Location
Brighton, BN1 9BP (office relocation from Woods Mill to Brighton in progress)

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£60,693 per annum

About the Role
Sussex Wildlife Trust is seeking a focused and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Director of Communities (maternity cover). This vital role will shape and deliver our ambition to connect people with nature, inspire action, and build a movement for wildlife across Sussex. You will lead a dynamic directorate responsible for community engagement, education, volunteering, and individual action - ensuring our work is inclusive, impactful, and aligned with our organisational goals.
As Director, you will provide strategic oversight of our communities work, contribute to cross-organisational leadership, and ensure effective collaboration with partners, funders, and stakeholders. You will be responsible for delivering strategic and organisational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), ensuring that progress is effectively monitored, evaluated, and reported.
A key responsibility is to lead our journey to becoming a more inclusive and diverse organisation by 2030. You will champion our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, embedding inclusive practices across programmes, partnerships, and internal culture.
This is a rare opportunity to drive meaningful change at the intersection of nature, people, and equity. We are committed to restoring and protecting at least 30% of Sussex land and sea for nature, inspiring one in four people to take meaningful action for wildlife, building a stronger, more inclusive and diverse organisation, and becoming a net zero and climate resilient organisation.
We welcome applications from people who have an ethnically or geographically diverse background, who are non-graduates and/or living in economically deprived areas, to encourage diversity and inclusivity within the environment sector.
If you are determined to see a Sussex rich in wildlife and have drive, energy and commitment to our values of Innovation, Passion, Collaboration and Inclusion, we encourage you to apply and join our great team working together to deliver Our Wild Sussex.

Benefits
25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays each year (pro-rated for part time staff)
Pension – company contribution from 6% and employee contribution of 3%
Life Assurance - Pension Scheme Members 2 x Salary, Non-Pension Scheme Members 1 x Salary
2 days paid leave for volunteering each year
Flexible working policy
Enhanced Sick Pay
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Employee discounts
Informal car share arrangements

Experience
Proven track record of strategic leadership, programme development, and cross-sector collaboration. Experience engaging diverse communities and fostering inclusive participation. Demonstrated ability to influence change and lead complex initiatives.

About you
You are a focused and experienced leader passionate about making nature accessible to all. You bring clarity, courage, and compassion to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) work and are committed to embedding inclusive practices across programmes, partnerships, and internal culture. You live and lead by our values of collaboration, passion, innovation, and inclusion, bringing them to life in your work with colleagues, communities, and partners. You are confident navigating complex challenges and leading with integrity.

Qualifications
While specific qualifications are not detailed, we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, including those who may not meet all listed skills but have the potential to grow into the role.