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About Us

We work on invasive species issues across Australia. If you have a passion for protecting our native plants and animals get in touch.

About Us  |  Jobs

Jobs

We have recently received a capacity building grant and we are expanding our operations. This is a unique opportunity to work for the Invasive Species Council to help tackle one of nature’s biggest threats.

We are looking for a talented individual giving specialist with at least 9 years fundraising experience to join a team that will make the difference for nature in Australia. This leading role will drive the growth of a dynamic national environmental organisation tackling one of the greatest threats to biodiversity – invasive species.

Position: Fundraising Manager
Reports to: CEO
Basis: Full-time 38 hours (5 days) per week (part time may be considered for experienced candidates).
Location: Remote home or shared office. Applicants close to Canberra/Sydney/ Melbourne/Brisbane/Katoomba are encouraged to apply. All locations considered.
Duration: Permanent role.
Salary range$105,000–$118,000 plus super, depending on skills and experience. The package includes 1 week’s paid study or field work leave and 3 days additional paid leave over Christmas/New Year leave.
Direct reportsSenior Individual Giving Officer and fundraising consultants as required.


Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate environmentalist who knows they can apply their awesome fundraising skills to save nature from a mega threat – invasive species.

The Invasive Species Council is on a ten-year journey of growth. To support this growth, we are looking for an experienced fundraising manager to head up a small team to greatness.

You will be a high performer for achieving growth targets in individual giving fundraising programs including regular giving, direct marketing appeals, digital appeals and bequest acquisition. 

You will build on our strategic three-year fundraising plan which will be renewed in the coming months. The role will be managed by the Marketing and Development director and work closely with the CEO.

This role requires good project management and strong writing skills to develop fundraising materials, write reports, analyse program success and prepare strategic and operational planning documents.

Key functions:

  • Leading the individual giving programs for year-on-year growth.
  • Planning for and analysing and reporting on performance.
  • Writing fundraising and marketing communications.
  • Managing a high performing team.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and implement the 3-year fundraising strategy.
  • Develop yearly plans for the individual giving programs, with a focus on acquisition and retention.
  • Manage and develop donor and bequest acquisition, cash appeals and regular giving programs to reach growth targets.
  • Work collaboratively with the campaign team to build compelling cases for support.
  • Develop concepts and write fundraising materials including direct mail appeals, online appeals and donation pages, thank you letters, fundraising related web content and supporter relation correspondence. 
  • Manage campaign staff and volunteers.   
  • Prepare progress and performance reports. 
  • Attend staff meetings and training. 
  • Proactively contribute to a positive, collaborative and values driven culture with the team and organisation. 
  • Other duties determined by the Marketing and Development Director from time to time.

Performance measures

  • Successful delivery of fundraising programs identified in the fundraising strategy.
  • Meeting budget and income targets
  • Developing fundraising plans and budgets to a high standard
  • Timely and accurate delivery of programs and tasks.
  • Extent of collaboration within the fundraising team and with other parts of the organisation. 

Selection Criteria

Essential

  • Passion for environment protection and understanding of environmental advocacy.
  • A minimum of nine years fundraising experience, some in an environmental organisation, with a marketing, fundraising or equivalent degree.
  • Extensive experience planning and running successful direct mail and digital fundraising appeals and telemarketing recruitment programs, including non-F2F regular giving programs, developing welcome packs and journeys that secure targets and minimise attrition.
  • High levels of communications, writing, editing and interpersonal skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage staff and practice collaborative leadership. 
  • Demonstrated ability to analyse and report on fundraising programs and identify alternative approaches to improve performance.
  • Able to demonstrate high level organisation skills, ability to meeting deadlines and possess an eye for detail.
  • Self-motivated, dynamic, team player willing to learn, try new things, solve problems and expand your fundraising knowledge.
  • Intermediate skills at Microsoft Word (i.e. mail merge) and Excel programs (i.e. calculations, formulas and basic data manipulation).

Desirable

  • Demonstrated experience running a bequest program.
  • Demonstrated skills and experience in event management.
  • Demonstrated experience of supporter and donor engagement.

Location:
Preferred in the vicinity of major east coast city ie. Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane) or the NSW Blue Mountains and Illawarra, remote locations are welcome and will be seriously considered. The Invasive Species Council supports decentralised working arrangements.

