London wildlife trust jobs

The Role

SERT is re-organising our structure geographically into three Catchment Clusters (CCs) in the South East (defined as South London, East and West). Having conducted a successful pilot in the East, we are now expanding this approach to the new South London and West Catchment Clusters.

The South London Catchment Cluster (SLCC) requires an individual with proven leadership experience who can lead this newly formed team and strategically maximise SERT’s impact in the London, urbanised, catchments of the rivers Wandle, Hogsmill, Beverley Brook and Cray.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Help to establish and enhance a ‘one-team’ ethos across the Catchment Cluster, whilst also ensuring it is embedded within the wider organisation.
• Lead SLCC’s prioritisation on the key activities (including restoration and engagement) that we wish to undertake in our London Catchments.
• Leadership of the team ensuring a supportive, collaborative, inquisitive and ambitious culture.
• Direct line management of three roles (this may increase in the future):

i) Working with the Monitoring and Evidence Lead to develop and embed a new Monitoring and Evidence Strategy.

ii) Supporting our Nature Finance Lead to secure new ecosystem-service related payments to fund our work and drive impact.

iii) Managing the Senior Catchment Manager to ensure our Catchment Partnerships are effective convening spaces and action based.

• Identify and directly support new business development and project funding opportunities from a range of sources to grow our impact.
• Ensure SLCC is at the right tables where decisions affecting its rivers are being made and has an important and respected voice in those decisions.

What We Are Looking For

This role is an exciting challenge and will require you to build on the foundations of what has already been achieved within these catchments. You will maximise our impact by collaborating with our Specialist Teams to prioritise SERT’s activities.  Central to this is the need to deliver effective catchment management through our Catchment Partnerships. You will also work strategically with the Restoring Rivers and Catchments team (RRC) to identify and prioritise projects which drive impact, whilst working closely with our Working With Communities team (WWC) to further increase engagement with the communities who live along the CC’s rivers. It is desirable if you have a good overview of monitoring and evidence-based approaches (including citizen science), alongside knowledge of nature-based solutions, ecosystem services and emerging nature investment opportunities.

About You

Besides having a passion for rivers, we need an individual who can confidently develop, grow and lead a team, whilst seeking new opportunities for impact. You will be adept at business development and will be comfortable supporting strategic relationships with catchment partners, local government, regulators, water companies, local businesses and environmental organisations. You will require a good overview of Health and Safety best practise, empowering our RRC team to undertake effective project delivery and risk management in the field.

Interested? Apply now via our website.

Application process

• Closing date for applications: Tuesday 14th April 2026 at 11:59pm.
• Interviews: Monday 20th April - Friday 1st May 2026

As a Wilder Learning Officer, you’ll help shape and deliver an inspiring programme of outdoor learning, training and engagement that connects people of all ages with nature across Sussex. You’ll coordinate and deliver high‑quality sessions to teachers and children across EYFS, Primary and Secondary phases, in-school and outdoor settings. You’ll deliver and assess our accredited Forest School and Wild Beach training programmes to adults; advise on school grounds improvement for nature; and champion the benefits of nature connection through a wide range of activities and events. Alongside hands‑on delivery, you’ll support in marking, evaluation and planning; contribute to income generation; and help ensure our schools and learning programmes are safe, inclusive and reflective of best practice. You’ll play a key role in communicating our work—engaging with teachers, families, volunteers and external partners, acting as a friendly, knowledgeable ambassador for Sussex Wildlife Trust.

This is a varied and practical role at the heart of our Wilder Learning team, empowering educators and wider school communities to connect with nature and take meaningful action for wildlife in Sussex.

A valid drivers’ licence is required for this role.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS with Barred List check

You will be building great relationships with our Corporate members and involving them with the work of the trust and inspiring them to support our range of inspiring projects. You will use your networking skills at events to proactively find new corporate supporters, and retain our existing supporters by running corporate events on our nature reserves across the county. You will further develop our corporate volunteering offering, working closely with our land management team, creating great days out for our supporters’ employees that they’ll recommend to their colleagues.

You will be an active member of the Fundraising team, sharing skills and ideas at regular meetings. The role will require extensive travel throughout the county, visiting networking events and arranging relationships between corporates and our wildlife projects, such as the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre. You will have a creative and innovative approach to the role, working on new ways to secure support from businesses from across the county. You will enjoy getting involved in fundraising events that include that whole fundraising department to create new income streams for the trust.

The Role

SERT is re-organising our structure geographically into three Catchment Clusters in the South East (defined as South London, East and West). Having conducted a successful pilot in the East, we are now expanding this approach to the new South London and West Catchment Clusters.

