Chair

Chair Marwell Wildlife, the hands-on conservation charity, supporting nature's recovery.

Location: Hampshire, SO21 1JH

Applications close: Monday 9th November 2026

 

About Marwell Wildlife

Marwell Wildlife is far more than a zoo. When John Knowles founded Marwell Zoological Park in 1972, his vision was to protect and breed endangered species.

Today we are an international conservation charity, an education provider, an animal science and research organisation and a provider of land management and ecological services. Everything we do serves one mission: to conserve biodiversity, locally and internationally, through hands on conservation.

About the role

This is a pivotal moment to join us. Our new Chair will lead the board of trustees as we build a resilient, sustainable organisation capable of growing its impact for generations to come.

You will provide strategic oversight and strong governance, ensuring the board has a clear view of our direction and the skills and behaviours to shape its future composition as we grow. You will bring fresh perspective, thoughtful challenge and genuine support, whilst building a strong relationship with our Executive.

You will also be one of our ambassadors. As we grow our fundraising and partnerships, you will support our relationships with donors, funders and partners, and champion Marwell as a leading wildlife conservation charity.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a commercially minded Chair. What matters is that you are passionate about Marwell, whether that is a passion for wildlife, a belief in connecting people with nature or a dedication to conservation.

You will be a senior leader who has guided organisations through growth, change or transformation. You will bring commercial and financial acumen and you will understand the balance between delivering charitable impact and delivering a thriving visitor attraction, seeing how each strengthens the other.

You will bring board-level experience, the ability to lead meetings inclusively and build consensus while encouraging robust discussion — and you will bring out the best in trustees and executives alike. Above all, you will act with integrity, curiosity and warmth and share our commitment to nature, collaboration and inclusion.

We would love to hear from people who enjoy representing an organisation and building relationships.

Please click on the link to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the role and how to apply.

Applications for this role close on Monday 9th November 2026.