Applications

Please send to recruitment@invasives.org.au:

  1.  a resume with at least two referees and 
  2. an itemised statement explaining how you meet each of the selection criteria

Applications that do not directly address each criterion will not be accepted.

ISC is an equal opportunity employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Applications close: 11.59pm Sunday 10 November

Further information:

Contact Fiona Kiffin, Acting FR manager – fionak@invasives.org.au or Andrew Cox, CEO, via our contact form here for specific questions about the role.

Download position description >>

Want to lead one of the fastest growing philanthropy programs in the country? For one of the fastest growing and impactful environment organisations?

This is an exciting opportunity for a talented specialist in major gifts fundraising OR an environmentalist currently working in face to face fundraising or corporate sales who is wanting to make a big difference for nature. With 5 years plus of experience in philanthropy, fundraising or sales you will play a crucial role in the growth of a dynamic national environmental organisation tackling the leading cause of animal extinction — invasive species.

Position: Senior Philanthropy Officer
Reports to: Marketing and Development Director
Basis: Full or part time.
Location: Remote home or shared office. Applicants close to Sydney or Melbourne preferred. All locations in Australia considered.
Duration: Permanent role.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate environmentalist to join Australia’s leading advocacy organisation tackling invasive species.

The Invasive Species Council is three years into a ten-year journey of growth as we aim to prevent more invasive species-led extinctions by 2030 in the midst of an extinction crisis. With 2 billion animal deaths every year due to cats alone, we need to build all areas of fundraising to support organisational growth so that our conservation team can stop the onslaught of invasive species.

ISC is looking for an experienced and driven fundraiser to join our team. We are equally open to someone with successful previous experience that offers transferable skills, i.e. corporate sales or face to face fundraising with a deep connection to and experience of the environment, or an environmental related degree.

You will work with the Marketing and Development Director to develop a growing philanthropy program for major donors, trusts and foundations, by applying your exceptional relationship, interpersonal and writing skills.

Engaging with existing or potential philanthropists or clients will come naturally to you. You enjoy chasing up leads and you can transform the smallest of encounters into an opportunity to protect biodiversity. You’re confident with data and can easily make your way around a spreadsheet or CRM system and develop a pipeline, for both stewardship and acquisition and reporting. You have a knack for identifying a great pitch and matching it with a potential funder at the right time. You know how to turn up the excitement with integrity and authenticity.

You will work closely with the Director of Marketing and Development, CEO, Operations Manager, key members of the Board, and the Advocacy Director. The team will love your enthusiastic and flexible attitude and your maturity will allow you to happily work autonomously, complete multiple projects at once and contribute positively to our great team culture.

At a personal level you will have a good work ethic, be keen to learn, and have bucket loads of resilience, tenacity, confidence and compassion. You will also be comfortable collaborating and know how to set yourself and the organisation up for success, and are bold enough to do it.

Sound like you? 

About us.

The Invasive Species Council prides itself on providing a wonderful team culture and a flexible working environment with most staff working remotely. We gather twice a year as an organisation, take other opportunities to get togethers throughout the year as they come, and provide an office environment in Canberra and Melbourne a few days per week. We are rapidly growing but are small enough to stay nimble and support a close working environment, whilst being powerful enough to make a difference. We work to a high standard, professionally and personally.

The team will support you to deliver a best practice program.

Key functions:

  • Coordinate the Major Donor Philanthropy program, implementing the three-year philanthropy strategy for growth, operationalizing annual plans
  • Manage a portfolio of donors, funds and trusts to foundations, from acquisition to solicitation to stewardship
  • Planning for and analysing and reporting on the performance of the program
  • The writing of fundraising and marketing communications, including pitch documents,
    appeals and/or grant applications.

