12 Chief executive jobs for the Animal sector

We are seeking an experienced, inspirational and forward-thinking Head of Dog Training & Client Services to lead one of the charity's most important service areas. 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and forming part of the Senior Leadership Team, this role provides strategic and operational leadership across our Training Department, including Puppy Development, Dog Supply, Instructor Services and Client Services functions.

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to shape the future of our training and client services, lead a dedicated team of professionals, and ensure the highest standards of support for both our beneficiaries and assistance dogs. 

As Head of Dog Training & Client Services, you will be responsible for the overall leadership, performance and development of the Training Department. 

You will work closely with senior staff to ensure the successful delivery of our assistance dog programmes, while driving continuous improvement, innovation and organisational growth. 

The role combines strategic leadership with operational oversight and is ideal for someone who is passionate about achieving excellent outcomes for both people and dogs. 

Want to use your fundraising experience to create real, visible change for thousands of Sri Lankan street dogs? Join a small, ambitious charity where your ideas, relationships and fundraising expertise can have a direct impact.

WECare Worldwide is looking for an experienced and hands-on Head of Fundraising to join us for a 12-month maternity cover and take ownership of our fundraising strategy and income generation.

We are a UK- and Sri Lanka-registered animal welfare charity providing international-standard veterinary care to street dogs in Sri Lanka. We are a small and collaborative organisation, so this is a role for someone who enjoys combining strategic fundraising leadership with hands-on delivery. You will work closely with the CEO and colleagues across WECare to help shape how we grow our income, while remaining actively involved in the day-to-day fundraising work needed to deliver results.

A major focus will be our individual giving and digital fundraising, including online donations, regular giving and fundraising appeals. This is currently one of our most important sources of income, and we’re looking for someone who can help us strengthen supporter engagement, improve donor journeys and identify opportunities to grow sustainable income.

You’ll also play a key role in developing our grants and trusts & foundations income, from identifying opportunities and building compelling applications through to reporting and stewardship. Alongside this, you’ll nurture and develop major donor relationships and explore the right corporate partnership opportunities for WECare.

This is very much a role for someone who enjoys both thinking strategically and getting things done. You might be developing the fundraising plan one day, working on a significant grant application the next, reviewing digital fundraising performance, shaping an appeal or speaking directly with a donor or potential partner.

You’ll work with colleagues across the organisation to turn the incredible work happening on the ground in Sri Lanka into compelling stories, funding propositions and campaigns that inspire people to support WECare.

We’d love to hear from you if you have a strong track record in fundraising, particularly across individual giving, trusts and foundations, major donors or other high-value income streams. You’ll be commercially aware, comfortable working with targets and forecasts, confident building relationships and happy taking initiative in a fast-moving environment.

Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who genuinely wants to make an impact. WECare is an ambitious organisation with big plans, but we remain small enough that the person in this role can make a tangible difference to both our fundraising direction and the animals our work exists to help.

Location: Remote
Contract: Fixed-term, 12-month maternity cover
Reporting to: CEO

Please see the full Job Description for further details about the role and experience we’re looking for.

A varied, practical support role at the heart of Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

Executive Assistant
Salary: Starting in the region of £25,526 per annum, pro rata for part time
Salary band: Rank 5 (£25,526 - £28,978 per annum FTE)
Contract type: Permanent
Working hours: Full time or Part Time
Location: Bickley Hall Farm, Malpas, SY14 8EF – Hybrid Working

About Us

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is the region’s leading independent wildlife charity working across Cheshire, Halton, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Warrington and Wirral for over 60 years.

Wildlife is in decline and the climate crisis is accelerating — but change is possible. At Cheshire Wildlife Trust, we’re working towards a bold vision: by 2030, nature is in recovery and more people are taking action for wildlife.

About You and the Role

At Cheshire Wildlife Trust, we’re working for a wilder future across Cheshire. We’re looking for a capable, conscientious Executive Assistant to help our CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees stay organised, informed and on track.

This is a hands-on administrative role in a small, friendly charity. You’ll help arrange meetings, share papers, track actions, maintain records, support communications and make sure the right people have what they need at the right time.

The role will suit someone organised, dependable and detail-focused: a practical all-rounder who takes pride in accuracy, follows through on tasks and enjoys keeping things running smoothly.

You may have experience as an administrator, team assistant, office coordinator, secretary, governance assistant or similar. You’ll be confident using common office systems, communicating clearly and warmly, and handling confidential information with care.

