49 Wildlife jobs

Head of Commercial
Reference: AUG20260202
Location: Flexible in UK
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £72,605.00 - £77,517.00 Per Annum
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance Scheme, 26 days' Annual Leave

Reporting to the Executive Board Director for Income, Technology and Communications The Head of Commercial is a strategically important senior leadership role responsible for shaping the RSPB's commercial future and maximising the contribution commercial activity makes to the organisation's income, strategic ambitions and long-term success.

Leading a diverse, multi-channel portfolio spanning Retail, E-commerce, Licensing, Wholesale and Food & Beverage, together with the critical enabling functions of Buying & Merchandising and Fulfilment, you will bring these areas together to deliver sustainable income, exceptional customer experiences, and long-term organisational value.

As a senior commercial leader with significant proven successful experience, you will set and drive the commercial strategy, identifying new opportunities for growth, innovation and partnership while ensuring the RSPB continues to evolve and thrive in a changing market.

You will harness customer insight, expertise and market understanding to strengthen income streams, expand audience reach and maximise the value of the RSPB brand.

Working across the organisation and influencing at senior level, you will ensure customer needs are at the heart of commercial decision-making. By connecting commercial opportunity with strategic ambition, you will drive sustainable growth, strengthen supporter engagement, and deliver outstanding results.

This is a unique opportunity to combine senior strategic commercial leadership with purpose, translating commercial success into meaningful organisational impact.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Experience leading a commercial, retail, ecommerce, trading or other income-generating function at a senior level, with responsibility for strategic direction and performance
• Experience managing multi-million-pound income and expenditure budgets, including forecasting, commercial performance analysis and investment decision-making.
• Experience developing and delivering commercial strategies, using commercial and financial insight to identify opportunities and make decisions that drive growth, profitability and sustainable income.
• Experience working across complex organisations or partnerships, building relationships and influencing senior stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
• Experience presenting complex performance, governance or strategic information to senior decision-makers, such as Boards, Trustees or Executive-level stakeholders.
• Experience negotiating and managing commercial partnerships and contracts, including identifying and managing associated commercial risks.
• Knowledge of retail, ecommerce and a range of other commercial or trading models, such as licensing, wholesale or food and beverage, and how these contribute to customer growth, experience and income generation
• Experience using customer or audience insight to inform commercial decisions, improve customer experience and support audience or supporter growth.
• Experience leading organisational change and improvement, introducing new approaches and delivering agreed strategic outcomes.
• Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams to deliver agreed objectives, including supporting individual and team performance and development
• Able to communicate complex commercial and financial information clearly and use evidence to influence senior stakeholders, support decision-making and build effective partnerships.

Additional Information

This is a Permanent Full-Time role for 37.5 hours per week.

Closing date: 23:59, Tuesday, 6th October 2026
We are looking to conduct first interviews for this position on 4th and 5th November.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. this role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

In order to apply you will be required to upload a CV and complete an application form where you will have the opportunity to explain how you meet the set criteria above.

Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application or if you require any reasonable adjustment.

No agencies please.

Action for Conservation exists to empower the next generation of environmental leaders — placing young people at the heart of action for nature and the climate. We are looking for a Fundraising Manager — Trusts and Foundations to take the lead on our income generation from trusts, foundations and statutory sources, ensuring our charity continues to grow sustainably and to bring the magic of nature into young people’s lives. 

Key details

Contract type: Permanent, full-time
Start date: December 2026 or January 2027, exact date to be agreed
Starting salary: £38,035 - £42,203 depending on location and experience
Location: London, Bristol or Manchester (hybrid) would be preferred; we are open to a remote hire for the right candidate
Hours of work: 35 hours on a 5-day working week. We operate a 9-day fortnight scheme with every other Friday off. Some evening and weekend work will be required, for which time off in lieu (TOIL) can be taken.
Travel: Occasional travel to London and our other active regions for meetings and events

About the role

As Fundraising Manager - Trusts & Foundations, you will play a crucial role in shaping and implementing our fundraising strategy. You will work closely with the Fundraising Manager - Philanthropy and Partnerships and the Chief Executive Officer to grow and diversify Action for Conservation’s income, taking responsibility for our trusts and foundations revenue stream. You will be the driving force behind our grant applications and reports, producing compelling fundraising content that drives donor engagement and maximises income opportunities. You will be able to distill and transform information from various sources about our projects and programmes, including impact data, into readable, persuasive narratives about our work tailored to donor interests and criteria. You will also manage the trusts and foundations pipeline, from researching new prospects and identifying the most appropriate approach for each funder to coordinating grant administration, monitoring and reporting. Through everything you do, you will maintain and build on existing funder relationships and proactively nurture new ones, enabling us to attract and retain funders year after year.

