising plans.
•Proven ability to set strategic direction across multiple income streams, establish measurable objectives and KPIs and use data and insight to monitor performance, evaluate impact and adapt approach over time.
•Experience of driving sustained income growth, strengthening donor pipelines, and delivering measurable outcomes aligned to organisational priorities and long-term sustainability.
•Deep understanding of the UK philanthropic landscape, with well-established networks across major donors, trusts and foundations, corporates and high-net-worth individuals and the ability to build credibility and influence rapidly at national and international levels.
•Demonstrable experience of leading and scaling fundraising income through periods of organisational change, growth or strategic transformation.
•Proven track record of securing transformational gifts and long-term partnerships from individuals, corporates, trusts and foundations.
•Strong history of inspirational leadership, team building and talent development, with the ability to motivate teams towards ambitious shared goals.
•Experience of working with public sector stakeholders and cross-sector partnerships to advance organisational objectives.
•Experience of implementing and embedding robust CRM systems and donor stewardship frameworks to support data-led decision making and excellent supporter journeys.

Personal Skills, Qualities and Attributes
•Exceptional interpersonal, communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage, influence and inspire a wide range of stakeholders.
•A collaborative team player who values partnership working and shared success.
•Strategic, visionary thinker with the confidence and credibility to operate at senior leadership and Board level, influencing internal and external decision-makers.
•A strong personal commitment to wildlife conservation, environmental protection and the role of philanthropy in driving long-term change.
•Clear alignment with DSWF’s mission, vision and values, and a genuine passion for advancing David Shepherd’s legacy through impactful fundraising.
•Entrepreneurial and opportunity-led mindset, with the confidence to set and pursue ambitious income and growth targets.
•Resilient, adaptable and resourceful, with the ability to navigate complexity, manage ambiguity and maintain momentum in a fast-evolving environment.
•Credible and compelling ambassador for DSWF, able to represent the organisation confidently with major donors, partners and at public-facing events.
•Willingness to travel and attend events as required to support donor engagement, stewardship and organisational visibility.
•Commitment to being actively engaged in the life of the organisation, contributing to its culture, leadership and long-term success.

Please note that as part of a small team, the role may include occasional additional duties to help meet the charity’s wider needs.

Application Process
To apply, please email a CV and supporting statement of no more than two pages no later than Monday 15th June.

Contract: 12-month fixed-term
Hours: Full-time – 5 days per week (37.5 hours)
Location: NSA Head Office, Malvern, with hybrid working by agreement
Reporting to: NSA Chief Executive
Salary: £34,500

About the National Sheep Association (NSA)

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is a membership charity supporting and promoting sheep farming throughout the UK. NSA delivers national and regional projects, events and partnerships to support sheep farmers, influence best practice and strengthen the sector.

Purpose of the Role

To lead and deliver NSA's communications, marketing and content activities, ensuring effective engagement with members, stakeholders, sponsors and the wider sheep sector. The role will oversee the production of NSA publications, including Sheep Farmer magazine, whilst developing and delivering marketing campaigns that support membership growth, event attendance, commercial income and organisational objectives. This is a 12-month fixed-term position intended to provide continuity during a period of organisational review and strategic development.

Key relationships with: All NSA staff, NSA regional officeholders, regional managers, event organisers and ram sale officers, plus the agricultural and wider press.

Management responsibilities:

• The NSA Communications Manager is part of the NSA Management Team, which meets regularly to ensure effective internal communication and decision-making.
• The NSA Communications Manager is the line manager for the Digital Communications Officer, Scottish Region Activities Officer, and Technical Communications Officer.

Job role

Communications

• Lead NSA's communications activity across print, digital and social media channels.
• Develop and deliver communication plans supporting NSA projects, events and campaigns.
• Ensure consistent messaging and brand standards across all communications.
• Produce content for member communications, website updates, newsletters and media releases.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with industry media and external stakeholders.

Marketing

• Develop and implement marketing campaigns to promote NSA membership, events, projects and commercial activity.
• Identify opportunities to improve audience engagement, conversion and retention.
• Work closely with regional teams to support local marketing activity.
• Monitor marketing performance and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Support development of NSA's future marketing strategy and implementation plans.