In return, you’ll join a welcoming organisation with varied work, great benefits, flexible full or part-time hours and the chance to support work that helps nature recover across Cheshire.

At Cheshire Wildlife Trust we embrace agile working with a focus on supporting you to achieve your objectives alongside a healthy work-life balance. We operate a hybrid working policy with most staff working at least part of the week from home and/or out on site.

We are open to both full-time and part-time applicants. We’re happy to discuss working patterns with candidates.

Closing date: Sunday 4 October 2026

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

You may be required to carry out a DBS check for this role.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Sorry, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position

No agencies please.

This is an opportunity to join a dynamic and successful fundraising, engagement and communications team, helping to drive forward an organisation that is seeking to grow and develop to meet a changing conservation environment for whales and dolphins.

We are looking for someone that can lead a team but will also be a fundraiser in their own right, willing to initiate and take on projects. They need the experience to drive the strategic direction, innovation, and operational excellence needed to grow fundraising income, strengthen brand awareness and deepen engagement with donors and supporters.

The successful candidate will be an important part of WDC’s senior management team, working closely with the CEO and other senior colleagues to lead the organisation into its next stage of development, building resilience and impact in all that we do.

About us

Greyhound Rescue Wales (GRW) is Wales’ leading charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming greyhounds and lurchers. Founded in 1993, we have spent more than three decades championing the welfare of sighthounds and working towards our vision: a Wales without greyhound racing, where every greyhound and lurcher has a home and receives the best possible care.

In April 2026, after 25 years of determined campaigning to improve welfare and regulation within the racing industry, legislation to ban greyhound racing in Wales was finally passed. This landmark achievement marks the beginning of a new chapter for GRW as we expand our reach and capacity across the UK to ensure every greyhound leaving the racing industry has a rescue space, medical support and rehabilitation on the journey towards their forever home.

To help us grow sustainably and strengthen our long‑term impact, we are now seeking to develop our fundraising team with the creation of a Head of Fundraising role. You will lead and work closely with the Trusts & Foundations Officer, Sponsorship & Individual Giving Officer and Community & Events Fundraiser to deliver an annual income target of £400K+.

Role

The Head of Fundraising is a senior leadership role with overall accountability for the strategic development, operational effectiveness and performance of all fundraising activity at Greyhound Rescue Wales (GRW).

The role will drive, lead and grow our fundraising strategy and has responsibility for developing diverse, sustainable income streams and building strong relationships with supporters, partners, and funders.

The role holds end‑to‑end accountability for income delivery across trusts and foundations, community and event fundraising, and sponsorship and individual giving.

The Head of Fundraising provides clear leadership to the fundraising team and has line management responsibility for:

• Trusts and Foundations Officer
• Community and Events Fundraising Officer
• Sponsorship & Individual Giving Officer

Please see attached the full job description and person specification

Dean Farm Trust is seeking an experienced and compassionate Sanctuary Operations Manager to take responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and operational management of our 32-acre animal sanctuary near Chepstow.

Home to 200 rescued animals, including pigs, cows, sheep, goats, equines and birds, Dean Farm Trust provides a home for life to animals in need. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role with animal welfare at its heart.

The Sanctuary Operations Manager will lead our on-site team, working through our Team Leaders to ensure the Sanctuary operates safely, effectively and to the highest standards of animal welfare. The role will oversee staffing and rotas, volunteer development, recruitment and training, budgets and resources, facilities and maintenance, land and pasture management, health and safety, compliance, contractors, projects and the operational delivery of Sanctuary events and activities.

We are looking for someone with strong leadership and people-management experience who is confident managing a busy operational environment and developing both staff and volunteers. You will need to be organised, practical and able to balance the immediate demands of running a sanctuary with longer-term planning and improvement.

This is an important appointment for Dean Farm Trust as we strengthen our operational structure and build a sustainable future for the Sanctuary. The successful candidate will work closely with the Director and Trustees while taking real ownership of Sanctuary operations and providing strong, consistent on-site leadership.

A genuine commitment to animal welfare and to the values of Dean Farm Trust is essential.

Please read our full Candidate Pack before applying. It includes the complete Job Description, information about Dean Farm Trust and further background on why we are recruiting for this role now.

