Jobs

Use your exceptional fundraising skills and experience to save endangered species from extinction and improve people’s lives through closer connections with nature. Join our small but highly successful team based in the heart of Edinburgh Zoo and you will have an amazing opportunity to make an impact on conservation in Scotland and around the world!

Who we are:

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world where nature is protected, valued and loved. Our 2030 strategy includes three ambitious pledges: to reverse the decline of 50 species; to create deeper connections with nature for more than one million people; and to enable more than 100 communities to better connect with nature.

The importance of your role:

Individual giving and corporate support are vital to the delivery of RZSS’s ambitious strategy and the Fundraising Manager is a senior role. Working with the Head of Fundraising and colleagues across RZSS, the post-holder will manage a small team to deliver inspiring multi-channel campaigns for individual giving, legacies and patrons as well as expanding a new major donor programme. The postholder will also manage the corporate partners programme and support the expansion of corporate sponsorship opportunities.

This hugely varied role will include responsibility for developing our donor journey, managing relationships with major donors, leading events and donor visits whilst ensuring all supporters receive excellent stewardship. The fundraising team are based in Edinburgh Zoo (albeit this role can be offered as a hybrid position). This is a permanent full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week.

Some of the things you’ll do:

Manage the day-to-day delivery of the Fundraising team, implementing innovative strategy and business plans, including resource management for current and future needs, identifying opportunities, setting, and monitoring targets/budgets to maximise income from funders.
Manage all aspects of the Fundraising team’s work which includes donation campaigns, crowdfunding, Patron’s programme, Corporate Partners programme, Corporate Sponsorship, and grants.
Develop or advise on medium – long term strategic relationships with key stakeholders/advocates/partners, including cultivation events and leading on proposals, to gather intelligence, build up and maintain constructive relationships for fundraising-related purposes.
Responsible for negotiating major contracts with suppliers and contractors and managing the delivery and development of outsourced contracts for the Department, ensuring they are managed in a professional manner which contributes to the profitability and reputation of RZSS.

What we’re looking for:

CIOF fundraising qualifications or equivalent experience
Knowledge of donor cultivation and stewardship principles

Good understanding of the external fundraising environment in Scotland

Ability to build and maintain effective relationships, communicating confidently with Leadership teams and other departments to deliver high-level cultivation and stewardship activity with a range of internal and external stakeholders

Practical application of using CRM databases e.g. Raisers Edge/ThankQ or another relevant database management system

For further information on what the role involves and essential/desirable criteria – please see the ‘related documents’ section under the site location map.

What you’ll get in return:

Starting salary of £48,453 or £49,665 (offer based on experience) with future salary progression up to £54,007 per annum
37.5 working week (may require some evening/ weekend working on occasion)
34 days annual leave
Discount in both retail/catering
Access to a healthcare plan
Access to Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), that provide 24-hour counselling and support, including health, legal, finance, wellbeing and family advice
Employer contributory pension scheme

You will receive a staff membership which will give you (and family/friends) free (and discounted) entry to both the Highland Wildlife Park and Edinburgh Zoo as well as a number of other Zoo’s across the UK.

If this role excites you and aligns with your career aspirations, click APPLY now.

This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate’s right to work in the UK and Basic Disclosure check.

Please note that shortlisting of applications and interviews for this position will take place while the advert is live.? The advert will close once a successful candidate has been found.

Interested candidates are therefore encouraged to submit applications, as soon as possible.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is an equal opportunities employer. Our policy is to recruit a diverse workforce following the guidelines of the Equality Act 2010.

Application Deadline: Friday 24/07/2026