The West Catchment Cluster (WCC) requires an individual with proven leadership experience who can lead this newly formed team and strategically maximise SERT’s impact in the predominantly Surrey-based catchments of the Loddon, Wey and Mole.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Help to establish and enhance a ‘one-team’ ethos across the CC, whilst also ensuring it is embedded within the wider organisation
• Lead WCC’s prioritisation on the key activities (both restoration and engagement) that we wish to undertake in our Surrey Catchments.
• Direct line management of two roles (this may increase in the future):

i)Working with the Natural Flood Management Lead to grow the opportunities of using nature to hold back water in the landscape 

ii) Managing the Catchment Manager to ensure our Catchment Partnerships are action-based.

• Identify and directly support new project funding opportunities from a range of sources to grow our impact.
• Ensure WCC is at the right tables where decisions affecting its rivers are being made and has an important and respected voice in those decisions.

What We Are Looking For

This role is an exciting challenge and will require you to build on the foundations of what has already been achieved within these catchments. You will need to maximise impact by working with our Specialist Teams to priorities SERT’s activities and strategically guide river restoration projects.  You will also work closely with our Working With Communities team (WWC) to improve engagement with the communities who live along these rivers. It is desirable if you have a good overview of river catchments, data monitoring and the role that nature-based solutions (such as Natural Flood Management) play in providing multiple benefits.

About You

Besides having a passion for rivers, we require an individual who can confidently develop and grow a new team, whilst seeking new opportunities for impact. You will be adept at business development and will be comfortable supporting strategic relationships with catchment partners, local government, water companies, local businesses and environmental NGOs. You will need a good overview of Health and Safety best practise, empowering our Restoring River Catchments (RRC) team to undertake effective project delivery and risk management in the field.

Interested? Apply now via our website.

Application process

• Closing date for applications: Tuesday 14th April 2026 at 11:59pm.
• Interviews: Monday 20th April - Friday 1st May 2026

Philanthropy Manager
Location: ZSL London Zoo, Regents Park, London NW1 - Hybrid
Vacancy Type: Permanent
Salary: £40,000 per annum
Business Area: Enabling Functions and Professional Services

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 wildlife thrives.  This role is focused on raising vital funds from individuals to support ZSL’s global ambition.  You will lead on engaging new and cultivating existing supporters, securing high-value and major gifts. As part of your stewardship and cultivation work, you will 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 two days a week in the office at a minimum, 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: Contribute to strategic planning to ensure a coordinated and donor-centric approach that maximises philanthropic support, in collaboration with the Head of Philanthropy.

Donor Cultivation and Stewardship: To manage and grow a personal portfolio of high-value and major donors, securing income from high-value and major gifts.

Prospect Research: Identifying and researching potential donors who align with the organisation's mission and goals, with support from the Prospect Researcher.

Proposal Writing and Donor Reporting: Craft compelling and personalised proposals and presentations to secure funding, and work closely with the wider fundraising and project delivery teams to produce high quality reports.

Event Management: Support the organisation and delivery of events to cultivate relationships with donors and prospects.

Financial accountability: Keep accurate records and handle accompanying gift administration and recognition.

About you

• Experienced fundraising and donor development professional within the charity or cultural sectors, with a proven track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts from individuals, trusts, foundations, and institutional partners.
• Confident in developing compelling proposals and presentations that engage and inspire individual philanthropists.
• Experience working with fundraising databases and donor management systems.
• A proven track record in 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. 

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 

If you have any questions about this role, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch with our recruitment team

Closing Date: 6th April 2026

We may close this role early or extend the closing date due to the number of applications we receive, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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.

We anonymise applications until interview stage to ensure a fair hiring process. It’s important to highlight your unique skills, experience, and knowledge. Over reliance on AI-generated content may miss key criteria outlined in the job description and reduce the effectiveness of your application.

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 confirmation of your right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

ZSL recognises that conservation is one of the least diverse sectors, and we actively encourage applications from candidates who identify as part of underrepresented communities. We are committed to building a supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage.

No agencies please.

About Us

Global Canopy is a data-driven not for profit delivering real transparency and accountability for market impacts on nature and people. Our special focus is on ending deforestation – an essential step in achieving urgent global goals on climate, nature and human rights. We deliver our work by building and maintaining open-data platforms, creating stronger voluntary and compliance frameworks, and accelerating accountability and action in the finance sector with nature-positive guidance to help achieve deforestation-free portfolios.

We work globally, with a focus on both forested regions (particularly across Latin America and South East Asia), and major consumer and financial markets (with a focus on Europe, the US, Singapore and China). We have a distributed team of around 70 people worldwide, with a main office in Oxford (UK). We work via close and deep partnerships, including with institutions like the Stockholm Environment Institute, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, UNEP Finance Initiative, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the Zoological Society of London, and many many others.

About the Role

As People and Culture Lead, reporting to the Director of Execution & Planning, you will be responsible for the delivery and development of the People function at Global Canopy. Providing advice and support to the Leadership Team and colleagues across the organisation, you will lead on people and culture initiatives that enable our team to maximise their potential, resulting in greater impact as an organisation.

