Director of Development

ZSL, the international conservation charity driven by science, is seeking a strategic and ambitious Director of Development to attract sustainable long-term revenue for the organisation through strong leadership of the fundraising directorate, with priorities aligned to ZSL’s vision and impact goals.

ZSL works to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world by protecting critical species, restoring ecosystems, helping people and wildlife live together, and inspiring support for nature. Through their leading zoos, innovative conservation work in the field, and through the Institute of Zoology - a centre of research excellence - the charity is a passionate advocate for nature and for creating a world where wildlife thrives.

The Director of Development will take a pivotal role in the future of ZSL’s future expansion; the role will work as part of ZSL’s Executive Team to lead the delivery of a newly launched organisational strategy and develop and implement an ambitious international fundraising strategy to deliver income growth and diversification across high-value and mass fundraising streams both in the UK and overseas.

The position will provide leadership on all ZSL fundraising including efforts focused on corporate, philanthropic, institutional and public funding, and will be responsible for building and nurturing a high-performing fundraising team, as well as embedding a strong culture of philanthropy across the organisation.

The successful candidate will also play a key part in bringing a range of exciting projects to life, including a Centre for British Species Recovery, a Nature Campus as part of the redevelopment of the London Zoo site, new scientific facilities, and a range of ambitious conservation programmes in the UK and around the world.  

The ideal candidate will bring an innovative approach and track record of driving growth and fundraising transformation at leadership level. They will have extensive experience of people change management and of fundraising experience in a large and diverse organisation. They will also have a track record of developing high value campaigns and of establishing strong relationships with major donors and philanthropists, corporates, government bodies, trusts and key supporters.

Knowledge of the context in which ZSL operates and the challenges and opportunities presented to the conservation and science sectors will be essential.

ZSL strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage. ZSL recognise that their current Executive Leadership team does not currently represent the communities in which the charity operates and, therefore, would welcome applications from diverse candidates especially from ethnic minority groups.

Please click through to download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes full details of the opportunity and how to apply.

CLOSING DATE: Monday 7th October, 9am BST.