Philanthropy Manager

Philanthropy Manager
Workplace: ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London NW1, Hybrid
Department: Fundraising
Salary: £36,750 – £38,500 per annum
Contract: Permanent

Purpose of the role

We are looking for a passionate and strategic Philanthropy Manager to help drive our mission to restore wildlife and create a world where nature thrives. This role is focused on raising vital funds from private individuals to support ZSL’s conservation work. You will lead on engaging new and stewarding existing individual supporters, securing mid-value to high-value donations. Helping to build deep, lasting relationships and grow a sustainable income stream that powers our global impact.

This is a hybrid role, with the expectation of spending at least two days a week in the office, alongside attending occasional off-site meetings with donors and stakeholders. As with many major gift roles, there may be some evening or weekend work to support events, donor visits, or special experiences.

Key responsibilities:

• Fundraising Strategy: Implement plans to attract high-value individual philanthropists in collaboration with the Head of Philanthropy.
• Donor Cultivation and Stewardship: Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective donors to secure major gifts.
• Prospect Research: Identifying and researching potential major donors who align with the organisation's mission and goals, with support from the Prospect Research Manager.
• Proposal Writing: Craft compelling and personalised proposals and presentations to secure funding from various sources.
• Event Management: Support the organisation and delivery of events to cultivate relationships with donors and prospects.

About You

• A degree or equivalent qualification.
• Proposal writing and presentation development to engage individual philanthropists.
• Proven track record of securing major gifts from individuals or institutions.
• Experience with fundraising databases and donor management systems.
• Experience working with senior volunteers in a fundraising context.
• Knowledge of fundraising best practices and ethical considerations.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills.

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.