Development Manager

DSWF Development Manager

Candidate Application Pack

March 2026

| About David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) is an influential wildlife charity, operating across Africa
and Asia to end wildlife crime and protect endangered species in their natural habitat. Born from a
creative legacy, art remains at the centre of our work to bring conservation to life. Working from
grassroots to the world stage, DSWF adopts a holistic approach to conservation. We put people at
the heart of our work and take into consideration the vital importance of communities in the fight to
protect the world’s most endangered wildlife.

Since 1984, we have invested over £14 million directly into wildlife conservation. Harnessing the
power of art, in memory of our Founder, the celebrated wildlife artist and conservationist, David
Shepherd, we continue to educate, inspire, and empower people to join our fight to save wildlife.

By investing in economically and socially vulnerable communities at the heart of the conservation
landscape we fund programmes that tackle the drivers of wildlife crime, thereby securing safe
spaces for wildlife to thrive. By supporting law enforcement operations, undercover investigations,
education, and strategies to alleviate poverty, we have a real impact on key people and places, as we
fight to turn the tide on extinction.

DSWF also works in wildlife consumer countries to end the demand for, and trade in, wildlife
products and engages in both the national and international policy arena to fight for the toughest
possible protectionist policies.

Through dedication and hard work, we have influenced policy, shifted attitudes, and provided an
unwavering voice for wildlife conservation for over four decades.

For more information visit:

www.davidshepherd.org
@dswfwildlifeart
@dswfwildlife
About Us video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khiye_3Vl_Q

The Art of Survival:  Fight. Protect. Engage.

www.davidshepherd.org   |  Development Manager Application Pack   |  March 2026

| About the Development Manager role

The Development Manager (Individual Giving & Major Donors) is responsible for the strategic
leadership and performance of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF)’s individual giving and
major donor fundraising, ensuring a high-quality donor experience across all individual funding
streams.

The role combines direct responsibility for cultivating and securing major-mid level donor income
with strategic oversight of all individual giving programmes, including donation programmes,
adoption schemes, regular giving and campaign-led appeals. Direction, attendance and stewardship
at key curated fundraising events is a core part of the role and, at all times, the Development
Manager will consider the impact of strong individual relationships regarding legacies that may arise
in the future.

As directed by the DoD and CEO, the Development Manager will also help oversee and manage
corporate partnership engagement, supporting the senior team to further develop and steward
strategic relationships and the wider team to deliver the day-to-day.
Working closely with the DoD and in strategic partnership with the Trusts & Foundations Manager,
the Development Manager plays a central part in delivering a balanced, diversified and resilient
income strategy.

This is an external facing role also requiring close internal collaboration with Conservation,
Education, Art, Marketing and Finance teams. The Development Manager will line manage the
Development Executive, and share responsibility for the CRM/Data Executive, ensuring coordinated
high standards of delivery, stewardship, supporter care and data management across all individual
giving activity.

| Summary of the role

Role:

Development Manager

Reports to:

Director of Development

Works alongside:

Development Team

Direct reports:

Development Executive, CRM & Data Executive (shared)

Hours:

Salary:

Location:

Hours:

Lunch:

Holiday:

Full Time (35 hours per week).

Between £40,000 - £45,000 dependent on experience.

Hybrid, between home and the DSWF office in Shalford, Surrey, GU4 8JU
two days per week (Tues and Thurs)

Usual working hours 9am - 5pm, with flexibility when required

1 hour, which we encourage all employees to take

25 days per annum, plus Bank Holidays and discretionary days between
Christmas and New Year

Added benefits:

Workplace pension scheme (subject to terms and conditions); Employee
Assistance Programme.

Start date:

As soon as possible post acceptance of role

The Art of Survival:  Fight. Protect. Engage.

www.davidshepherd.org   |  Development Manager Application Pack   |  March 2026

| Key responsibilities

Strategy & planning
•  Develop and implement ambitious yet realistic major-mid level donor and individual giving

fundraising strategies aligned to DSWF’s organisational ambition and priorities.

•  Work with the DoD and the rest of the SMT to set annual and multi-year income targets, KPIs

and budgets for individual giving and major donors.

•  Hold strategic accountability for all individual giving programmes, including donation

programmes, adoption schemes, regular giving and campaign-led appeals.

•  Take ownership of individual giving customer journeys, working closely with Marketing team to

bring to life, monitor and evolve.

•  Provide strategic leadership for DSWF’s fundraising events programme, working closely with the

wider team to maximise income and engagement.

Major donor fundraising
•

Identify, research and qualify prospective individual UK and international major-mid level donors
whose interests align with DSWF’s work.

•  Deliver strategic, personalised stewardship of existing and new major-mid level donors to build

meaningful relationships and inspire long-term support.

•  Work closely with SMT members and trustees to support peer-led and joint solicitations.
•  Prepare high-quality, tailored proposals, cases for support and impact reports.
•  Encourage multi-year commitments, unrestricted giving and legacy consideration where

appropriate.

•  Support the DoD to identify and onboard corporate partners, ensuring stewardship and delivery

of key partnership metrics from within the wider DSWF team.

Individual giving & donor journeys
•  Hold strategic oversight of the end-to-end individual donor journey, ensuring effective
progression from first-time supporter through mid-level engagement to major donor
relationships.

•  Responsible for ongoing development of donation, adoption and appeal strategies, working with

DoD to ensure they remain fit for purpose and in line with organisational stewardship and
income objectives.

•  Accountable for the creation of appeal campaign briefs, demonstrating a clear understanding of
the direct marketing activity and collateral, working closely with the Development Executive and
Marketing team to ensure appeal targets are met.

•  Work in close partnership with the Development Executive to ensure effective delivery of

supporter engagement, stewardship and communications at all times.

