Job opportunities

Senior Conservation Officer

About ZSEA

The Zoological Society of East Anglia is a conservation charity that oversees Banham Zoo and Africa Alive Reserve. Our mission is to protect and support worldwide biodiversity, engage communities in wildlife conservation and deliver measurable impact both locally and globally.

ZSEA is embarking on an exciting period of conservation expansion. As part of this growth, we are seeking an experienced and driven Senior Conservation Officer to lead native species recovery programmes, supervise a small conservation team, and contribute to strategic planning and delivery of the ZSEA Conservation Strategy.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Head of Conservation, the Senior Conservation Officer will oversee the daily implementation of our ex-situ species recovery projects, manage conservation staff, volunteers and work placements and support the Head of Conservation with developing and delivering the vision of the ZSEA Conservation Strategy.

You will combine practical daily husbandry tasks with project management and administrative responsibilities, working closely with internal departments and external stakeholders to deliver impactful, high-quality conservation programmes.

Key Responsibilities:-

Team & Project Management

• Line-manage Conservation Officers, work placements and volunteers, including setting objectives, mentoring, and performance monitoring.
• Support the planning and execution of native species recovery projects on site at Banham Zoo and Africa Alive Reserve.
• Support the management of conservation project budgets, timelines, and reporting requirements.
• Support recruitment and training of conservation staff.

Conservation Project Delivery

• Coordinate on site biodiversity survey efforts and habitat restoration initiatives across ZSEA sites in line with the ongoing Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
• Supervise biosecure housing and husbandry of native species as part of ex situ breeding or reintroduction/release projects.
• Oversee compliance with animal welfare, biosecurity, and legislative standards alongside our project partners.

Partnerships & Strategy

• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with stakeholders including government agencies, conservation NGOs, and academic institutions.
• Support funding applications and contribute to reporting for grants and donors.
• Monitor and evaluate conservation outcomes from each project – in line with ZSEA’s strategic aims.

Person Specification:-

Essential

• Degree in conservation biology, zoology, ecology or related discipline.
• Minimum two years of professional conservation experience, including ex-situ management of species.
• Two years minimum of experience in managing staff / volunteers.
• Strong fieldwork skills (survey methods, data handling, report writing).
• Familiarity with UK conservation policy, protected species licensing, and reintroduction protocols.
• Confident communicator with public speaking and stakeholder engagement experience.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field.
• Knowledge of, or experience in working with amphibians and invertebrates, preferably native species.
• Experience with funding bids and project evaluation.