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Head of Corporate Partnerships
Workplace: ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London NW1, Hybrid
Department: Fundraising
Salary: £60,900 - £64,470 per annum
Contract: Permanent

Purpose of the role

ZSL is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Corporate Partnerships to lead the growth of high-impact corporate fundraising aligned with our mission to restore wildlife and create a world where nature thrives. In this senior leadership role, you will spearhead the development and implementation of ZSL’s Corporate Partnerships strategy, with a strong focus on income growth, innovation, and long-term value. A results driven relationship builder, you will lead and inspire a talented team to cultivate, secure, and steward high-value partnerships that support ZSL’s global conservation goals.

Reporting to the Director of Development and working closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation, you will identify and unlock strategic opportunities, positioning ZSL as a trusted partner for forward-thinking businesses committed to sustainability and positive impact. This is a unique opportunity to shape and expand a purpose led portfolio that delivers vital funding, shared value, and lasting change for wildlife and people alike.

This is a hybrid role, with an expectation of spending at least two days per week in the office, alongside client visits as part of relationship building and partnership activity.

Key responsibilities: 

• Business Development: Draw on research to create a healthy pipeline, engaging new prospects and of developing positive relationships at senior levels. Identify and secure new corporate partnerships that align with ZSL's strategic goals, as well as commercial priorities.
• Strategic Partnership Development: Develop and implement innovative partnership models to attract and retain high-value (£1m+) corporate partners and provide unique opportunities for ZSL to raise its profile to new audiences.
• Spokesperson: Represent the ZSL brand in public to corporate Board level representatives, inspiring confidence in partners by demonstrating credibility, knowledge and professionalism.
• Corporate Membership: Grow the Corporate Membership programme, led by Corporate Partnerships Officer, ensuring exceptional experiences, value for members and a healthy ROI for ZSL.
• Internal Collaboration: Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders across ZSL to identify opportunities to collaborate, leading to enhanced partnerships and strengthening our opportunities to partner.

About You

• Proven experience of strategic corporate partnerships new business, including identifying, engaging, developing and managing strategic corporate partnerships with a track record of delivering income of seven figure and six figure partnerships.
• Previous experience in leading and developing teams, with a strong emphasis on coaching and supporting less experienced staff.
• Strong ability to influence senior stakeholders and work across a complex organisation, engaging with multiple stakeholders who have income generating responsibilities.
• Experience in monitoring and reporting on income and expenditure, ensuring alignment with budgetary plans.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present to and influence senior stakeholders, prospects and partners.

About Us

We’re ZSL, an international conservation charity. Through our unrivalled animal experts in our two zoos (London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo), the work of our pioneering scientists, our dedicated conservationists, our purpose is to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wild animals going extinct. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and we’re working every day to achieve this. From investigating the health threats facing animals, to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, we are committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction. 

We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage. We are committed to ensuring our teams can bring their authentic selves to work without fear of discrimination. ZSL has active equality networks for our staff with lived experience and those who provide active allyship in Race and Culture, Team Pride, Disability Network, and Menopause Network, complemented by our strategic EDI Steering Group. 

What do we offer? 

At ZSL, we are proud of our approach to employee benefits. Our benefits include: 

• Our vision and purpose - you’ll work alongside colleagues who are passionate about science-led conservation, knowing that you will help us to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wildlife going extinct 
• Pension scheme - we offer a generous pension scheme with up to 12% contributory pension
• Flexible working – talk to us about your flexible working requirements and we will do everything we can to make sure you work in a way that suits you 
• Holidays – 25 days annual leave allowance, plus UK bank holidays 
• Wellbeing – access to a blended programme of wellbeing initiatives, including confidential access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme 
• Life assurance – eligible employees will be enrolled in ZSL’s life assurance scheme from their first day
• Complimentary tickets – annual allocation of Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo tickets, with a 30% discount in online and retail shops 
• Cycle2Work - our cycle to work scheme enables you to lease a bicycle 
• Season ticket loan - we offer an interest free loan for eligibly London-based employees to buy a season ticket for travel between home and work 
• Family friendly policies – we offer enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption packages 

Closing Date: Monday 11th August 2025
NB: We reserve the right to close our advertisement early or extend the advertising date until a suitable candidate has been found.

