Fundraising Manager

Closing date: 04 October 2026
Contract: Full time, permanent
Location: Wildwood Kent, Herne Common, CT6 7LQ
Reports to: Director of Finance
Responsible for: 2 direct reports
Grade: 3

Job purpose

This role is responsible for managing and developing Wildwood Trust’s portfolio of grant funders, ensuring excellent stewardship of existing relationships while securing new funding to support the organisation’s conservation ambitions. The role also oversees the Trust-wide membership programme.

Initially, the role will focus on delivering high-quality grant reporting, maintaining strong relationships with existing funders and ensuring compliance with funding agreements. As these systems become embedded, the role will increasingly focus on developing a strategic pipeline of trust, foundation and statutory funding opportunities, growing both restricted and unrestricted income.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the management of Wildwood’s existing grant portfolio, monitoring income against targets and ensuring accurate grant records within the CRM.
• Maintain excellent relationships with existing trust and foundation funders.
• Coordinate timely, accurate and high-quality reporting to funders and other stakeholders.
• Develop and implement a trusts and foundations fundraising plan, mapping out the steps for building and maintaining a strategic funding pipeline.
• Develop and deliver fundraising appeals and regular giving programmes.
• Respond to emergency fundraising campaigns as appropriate.
• Build pathways from membership to higher-value giving.
• Line management of the Membership team and oversight of the membership system.
• Develop robust systems for collecting project outcomes and impact data.
• Translate technical conservation information into compelling reports for funders and wider stakeholders.

The working week

Your working week will be varied and busy, with no two days the same. Priorities will initially be the administration of and reporting on the existing grant funding, including Natural England Species Recovery Project Funding and building rapport with existing funders. Much of your work will be collaborative; you will need to work closely with the Finance Team to create budgets and track funded spend, engage with other departments to research and identify opportunities for funding, including repeat funding and multi-year support, and ensuring delivery teams are aware of grant conditions, outputs and reporting deadlines.

Core working hours are 09:00 until 17:00 Monday to Friday with an unpaid half an hour for lunch. This post is 37.5 hours per week over 5 days, however some flexibility may be necessary to ensure business continuity. The job may involve overtime, including some evening, weekend and bank holiday working as part of your normal duties and you will be included on the park Duty Manager rota both during the week and at weekends. You may be required to occasionally travel between parks.

Skills, knowledge, qualifications & experience

All Wildwood staff are passionate, committed, and resourceful. To succeed in this specific role, you will be personable, highly-driven, and engaging.

Essential

• Proven experience securing funding from trusts and foundations.
• Experience managing grant-funded projects and accurate reporting to funders and other stakeholders.
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail.
• Enjoys juggling complex projects and competing priorities.
• Confident communicating with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments.
• Experience using CRM systems.
• Ability to translate complex conservation work into compelling funding narratives, grant applications, and expressions of interest.
• Demonstrate a genuine love of British wildlife and belief in Wildwood’s Mission; to protect, conserve, and rewild British wildlife.

Desirable

• Experience fundraising for environmental, conservation or wildlife organisations.
• Knowledge of biodiversity, species recovery or environmental policy.
• Experience using funding databases such as Funds Online or GrantNav.

Why work for Wildwood

Wildwood is a native species conservation charity established in 2002 to push the boundaries of innovative conservation and rewilding. We work with nature to fight the biodiversity crisis, to halt the extinction of species and to create resilient habitats in which nature thrives. We focus on nature-based solutions to return native species and recreating truly wild spaces.

Wildwood has a proud culture of respecting and valuing all colleagues. Our people are integral to our success; their expertise enables us to achieve our ambitions, their professionalism creates strong collaborations, and their integrity upholds our organisational values. We believe in Equal Opportunities and the benefits of a varied workteam.

Employment package

• Annual salary of £35,000
• Annual leave allowance of 30 days a year, including statutory holidays
• Workplace pension (auto enrolled after three months)
• Inclusive and family-friendly working policies
• Training & development opportunities
• Selection of staff benefits including discounts
• Free or reduced price entry to BIAZA accredited zoos and aquariums

Health & safety considerations and training

This job involves undertaking duties which include the following health, safety and wellbeing considerations:

• Regular use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
• Lone working (Rangers / Keepers/Project officers)
• Conflict resolution (managers)
• Pressure to meet key deadlines such as might be integral to high profile projects (conservation, managers)

Mandatory training for this role includes:

• Animal Escape & Emergency Procedures
• COSHH & Risk Assessment training
• RIDDOR Reporting
• First Aid
• Fire Warden & Extinguishers
• Cyber Security
• Awareness topics including Safeguarding, EDI, H&S, GDPR, and Customer Engagement

Probationary measures of good performance

This role has a probation period of six months. A formal review will be held at the mid-point. The following measures of good performance will help to guide our assessment:

1. By the mid-point review, take ownership of the existing grants portfolio, establishing an accurate grants calendar and central record of active grants, including reporting deadlines, payment schedules, funding conditions, key contacts and required outputs.
2. By the mid-point review, establish appropriate stewardship/contact plans for all priority funders, including identifying opportunities for renewal or further support.
3. Within the first six months, successfully manage reporting and stewardship for existing funders, completing all of reports due within the first six months on time and to the required standard.
4. Within the first six months, establish a strategic trusts and foundations pipeline, researching and qualifying prospective funders and creating a prioritised pipeline containing at least 30 credible prospects, with indicative values, deadlines, funding interests, relationship status and next actions recorded.
5. Within the first six months, collate a plan to strengthen internal grant planning and impact reporting, establishing effective working relationships with Conservation, Finance, and other relevant delivery teams, with a view to implementing an agreed process for gathering project information, budgets, outputs and impact evidence, with at least two fundable propositions/projects developed to application-ready stage for future opportunities.