Zoo Jobs: General Manager

Thursday, September 9, 2021

General Manager - Life Sciences

General Manager - Life Sciences

Port Moresby Nature Park, PNG

(6-12mth [neg] - leave fill position)

Port Moresby Nature Park presents a rare opportunity for an experienced life-sciences professional to fill the temporary leave position of GM – Life Sciences, responsible for maintaining and leading teams in the key areas of Wildlife Care & Conservation, Park Grounds Management, and Community Conservation Education.

· Fixed term contract 6-12mths (neg) in a leave replacement position, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

· Salary starting at AUD$100,000 + accommodation + car + patriation/repatriation costs + visa costs + medical insurance

· Monday to Friday roster with weekend Duty Officer shifts as required

Port Moresby Nature Park, situated in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, is PNG’s highest visited attraction with over 135,000 visitors each year and is PNG’s only Full Accredited member with ZAA. The Park cares for over 500 native animals, representing over 55 species, within 30 acres of tropical gardens that boasts naturalistic and large wildlife enclosures and precincts, public picnic areas, tropical rainforests grounds, children’s play areas and retail and cafe zones. The Nature Park is committed to advocating for the greater protection of PNG’s biodiversity through connecting visitors to the natural environment, delivering conservation, breeding and animal rescue programs, and through engaging educational opportunities, including reaching over 24,000 school students each year.

The Nature Park currently has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, confident, hands-on, animal ‘all-rounder’ to take on the GM - Life Sciences to support the Park whilst the current position holder takes extended leave. This role would be suitable to an experienced GM – Life Sciences or a suitable up-and-coming leader who is aspiring to hold this, or similar positions in their zoos in the near future and sees this as an amazing career growth and learning opportunity. The successful candidate will report to the CEO and will be remotely supported and guided by the current GM - Life Sciences who will be able to provide insight, context and recommendations to best equip the position holder throughout their entire contract period.

The GM-LS will be responsible for the management of three keys areas:

· Team Focus: Leadership of three core teams of wildlife, grounds and education, all led by respective managers to support, manage and lead these teams to deliver key objectives whilst supporting their knowledge, skills and training.

· Animal Care: Ensuring a high standard of health and welfare of animals in the collection, including management of surrendered wildlife for rehabilitation and (when possible) release, species breeding programmes, research programs, supervision of animal food purchasing (local & international) and on-site live-food production, ensuring preventative and curative health care to collection animals with the support of RSCPA of PNG.

· Visitor Focus: Through the effective management of the Park’s wildlife collection, general Park grounds upkeep and engaging educational programs and Park conservation messaging, enable Park visitors and the broader community to be inspired to make behavioural changes to better preserve PNG’s wildlife.

The successful candidate will have:

· Multiple years’ experience in wildlife care and management, across multiple species, including marsupials, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

· Sounds knowledge of Species360 and records management

· Have excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills with proven experience promoting a positive team culture and engaging visitors

· Possess a sound knowledge of animal welfare principles, to ensure animal's environments support their welfare needs and be committed to implementing animal training and enrichment programs.

· Exceptional observation skills, with the ability to problem solve, multi-task and adapt within a different cultural context

· Whilst not essential, a general knowledge and interest in horticulture to be able to manage a grounds team to continue to maintain Park facilities and nurseries

· A general knowledge and understanding of conservation education programs for schools, special events and Park interpretational messaging

· Manual driver’s license essential

Port Moresby Nature Park is a sister-zoo to Zoos Victoria with established programs in place that help to develop our teams in Education and Wildlife Care.

For further information, please contact Michelle McGeorge, CEO: michelle.pomnp@gmail.com P: (Aust) +61 409 245 457 who can provide a position description and further details on living and working in PNG.

Applications close COB 24 September, 2021

www.portmoresbynaturepark.org