About Animal Defenders International

London – Los Angles – Bogota – South Africa. Animal Defenders International (ADI) is a UK non-profit; ADI Foundation is a UK registered charity (inc. Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research); Animal Defenders International Inc.US (nonprofit). Animal Defenders International South Africa, PBO (charity), funding the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. ADI works to protect wildlife, our environment; to end suffering of animals in entertainment (circuses, movies, shows, sports); replacement of animals in research & testing with advanced technology. When governments ban the use of all, or wild animals in entertainment, or wildlife pets, ADI supports with relocation of the animals, emptying all circus cages in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala. The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), South Africa, is home to over 30 rescued big cats from circuses, illegal pet trade, zoos. 

Location: London (hybrid/remote; 3 days office, 2 days remote)

Terms:             Permanent, full time. Benefits: 20 days annual leave; national holidays; 5 days office closure Christmas–New Year; Stakeholder pension.

Reports to: ADI President and Vice President

Position objective:

• Ensures every aspect of ADI’s work is fully funded.
• Planned growth of ADI income from general public, marketing, special projects and appeals, foundations and corporate support.
• Implements fundraising appeals; marketing strategies; major gifts, foundations, corporate support; promotions of legacies; estates.
• Obtains funding for special projects, e.g., science research, ADIWS support, capital projects.
• Annual and quarterly plans, strategies, alliances, growth of ADI income through marketing, social media, legacy media, donor relationships, corporate support.
• Effective management of fundraising and development teams.

Duties:

• Production of quarterly and annual fundraising, marketing corporate and media plan: targets – quarterly, annual; schedules, outlines, incorporating senior management team objectives (media, science projects, campaigns, education, rescues, ADIWS).
• Outreach – corporate, foundations, major donors, other.
• Donor base: sustained giving; digital and postal direct response; increasing donor engagement and retention; planned giving; special events/calendar dates; major gifts; grants; corporate; legacies, trusts, estates; new income research.
• Manages fundraising calendar, mailings, events, targets, tracking; includes social media.
• Grant Applications, foundations, corporate: Identify, plan, approach, draft grant applications/letters of inquiry and collateral for foundations, trusts, corporate partnerships and gifts, major donor gifts.
• Donor liaison, relationships: high donors, foundations, estates, corporate, sponsors.
• Reporting – weekly, monthly, quarter, annual: income tracking, supervise production of data for quarterly reports, annual.
• Liaison with senior directors: Weekly.

Publications, Social, Websites, Online & Print

• Weekly Social media posts – contribute copy, graphics
• Weekly E-News alerts to supporters (with public relations director)
• Contributes fundraising and development section to Annual Report
• Contributes copy for quarterly Rescuer magazines
• Other contributions to publications as needed
• General: Drafting copy, editing, production; collaborates with public relations/senior directors on various publications
• Oversees production of print and online publications – liaison with external graphic designers (collaboration with public relations director)
• Websites – contribute content, collaborate with public relations on structure.
• Advertising, marketing, ADI YouTube channel – develop fundraising, marketing.

Management, data, oversight, reporting:

• Management of UK supporter engagement, fundraising team.
• Oversight of Raiser’s Edge NXT, Engaging Networks, interface with financial database and records; liaison with Chief Financial Officer.
• Monitor, manage, daily: data entry, gifts, acknowledgements, income tracking, donor communications; distribution of newsletters; calls to action; appeals. Reporting.
• Monitor, manage reconciliations, data manipulation, data-integrity projects, audits, segmentation, quarterly and other reports.
• Oversee planning, mailings, responses, data management.
• Monthly and quarterly reports: income, mailings, gifts, trusts, estates, corporate, other.

Who should apply:

You have the necessary skills and experience, with at least 4 years’ experience in fundraising planning and management for charities, including:

• Educated to degree level in a related field (or equivalent experience) (required).
• A successful track record in direct response campaign fundraising and marketing.
• Excellent written English, you can demonstrate impactful and persuasive content for high donors, foundations, corporate support, supporters, social media, marketing and legacy promotion (required).
• Strong technical skills, data management, manipulation; MS Office suite, Excel/Google, etc; competent with digital research (NB: ChatGPT not permitted for ADI product) (required).
• Strong Raiser’s Edge NXT and Engaging Networks skills (or similar); segmentation, creating lists and reports, data hygiene, audits (required).
• Some knowledge of social media tools, e.g. Canva, Photoshop, or other.
• You can plan and deliver programs for regular and planned giving, major gifts, estates, support from foundations, corporate support (required).
• Management of external vendors for direct response campaigns, production of merchandise catalogue and other sales, marketing, collateral.
• Ensures compliance with ADI’s language, policies, communications style guidelines, editing and publications authorization process (required).
• Skilled at organization and multitasking, you can successfully handle competing priorities and deadlines (required).
• Supporter Engagement culture: strong verbal and written communication skills, you can create a friendly, welcoming approach, for supporters with their donations and advocacy.
• Oversight and Management of staff and supporter relations (required):

- Create friendly, positive, service-oriented approach to help supporters donate and advocate for animals.

