Job Description

Senior Officer - Statutory & Foundations Vacancy #: 7401
Unit: TRAFFIC International
Organisation: TRAFFIC International (TRAFFIC)
Location: TRAFFIC International, Cambridge, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Reporting to: Senior Coordinator - Development
Work percentage: 100%
Grade: P2
Expected start date: 02 January 2026
Type of contract: Indefinite
Closing date: 12 October 2025
BACKGROUND
TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working to ensure that global trade in wild species is legal and sustainable, for the benefit of the planet and people. At a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, TRAFFIC provides evidence, solutions, and influence to combat environmental degradation and ensure a nature-positive future.
TRAFFIC International is a charity and limited company registered in the UK. TRAFFIC's head office, based in Cambridge UK, provides worldwide leadership, coordination, cross-regional and corporate functions. The organisation focuses on preserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable legal wildlife trade while working against unsustainable illegal wildlife trade, contributing to international conservation efforts through evidence-based research and policy recommendations.
The salary range for this position is between 45,275 to 54,000 p.a. depending on experience and skills. This role will be based from our Cambridge, UK office.
JOB DESCRIPTION
CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES
We are looking for an exceptional fundraiser with significant experience in successfully fundraising from trusts and foundations as well as governments.
The Senior Officer - Statutory & Foundations will join a highly collaborative, supportive and ambitious Development Team and will play a key role in sustaining and growing income from trusts & foundations as well as governments. The ideal candidate will be able to work in close collaboration with Senior staff across the organisation to identify and strategize responses to grant opportunities turning complex issues into clear and persuasive proposals. The Senior Officer - Statutory & Foundations will also be responsible for initiating, developing and deepening relationships with a global roster of trusts and foundations in support of TRAFFIC's strategic priorities, primarily focusing on six-, seven- and eight figure opportunities.
This is a diverse role with key responsibility for the delivery of TRAFFIC's global fundraising strategy and income streams. Whilst proposal development and writing is central, the role regularly extends to leading, organising and coordinating effort both within TRAFFIC offices and with external partner organisations.
SPECIFIC DUTIES

• Guides TRAFFIC thematic leads and Programme Offices, including Programme Office Directors, to transform project ideas into compelling funding concepts.
• Manages the development of funding proposals ; from project design, informed by strong logical framework rationale, to providing high quality written content, editorial and process guidance and other areas of technical support e.g. monitoring and evaluation.
• Initiates liaison with colleagues from finance, operations, risk management, research and data, and M&E as needed to ensure their input to proposal content and review.
• Drives efficiencies and improvements to TRAFFIC's overall fundraising processes and systems at the institutional level (e.g. designs and maintains systems to manage current and past proposals, and maintains Raiser's Edge database of donors), in collaboration with Development Teamcolleagues.
• Reviews funding calls and donor requirements & criteria to provide advice on direction of approach and content.
• Advises staff in the Global Office and regional programme offices to strategize responses to grant opportunities, to optimize return on effort and to ensure that funding is directed to priority intervention areas (as described in TRAFFIC's annual workplans) and to priority funders (as identified in the fundraising strategy).
• Represents TRAFFIC in discussions with potential partners for joint bids, and provides support and advice to these external partners to strengthen bids.
• Represents TRAFFIC in donor meetings and briefing sessions.
• Designs and implements capacity building programmes for TRAFFIC on project design and proposal development, including introduction to project development within TRAFFIC, problem identification and articulation, stakeholder analysis, development of theories of change, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and processes, fundraising communication. Ensures this training is aligned to best practices in project planning across the conservation sector, and coordinated with Communications and Strategy, Programmes and Impact teams.
• Proactively researches, identifies and develop relationships with new prospects, who align to TRAFFIC priorities.
• Provides guidance on donor cultivation and engagement strategies.
• Leads on the development of generic fundraising material which can be multi-purposed for donor or wider publics.
• Advises teams across TRAFFIC as required to ensure the alignment of fundraising activities and program design to TRAFFIC strategic priorities, communications materials, and approaches (such as Evidence to Influence). Provides development input to Pipeline Group (indirectly) and Programme Forum.

REQUIREMENTS

• REQUIREMENTS / EXPECTATIONS OF THE ROLE

Project design and proposal writing experience, ideally across a range of international environmental NGOs, and a track record of success with securing at least six-figure grants from different donor sources, including European Commission, Governments, and Trusts and Foundations .

• Strategic, proactive and results focused with excellent organization and planning skills.
• Articulate with persuasive and engaging verbal communication skills and excellent written communication skills (English).
• Similar communication skills in French, Portuguese or Spanish desirable, but not required.
• Robust understanding of best practice for project design, including theory of change and log frames, and best practice approaches (e.g. Conservation Standards).
• Able to take a lead role with the packaging of a complex programme portfolio into language and visuals suitable for conveying TRAFFIC's work to existing and potential supporters.
• Strong background in biodiversity conservation and/or sustainable development issues
• Project management experience desirable, especially in developing countries
• Strong networking, relationship building and diplomacy skills.
• Ability to work independently and in close collaboration with others working as part of a distributed, multi-cultural team globally, able to trouble shoot and maintain good relationships under pressure and across time zones.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Eligible to live and work in the United Kingdom.
• Able to travel internationally.

SUPERVISION
NA
APPLICATIONS
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website:
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world's largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people's well-being.

Skills Required