Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, an international charity headquartered at Jersey Zoo in the Channel Islands, works to save species from extinction. They seek an Interim Director of Fundraising and Communications to lead their teams prior to the arrival of a permanent appointee.
Established by author and conservationist Gerald Durrell in 1959, Durrell’s aim is for more diverse, beautiful and resilient natural landscapes in which species can thrive and people can enjoy a deeper connection with nature.
Durrell pursues its mission by investing in four operational pillars that together strive for our vision of a wilder, healthier, more colourful world:
* Rewilding sites: We deliver hands-on conservation to combat human-driven threats, support local communities, recover threatened or missing wildlife, and restore ecological functions and habitats.
* Zoo: Jersey Zoo is a centre of excellence in animal husbandry, research, training and education, where we breed endangered species. The zoo also provides a window into the wild, helping connect people to nature.
* Conservation training: Our academies in Jersey and Mauritius deliver specialist training, both online and in person, to aspiring and early-career conservationists and conservation professionals.
* Science: Our Conservation Science team works across our mission to provide scientific evidence to guide our conservation strategies, monitor the effectiveness of our actions, and evaluate the impact we achieve.
About the role
Durrell is seeking an experienced Interim Director of Fundraising and Communications to lead a talented and dedicated team.
As we embark on our new 10-year strategy, storytelling and audience engagement will be at the heart of how we connect people with our mission to save species from extinction. This role will drive a bold, insight‑led marketing and communications strategy that grows Durrell’s reputation, reach and revenue across all areas, including fundraising, commercial, membership and conservation programmes.
This position at Durrell reflects the Trust’s determination to have an efficient and effective mission enabling fundraising, marketing and communications functions. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team and working closely with the Board of Trustees, the successful candidate will be responsible for Fundraising, Marketing and Communications to promote Durrell’s impactful work, raising awareness and support locally and nationally.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking an experienced, values‑led interim leader who can provide visible, confident leadership at pace. You will bring a strong track record of stabilising and motivating teams, enabling them to deliver demanding plans while maintaining momentum and morale. You will be decisive, pragmatic and collaborative, with the credibility to quickly build trusted relationships across a complex organisation.
You will also be highly skilled in turning strategy into deliverable plans, with experience of shaping investable budgets, clarifying priorities and driving delivery. You will bring particular strength in developing and testing growth opportunities, working hands‑on with teams and external consultants to build credible, practical approaches that deliver real results.
A natural people leader, you will be committed to coaching and developing senior colleagues, strengthening performance management, delegation and leadership capacity. You will take pride in helping others grow in confidence and effectiveness.
Operating as an important SLT member, you will be comfortable working closely with the CEO, trustees and committees, contributing to organisational‑wide decision‑making, risk management and planning. Above all, you will foster a positive, collaborative culture and model leadership that people want to follow.
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