- Diligent processing/handling of donations, acknowledgements, correspondence, phone calls.

- Integrity and confidentiality in the handling of sensitive and confidential information

- Integrity of financial records with finance database; liaison with CFO.

• You are reliable, able to work both independently and collaboratively.

About Us:

ADI is Great Nonprofits Top-rated; Charity Navigator 4-star. Operating from London, Los Angeles, Bogota and South Africa. Exposes animal suffering and works for legal protection; replacement of animals used in research; ending the suffering of animals in entertainment; movies, advertising, circuses, sport. Wildlife trade, environment. Once animal circuses are banned ADI helps governments with implementation and relocation of the survivors to ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa: ADI has featured in CBS 60 Minutes, Animal Planet Discovery features and made award-winning documentary, Lion Ark (broadcast in over 40 countries).

Our internal policies:

ADI is dedicated to ending the suffering of animals and works for their legal protection. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment, and a plant-based lifestyle is preferred. ADI is also committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability or other.

How to apply: 

• Apply early – no closing date – applications and interviews on rolling programme.
• Send email detailing how you meet our criteria, together with your CV.
• A formal application form will be sent if you have been selected for interview.
• Interviews online and in person – once your application form has been reviewed.
• In-person interviews arranged following virtual interviews.
• If you have been selected for interview we will send you an application form to complete beforehand; this is an essential part of our recruitment process.
• Virtual interviews will be arranged once your application form has been reviewed.
• In-person interviews will be arranged following virtual interviews.

Database & Fundraising Manager

£38,000–£43,000 | Fully Remote | UK | 7-Month FTC | Immediate Start | Potential to Become Permanent

Sector: Animal Welfare Charity
Reporting to: General Manager / CEO
Working pattern: Fully remote 
Contract: 7-month Fixed Term
Start: Immediate
Salary: £38,000–£43,000pa

The Opportunity

We are supporting an established UK animal welfare charity with the appointment of a Database & Fundraising Manager on an initial 7-month fixed-term contract, with the potential for the position to become permanent. Ideally able to travel to the Kent office Wednesday's but not essential.

This is a hands-on fundraising operations role with responsibility for the charity's CRM, supporter data, income processing, reconciliations, direct debits, lottery administration and fundraising campaign data.

You will work closely with the fundraising team, senior leadership and external accountants and suppliers, taking ownership of accurate data and efficient processes during a period of transition.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the charity's Raiser’s Edge CRM, including data entry, cleansing, imports, exports and supporter records.

• Produce data selections, segmentation, reports and analysis for fundraising and communications.

• Manage direct debit and standing order administration, including uploads, cancellations, unpaid payments and reconciliations.

• Reconcile fundraising income against bank and accounting records and investigate discrepancies.

• Oversee lottery administration, including membership records, monthly draws and winner communications.

• Support fundraising appeals through data selections, exports and coordination with external mailing suppliers.

• Monitor fundraising income and produce accurate reports.

• Maintain database processes, documentation and data quality.

• Provide general fundraising and supporter administration as required.

About You

We're looking for an experienced fundraising database, CRM, data or income-processing professional with:

• Proven experience using Raiser’s Edge or a comparable fundraising CRM.

• Advanced Excel and strong data-management skills.

• Experience working with large datasets, imports/exports, segmentation and reporting.

• Experience with direct debits, standing orders, income processing or financial reconciliation.

• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.

• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.

• The ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.

• A good understanding of CRM data quality and best practice.

Charity or fundraising experience is desirable but not essential.

Why this role?

A varied, hands-on opportunity combining CRM, fundraising data, income processing and operations, within a purpose-led animal welfare organisation. The role offers significant ownership and the potential to continue permanently following the initial contract.

If you have the above skills and experience and are immediately available please apply online today, I would love to have a conversation with you!

Applications are being considered immediately, and successful candidates will be invited to interview as soon as possible.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is one of the UK’s fastest growing nature conservation organisations and seeks to appoint a Fundraising Research Officer.

