Purpose of the role

Transforming the Thames (TtT) is an ambitious, partnership-led programme with a vision of the Thames Estuary Restored, Reconnected and Resilient, an outstanding coastal wetland for communities and wildlife. Led by ZSL and delivered through a diverse partnership spanning industry, government, environmental groups, local nature partnerships and landowners, the programme is working to re-connect the currently fragmented and damaged seascape of the Greater Thames Estuary through habitat protection, repair, and restoration. With a first tranche of work restoring 320ha of coastal habitats by 2030 and plans to scale up over the long term, Transforming the Thames will continue until habitats across the Greater Thames are fully functional and reaching their full potential.

This role plays a central part in bringing that vision to life. Working on a part-time basis, you will coordinate and support the delivery of core elements of the Transforming the Thames project communications, from ZSL and with our partners, ensuring the programme maintains a coherent, collaborative and engaging public narrative. You will support the existing ZSL TtT Project team and work in close collaboration with ZSL’s central PR team.

Focusing on communications strategy, coordination, core content, media, and milestone campaigns, the role draws on ZSL brand guidelines, partner resources, commissioned creatives, and ZSL’s central PR team for execution and reach. With the project now underway, this role is key to inspiring and engaging communities around the Greater Thames Estuary, helping people reconnect with their estuary and demonstrating that, by working together, nature can recover.

This role is offered on a 12-month fixed-term contract, working 18.75 hours per week. This post is a flexible blended role, combining office- and home-based working. The position is primarily office based, with travel required to Zoo sites and fieldwork locations across London, Kent, and Essex. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required, with advance notice.
 
 

Key responsibilities:  

  • Programme Events and Media Coordination: Coordinate communications for major programme events such as the beginning of restoration activities or conferences in coordination with ZSL Central PR Team.
  • Communications Planning and Campaign Management: Manage the overall comms calendar, major campaigns, and milestone storytelling across the project.
  • Content Creation and Commissioning: Produce content (and potentially manage contractors producing content) for milestone stories, key website updates, social media copy, photography and videos for major moments, publishing volunteer and community stories.
  • Communications Strategy Leadership: Lead delivery and annual updating of project comms strategy, aligning with the overall project.
  • Partner Communications and Collaboration: Lead the Quarterly partner Communications Forum, ensuring alignment, shared priorities, and clear actions.  

About You

  • Proven experience in communications and/or media (environment, science, or public engagement ideal). 
  • Skilled at managing and delivering campaigns to meet critical deadlines.
  • Excellent writing and narrative-building skills, with experience producing content that engages a range of audiences.
  • Ability to coordinate with comms teams across a large partnership and manage complex messaging.
  • Strong organisational and project management capabilities.
  • A collaborative and diplomatic professional, skilled in clear communication and facilitation.
  • Committed to creating a culture that lives ZSL values and commitment to safeguarding, equality and diversity (collaborative, inspiring, inclusive, innovative, impactful and ethical). 
  • A full driving license is required for this role.

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 

We may close this role early or extend the closing date due to the number of applications we receive, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

We anonymise applications until interview stage to ensure a fair hiring process. It’s important to highlight your unique skills, experience, and knowledge. Over reliance on AI-generated content may miss key criteria outlined in the job description and reduce the effectiveness of your application. 

 

If you have any questions about this role, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with our recruitment team at – [email protected] 

 

What our team say...

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