Membership and Retention Manager

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international conservation charity, driven by science, working to protect and restore wildlife in the UK and around the world. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and every role, every person in every corner of ZSL has one thing in common – we are all conservationists, and passionate about restoring wildlife.

We have nearly 150,000 ZSL Zoo Members, who made over 680,000 visits to our conservation zoos - London and Whipsnade Zoo, last year, bringing us over £10 million of income; so they play a key role in supporting ZSL’s important conservation work.

The Membership and Retention Manager leads the growth and engagement of the organisation’s Zoo membership base, developing and delivering strategies that drive acquisition, retention, and long-term value. Working collaboratively across teams, the role ensures seamless, insight-led journeys that convert visitors into loyal members and supporters, underpinned by effective CRM communications and data-driven campaign delivery to maximise income and lifetime value.

Key responsibilities:  

• Strategy and Growth: Lead the development and delivery of a data-driven membership marketing strategy to grow acquisition, retention, and member value across all channels.
• Collaboration and Partnerships: Build strong cross-team and supplier partnerships to enhance supporter experiences, operational efficiency, and member value.
• Performance and Insights: Monitor and report on membership performance, providing insights and leadership to drive continuous improvement and team success.
• Fundraising Alignment: Collaborate with Fundraising to nurture member-to-donor pathways through targeted segmentation and coordinated communications.
• CRM and Retention: Drive personalised, insight-led CRM and retention strategies that deepen engagement and foster long-term supporter loyalty.
• Digital and Systems Optimisation: Partner with digital and operational teams to optimise online journeys, systems, and data structures for seamless supporter experiences and retention growth.

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.