Sheep Farmer Magazine

• Act as Editor of Sheep Farmer magazine.
• Plan and manage editorial content, production schedules and publication deadlines.
• Liaise with contributors, advertisers, designers and printers.
• Ensure content aligns with NSA priorities and member interests.
• Support development and future evolution of NSA's publications.

Digital Communications

• Oversee management and development of NSA's digital channels.
• Work with the Digital Communications Officer to maximise engagement and reach.
• Support website content planning and digital campaigns.
• Utilise analytics and reporting to drive improvements.

Membership & Events

• Support promotion of NSA membership recruitment and retention initiatives.
• Support marketing and communications activity for NSA events.
• Work alongside colleagues to maximise attendance, sponsorship and commercial opportunities.

Management Responsibilities

• Line manage the Digital Communications Officer, Scottish Region Activities Officer, and Technical Communications Officer.
• Support collaborative working across the Membership & Communications Team.
• Contribute to organisational planning and cross-team projects.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience leading communications activity within an organisation.
• Experience planning and delivering marketing campaigns.
• Experience creating content across multiple communication channels.
• Experience managing publications, magazines or newsletters.
• Experience working with external stakeholders and media.

Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong copywriting and editing skills.
• Agricultural or rural sector knowledge.
• Marketing planning and campaign management experience.
• Digital communications and social media expertise.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong organisational and stakeholder management skills.

Personal Attributes

• Self-motivated and proactive.
• Creative and innovative thinker.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Enthusiastic about supporting the UK sheep sector.

Desirable Criteria

• Membership organisation experience.
• Editorial or publishing experience.
• Experience using CRM, website and email marketing platforms.
• Experience analysing campaign performance and audience data.

Apply for this role today, or enquire for more details.

To apply for this role, please email a covering letter, CV and completed application form to Aaron Dhanda, NSA Operations Director before midnight on Sunday 5th July 2026.
Interviews will take place during on Tuesday 14th July 2026.
Please use the same email address for any enquiries regarding the role.

A rare chance to build something from zero — and see your work move millions of pounds to the world's most effective charities.
 

The opportunity

In recent years, some of the biggest problems in the world have gotten worse.

• The decades-long decline in extreme poverty has slowed.
• Factory farming continues to grow, with 13 billion farmed animals killed annually in the U.S. alone.
• The rapid deployment of increasingly powerful AI systems raises questions about safety and alignment that remain largely unresolved.

What gives us hope is that research-backed, scalable, but grossly underfunded ways to make progress on these problems exist.

More than 11,000 people have pledged at least 10% of their income to the world's most effective charities through Giving What We Can's 10% Pledge. Our global community gives over £63 million every year, funding malaria prevention, poverty reduction, animal welfare, AI safety research, and more.

GWWC has over 5,000 UK donors. £12.5M came from the top 300 alone in 2025. Despite this, there has been virtually no proactive relationship management. We believe there's huge potential to increase this figure with dedicated, high-quality donor stewardship.

London is GWWC's largest concentration of community members: over 2,600 CRM contacts and over 500 active pledgers. It's the natural centre of gravity for events and in-person engagement, with a rich ecosystem of high-net-worth individuals aligned with effective giving.
 

What you'll do

Build deep, lasting relationships with donors and pledgers. You'll proactively manage a portfolio of GWWC's highest-value community members through 1:1 meetings, calls, and thoughtful follow-up. Expect 8 to 10 meaningful conversations per week: coffees, dinners, calls.

Guide donors toward the highest-impact giving. Think of it as philanthropic advising. You're helping people think through where their giving goes furthest, directing generosity toward GWWC-recommended, evidence-backed charities. You'll also inspire people to give more, helping them see why giving more significantly and effectively can transform the impact they have with their donations.

Run high-quality donor events. Intimate dinners, networking evenings, and community gatherings. You'll have an events budget and the freedom to experiment with formats that build connection.

