Curator of Birds

Auckland Zoo

At Auckland Zoo, wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability is at the very heart of what we do. Our mission is “to bring people together to build a future for wildlife” and we do this by demonstrating exceptional care for wildlife, inspiring our visitors to value wildlife, conserving wildlife in the wild and building a high-performance organisation.

We are currently seeking a Curator of Birds to contribute to the zoo’s operational and strategic development in three core areas of responsibility:
• Managing the zoo’s animals, Team Leader and keeper teams to:

- ensure excellence in husbandry and welfare;

- maximise our contribution to native recovery programmes;

- maintain and develop innovative and imaginative exhibits.

• Developing, managing and delivering a portfolio of domestic and international field projects.
• Advancing the zoo’s scientific credentials through research and publication.

He angitūtanga: The opportunity
Auckland is a global city with stunning scenery, wonderful beaches and sub-tropical islands. It is also a city with one of the most progressive zoos in the world. At Auckland Zoo, wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability is at the very heart of what we do.

Our mission is “to bring people together to build a future for wildlife” and we do this by demonstrating exceptional care for wildlife, inspiring our visitors to value wildlife, conserving wildlife in the wild and building a high-performance organisation.

An ambitious capital development programme was recently initiated, one which will deliver new infrastructure across the zoo and a remarkable transformation to much of the site – this is our #FutureZoo.

We are currently seeking a Curator of Birds to contribute to the zoo’s operational and strategic development in three core areas of responsibility:
• Managing the zoo’s birds and respective Team Leader - ensuring excellence in husbandry and welfare; maximising our contribution to native recovery programmes; maintaining innovative and imaginative exhibits.
• Developing, managing and delivering a portfolio of bird-focussed domestic and international field projects.
• Advancing the team/department/zoo’s scientific credentials through research and publication.

He kōrero mōu: About you
As a senior member of the Animal Care & Conservation department, the Curator of Birds will be expected to work closely with other senior members of the Animal Care & Conservation team as well as leading the 14-strong bird team. You will lead and manage relevant projects with diverse team members, both internal and external, to deliver high quality innovative projects which deliver tangible conservation benefits.

You will be ambitious and creative, realistic and solution focussed, and a skilled communicator, adept at coaxing the best from everyone in your team.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:
• Minimum 10 years taxonomically relevant zoo and/or field conservation programme experience, coupled with extensive and proven staff leadership experience.
• Demonstrable knowledge of intensive species management and animal collection planning.
• Experience of planning and delivering field programmes.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in biological/ecological/conservation sciences – additionally a post-graduate qualification in biological or conservation science would be an advantage.
• Demonstrable familiarity with the aims and activities of recognised conservation bodies such as the IUCN, CPSG and NZ Department of Conservation.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer
This is a unique career opportunity working within the lush, green environment of Auckland Zoo and the varied landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand.

We offer a competitive remuneration package, generous holiday allowance, and the pleasure of working in an award-winning new building at the Zoo. You will also have access to the full range of Auckland Council benefits – we have a range of discounts and deals with corporate suppliers which cover financial services, health, retail and hospitality discounts to name a few.

A relocation package will be offered to the successful applicant including assistance through the visa process. But the key benefit of this role is the ability to make it your own.

We're a close-knit team that is passionate about Auckland Zoo’s mission and we’re looking for like-minded individuals who share our values. For the right talented and committed individual, this will be your dream job.

This is a permanent, full-time position, working 40 hours mostly Monday to Friday.
Please note, you will be required to undertake occasional work outside of normal office hours, including weekends and public holidays.

Applications close 24th January 2021

See https://career10.successfactors.com/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=9492&company=aucklandcoP to apply.

FYI

This vacancy has been posted out to the many thousands who read the popular Zoo Jobs Blog Page and then on to the 129,400 plus followers of the ZooNews Digest Facebook Page. It is then immediately forwarded on to Twitter and then to Pinterest and Linkedin (8,000+ connections). Many vacancies are shared to individuals and groups. In short your vacancy will have the potential of reaching something in the region of some 80,000 plus people within 24 hours. Most of these people are working in a zoo environment, Keepers, Curators, Vets, Zoo Directors, Trainers, Aquarists and more.

ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 1200 Zoos in 150+ countries. Zoo professionals are International.

The number of people who will actually read the posted vacancy will actually be considerably less. Usually this will be between two hundred and three thousand. This will depend on the type of post, the time of the year and where it is located…of course not all will apply. I wish you the very best of luck in finding the right candidate for your post.

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