The selection process will involve two stages:
First interview – held virtually via video call.
Second interview – held in person and will include a skills-based assessment.

Interested?

If you would like to apply and find out more about this position, please click the apply button to be directed to our website. 

This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate's right to work in the UK.

No agencies please.

Are you passionate about sport and physical activity and want to use this to share the good news of Jesus to children & young people across South England?

About the role 

Scripture Union England & Wales (SU) one of the UK’s longest-established children and youth ministry organisations is  working in partnership with Activate, an exciting local sport and wellbeing project, to offer this unique role to reach many more young people in the Bushy Park area and across the South of England through physical activity. 

We’re looking for a creative and entrepreneurial individual with a passion for using sport to help children and young people across the South of England to explore and respond to the good news of Jesus. 

This unique role combines the benefits of direct face-to-face engagement with young people in a local context, delivering mission through sport activities and programmes, while also developing and mentoring others to expand ministry across the South region. The ideal candidate will have equal passion and experience in both contexts. 

Key details: Employed by Scripture Union you will spend three days per week developing sports mission across London and the South. For two days per week, you will work on the Activate sports and wellbeing project working across the Bushy Park area.

Location: Home based with travel across London and the wider south region for SU & St Peter’s Church in West Molesey for Activate. 

Important things to note before you apply.  

1. This role will focus on Bushy Park, London and the South of England and will require extensive regular travel across the region.

2. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workforce. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from people, regardless of their background.  

3. We take Safeguarding seriously. This role will require a Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service and has an occupational requirement to be filled by a committed Christian, active in church life. Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9 applies. 

A flexible role shaped around you 

The role is full-time, offering the best of both worlds by working with two partner organisations that collaborate synergistically. This position suits a candidate who enjoys face-to-face interactions with young people locally and strategic work regionally, training others for delivery. You’ll work closely with the Activate team and maintain weekly connections with the SU Sports Mission team as well as contributing to the wider work of the SU South region team. 

Who we’re looking for team

You are someone who loves variety in your work and thrives on the fact that no two days are the same. You value a blend of face-to-face interaction with children and young people through sports coaching and leading, while also adopting a facilitating approach; equipping, training, and motivating others. You enjoy being rooted in a local context but are also happy travelling and working in a range of settings. 

You’re a connector who relishes being in the community, with experience in leading teams whilst working with diverse groups of people. Your creative mindset, combined with excellent organisational skills, enables you to spot and create opportunities for impact. You love Jesus and are filled with energy and passion for sharing the gospel. You excel with people and thrive when given a blank canvas to drive projects from conception to completion. You are a confident communicator with experience in training, coaching, and empowering others. You have a passion for sport and experience in using this as a tool for sharing the gospel with children and young people. You’ve got a Level 2 coaching qualification or you’re willing to work towards one. 

If this describes you and you would like to join a like-minded organisation that offers the flexibility of an exciting, varied role, provides a competitive salary, a generous pension scheme, and other valuable benefits, then read on.

Invest in our mission, as we invest in you: Our Benefits: 

This joined-up role with Activate and Scripture Union means being part of a vibrant team dedicated to making a real, positive difference in the lives of children and young people. We’re proud to be employers that truly value and support our staff. This role offers the flexibility you need for a healthy work-life balance, alongside a competitive salary. Your benefits package includes 23 days annual leave plus bank holidays, plus an additional 5 days for volunteering at  Scripture Union events and two days for spiritual refreshment.

We offer a comprehensive group pension scheme with an employer contribution of up to 12%, as well as life insurance (death-in-service coverage). We offer generous maternity, paternity, and adoption leave benefits. You will also have access to SU’s bible notes, and the opportunity to join daily staff prayers.

