Purpose of the role We are seeking a highly organized and proactive individual to join our team as a Department Coordinator (Maternity Cover) within the Conservation and Policy directorate. This pivotal role supports the smooth operational and administrative management across the directorate. Reporting directly to the Director of Conservation and Policy and working closely with the Head of International Operations, the successful candidate will provide confidential coordination across key areas, including financial management processes, event coordination, and internal communication. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the impactful work of the Conservation and Policy team during this maternity cover period. Key responsibilities: Department coordination Support the Director of Conservation and Policy and the Senior Management Team to coordinate and organize department meetings, travel and activities. Represent Conservation and Policy department at cross-society meetings (e.g. Monthly communications meetings) and support meeting organization and communication, including, but not limited to, preparation for formal letters, managing meeting agendas, tracking actions agreed from meetings. Financial administration Provide oversight of departmental invoicing and country transfers and assisting with sign off for legal agreements and adhoc requests. Event management Lead or support, the organisation of symposia, conferences, workshops, fundraising events and meetings for Conservation & Policy programmes. Communications and outreach Write internal communications such as the conservation highlights, departmental newsletters and ensuring all departmental operational and project news is updated on the intranet. Co-ordinate and deal with updates, new content and changes to webpages, monitor and release content on ZSL conservation social media accounts. Special projects Deal with all adhoc requests from the department’s Director and Senior Management Team and the CEO office. About You Experience Essential: Extensive experience with the management of administrative processes at a departmental level Excellent communication skills with stakeholders at different levels and from different cultural backgrounds Highly computer literate, particularly with Word, Excel and PowerPoint Strong ability to be flexible in terms of fluctuating workloads, urgent queries and regular mandatory tasks. Demonstrate professionalism towards sensitive and confidential information. 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. A DBS check is not required as part of this role. This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate's right to work in the UK. 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