Zoo Jobs: Deputy Team Leader

Deputy Team Leader - Great Apes

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Based in the heart of England, Twycross Zoo (TZ) is an award-winning conservation charity and rapidly growing visitor attraction. We’re committed to supporting global welfare and conservation efforts in the captive breeding of endangered species whilst supporting projects from many different countries around the world, including Ape Action Africa, Lola Ya Bonobo and the FFI Cao Vit Gibbon Project.

In 2014, we launched our 20-year, £55million Masterplan. Since this time, new habitats which have opened to the public include Giraffe Savannah and Gibbon Forest. Recently, we’ve opened a new

£3.5 million world-class chimpanzee habitat, Chimpanzee Eden, and are looking forward to building on this continued growth and success. Renowned as a specialist primate zoo, we care for a wide variety of monkeys and apes, and we are the only zoo in the UK to accommodate all four Great Apes.

What will this role of Deputy Team Leader - Great Apes entail?

Working in the only zoo in the UK to accommodate all four Great Apes, you’ll take a hands-on approach to working with all four species, mostly in a breeding situation.

You will lead a medium sized team and supervise all areas of daily animal operations, with duties to include but not be limited to:

• Managing all areas of animal husbandry

• Reviewing diets and ensuring the correct diets are prepared and distributed

• Leading and supervising introductions of new animals into social groups

• Monitoring pregnancies and births

• Liaising with the on-site veterinary team to ensure optimal health of all animals

• Checking and ensuring enclosure structure security, reporting any concerns immediately

In addition to the above, you will also:

• Reporting in to the Team Leader, you will manage and supervise a team of up to 10 animal keepers, alongside another Deputy Team Leader

• Assist the Team Leader with the training and development of Great Apes keepers, including conducting 121’s, performance reviews and suggest performance improvements

• Participate in on-site research projects (mostly behavioural, cognitive and welfare studies)

• Supervise and encourage work experience students and apprentices

• Engage with visitors and answer enquiries

What will I need to be considered for this Deputy Team Leader - Great Apes vacancy?

• Proven experience of zoological animal management, with a strong track record of working with Great Apes

• Demonstrable working knowledge of the natural history and management of large mammals

• An animal related qualification, i.e. ANCMZA or DZMAA

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Good team player with a positive and enthusiastic outlook

• Ability to adapt to change

• Good IT literacy with working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications

What will I receive in return?

As a Deputy Team Leader – Great Apes, you’ll receive a salary of £23,205 along with fantastic additional benefits including 31 days holiday per annum (inclusive of bank holidays), a uniform, along with the benefit of a staff membership card, giving you free entry to the Zoo on your days off and discounts in our retail and food outlets. Free onsite parking.

You will be employed on a permanent contract, working 43 hours per week on a rota system, which will include weekend duties.

More about us:

You’ll be part of an evolving and progressive organisation, with staff engagement at its very core. Our team strives to educate and inspire everyone to care about, and therefore contribute to saving, the other species with which we share our planet.

With our dedicated and enthusiastic team of colleagues at the heart of everything we do, we aim to become a recognised “Centre of Excellence” that continues to make a significant contribution to the welfare and conservation of animals, especially primates, and remain at the heart of conservation.

Location: Atherstone, Warwickshire (on the A444, which is easily accessed via the A5 and the M42 Junction 11).

To apply for this position, please head over to http://jobs.twycrosszoo.org, where you will be able to select this role and submit your CV for consideration.

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