ABOUT US
The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading woodland conservation charity and is dedicated to creating a world where trees and woods thrive for both people and nature. Our mission involves engaging and inspiring individuals to contribute toward tackling the nature and climate crisis through the protection, restoration, and creation of essential woodland habitats.
Join our Online Information Session! We are hosting an Online Information Session with the CEO and interim Director of Fundraising to give candidates an opportunity to learn more about the role and to ask any questions.
The session will last no longer than 45 minutes and will be held at 14:00 on Friday 5 September.
Please register your interest by emailing Charlotte Hines (full details available via our website).
THE ROLE
Due to the retirement of a long-standing executive team member, this newly repurposed Executive Leadership role has a clear focus on our long-term financial sustainability and mission impact. As Executive Director of Fundraising Development, you will lead our strategic partnerships, philanthropy, and major income generation programmes.
You’ll be responsible for inspiring significant financial support through trusts, major donors, corporates, legacies, and philanthropic networks. Working closely with the CEO and fellow Executive Directors, you’ll play a key role in shaping and delivering our Strategy to 2030 - ensuring we have the income, influence, and innovation to match our ambition.
Protecting and restoring woodlands that have stood for centuries - the crown jewels of the natural world in the UK - and creating the woods of the future, means this role will leave a legacy which will last for generations. It’s an opportunity to lead with purpose, engage with powerful networks, and literally change the nature of the UK landscape for the better.
THE CANDIDATE
We’re looking for a proven senior leader with extensive experience in fundraising, income generation or strategic partnerships - ideally within the not-for-profit sector.
You’ll bring:
-
Strategic fundraising expertise across major giving, trusts, foundations, corporate partnerships, and philanthropy.
-
Inspiring leadership - able to guide, develop and motivate high-performing teams.
-
Strong external profile - with a track record of building and leveraging influential networks.
-
Collaborative mindset - experienced in working at Executive level, shaping cross-organisational strategy.
-
A personal commitment to nature recovery, equity of access, and environmental impact.
Most importantly, you’ll be values-led - excited by the potential of this pivotal role to shape lasting change.
Our Organisational Nature enables us to better understand what it means to be part of the Woodland Trust, empowering us to make an impact, every day. We want you to be able to role model our values; ‘Grow Together’, ‘Focus’, ‘Explore’ and ‘Make it Count’ to ensure each of us plays our part in helping to protect, restore and create our woods and trees.
Benefits & Wellbeing: Joining our team means you'll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
-
Enhanced Employer Pension
-
Life Assurance
-
Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
-
Generous Annual Leave (25 days + bank holidays)
-
Annual leave buy and sell
-
Enhanced Parental Pay
-
Employee Assistance Programme
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: The Woodland Trust embraces diversity and inclusion. We want our team to reflect the UK's diverse community. We support people from all backgrounds to apply, especially those who are under-represented.
Application Advice: Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we would encourage you to apply. Your enthusiasm for the environment and our core values-Grow Together, Explore, Focus and Make it Count-are what matter most.
To maintain fairness and reduce bias during shortlisting, we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from hiring managers, please help us to maintain your anonymity by removing personal details from your CV prior to submission.
Apply Now: If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to make a positive impact on our planet.
1st Interviews will be held via Teams on Friday 3 October 2025
2nd Stage Interviews will be held in-person at our Grantham Office on Monday 13 October 2025
Details of both events will be shared with shortlisted candidates prior to each stage.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The role of the Direct Marketing Executive is a varied one. Working with different teams and suppliers, you will be supporting and delivering direct marketing campaigns across a range of media channels. The acquisition programme is an evolving one and there is change and growth happening in a lot of interesting areas at a fast pace.
As well as running day-to-day activities, the post holder will be responsible for supporting the wider acquisition team by ensuring data and supporter engagement processes are running smoothly across campaigns. Alongside this, they will ensure compliance and adherence to the most recent regulations and codes of practice is top of the agenda.
Fundraising experience is not essential for the role, but we are looking for someone with the desire and self-motivation to learn and develop, and the drive and passion to change the future for those affected by dementia. The successful candidate will be able to show this, be collaborative and enthusiastic, want to learn and develop, and be keen to get involved with the activities of the team right away.
Main duties and responsibilities of the role:
Fundraising and Marketing Campaigns
· Support with planning and delivery of a wide range of supporter engagement and fundraising activities including digital marketing and face-to-face fundraising.
· Support with the creation of content and copywriting for digital adverts.
· Social media monitoring of direct marketing activity, responding in line with brand messaging.
· Work with others in the team to conduct mystery shopping, shadowing and call listening to measure fundraising quality and ensure compliance.
· Liaise with designers, printers, mailing houses, agencies, and fulfilment houses.
· Support the day-to-day management of fundraising agencies and suppliers, ensuring relationships are effective and productive.
· Assist in the production and delivery of motivating fundraiser training that ensures quality, compliant fundraising.
· Support in recommendations for change and refinement across the direct marketing programme.
Finance & Reporting
· Daily campaign tracking and reporting.
· Administer the recording, reconciliation, and processing of invoices.
Team and Programme Support
· Tracking and evaluating competitor and industry trends, collaborating with the other Direct Marketing Executive to provide recommendations to the wider team for potential improvements and testing opportunities.
· Keep up to date on the latest developments within the sector relating to best practice in fundraising.
· Proof-read direct marketing materials and collateral.
· Regularly attend, support, and contribute to meetings and events.
· Ensure compliance and adherence to the most recent regulations and codes of practice.
What we are looking for:
· Experience of using Microsoft packages; particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
· Proof reading.
· Administrative experience.
· Good organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workload.
· Willingness to collaborate and work closely with other departments and external suppliers.
· Excellent attention to detail.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the confidence to communicate with people of all levels.
· Strong team player and self-motivator.
· Strong focus on results and continuous improvement.
· Flexibility to work some unsocial hours and willingness to travel independently.
Additional Information:
Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.
Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals. This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.
Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD.
Salary: Circa £24,000 per annum, plus benefits
Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.
The closing date for applications is the 21st September 2025, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.
We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.
As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website.
How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.
About Alzheimer’s Research UK: Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure. Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope.
There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure.
In 2024, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement. This is the second consecutive time; we have been awarded a Best Companies 3-star accreditation.
We were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:
· 18th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.
· 10th in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.
· 2nd in the 30 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.
ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference.
To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.