We are looking for a driven and passionate individual with a track record of securing one-off and/or multi-year five- to six-figure grants, who is comfortable managing multiple prospects, deadlines and priorities. To succeed in this role, you will be a skilled and persuasive written communicator with a keen eye for detail, excellent organisation and time-management skills and a positive, flexible and highly proactive approach to your work.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of our fundraising strategy and annual fundraising plans in line with delivery targets, strategic goals and funding needs; monitor and report on fundraising performance.
• Grow and diversify income from trusts, foundations and statutory funding sources, taking the lead on identifying new opportunities, drafting compelling funding applications and managing the grant fundraising pipeline. 
• Manage all grant administration, monitoring and reporting to funders, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and deadlines.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders from trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, encouraging ongoing and increased support.

Please see the Recruitment Pack for a full job description and the skills, knowledge and experience we are looking for.

Why work with us?

You will be joining a dynamic, mission-driven and closely-knit team who truly love what they do. It goes without saying that we work hard, but we also maintain a positive work-life balance and emphasize spending time outdoors. Some of the benefits of working with Action for Conservation are:

• A 9-day fortnight, with every other Friday off
• Flexible working (with a possibility for a fully remote role for the right candidate)
• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays, increasing up to 30 days with each year served
• Up to 5 professional development leave days and up to 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Enhanced family and sick leave, and a workplace pension scheme with 4% pension contributions
• A robust training package and ongoing development opportunities to support your progression and career
• Regular team away days with the opportunity to spend time outdoors and gain practical conservation skills 
• Opportunities to share your voice and shape the direction of our work

How to apply

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, 21 October at midnight. To be considered for the role, you must apply via our online application form. Click on the "Apply" button or visit our website to access the application form. Full details about the vacancy and application process are available in the enclosed Recruitment Pack.Please note that interviews will be held remotely in the w/c 02 November.

Our commitment to diversity and Guaranteed Interview Scheme

Diversity is one of our core values as an organisation and we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity. We also recognise that the climate and ecological crisis disproportionately impacts minority and/or marginalised communities – yet these voices are largely underrepresented in the sector. Currently, the environmental sector is the second least diverse in the UK, with just 4.8% of employees from ethnic minority backgrounds. If the environmental movement is to succeed in creating a greener future that supports society as a whole, we need diverse voices at the heart of our programmes. We therefore encourage people from demographics that are currently underrepresented in the environmental movement to apply. 

We particularly encourage applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds or living with a disability or long-term health conditions. We will offer an interview to any candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds or living with a disability who opt into our Guaranteed Interview Scheme when applying and who meet the essential criteria for this role.

If you would like further information, support with access requirements, such as an adjustment to the application or interview process, or an informal chat, please get in touch.

An exciting opportunity!

This is a rare and genuinely exciting opportunity to lead the UK's only dedicated charity supporting children, adults and families affected by MPS, Fabry disease and related lysosomal storage disorders. Following the current Chief Executive's planned move to become Managing Director of Rare Disease Research Partners (RDRP) in January 2027, the incoming CEO will take the helm of an organisation with over forty years of history, a trusted national reputation and a growing role on the international rare disease stage. The successful candidate will shape the strategic vision for more than 1,800 families, oversee the close partnership between the Society and its research subsidiary RDRP, and champion the patient and family ethos that sits at the heart of the organisation's work. It is an opportunity to combine ambitious strategic leadership with deeply meaningful, human impact, working alongside a committed Board, Senior Leadership Team and wider community of clinicians, researchers and pharmaceutical partners.