Responsibilities

  • Coordinate and help to build the philanthropy program for Major Donors: Implement the philanthropy strategy (including opportunities to review and develop the strategy) to achieve growth targets and KPIs.
  • Manage the small portfolio of funders and donors and manage the MD income pipeline ($5,000 plus portfolio)
  • Solicit gifts directly and assist/advise the CEO, Advocacy Director and Marketing and Development Director to solicit gifts applying the solicitation formula for success.
  • Develop annual operational plans for acquisition and retention and contribute to the future development and refinement of the philanthropy strategy.
  • Work with the Marketing and Development Director to design the integrated Major Donor Direct Marketing Program (digital and mail) with support from the Fundraising Manager to
    deliver it, including:
    – Adapting direct mail appeals and integrated e-appeals for MD audience;
    – Running the annual report donor care mailing and other donor care for MDs; and Event invitations and follow up.
    – Run events (F2F and virtual) including RSVPs, guest speakers with the support of marketing staff, with support from the fundraising team.
  • Design and implement an exceptional journey for new MD or new MD prospects within the portfolio.
  • Research, create and maintain donor profiles in database.
  • Write and develop proposals and funding applications. Write grant applications and manage and coordinate content to meet reporting responsibilities.
  • Manage the Trust and Foundations calendar.
  • Reporting and analysis of MD program performance.
 

Performance measures

  • Successful delivery of major gifts and bequest programs identified in the philanthropy plan.
  • The CEO and Director of Marketing and Development are well supported.
  • KPIs (contact and income) met for individual donors and for specific grants/tied funds.
  • Timely and accurate delivery of programs and tasks.
  • CEO’s major donor efforts are well supported.

Selection Criteria

Essential

  • A minimum of five years’ experience in fundraising
  • Outstanding ability to identify the strongest case for support (pitch) for a campaign, grant
  • application or individual.
  • Demonstrated experience in delivering successful philanthropic, fundraising or corporate
  • sales programs, with several years of growth in a row.
  • Sound experience managing a portfolio of major donors or clients through their various
  • stages
  • Sound experience setting income targets and managing activities and a budget to meet
  • them.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop operational plans, pipelines, and creative briefs.
  • Experience running small events to solicit funds/income and engage supporters/clients.
  • Demonstrated ability to analyse and report on program performance and to identify
  • alternative approaches to improve program performance, including accurate record keeping.
  • Self-motivated, energetic, focused, team player willing to learn, solve problems and share
  • their fundraising knowledge with the team.
  • Excellent time management, task management and organisational skills.
  • Intermediate skills at Microsoft Word (i.e. mail merge) and Excel programs (i.e. calculations,
  • formulas and basic manipulation of the datasheet). These are essential skills. 
  • Previous work in the non-profit sector and enthusiasm for protecting our environment

Desirable

  • Several years experience in environmental advocacy NGOs.
  • A marketing or a relevant science degree.
  • Experience coordinating successful direct mail and digital fundraising appeals.
Location 
 
Any location considered. Preferred within an hour of Sydney or Melbourne. The Invasive Species Council supports decentralised working arrangements. We offer a friendly, flexible workplace with most staff now working from home.
 
Applications
Please send a resume with at least two referees and a statement explaining how you meet each of the selection criteria to: recruitment@invasives.org.au
 
Applications that do not directly address each criterion will not be accepted. 
ISC is an equal opportunity employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.
 
This is a new position. Applications close on Sunday 10th November 11.59pm.
 
Contact Contact Marketing and Development Director, Amber Sprunt ambers@invasives.org.au or 0437 388 895 for specific questions about the role.

Volunteer Positions

If you are in the Townsville area, please get in touch with our Townsville Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce here to help tackle one of the world’s worst invasive species.

The Invasive Species Council (ISC) is seeking two suitably skilled board members.

The Invasive Species Council is seeking 2 board members to provide oversight and direction for the growth and advancement of this national environmental organisation.

To support the organisation’s recent rapid growth and address gaps in the board’s competencies, diversity, knowledge and skills, candidates would ideally have experience and skills in at least one of the following areas: fundraising, communication/marketing, ecological sciences, biosecurity and/or legal expertise.

We are seeking board members from diverse backgrounds, perspectives and locations. Therefore we encourage applicants from any location in Australia and candidates across the gender, ethnic and age spectrum and who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

The ISC board meets online quarterly, usually for 2 and a half hours in early evenings (subject to arrangements that suit board members) and attend an online AGM. The board also holds an annual face-to-face day-long planning meeting, usually in Melbourne or Sydney. Additional work may occur outside of meetings and within committees. We do try to have at least one meeting a year where we can all attend in person.

