Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Educational Coordinator



Educational Coordinator

Ventura Wildlife’s Animal Encounters and Ventura Wildlife’s Zoological Gardens

Closing Date: Until sufficient applicants have been received
Contract: Full time

Overview:
The person is responsible for delivering a creative guest engagement program: that is creating a positive, fun, memorable experience for our guests, and in doing so achieving our mission to raise awareness and inform visitors and other audiences about the natural world and associated conservation issues. The Educational Presenter will achieve this through the development and delivery of practical learning programmes. Ventura Wildlife’s Animal Encounters give audiences of all ages the chance to meet up close, handle and learn about a selection of our invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The role will include animal husbandry for the animal encounter species that you will be working with. Experience with the following species is advantageous: meerkat, armadillo, skunk, coati, raccoon dog, various bird, reptile, and amphibian species. The role will also include school visits, home visits, events, which include birthdays and corporate functions, and more. There could also be additional project work which will involve working with various different sections of Ventura Wildlife’s Zoological Gardens.
The successful candidate will need to be engaging, confident talking to large groups, have experience performing projecting their voice, be approachable, keen to learn animal information and have an interest in animals.

Main Duties:
•        Having excellent presentation skills and having the ability to adapt to all audiences to achieve the enjoyable and educational experiences which are regularly evaluated
•        Being able to vary presentation techniques between different audiences, e.g. large scale talks to big audiences as well as smaller story and enrichment making workshops
•        Researching the content material for talks and demonstrations to ensure all relevant information being given to visitors is correct
•        Being considerate and as inclusive as possible to meet varying visitor expectations
•        Ability to carry out animal husbandry to a high standard, and with efficiency
•        To provide educational talks to schools, home visits, events, which include birthdays and corporate functions, and more

Knowledge and Experience:
Desirable:
•        Educated to degree level or equivalent (zoology, or teaching)
•        Experience in a zoological setting or interactive animal experiences
Essential to have one or more of the following:
•        Be able to demonstrate experience of delivering formal and informal events
•        Excellent written and oral communication skills
•        Good organisation/planning skills with the ability to work within strict deadlines
•        Excellent customer service skills
•        Experience working with children and communicating with the public
•        Working in an animal related field
•        Experience and knowledge of working with children and adults with a range of learning difficulties and/or physical and mental disabilities
•        Required to liaise with colleagues of all departments and levels of Ventura Wildlife’s Animal Encounters and Ventura Wildlife’s Zoological Gardens
•        High level of communication and interpersonal skills required on a daily basis to empathise and engage with visitors when imparting information, or dealing with highly sensitive situations such as an animal incident or lost child. It is essential that the post holder deals with visitor enquiries in a professional manner whilst dealing with sensitive and sometimes confidential zoo information.

Responsibility:
•        Required to regularly check presenter equipment such as sound equipment and props and report any faulty equipment to management
•        Being first point of call at some points, ensuring full functionality of interactive activities
•        Decorating event spaces in which to deliver presentations
•        Evaluate live interpretation events to measure and guarantee visitor satisfaction
•        Be able to deliver animal husbandry to a high standard for Ventura Wildlife’s Animal Encounters animals and support for Ventura Wildlife’s Zoological Gardens when needed
•        Handling a range of animals during talks or other live events
•        Operating the opening and closing of animal enclosures during animal experiences at the Zoological Gardens and be responsible for the welfare of visitors and animals in
those exhibits
•        Confidentiality is required when relaying information and answering visitor questions such as relating to animal health and welfare
•        Occasionally being responsible and handling money raised during fundraising events

Flexibility:
•        High levels of flexibility required in order to respond to daily problems across a wide range of areas (staff absence, change or cancellation of events, equipment failure, visitor queries and other situations)
•        Within live interpretation planning sessions explaining your own ideas as well as being open to suggestions
•        The job is varied and requires a practical and creative mind-set
•        Ability to learn new skills and information within strict time limits such as performance skills, animal interaction and working with different departments
•        The ability to multi-task is paramount
•        Tasks vary throughout the year and can be interrupted at any time by unplanned requirement

Working Conditions:
•        This post involves spending a large amount of time outdoors in all weather conditions as events continue to be held in all conditions
•        Occasional early and late working will be required to accommodate deadlines or special events
•        Weekend working is a regular feature of this job
•        Working bank holidays and other holiday time is a regular feature of the job
•        We operate a non-smoking working environment
•        A full UK or EU driving license is essential

How to apply:
Please send your CV and a cover letter to Sam Bullock at keepingteam@venturawildlife.co.uk detailing what role you have applied for and your suitability for the position. 




Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant
      

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