As our next Chief Executive, you will

• Define and deliver the MPS Society’s strategic vision.
• Provide confident oversight of governance, finance, compliance and reporting.
• Effectively manage the operational alignment between the MPS Society and RDRP.
• Always keep the members and family voice at the heart of strategy, service design and decision-making.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with statutory bodies, government agencies, pharmaceutical partners, clinical expert centres and other key stakeholders to support the Society’s objectives, influence policy and practice, and protect its professional reputation.
• Act as a visible and credible public voice to raise awareness, improve visibility, support, treatment access and outcomes for people affected by MPS, Fabry disease and related conditions.
• Collaborate with other rare disease bodies, patient organisations and other key audiences.
• Lead and empower the senior leadership team through effective delegation, early involvement in strategic discussions, clear accountability and support for individuals to flourish.
• Encourage an open, supportive work environment allowing creativity and building staff confidence.
• Help shape the future of the MPS Society.

About you

•  Self-motivated, with the drive to lead the organisation through a period of change and transition.
• Unquestionable probity and personal integrity, given the trust placed in the CEO by families, trustees and partners.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills, able to convey complex scientific and clinical information to audiences ranging from clinicians to families with no prior knowledge of MPS disorders.
• Strong self-awareness, with insight into their own leadership style and impact on others.
• Emotional resilience, able to sustain performance while supporting a community facing life limiting conditions.
• A collaborative and empowering leadership style, able to build trust, delegate effectively and help individuals across the organisation flourish.
• Genuine passion for the Society's mission, with a family and member-first ethos.
• Confidence to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders, from beneficiaries and Trustees to politicians, media and pharmaceutical partners.
• A proactive, positive approach, comfortable reacting to change and organising their own work to meet deadlines.
• Confidence speaking publicly on behalf of the organisation and the people it represents.

Why join us?

A close-knit, values-led culture. With just over thirty staff across the Society and RDRP combined, this is a place where the CEO can know the team personally, work closely with families day-to-day, and see the direct results of decisions rather than managing at a distance through layers of bureaucracy.

• Genuine autonomy to shape direction. The Board is explicitly looking to the new CEO to bring fresh thinking on technology, AI, and digital tools, and to give real freedom to modernise fundraising, services, and engagement rather than simply maintaining what already exists.
• A stable foundation to build from over forty years of track record, trusted relationships and a strong national reputation mean the incoming CEO can focus energy on vision and growth rather than firefighting or rebuilding credibility from scratch.
• Proximity to cutting-edge science: the Society's close relationship with RDRP gives the CEO regular exposure to advances in rare disease research and treatment access, while day-to-day research leadership sits with the RDRP Managing Director, allowing the CEO to focus on strategy, people and sustainability.
• A high-visibility, high-influence platform. Regular contact with government, pharmaceutical companies, clinicians and international rare disease bodies offers strong opportunities to build a public profile and personal network well beyond the charity sector.
• A team that already shares the mission. Staff are described as passionate about the Society's aims, and as having a family-first ethos, so the new CEO inherits a culture to lead and empower rather than one that needs to be built from the ground up.
• Work with a different kind of return. Beyond salary and career progression, this role offers the less tangible reward of knowing that strategic and financial decisions translate, into better support for families facing some of the rarest conditions in the country.

Benefits

Join us and you will be working for a caring charity offering:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave
• Extra leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Contributory pension
• Life assurance (subject to the conditions of the scheme)
• Employee assistance programme offering support 24/7

Further information

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the UK.

The main duties, responsibilities and requirements of this role can be viewed in the job description on our website.

Salary to be agreed depending on experience and will be pro-rata for part time hours.

This is an essential car user post. The applicant must hold a current UK driver’s licence, with no more than 6 points, have access to a car and be able and willing to drive UK wide as required.

This senior role requires flexibility in working hours and location.  It is primarily offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in our Amersham, Buckinghamshire, office each week. As part of the role, UK and overseas travel is necessary, which may on occasion include early morning and/or evening working and sometimes overnight stays. We have policies in place to ensure that any unsociable hours worked over the weekend are fairly compensated through TOIL.

This role will require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check (DBS) details of which can be found in the job description.

For an informal discussion about the role or the work of the MPS Society, please contact Dr Fiona Stewart.  Contact details can be found on the full job description. Kindly note, meetings with other relevant people will be available to shortlisted candidates at interview stage.