Job Description

Posted: 13 November 2025

About Animal Defenders International

http://www.ad-international.org

London-Los Angeles-Bogota-South Africa. Animal Defenders International (ADI) is a UK non-profit; with reg. charity Animal Defenders International Foundation & Lord Dowding Fund for Humane Research; Animal Defenders International Inc.US (nonprofit), and Animal Defenders International South Africa, PBO (charity). ADI works for replacement of animals in research and testing; legal protection to end use of animals in entertainment; wildlife trade; farming; protection of our shared environment. When governments ban the use of all, or wild animals in entertainment, or wildlife pets, ADI provides support to remove and relocate the animals, emptying all circus cages in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala. The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, is home to over 30 rescued big cats from circuses, illegal pet trade, zoos. http://www.adiwildlifesanctuary.org.za

Job Title:Director of Fundraising

Organisation:Animal Defenders International (ADI)



Location:London, Vauxhall SE11 (hybrid, remote and office)



Terms: Salary: 60-70,000/year, (commensurate with experience/qualifications). Permanent, full time.


Benefits: Annual leave 20 days/year/national holidays/5 days office closure Christmas-New Year/Stakeholder pension.



Reports to:Senior directors (ADI President and Vice President)

About the Role and Objectives:

Developing and growing relations with supporters, donors, public, foundations, and corporate friends. Passionate and well organized, you will change the world for animals by ensuring every department's work is fully funded - as well as the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, home to our rescued lions and tigers. Duties:


Production of annual fundraising and marketing plan: growing supporter base, increasing engagement and retention; sustained giving; digital and postal direct response; increasing donor engagement and retention; planned giving; special events/calendar dates; major gifts; foundation grants; corporate support; legacies, trusts, estates; new income research. Targets for annual, quarterly, income. Manages fundraising calendar, mailings, events, targets, tracking. Grant Applications, foundations, corporate: Identify, plan, approach, draft grant applications/letters of inquiry and collateral for foundations, trusts, corporate partnerships and gifts, major donor gifts, and other potential sources of income (collaboration with senior directors). Regular liaison with high donors, foundations, estates, corporate donors, sponsors. Reporting: income tracking, recommendations for new approaches, supervise production of data for quarterly reports. Weekly liaison with senior directors.

Publications, Social, Websites, Online & Print

Drafting copy, editing, production; collaborates with public relations/senior directors Oversees production of print and online publications - liaison with external graphic designers (collaboration with public relations director) Websites - contribute content. New website project with public relations director Advertising, marketing, ADI YouTube channel - develop fundraising, marketing opportunities. Social media posts - contribute copy, graphics E-News alerts to supporters (collaboration with public relations director) Contributes development section to Annual Report Contributes development article for Rescuer (quarterly) Other contributions to publications as needed

Management, oversight, reporting:

Management of UK Supporter Engagement Team. Oversight of Raiser's Edge NXT, Engaging Networks, interface with financial database and records; liaison with Chief Financial Officer. Monitor, manage, daily: data entry, gifts, acknowledgements, income tracking, donor communications; distribution of newsletters; calls to action; appeals. Reporting. Monitor, manage: reconciliations, data manipulation, data-integrity projects, audits, segmentation, quarterly and other reports. Oversee planning, mailings, responses, data management. Monthly and quarterly reports: income, mailings, gifts, trusts, estates, corporate, other.

Who should apply:

You have the necessary skills and experience, with at least 4 years' experience in fundraising planning and management for charities, including:


Educated to degree level in a related field (or equivalent experience) (required).

A successful track record in direct response campaign fundraising and marketing.

Excellent written English, you can demonstrate impactful and persuasive content for high donors, foundations, corporate support, supporters, social media, marketing and legacy promotion (required).

You can plan and deliver programs for regular and planned giving, major gifts, estates, support from foundations, corporate support (required).

Strong technical skills, data management, manipulation; MS Office suite, Excel/Google, other; competent with digital research (NB: ChatGPT not permitted for writing ADI product) (required).

Strong Raiser's Edge NXT and Engaging Networks skills (or similar); segmentation, creating lists and reports, data hygiene, audits (required).

Some knowledge of social media tools, e.g. Canva, Photoshop, or other.

Management of external vendors for direct response campaigns, production of merchandise catalogue and other sales, marketing, collateral.

Ensures compliance with ADI's language, policies, communications style guidelines, editing and publications authorization process (required).

Skilled at organization and multitasking, you can successfully handle competing priorities and deadlines (required).

Supporter Engagement culture: strong verbal and written communication skills, you can create a friendly, welcoming approach, for supporters with their donations and advocacy.

Oversight and Management of staff and supporter relations (required):

About Us:

ADI is Great Nonprofits Top-rated; Charity Navigator 4-star. Operating from London, Los Angeles, Bogota and South Africa. Exposes animal suffering and works for legal protection; replacement of animals used in research; ending the suffering of animals in entertainment; movies, advertising, circuses, sport. Wildlife trade, environment. Once animal circuses are banned ADI helps governments with implementation and relocation of the survivors to ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa: ADI has featured in CBS 60 Minutes, Animal Planet Discovery features and made award-winning documentary, Lion Ark (broadcast in over 40 countries).https://www.youtube.com/c/ADITV-animals/videos

ADI internal policy:

ADI is dedicated to ending the suffering of animals and works for their legal protection. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment, and a plant-based lifestyle is preferred. ADI is also committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability or other.

How to apply:

Apply early - no closing date - we review applications as they arrive; interviews commence on a rolling programme Send email detailing how you meet our criteria, together with your CV A formal application form will be sent if you have been selected for interview Interviews will be online and in person - arranged once your application form has been reviewed. In-person interviews will be arranged following virtual interviews. If you have been selected for interview we will send you an application form to complete beforehand, which forms an essential part of our recruitment process. Virtual interviews will be arranged once your application form has been reviewed. In-person interviews will be arranged following virtual interviews.

Apply to:

Animal Defenders International, Vox Studios North, 1 Durham Street, London, SE11 5JH.

Send CV to: execassist@ad-international.org