You will bring excellent relationship-building and influencing skills as well as strong technical expertise to ensure that we can recruit, retain, develop, support and engage the people we rely on to deliver our vital work for forests, nature and human rights. You will manage all aspects of team members’ journey with the organisation, including recruitment, performance and development, employee relations and pay and benefits.

This is a great role for an experienced People professional who believes in the power of a people-centred organisation, has had previous success in delivering people and culture change projects and working in a business-partnering role. You will be comfortable managing upwards, acting as a trusted advisor, and confident being the face of People and Culture at an organisational level. You will thrive in a dynamic non-profit environment, delivering on complex and impactful projects around the world. We are looking for someone who leads with empathy and wisdom, putting individuals at the heart of their work.

Responsibilities

Employee life cycle management

• Be responsible for the creation, maintenance, evolution and operation of all HR policies, processes and systems 
• Work closely with the leadership team and internal boards on areas such as recruitment, performance, learning and development, absence, salaries/benefits, job grading and employee engagement
• Ensure the ongoing development of our P&C offering is aligned with our culture

Support & advice to leaders and managers

• Build strong working relationships with senior team leaders in order to support them directly
• Provide coaching, guidance and support to people managers ensuring that our people are supported to thrive and develop
• Advise on people issues and managing cases, to ensure that processes are followed in line with Global Canopy’s  policy, best practice and employment legislation

Support delivery of Global Canopy’s People plan

• Alongside the Director of Execution & Planning, drive the implementation of people initiatives and be responsible for the successful embedding of changes
• Lead on connection and collaboration initiatives to build a cohesive, highly motivated team in line with Global Canopy’s culture and in the context of hybrid working
• Provide and present reports and maintain KPIs related to our people.

Management

• Line management of People and Recruitment Advisor, supporting them in their management of recruitment for Global Canopy, and providing coaching and mentoring to support their ongoing development
• Manage the relationship with our EOR providers
• Alongside the Director of Execution & Planning and Operations Coordinator, provide leadership on data protection across the organisation

About You

To be successful in this role, these are the things that will matter the most: 

• People-first and positive approach to HR management 
• Broad experience of managing human resources work across organisations, with a good understanding of HR procedures and legislation in the UK
• Alignment with our values and our mission and a commitment to collaboration and a passion for developing an organisational culture in which people thrive

Essential behavioural competencies: 

• Leading with warmth 
• Demonstrates credibility and emotional intelligence
• Structured and effective in communications
• Able to handle difficult situations sensitively and confidentially
• Initiative and ability to manage and prioritise own workload, working to deadlines
• Creativity

Skills and experience:

Required:

• CIPD level 5 or equivalent experience
• Experience managing all aspects of employee lifecycle 
• Strong understanding of UK employment law and best practice
• Experience and expertise to support in the areas of diversity and inclusion, learning and development, and employee wellbeing and engagement in a hybrid context
• Experience of working in an advisory capacity and regularly reporting to senior leaders
• Experience of working across different departments/functions in a matrixed and int’l organisation
• Line management experience

Desirable

• Ability to take a leadership role in change projects
• Experience of working internationally with employees based outside the UK – and covered by non-UK law
• Experience or understanding of the context for a charity / not for profit organisation

Salary & Benefits

Salary: £55,000- £60,000 full time equivalent. This role sits within Band C on Global Canopy’s remuneration framework.

Nature of contract: Full time or 0.8 FTE. Permanent. This is a hybrid role working from home and our office in Oxford. There is a requirement to attend the office once a week and for other meetings/work as required.

Holidays: 36 days (including bank/public holidays) for discretionary use across the annual leave year. Option to purchase up to an additional 5 days or equivalent of one week’s leave.

Pension: Employer pension contribution of 8%.

Healthcare cashback plan: Covering dental fees, eye-care, wellbeing, physiotherapy, chiropody and much more – for you and any children.

Employee Assistance Programme: Which provides free, confidential advice on personal and legal matters.

Other: Huge range of discounts and cashback deals at gyms, restaurants, holidays, and much more.

How to Apply

To apply for the position, please follow the instructions and submit an up-to date CV and covering letter. The covering letter should explain your motivation for the role, and how your skills and experience fit the person specification. (Please no more than 1 side of A4).

Right-to-work in the UK is required for this role.

All candidates are asked to complete an anonymous diversity monitoring form when they apply.

The closing date for applications is 27 April 2026 at 9 am GMT. We will be conducting rolling interviews after the Easter bank holidays. Early application is encouraged, as we may close the position early if suitable candidates are identified.

First-round interviews will be held online. We plan to conduct second-round interviews in Oxford when possible (we will reimburse reasonable travel expenses for candidates). A written task and key colleague meeting will also form part of the selection process.