About Scripture Union  

You might have heard of us before if you're one of the 1.5 million+ who have attended one of our Christian holidays or missions over the years, or maybe you're one of the 40,000+ subscribers to have used our brilliant devotionals or been stirred by our exceptional bible resources. We've been at this for a fair few years... over 150 to be precise. Over this time, we’ve remained passionate about helping children and young people develop a vibrant faith in Jesus. As our name describes, the radical power of God's word has always been central to our approach.

We still do all the great stuff with resources and holidays, but in the last few years, we have sharpened our vision with a renewed focus to help the 95% of young people (primary and secondary school age) across the UK who have never stepped foot inside a church, to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus. We do this through equipping and resourcing the local church, training up volunteers from local churches (we call them ‘Faith Guides’) and collaborating with local and national partners across the UK to connect with children and young people and support them on a journey of exploring faith in a way that is relevant and meaningful.

In the last few years we’ve developed a brand new approach to how we do this, it’s deceptively simple and incredibly effective, we call it Revealing Jesus, and its making a massive difference, in the last couple of years we’ve trained up nearly 600 faith guides across 400+ churches all over the UK, collectively we’re seeing over 50,000 young people across the UK on a journey of exploring the Christian faith and responding to an invitation to become followers of Jesus. We have 24 staff organised into four regional mission teams, and alongside our local and national partners, we’re playing our part in a network of organisations that seeks to reach children and young people in every context, across every town and city across the whole of the UK. The journey ahead is significant, and we invite you to be a part of it! 

Since 2015, SU has had a dedicated Mission Through Sport team which contributes directly towards this outreach to the 95. We have recently developed some innovative new resources, aligned with the RJ framework, which the post holder will be involved in both delivering and equipping others to utilise. These include our flagship programme called Holy Ground which empowers churches to adopt a local sports space in their community to connect with the 95 in their context. Half Time is our brand new Explore-Respond resource which uses sports-themed videos and fun games to help the 95 to explore the life of Jesus by journeying through Mark’s Gospel. 

About Activate 

Activate is a sport and physical activity-based programme, formed in 2018, seeking to build community through wellbeing that invigorates faith.  Activate seeks to release God’s people to join in his mission through sport and physical activity in the areas surrounding Bushy Park. This includes gathering, encouraging and empowering local Christians involved in sports ministry, including expressions of chaplaincy and missional communities centred around sports clubs, centres, educational settings and gyms.  A number of local churches across denominations and Dioceses have been supporters of the project. 

In the past Activate has supported sports projects in local schools, an activity-based church service, wellbeing cafe sessions, exercise sessions for the elderly and youth activities.  The successful candidate will be involved in re-launching Activate’s mission after a break due to staff changes. 

About your team

With this role, you will have the benefit of being part of a national-focused sports team at SU, as well as the south team with a regional focus and the local context with Activate. You’ll work out of the office of St Peter’s Church, West Molesey, benefiting from the support of a local parish-based team including clergy and youth workers. You’ll contribute your expertise in a variety of settings, ranging from urban and suburban to coastal and rural areas across the south. You’ll have a brilliant time getting acquainted with this rich tapestry of local and national partners. Across the south region, we currently work with 130 churches and have 150 faith guides. We’d like to see these numbers grow significantly over the next few years and believe that a vibrant sports ministry can contribute meaningfully to this. 

Interview date: 11th September 2025 

Interview location: St Peter’s Church, West Molesey

* (CONTRACT) Funding is in place for year one and partly secured for year two. We are confident that through the development of innovate partnerships via the Activate role, including within the church of England, the funds can be generated to not only fulfil the two initial years but also beyond that to ensure longevity in this vital mission. We invite interested applicants to contact Mark Oliver, Sports Mission Team Leader at Scripture Union, for an informal conversation.