Legacy Executive

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. 

• 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.