This is a unique opportunity to join the Fundraising Team at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, and we can’t wait to have you on board. As a member of a dynamic and fast-paced team, you’ll provide critical support in researching and mapping our internal and external networks, in addition to delivering essential work to grow the Trusts philanthropic portfolio.

A curious and inquisitive mindset is key to this role, with a desire to fact find and build connections across Yorkshire and beyond. You will have a natural skill for data processing and communication, whilst also being able to creatively interpret your findings and write reports. You will lead, develop and implement research processes and cooperate collaboratively with colleagues of all levels. You will have your finger on the pulse of fundraising sector trends and be able to provide insight in risk research, due diligence and marketing. We are a very creative and ambitious team, and so a common-sense approach to problem solving and enthusiasm are essential for success in this role.

Research skills are essential to this role, and so an undergraduate degree is required, with desired experience at postgraduate level, too.

How to apply:

Please submit an up-to-date CV and supporting statement. When writing your supporting statement, please ensure you describe your relevant knowledge, skills and experience aligned to the Person Specification within the Job Description. Please be aware that if you only submit a CV, your application may not be considered.

Please DO NOT include any personal details (name, address etc) on your supporting statement.

Closing date: Sunday 4th October at midnight

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Interview date: Tuesday 20th October

Please note that applications received after the closing deadline may not be considered. The Trust regrets that it is unable to give feedback on unsuccessful applications.

We want our people to flourish, just like nature, and so we are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. We value diversity and creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.

We are also a member of the Disability Confident Scheme. This means we are committed to offering an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the post. Where a post is oversubscribed (i.e. there are more candidates meeting the minimum criteria than we can offer interviews to), we will carefully balance inviting a mix of the highest scoring disabled and non-disabled applicants.

Who we are

Nature is in crisis. People are destroying and consuming the natural world at a devastating rate, threatening the ecosystems on which all life depends. Birds are our early warning system, revealing the health of our planet and helping us understand the urgent action needed to protect it.

BirdLife International is the world’s largest partnership for nature conservation, bringing together 125 national organisations across six continents to protect birds, biodiversity and the natural systems that sustain life. Through our unique local-to-global approach, we work at the intersection of science, policy and community action to tackle the global nature and climate crises.

Using world-leading bird science, we collect and analyse data from across continents, landscapes and seascapes to identify the most effective and innovative conservation solutions. Our work conserves species, safeguards critical habitats and empowers communities to create lasting change for nature and people.

At the heart of BirdLife is a powerful global movement. More than two million birders, scientists and local volunteers help track, study and protect birdlife around the world, generating the knowledge and action needed to drive conservation impact at scale. Together, we are giving nature a voice and building a future in which birds, wildlife and people can thrive.

BirdLife International’s Development Team is in an exciting new phase of recruitment and growth and will be hiring for a number of roles to support growth and sustainability across the organisation – including this newly created role.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer and working with colleagues worldwide, the Head of Major Gifts will lead the organisation’s major gifts programme, taking responsibility for both strategic development and frontline fundraising. The Head of Major Gifts will build pipeline, create new opportunities, strengthen fundraising discipline and embed a proactive new-business culture across the major gifts function. Seeking to grow and develop this area, the Head of Major Gifts will play both an operational and strategic role – personally winning and managing relationships at the £250k+ level, as well as developing the team and the strategy. It will also have the opportunity to partner with the Chief Development Officer on principal gifts at the £1m+ level.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a major and principal gifts strategy to grow high-value individual giving across the UK, US and other global markets, in partnership with the CDO.
• Lead, coach and develop the Major Gifts team of 3, providing direct, hands-on role-modelling in cultivation and solicitation.
• Represent Major Gifts on the Development Management Team to steward the Development programme at BirdLife and collectively lead transformational change, especially the shared delivery of the Development strategy.
• Represent Major Gifts on the Principal Gifts Working Group.
• Identify opportunities to grow BirdLife’s donor base in key regions, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.
• Personally develop and manage a portfolio of £250k–£1m+ donors and prospects and provide direct, hands-on support to the CDO on principal-level (£1m+) relationships and proposals.
• Ensure each team member undertakes new business activity to build a robust pipeline within designated markets and giving levels, feeding future portfolio growth for the team.
• Set and monitor major gifts income targets and performance goals; track progress and pipeline health and provide regular reports to leadership on revenue generation and donor engagement and take corrective actions as needed.
• Manage the Major Gifts team budget, recruitment and resource allocation.