Re-engage lapsed and non-reporting donors. When someone takes a pledge with GWWC, they commit to giving 10% of their income to effective charities. Some donors give through our platform (where we can track it), while others give directly to charities and report it back to us. Over time, many stop doing either: our data shows recording rates drop from 60% in year one to just 22% by year five without any proactive engagement. These aren't necessarily people who've stopped caring; many have simply drifted without anyone checking in. A single outreach test to 369 lapsed donors recovered $2.3M in reported donations. You'll do this systematically, bringing recording rates to around 70% for the group of people you're engaging with.

Inspire warm leads to take a giving pledge. Follow up with people who've attended events, expressed interest, or sit in our CRM but haven't yet committed. We expect approximately 80 new pledges per year from this work.

Build the strategy. You'll build the strategy in partnership with your counterpart in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a joint endeavour: together you'll develop the model for how GWWC does donor engagement, then adapt it for each geography to replicate globally.
 

What we're looking for

A social chameleon with high EQ. You can read a room and calibrate, holding your own at a black-tie dinner or a casual coffee with equal ease. Different donors need different things; you instinctively know which register to use.

Energised by getting out there. You're the kind of person who'd rather have ten meetings in a week than five. You want to be out in the world, meeting people, opening doors, and building relationships. Some weeks half your outreach will go unanswered, and that doesn't slow you down.

Highly organised and strategic. You're able to use a CRM to maximise the number and quality of interactions you have, thinking strategically about how to invest the most time on the highest-potential opportunities, whether that's inspiring new donors or stewarding existing ones to give more.

Super agentic. Give you KPI targets and a CRM and you'll build the strategy from there. You're the kind of person who doesn't need to be told what to do next, you just see what needs doing and get on with it.

You really care deeply about these issues. You find the core questions of effective giving compelling. You can talk about why cost-effectiveness matters without sounding robotic, and you come across as authentic because you actually care about these issues.

5+ years of relevant experience. In fundraising, philanthropy, donor stewardship, major gifts, high-touch relationship management, or senior sales and partnerships. We care about what you can do, not credentials, but this is a senior role that requires demonstrated experience.
 

Nice to haves

We definitely don't expect any candidate to have all of these.

• Experience or familiarity with global catastrophic risks, global health and wellbeing, or animal welfare as cause areas
• Experience in the effective altruism or effective giving ecosystem
• Experience running or hosting donor events
• Experience with HubSpot specifically (CRM proficiency is essential, but HubSpot experience is a bonus)
• Understanding of UK tax-efficient giving (Gift Aid, share donations via ShareGift, payroll giving)
• Being a GWWC pledger yourself
• People management aptitude (you may grow a small team over time)
   

Compensation and benefits

• £77,000 – £89,000 depending on experience You can see how we calculate pay in our public salary calculator. 
• Contract: One-year fixed-term contract with a three-month probation period. We're open to exploring making it permanent if the first year is successful.

Benefits include:

• Fully remote work (with regular in-person donor meetings and events as part of the role)
• 25 days paid leave + public holidays
• 10% employer pension contribution and private health insurance
• £4,000 annual professional development budget
• £4,000 annual mental health support budget
• The knowledge that your work moves millions of pounds to the world's most effective charities
   

About us

Giving What We Can is working towards a world without preventable suffering or existential risk, where everyone is able to flourish. We do this by making giving effectively and significantly a norm among those who can afford it.

Founded in 2009, we are best known for the 10% Pledge, where over 11,000 people have committed to donating at least 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities. Our larger community of ~20,000 pledgers and donors currently gives ~£63M annually, of which GWWC processes and grants £24M+ yearly through our own donation platform.

We're a lean, remote, performance-focused team. Our impact evaluation shows a 7x multiplier: every $1 spent on our operations generates $7 in donations to highly effective charities. We're committed to a high level of transparency. And we're growing fast, on track for more than 40% year-over-year growth on donations in 2026.

You'll report to: James Rayton, Director of Community & Partnerships
 

How to apply

You can apply by filling out the form linked in this job ad. We review applications on a rolling basis and will move quickly when we find the right person. Our process typically includes: application review → screening call → paid work test → interviews with James (line manager) and cross-functional team members → paid work trial → reference checks and interview with the CEO. We provide compensation for all work tests and trials.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Giving What We Can is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds.