Zoo Jobs: Captive Breeding Manager

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Captive Breeding Manager

Captive Breeding Manager

Worldwide Zoo Consultants

Taif, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Worldwide Zoo Consultants (WZC) is a global leader in the creation, development, and management of a wide variety of specialized animal facilities and projects such as Zoological Parks, Public Aquariums, Living Museums and immersive Animal-based Education Centers.

WZC is continuing to grow and expand its team and is looking to recruit a Breeding Manager for one of the projects it operates and manages in Saudi Arabia, the center has an important task of breeding the critically endangered Arabian Leopard for an ambitious conservation project. The Breeding Manager will be responsible for the overall management of staff and animals, and the smooth running of the facility and its objectives ensuring that all protocols, procedures and best practices are practiced on a day-to-day basis. Other responsibilities include; project development, advancement and management of all husbandry, breeding and animal care programmes for the success and achievements of the facility.

Duties & Responsibilities:

To manage a team of staff at a designated facility and provide support and input into the overall vision of the company and other stakeholders.
Develop the objectives, KPIs, operational plans, and project viability for the future.
Budget management and manage procurement systems, stock, supply, and provide weekly feedback via the reporting system in all assigned areas of work.
Ensure all deliverables for the project are met, and daily, weekly, monthly reporting systems are in place.
Ensure effective staffing, professional development, and deployment of staff of the department are in place in consultation with senior management, including the client/stakeholders.
Advise, manage, and contribute to the development of strategies, plans, action plans, procedures, policies, programs, etc., in developing an effective and successful captive breeding programme for the Arabian Leopard
Ensure the full and proper implementation of the developed strategies, plans, procedures, and programmes is in place.
Develop the research opportunities on-site for the existing leopards.
Ensure and monitor the registration of the Arabian Leopard animals in the relevant studbooks and ZIMS, which contain the information of birth date, gender, lineage, etc., as well as to ensure that the selection of the Arabian Leopard breed is according to these characteristics for maintaining enough genetic diversity.
Manage and develop with colleagues, Stakeholders, and other specialists’ implementation of suitable methods and procedures of the re-population of the Arabian Leopard (such as artificial insemination, etc.) to reintroduce a healthy population to avoid extinction.
To lead the provision of all aspects of animal husbandry and care and activities to the Arabian Leopard including feeding and watering, bedding, cleaning, enrichment, veterinary care., based on the daily schedules and programs.
Working with the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry teams ensures that monitoring the health condition of the Arabian Leopard animals is in place. This should be achieved through observing any illness or injury, overseeing the pregnancies and births, checking the health of the infant animals, the weaning procedures, and the vaccination status.
Maintain and ensure the facility, the exhibits, and suitable surrounding environmental conditions for the Arabian Leopard animals, to maintain their health and safety (such as temperatures, humidity, etc.).
Oversee the checking and inspecting of all the buildings, fences, ranges, material supplies, equipment, and apparatus. Identify issues and respond accordingly. Ensure a record is kept of incidents and general records are maintained and updated.
Manage and work with the team in the recording of the various characteristics of the Arabian Leopard animals, such as weight, height, age, growth patterns, diets, health status, Enrichment, etc., as well as ensure the proper documenting of all these records.
To have experience and knowledge to be able to provide the solutions and recommendations related to any problems or obstacles that arise from the management of the Arabian Leopard's breeding in captivity at the facility ( as inbreeding depression, animals’ changes in behaviour.
To maintain and continually review/monitor best practices internationally related to all activities in the care and management of the Leopards, including the breeding and other activities. to identify the opportunities for improvement and adopt best practices.
Develop links with other facilities and build strong relations and communicate continuously with the concerned national and international parties and stakeholders, to ensure best practice is in place for the Arabian Leopard and the facility.
Perform any other job-related duties as required by the direct manager.

Experience, Skills & Qualifications:

Experience in managing a zoo or other captive breeding facilities, at either Director level or Senior Curatorial level, preferably with large carnivores, supported by formal qualifications (MSc or higher) in zoology or a related field and three references.
Exceptional project planning and management skills;
Proven ability to effectively manage a range of interdisciplinary and multi-cultural teams, both large and small;
Experience in managing project budgets.
Excellent communication, facilitation, and diplomacy skills;
Proven ability to design, build and manage new conservation programs in a range of geopolitical settings;
Confident public speaker and able to represent breeding programs.
Significant experience working with high-level government staff and policy-makers;
Willingness to travel regularly and work outside conventional hours/environments;
Excellent command of English.
Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.