Head of Development and Supporter Operations

Charity People; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Charity People is partnering with the Zoological Society of London to recruit a Head of Development and Supporter Operations. This role involves strategic leadership to enhance fundraising and supporter engagement within a nonprofit environment, focusing on income growth and operational excellence while promoting wildlife conservation.

Benefits

12% employer contribution pension

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Flexible working

Family friendly policies

Employee assistance programme

Access to ZSL’s two zoos

Allocation of complimentary tickets

Qualifications

• Proven experience in senior roles within the nonprofit sector.
• Effective leadership in motivating teams to achieve goals.
• Expertise in donor stewardship and managing large-scale projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage senior operational roles within the department.
• Implement a comprehensive strategy to support income growth.
• Drive operational excellence in donor stewardship and event management.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Fundraising Strategy

Event Management

Data Management

Job description

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Head of Development and Supporter Operations, London

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Client:

Charity People

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

27ac9fb71ec0

Job Views:

3

Posted:

02.06.2025

Expiry Date:

17.07.2025

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Job Description:

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

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.