We will provide necessary travel and accommodation costs.

Key duties of the board members include:

As a member of the ISC Board, you share the following responsibilities with all board members:

1. Strategy and overall direction – establishing and reviewing strategic and operational plans that advance the organizations objectives.

2. Good governance – establishing policies/procedures and recording decisions and actions on matters concerning the organisation.

3. Management – oversight of the organisation via the CEO, ensuring that the organisation is properly administered and risks are managed and mitigated.

4. Legal – ensuring the organisation is incorporated, keeps proper records, and complies with any relevant legislation and the organisation’s constitution

5. Financial – ensuring that all finances are properly managed, that records are audited annually and that accountability requirements of funding providers are fulfilled. You will be expected to join our Public Fund Management Committee.

6. Evaluation – monitoring all activities by the organisation with feedback contributing to the continuous improvement in governance and service delivery.

As a member of the ISC Board it is expected that you:

  • act honestly and in good faith
  • ensure the organisation carries out activities in accordance with its intended purpose
  • act in the best interests of the organisation
  • where internal disagreement or conflict arises seek to work for effective solutions
  • exercise powers for their proper use
  • respect privacy and confidentiality of information obtained in the course of the operation of the organisation
  • disclose any potential conflicts of interest as they arise and remove yourself from that particular discussion or decisions.
  • Involve yourself, where you can, with the activities and fundraising events of the organisation.

Preferred candidates

In addition, to the gaps identified above, we are looking for someone with:

  • An understanding of charities and not-for-profit organisations, ideally within the environment sector
  • Capacity to undertake one to four hours of work per month and participate in meetings of the board and any relevant sub committees or working groups.
  • Highly developed communication skills, with an ability to listen, question and challenge in a constructive manner
  • An interest in the natural environment, ecology and mitigating the threat of invasive species

This is an unpaid position.

We are keen to identify 2 new board members with a view to joining the ISC Board as soon as possible.

Expression of Interest

If you’d like to express interest, then please send an email to president@invasives.org.au along with your resume and a brief cover letter explaining how your skills and experience would benefit the board and the organisation.

About the organisation

You will be joining the governing body of a dynamic team that advocates for nature, is committed to science, is fearless and persistent and is collaborative with First Australians.

The Invasive Species Council is a non-government donor-funded organisation formed in 2002 that seeks better laws and policies to protect the Australian environment from invasive plants, animals and diseases. Its structure is an incorporated association, registered as a charity with the ACNC.

Invasive species have been the main driver of environmental loss of Australia’s native animals since colonisation and remain one of the main threats to the future survival of all our unique wildlife on land and sea. Unless we take action, work with others and speak out, Australia’s biodiversity crisis will only worsen.

The Invasive Species Council has made numerous interventions to reduce the environmental impacts from invasive species. Over recent years we:

  • played a major role in the establishment of the national Office of Environmental Biosecurity.
  • raised the alarm about the imminent threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
  • secured over $1 billion for the national red fire ant eradication program.
  • secured $25 million to eradicate yellow crazy ants from Cairns and Townsville.
  • led efforts to recognise the national threat from expanding feral deer populations.
  • jointly conducted ground-breaking research to identify harmful invasive insects that could establish in Australia.
  • co-hosted the Australian Biosecurity Symposium since 2019.
  • led the establishment of the Decade of Biosecurity initiative.
  • drove the Reclaim Kosci campaign that has seen reductions in feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park.

The ISC is managed day-to-day by a CEO in charge of a staff team that predominantly works remotely from home offices across Australia. Its annual budget is sourced from individual donors, trusts and foundations.

View our 2022-2030 Strategic Plan:

https://invasives.org.au/about-us/strategic-plan/ or visit the website for additional information: https://invasives.org.au/ and to view our Annual Report.

ISC is seeking an administrative volunteer to join the Operations Team in Katoomba. We’re in need of someone computer-confident and with an eye for detail. Primarily support will assist with donations and database management. However there likely be other ad hoc administrative tasks requested. The role is expected to be casual in nature, so hours may vary week by week depending on need, staff and volunteer availability.