Collaboration with Trusts & Foundations
•  Work in close partnership with the Trusts & Foundations Manager to ensure alignment of

funding opportunities, messaging and reporting.

•  Share prospect research, donor intelligence and insights to strengthen both individual and

institutional pipelines.

•  Contribute to integrated cases for support adaptable for both individual donors and Trust

audiences.

The Art of Survival:  Fight. Protect. Engage.

www.davidshepherd.org   |  Development Manager Application Pack   |  March 2026

Events & donor engagement
•  Develop donor-based income targets per event and ensure plans are in place to meet them.
•  Oversee event income planning elements including guest strategy, donor engagement, budgets
and follow-up, with implementational planning and delivery supported by the Development
Executive and Operations team.

•  Support the DoD in identifying, onboarding and stewarding event Sponsors.

Governance, reporting & compliance
•  Produce regular reports on major-mid level donor performance, income, retention and pipeline

development.

•  Ensure all donor data is accurate and compliant with latest GDPR and relevant fundraising

regulations.

•  Contribute to SMT and Trustee reporting as required.

Line management & team leadership
•

Line manage and support the Development Executive, providing clear objectives, regular
feedback and professional development.

•  Share management and professional development of CRM/Data Executive along with Finance

Manager.

•  Collaborate closely with other DSWF managers, collectively representing SMT-led ambitions,

working together to ensure effective management of the Foundation as a whole as well as the
Development department.

•  Ensure DSWF policies and procedures are understood and adhered to.
•

Internally and externally represent DSWF with warmth, compassion, bravery and
professionalism.

| Key responsibilities

Experience & knowledge - Essential
•  Proven experience in major donor or high-value individual fundraising.
•  Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting and stewarding individual donors.
•  Experience working collaboratively within a mixed-income fundraising team.
•  Experience using CRM systems to manage donor pipelines and relationships.
•  Experience of managing fundraising appeals, with specific experience of Direct Marketing.
•  Ability to work strategically while overseeing detailed delivery.
•  Genuine passion for conservation, biodiversity and DSWF’s mission.

Experience & knowledge - Desirable
•  Experience securing five- or six-figure gifts and/or multi-year commitments.
•  Experience of international donor engagement.
•  Specific experience of Beacon CRM system.
•  Knowledge of legacy giving.
•  Experience of animal adoption and/or membership programmes.
•  Experience in the conservation, environmental or international development sectors.
•  Experience of fundraising within the arts.
•  Experience of fundraising within education.

The Art of Survival:  Fight. Protect. Engage.

www.davidshepherd.org   |  Development Manager Application Pack   |  March 2026

Skills & abilities
•  Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
•  Strong written communication skills, with experience producing compelling proposals and

impact reports.

•  Highly organised, with strong prioritisation and planning capability.
•  Confidence working with senior stakeholders, Trustees and external supporters.
•  Attention to detail and high levels of professionalism and discretion.

Attitude & approach
•  Relationship-led, collaborative and values-driven.
•  Proactive, resilient and solution-focused.
•  Flexible and adaptable within a growing organisation.
•  Strong commitment to DSWF’s values, mission and conservation impact.

Please note that as part of a small team, the role may include occasional additional duties to help
meet the charity’s wider needs.  This job description is a statement of the job content agreed in
March 2026. It should not be seen as precluding future changes.

| Key criteria for success

After 6 months in post, the successful candidate will have:

•  Developed a deep understanding of DSWF’s mission, conservation and education strategies,
field partners, art legacy and funding priorities and be a trusted member of the Development
team.

•  Built a detailed understanding of DSWF’s individual donor base, including major donors, mid-
level supporters and entry-level pipelines, adoption schemes and campaign led appeals.
•  Designed and begun implementing a clear major donor strategy, including income targets,

prospect pipelines, stewardship plans and solicitation timelines.

•  Formed personal introductions to long term supporters and donors of the organisation.
•  Established strong working relationships with the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Trusts &

Foundations Manager and the wider staff community.

•  Taken effective leadership of the Development Executive, with clear priorities and expectations

in place.

After 12 months in post, the successful candidate will have:

•  Secured new major donor income, including at least one significant five- or six-figure gift.
•  Demonstrated clear progress against agreed income targets and KPIs, with accurate forecasting

and reporting.

•  Embedded high-quality stewardship and relationship management practices across the

•

individual donor programme.
Identified and implemented strategic improvements within donation programmes, adoptions
schemes, regular giving and campaign led appeals.

•  Supported effective progression of donors from individual giving and mid-level into major donor

relationships.

•  Successfully developed and supported the Development Executive to deliver high-quality

fundraising operations.

The Art of Survival:  Fight. Protect. Engage.

www.davidshepherd.org   |  Development Manager Application Pack   |  March 2026

| The Application Process

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter of no more than two pages to dswf@davidshepherd.org
no later than midday Monday 20th April.

We value thoughtful applications that demonstrate your experience in your fundraising
management. A strong covering letter, clear examples of past successes and an understanding of the
landscape in which DSWF exists will help you stand out. Whilst we’re not opposed to applicants
using AI tools to polish language or design, we’re most interested in hearing from you in your own
voice.

First interviews will be 30 minutes long and take place online on Monday 27th April. They will be
relatively informal and conversational in nature, a chance for us both to find out a little more about
each other.

Second interviews will be 50-60 minutes long and take place in person at our office in Shalford, near
Guildford, on Thursday 7th May. They will be a little more structured in nature and may include a
task which will be set well in advance. Please note that we are unable to cover any

We will let the successful candidate know by the end of Monday 11th May.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team, and we particularly encourage
applications from communities and backgrounds currently not widely represented in conservation
and the arts.

The Art of Survival:  Fight. Protect. Engage.

www.davidshepherd.org   |  Development Manager Application Pack   |  March 2026