{"id":12,"date":"2025-01-23T12:31:39","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T12:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/bre\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2026-03-25T14:58:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T14:58:52","slug":"role-description","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/role-description\/","title":{"rendered":"Role Description"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\t\t Role Description – Chief Supporter Officer\t <\/h1>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Job level:<\/strong> Executive<\/p>\n

Directorate:<\/strong> Fundraising and marketing<\/p>\n

Contract:<\/strong> Permanent<\/p>\n

Reports to:<\/strong> Chief Financial Officer<\/p>\n

Function<\/strong>: Leadership<\/p>\n

Location:<\/strong> Hybrid: 2-3 days per week onsite<\/p>\n

Responsibility for resources<\/h2>\n

Direct line reports: <\/strong>Up to 6 (indirect circa 40)
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Financial resources:<\/strong> Income of \u00a310 fundraising & \u00a310m membership<\/p>\n

Responsibility for other resources:<\/strong> Oversees the effective use and stewardship of high-level organisational resources<\/p>\n

Our vision and mission<\/h2>\n

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international conservation charity, driven by science, working to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and every role, every person in every corner of ZSL has one thing in common \u2013 we are all conservationists, and passionate about restoring wildlife.<\/p>\n

Purpose of the role<\/h2>\n

ZSL is lucky enough to have a very diverse range of supporters, from zoo visitors and members, patrons and fellows to major donors, trusts, foundations and corporate partners. We also have big ambitions and recognise the associated importance of sustainable growth in audience engagement, supporter generosity and fundraising income through the development and delivery of compelling, integrated engagement and income generation strategies.<\/p>\n

The Chief Supporter Officer (CSO) is ZSL\u2019s senior leader for fundraising and marketing, responsible for setting the strategic direction for income generation and audience growth to ensure ZSL thrives as both a leading conservation charity and a major UK visitor attraction. Bringing deep expertise in these disciplines, the CSO will use those strengths to shape and inspire a high-performing, integrated team that can drive income, strengthen market position and deepen supporter engagement.<\/p>\n

The CSO will lead a portfolio approach to fundraising, developing innovative products and events, campaigns and income streams that reflect supporter motivations and maximise lifetime value. A key focus is accelerating growth in high\u2011value giving – including major donors, trusts, foundations and corporate partners – while building organisational capability to secure multi\u2011year, transformational support.<\/p>\n

The role also shapes ZSL\u2019s marketing strategy to position the organisation as a must\u2011visit conservation attraction, championing a data\u2011driven visitor acquisition strategy that increases footfall, grows membership and enhances visitor value. The CSO will build and develop a high\u2011performing team, shaping the strength and talent needed to deliver this strategic agenda. Working closely with the communications team, the CSO ensures brand, audience insight and marketing activity align to deliver an integrated, high\u2011performing approach across all channels in support of ZSL\u2019s commercial and charitable goals.<\/p>\n

Key responsibilities<\/h2>\n

Strategic leadership<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Set the strategic direction for all fundraising and marketing activity, delivering an integrated, future\u2011focused strategy that grows voluntary income, strengthens ZSL\u2019s market position and enhances supporter and visitor engagement.<\/li>\n
  • Lead a portfolio approach to income generation, developing innovative fundraising products\/ events, campaigns and income streams that respond to supporter motivations and maximise long\u2011term value across individual giving, philanthropy, corporate partnerships, Institutional\/ Statutory, trusts & foundations and legacies.<\/li>\n
  • Drive significant growth in high\u2011value fundraising, cultivating and stewarding major donors, trusts, foundations and corporate partners to secure multi\u2011year, transformational support for ZSL\u2019s conservation mission.<\/li>\n
  • Lead the development of a unified, organisation\u2011wide understanding of supporters across all touchpoints by mapping high\u2011level end\u2011to\u2011end journeys, enabling ZSL to build enduring, tailored relationships that inspire long\u2011term giving and engagement.<\/li>\n
  • Champion a data\u2011led visitor acquisition and supporter growth strategy, ensuring marketing investment drives measurable increases in attendance, member recruitment and retention, and overall income performance.<\/li>\n
  • Ensure brand, audience insight and marketing activity are aligned, collaborating closely with the communications function to deliver integrated campaigns that elevate ZSL\u2019s profile and support both commercial and charitable goals.<\/li>\n
  • Build organisational capability in fundraising and marketing, shaping a high\u2011performing team structure, systems and culture that supports innovation and ambition, stewardship excellence and sustainable long\u2011term growth.<\/li>\n
  • Act as a senior executive ambassador for ZSL, representing the organisation with donors, partners, networks and stakeholders to extend influence, build strategic relationships and unlock new income opportunities.<\/li>\n
  • You will also foster strong relationships with charities, statutory bodies and external partners, enhancing the ZSL\u2019s reach, influence and income-generating potential.<\/li>\n
  • Work closely with the Board of Trustees (Council) and relevant subcommittees to ensure robust governance of fundraising and donor activity, providing clear reporting, insight and assurance on income generation, supporter stewardship, risk management and compliance with charity fundraising regulations.<\/li>\n
  • Working with CFO, lead annual and long-term income target setting across the various channels, ensuring accurate performance reporting and implementation of timely interventions if required and ensure effective deployment of large scale expenditure budgets tailored to drive results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Leadership, governance and culture<\/h3>\n
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    • Chair the directorate Senior Management Team, fostering collaboration, clarity of accountability and collective ownership of delivery.<\/li>\n
    • As a member of the Executive Committee, work collaboratively with executive colleagues and, through Council, trustees to shape organisational strategy, support sound decision\u2011making and model collegiate leadership.<\/li>\n
    • Act as a senior steward of ZSL\u2019s resources and reputation, role model the highest standards of integrity, ethical leadership, collaboration, financial discipline and regulatory compliance.<\/li>\n
    • Lead complex change programmes, balancing operational continuity with innovation, transformation and organisational learning.<\/li>\n
    • Inspire, lead and develop large, diverse and multi\u2011disciplinary teams setting clear expectations and upholding high standards through both personal leadership and formal people processes.<\/li>\n
    • Build organisational capability through strong engagement, talent development and succession planning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Values and behaviours for people management<\/h3>\n
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      • Collaborative: <\/strong>creates an engaging environment where people feel comfortable asking for help or support<\/li>\n
      • Ethical: <\/strong>creates a culture which ensures everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect<\/li>\n
      • Impactful: <\/strong>delivers results on time and to the agreed standards<\/li>\n
      • Inclusive:<\/strong> makes decisions that promote transparency and inclusion<\/li>\n
      • Innovative: <\/strong>is forward thinking and able to see the broader picture when planning and organising work<\/li>\n
      • Inspiring: <\/strong>has self-awareness and seeks feedback to better understand own style, approach and impact on team\/staff motivation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68,"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12\/revisions\/68"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/micro.green-park.co.uk\/zsl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}