Grants Manager

Use your 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 fundraising
team based in the heart of Edinburgh Zoo and you’ll have an amazing opportunity to make an
impact on conservation in Scotland and around the world!

About the charity

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a wildlife conservation charity with a vision of a
world where nature is protected, valued and loved. Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are
our gateways to the natural world where people can experience nature and learn how to protect
it.

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 nature. More information on RZSS can be found at rzss.org.uk

About the role

Grant funding is vital to the delivery of RZSS’s ambitious strategy and the Grants Manager is a
senior role in our small fundraising team. Working with the Head of Fundraising and colleagues
across RZSS, the post-holder will generate high value grants to support a wide range of
inspiring and innovative projects to care for endangered animals in Scotland and conserve them
in the wild, whilst also helping diverse communities to realise the benefits of being close to
nature. 

This hugely varied role will include responsibility for managing relationships with existing
major funders, increasing the volume and success of proposals and applications, managing
reports and grant claims as well as identifying new funders and avenues for income generation.

The fundraising team are based in Edinburgh Zoo and this can be a hybrid role. 

Some of the things you’ll do

• Contribute to and support the implementation and delivery of the fundraising strategy and
  annual fundraising plans to meet agreed individual and team targets.
• Manage the RZSS grants programme to support our strategy and business plans, including
  identifying opportunities as well as setting and monitoring targets/budgets.
• Generate annual income in the range of £1m+ to support national and international
  conservation and engagement initiatives
• Account manage and enhance relationships with current major funders (£100k – £3m) and
  deliver first-class stewardship, including organising site visits and events.
• Work on exceptionally large or complex fundraising projects, including defining projects
  and writing compelling proposals.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of UK and global charitable trusts, foundations and major
  funders through on-going research and horizon-scanning.
• Identify and deliver opportunities to promote RZSS as a world class visitor attraction and
  gateway to nature, and position RZSS amongst major funders as an international leader in
  conservation and science.

What we are looking for

• Extensive knowledge of grants management and stewardship principles.
• Extensive experience from working in a busy fundraising environment, with a proven track
  record of generating five and six figure grants.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to write compelling and persuasive grant
  application and reports.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and communicate confidently with a
  range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of researching and managing donor information, including managing trust records
  on a CRM database and building prospect lists.

What you’ll get in return

• Starting salary between £44,259 – £45,498 (offer based on experience) with future salary
  progression up to £50,844 per annum
• 37.5hr working week
• 34 days annual leave (pro rata)
• Discount in both retail/catering
• Access to a healthcare plan
• 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.

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 quickly as possible. 

If you are a current engaged by RZSS (this includes seasonal staff who are currently
undertaking work for us)? Please discuss with your current line manager prior to submitting
your application. 

Please see the role profile for further information about this post and essential/desirable
criteria.

RZSS offers a range of amazing benefits which can be found at https://www.rzss.org.uk/about-rzss/staff-benefits/