Job Description

Purpose of the role

ZSL's Legacy Executive plays a vital role in securing long-term support for our mission to restore wildlife and create a world where nature thrives. This role will lead the growth and stewardship of legacy giving and in-memory donations, ensuring these deeply personal gifts are honoured with sensitivity and care. The Legacy Executive will be responsible for developing and delivering inspiring fundraising plans and activities, nurturing relationships with legacy pledgers and in-memory donors, and driving thoughtful marketing and engagement to encourage supporters to consider leaving a lasting impact through their gift. This work helps build a sustainable future for ZSL's global conservation efforts.

Key responsibilities:

Strategy Development:

Work with colleagues to shape the Legacy Marketing and Pledger Care strategy, reviewing annually to identify opportunities for improvement.

Marketing & Communications:

Contribute to and utilise ZSL's proposition development for Gifts in Wills, to deliver a marketing and communications plan to engage supporters with the impact of leaving a legacy gift.

Donor Stewardship:

Lead on the development of the legacy recruitment and stewardship activity to increase the pipeline of donors who have pledged to leave a gift in Will.

Cross-Team Collaboration:

Collaborate with colleagues in the Fundraising Team and across ZSL to ensure a cohesive and compelling donor journey, including delivery of legacy prospect and stewardship events.

Supporter Relationships:

Nurture relationships with legacy pledgers to ensure they are valued and engaged with ZSL with sensitivity and respect, promote our In Memory giving and steward supporters ensure their support is recognised with dignity.

Legacy Administration:

Liaise with solicitors and executors to ensure income is received, allocated appropriately and recognised in the most appropriate manner.

About You

Background in fundraising and donor development in the charity or cultural sector, preferably in the field of legacy fundraising. Proven track record of creating, monitoring and delivering marketing and communication plans to enable supporter recruitment. Experience of individual fundraising and stewardship. Familiarity with fundraising regulations and best practice including Gift Aid and GDPR. Experience of working with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels of an organisation. Strong commitment to confidentiality and sensitivity in regard to donor relationships.


This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate's right to work in the UK.



We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage. We are committed to ensuring our teams can bring their authentic selves to work without fear of discrimination. ZSL has active equality networks for our staff with lived experience and those who provide active allyship in Race and Culture, Team Pride, Disability Network, and Menopause Network, complemented by our strategic EDI Steering Group.

About Us

We're ZSL, an international conservation charity. Through our unrivalled animal experts in our two zoos (London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo), the work of our pioneering scientists, our dedicated conservationists, our purpose is to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wild animals going extinct. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and we're working every day to achieve this. From investigating the health threats facing animals, to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, we are committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction.

What do we offer?

At ZSL, we are proud of our approach to employee benefits. Our benefits include:


Our vision and purpose - you'll work alongside colleagues who are passionate about science-led conservation, knowing that you will help us to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wildlife going extinct Pension scheme - we offer a generous pension scheme with up to 12% contributory pension Flexible working - talk to us about your flexible working requirements and we will do everything we can to make sure you work in a way that suits you Holidays - 25 days annual leave allowance, plus UK bank holidays Wellbeing - access to a blended programme of wellbeing initiatives, including confidential access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme Life assurance - eligible employees will be enrolled in ZSL's life assurance scheme from their first day Complimentary tickets - annual allocation of Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo tickets, with a 30% discount in online and retail shops Cycle2Work - our cycle to work scheme enables you to lease a bicycle Season ticket loan - we offer an interest free loan for eligibly London-based employees to buy a season ticket for travel between home and work Family friendly policies - we offer enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption packages
NB: We reserve the right to close our advertisement early or extend the advertising date until a suitable candidate has been found.