Job opportunities

Maternity Cover Section Lead - Africa Section

This is an opportunity to join our dedicated Animal Team as a Section Leader.

For this role we are seeking to recruit someone with strong leadership and organization skills, and who has an absolute minimum of 5 years’ experience working in a zoo setting, with at least some of the species held on our Africa section.

Primarily this role supports the Curator in the day-to-day running of the section, duties including facilitating the safe and efficient operation of all section activities, ensuring high standards of welfare and a positive team environment, also providing supportive Line Management for the section keepers.

This role will also involve joining the Lead Keeper team, occasionally deputizing for the Curator.  For this, the candidate will need to be able to demonstrate great team working skills, a working knowledge of a range of species and the ability to problem solve a variety of challenges.

This is a full-time position working a 40-hour week on a flexible rota (including weekends and public holidays, as per the staff rota).

Species held on Section: White Rhino, Giraffe, Zebra, Ostrich, Rhea, Pygmy Goats.

Applicants must have:

• Minimum 5 years' paid zoo keeping experience.
• Be familiar and have knowledge and practical experience required for a variety of species on section.
• A strong work ethic.
• Excellent standards of animal care and hygiene, including record keeping.
• Hold an animal-based qualification or equivalent work-based learning.
• Strong teamwork and leadership skills, and excellent communication.
• Enthusiasm and experience for visitor engagement.
• Hold a full Manual Driving Licence.

Preferred criteria:

• Proven experience as a Team Leader.

Other key aspects of the role:

• Deliver top quality visitor experience.
• Deliver high-quality talks and keeper experiences to our visitors.
• Drive the company vehicle for collection of resources, e.g., feed, etc.
• Join the Lead Keeper team and take department leadership duties and responsibilities as appropriate.