Dear candidate,
Thank you for your interest in joining ZSL at what is a genuinely exciting moment in our 200-year history.
If you’re reading this, you’re considering becoming part of something quite extraordinary – an organisation where every single person, from our zookeepers and scientists to our educators and corporate service teams, is driven by a shared passion for protecting wildlife and restoring nature. That depth of commitment is both our greatest strength and, I’ll be honest, one of our most interesting leadership challenges.
People are absolutely at the heart of everything we achieve at ZSL. Without the expertise, dedication and energy of our colleagues across the UK and around the world, none of our ambitious conservation goals would be possible. We simply cannot shift the dial for wildlife and communities globally without a talented, motivated and supported workforce. That’s why this role matters so much.
Our colleagues care deeply about their work – and rightly so, given the stakes. We’re looking for someone who can help us harness the extraordinary passion our people bring, whilst building the structures, culture and ways of working that allow everyone to thrive.
Great governance is critical, and your role will be to help us channel the energy of our Board and our colleagues in ways that strengthen accountability, support wellbeing, maintain a strong culture of safety and responsibility, and ensure we’re working as one organisation towards our shared vision: a world where wildlife thrives.
Achieving that vision means ensuring people and wildlife can thrive together – not just in our conservation programmes around the world, but right here within ZSL. We want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported and able to do their best work. That means continuing to build a culture of honesty, integrity, accountability and inclusion at every level.
Like many organisations in our sector, we’re navigating a complex external environment while working to deliver ambitious goals in our bicentenary year and beyond. But I’m genuinely optimistic about what we can achieve together – and the right Director of People and Culture will be central to making that happen.
If you’re excited by the prospect of working with brilliant, passionate people to build an organisation where both wildlife and colleagues can flourish, I’d love to hear from you.
Kathryn England
Chief Executive Officer
ZSL