Who we are looking for

This role would suit a seasoned major gifts leader, ideally with experience in the conservation and/or international NGO space. We are looking for someone who enjoys being both hands-on and strategic, with experience securing and managing transformative (£250k+) gifts – and coaching others to maximise their own portfolios. A new-business mindset is crucial, as this role will continue BirdLife International’s major-giving growth trajectory.

• Experience personally raising six- and seven-figure gifts from individuals.
• Experience of successfully developing and delivering a major gifts/principal gifts strategy.
• Experience coaching or line-managing fundraisers to develop their own donor relationships.
• Experience working in an international, complex, not-for-profit environment.
• Experience managing a small major gifts team, including budgetary responsibility.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external stakeholders using a partnerships approach.

Location: Remote, UK, with travel to the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 5th October

Who we are

Nature is in crisis. People are destroying and consuming the natural world at a devastating rate, threatening the ecosystems on which all life depends. Birds are our early warning system, revealing the health of our planet and helping us understand the urgent action needed to protect it.

BirdLife International is the world’s largest partnership for nature conservation, bringing together 125 national organisations across six continents to protect birds, biodiversity and the natural systems that sustain life. Through our unique local-to-global approach, we work at the intersection of science, policy and community action to tackle the global nature and climate crises.

Using world-leading bird science, we collect and analyse data from across continents, landscapes and seascapes to identify the most effective and innovative conservation solutions. Our work conserves species, safeguards critical habitats and empowers communities to create lasting change for nature and people.

At the heart of BirdLife is a powerful global movement. More than two million birders, scientists and local volunteers help track, study and protect birdlife around the world, generating the knowledge and action needed to drive conservation impact at scale. Together, we are giving nature a voice and building a future in which birds, wildlife and people can thrive.

BirdLife International’s Development Team is in an exciting new phase of recruitment and growth and will be hiring for a number of roles to support growth and sustainability across the organisation – including this newly created role.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer and working closely with colleagues globally, the Head of Trusts and Foundations will lead the organisation’s largest income-generation area. Much of this support comes through relationship-led, long-term, multi-year partnerships that underpin the organisation’s global conservation work. Seeking to grow, develop and diversify this area, the Head of Trusts and Foundations will play both an operational and strategic role – personally winning and managing larger accounts, as well as developing the team and the strategy. The successful candidate will inherit a committed and experienced international team, a strong portfolio of existing funders and an organisation with a globally respected conservation mission. They will also play a critical role in shaping the next phase of growth and helping BirdLife expand its reach among major funders globally.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive trusts & foundations strategy to grow restricted and lightly restricted multi-year income globally.
• Lead, coach and develop the 3-person Trusts & Foundations team.
• Represent Trusts & Foundations on the Development Management Team to steward the Development programme at BirdLife and collectively lead transformational change, especially the shared delivery of the Development strategy.
• Represent Trusts & Foundations on the Principal Gifts Working Group to progress transformational trust and foundation opportunities alongside principal gifts.
• Identify opportunities to grow BirdLife’s global trusts and foundations donor base.
• Personally develop and manage BirdLife’s largest and most complex trust and foundation relationships and lead cultivation of transformational trust and foundation prospects.
• Set and monitor trusts & foundations income targets and performance goals; track progress, pipeline health and compliance status and provide regular reports to leadership on revenue generation, taking corrective action as needed.
• Manage the Trusts & Foundations team budget, recruitment and resource allocation.

Who we are looking for

This role would suit a seasoned trusts and foundations leader, ideally with experience in the conservation and/or international NGO space. We are looking for someone who enjoys being a player-coach, both hands-on and strategic, with experience securing and managing transformative (6- and 7-figure) grants – and coaching others to do the same.

• Experience personally raising six- and seven-figure grants from trusts and foundation donors and managing ongoing relationships with them.
• Experience of successfully developing and delivering a trusts & foundations fundraising strategy.
• Experience working in an international, complex, not-for-profit environment.
• Experience managing a small trusts & foundations team, including budgetary responsibility.
• Expert knowledge of current and evolving trusts & foundations fundraising practice.
• Good understanding of climate, biodiversity, civil society and nature conservation issues, or willingness to learn.
• Solid knowledge of restricted funding compliance, reporting and grant management.

Location: Remote, UK, with travel to the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 5th October