For more than 50 years, the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) has been the voice of people living with dyslexia. We aim to influence government and other institutions to promote a dyslexia friendly society that enables dyslexic people of all ages to reach their full potential. The BDA is established as the leading dyslexia charity in the UK.
Unfortunately, the need for our support and services is high. Although awareness of dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties has grown, there are ongoing and widening gaps in access to the identification of dyslexia and the provision of expert learning support. Our national Helpline is busier than ever, supporting almost 5,500 people each year, reminding us on a daily basis why we must keep fighting for the rights of our beneficiaries.
Against a challenging backdrop for so many organisations, last financial year we saw continued growth in income from fundraising and training. We invested in growing our team and identified five strategic objectives for the period 2023-2026, and activities are currently underway to deliver these priorities. Our next CEO will continue to oversee these whilst laying the foundations for our next strategy cycle which we intend to publish in 2026. As such, the timing of this appointment allows the successful candidate the opportunity to work with the Board and other key stakeholders to articulate the long-term vision for our charity, establishing a plan that enables us to expand our reach and deepen our programmes.
The role of CEO at the BDA is one of both challenge and immense reward, offering the chance to lead a passionate and skilled team dedicated to making a tangible difference in society. The ideal candidate will bring strategic thinking, leadership experience and a commitment to promoting inclusion for our beneficiaries in education, in work and in life. The successful candidate will also need to demonstrate their financial acumen and business development and delivery skills, as achieving our mission will depend on financial security and sustainability.
We are excited about the next stage in our development as a charity and the opportunity to support even more people with dyslexia to reach their full potential. If you would like to be part of that journey, then we would love to hear from you.
To download a full copy of the candidate brief and learn more about the role, please click the ‘Apply’ button, where you will be redirected to the website of our recruitment partner, Tall Roots. If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please email Mark Crowley or Natalie Sanders at Tall Roots.
Head of Development and Supporter Operations
Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
London (Regent's Park)
Salary £60,900 - £64,470
Full time with flexible working
Permanent
Excellent benefits including 12% employer contribution pension, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, flexible working and family friendly policies, employee assistance programme and access to ZSL's two zoos and regular allocation of complimentary tickets for family and friends
Charity People are delighted to be partnering with Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an international conservation charity, to recruit a Head of Development and Supporter Operations.
Founded in 1826, ZSL is a global NGO driven by science, working 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. The work of ZSL is realised by carrying out field conservation and research in over 50 countries across the globe and through education and awareness-raising at two zoos.
This is an exciting time for ZSL as they look to expand their fundraising and development team, focussing on an ambitious programme of corporate, philanthropic, institutional and public fundraising. The newly expanded team will transform the future of ZSL.
The Head of Development and Supporter Operations will play a critical role in providing strategic leadership and operational excellence to development and supporter operations. With expertise in strategic fundraising strategy and operational excellence, the role will shape objectives and ambitions for significant income growth, contributing to ZSL's vision of ensuring people and wildlife thrive.
Key responsibilities
* You will lead and manage key senior operational roles within the Development and Supporter Operations department and hold relationships with key stakeholders across ZSL.
* You will implement a comprehensive strategy across all operations functions within the development team to support ZSL's strategic objectives for income growth.
* You will drive operational excellence across all functions, including donor stewardship, event management, prospect management, writing and project development, and data management, to enhance supporter engagement and maximise fundraising opportunities.
* You will establish performance metrics and KPIs to monitor the effectiveness of operational functions and conduct regular evaluations to identify areas for improvement and optimisation, driving continuous improvement initiatives.
* You will collaborate closely with ZSL's IT teams to ensure that data and systems requirements are met effectively to support fundraising operations and foster integration and alignment of operational functions with broader organisational goals and strategies.
The Head of Development and Supporter Operations will have proven experience in senior roles within the nonprofit sector with a focus on development operations and supporter engagement. The successful candidate will have excellent leadership and team management qualities with a track record in effectively leading and motivating teams to achieve organisational goals. You will have expertise in donor stewardship, event management, prospect management, fundraising writing, and data management. You will have experience in managing large-scale projects and implementing organisational change initiatives.
You will have excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills. As a strong strategic planner, you will be able to develop and implement effective operational strategies to support income growth. The ideal candidate will have a passion for wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability. You will be committed to creating a culture that lives ZSL values and commitment to safeguarding, equality and diversity (collaborative, inspiring, inclusive, innovative, impactful and ethical). ZSL are open to candidates applying as a job share partnership.
How to apply
For more information on how to apply, please contact Kate Headford and Jen D'Souza at Charity People. The application process is CV only. The closing date is 9am on Tuesday 14 May. First stage interviews will take place on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 May with second round interviews on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 May.
Charity People actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. We match charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the charities we work with.