Closing Date: Please apply as soon as possible. 

Position: Katoomba Administrative Volunteer
Reports to: Admin Officer
Basis: Variable: approx 4-10 hours per week
Location: Katoomba
Duration: 3 months, with the potential for extension
Remuneration: None. This is an unpaid volunteer role.

Download position description >>

If you are in the Townsville area, please get in touch with our Townsville Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce here to help tackle one of the world’s worst invasive species.

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Dear Project Team,

[YOUR PERSONALISED MESSAGE WILL APPEAR HERE.] 

I support the amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow our incredible National Parks staff to use aerial shooting as one method to rapidly reduce feral horse numbers. I want to see feral horse numbers urgently reduced in order to save the national park and our native wildlife that live there.

The current approach is not solving the problem. Feral horse numbers have rapidly increased in Kosciuszko National Park to around 18,000, a 30% jump in just the past 2 years. With the population so high, thousands of feral horses need to be removed annually to reduce numbers and stop our National Park becoming a horse paddock. Aerial shooting, undertaken humanely and safely by professionals using standard protocols, is the only way this can happen.

The government’s own management plan for feral horses states that ‘if undertaken in accordance with best practice, aerial shooting can have the lowest negative animal welfare impacts of all lethal control methods’.

This humane and effective practice is already used across Australia to manage hundreds of thousands of feral animals like horses, deer, pigs, and goats.

Trapping and rehoming of feral horses has been used in Kosciuszko National Park for well over a decade but has consistently failed to reduce the population, has delayed meaningful action and is expensive. There are too many feral horses in the Alps and not enough demand for rehoming for it to be relied upon for the reduction of the population.

Fertility control as a management tool is only effective for a small, geographically isolated, and accessible population of feral horses where the management outcome sought is to maintain the population at its current size. It is not a viable option to reduce the large and growing feral horse population in the vast and rugged terrain of Kosciuszko National Park.

Feral horses are trashing and trampling our sensitive alpine ecosystems and streams, causing the decline and extinction of native animals. The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee has stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.

I recognise the sad reality that urgent and humane measures are necessary to urgently remove the horses or they will destroy the Snowies and the native wildlife that call the mountains home. I support a healthy national park where native species like the Corroboree Frog and Mountain Pygmy Possum can thrive.

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Your email address]
[Your postcode]


Dear Project Team,

[YOUR PERSONALISED MESSAGE WILL APPEAR HERE.] 

I support the amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow our incredible National Parks staff to use aerial shooting as one method to rapidly reduce feral horse numbers. I want to see feral horse numbers urgently reduced in order to save the national park and our native wildlife that live there.

The current approach is not solving the problem. Feral horse numbers have rapidly increased in Kosciuszko National Park to around 18,000, a 30% jump in just the past 2 years. With the population so high, thousands of feral horses need to be removed annually to reduce numbers and stop our National Park becoming a horse paddock. Aerial shooting, undertaken humanely and safely by professionals using standard protocols, is the only way this can happen.

The government’s own management plan for feral horses states that ‘if undertaken in accordance with best practice, aerial shooting can have the lowest negative animal welfare impacts of all lethal control methods’.

This humane and effective practice is already used across Australia to manage hundreds of thousands of feral animals like horses, deer, pigs, and goats.

Trapping and rehoming of feral horses has been used in Kosciuszko National Park for well over a decade but has consistently failed to reduce the population, has delayed meaningful action and is expensive. There are too many feral horses in the Alps and not enough demand for rehoming for it to be relied upon for the reduction of the population.

Fertility control as a management tool is only effective for a small, geographically isolated, and accessible population of feral horses where the management outcome sought is to maintain the population at its current size. It is not a viable option to reduce the large and growing feral horse population in the vast and rugged terrain of Kosciuszko National Park.

Feral horses are trashing and trampling our sensitive alpine ecosystems and streams, causing the decline and extinction of native animals. The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee has stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.

I recognise the sad reality that urgent and humane measures are necessary to urgently remove the horses or they will destroy the Snowies and the native wildlife that call the mountains home. I support a healthy national park where native species like the Corroboree Frog and Mountain Pygmy Possum can thrive.

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Your email address]
[Your postcode]