LEAD KEEPER –
GIRAFFES
Permanent - Full
Time
We are Chester Zoo,
and for over 80 years we’ve been a leading conservation and education charity,
and an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction.
We’re also a team of
passionate, talented, enthusiastic and expert people, doing everything we can
to keep the zoo going, from feeding the animals to discovering new conservation
ideas, and giving our 1.9 million visitors an inspirational day out.
We work hard because
we love animals, we care about nature, we love Chester Zoo and we want to be
the best zoo in the world!
If you think you can
help us to achieve that, then we’d love to hear from you.
We currently have an
exciting vacancy for a Lead Keeper to join our busy and diverse Giraffe
section.
The role:
As a Lead Keeper you
will supervise students and volunteers, working alongside Keepers to undertake
the daily animal care duties, focusing on husbandry and welfare. You will ensure that all exhibits are of an
excellent standard for both animals and visitors alike, and provide outstanding
customer care.
The role will also
involve representing Chester Zoo and the Giraffe team for media interviews and
internal and external meetings, workshops and conferences in the UK and
overseas.
The successful
candidate will:
• Have
a HND or degree level qualification in a zoological related science or
equivalent experience
• Have
extensive knowledge and expertise in animal husbandry and management with a
focus on giraffe or okapi
• Have
experience of working in a Zoo/Safari park setting and of operant conditioning
• Be
open-minded to developing and implementing new ideas for improving husbandry
and building strong working relationships with other departments to ensure high
standards are met
• Be
able to clearly demonstrate leadership qualities, being an enthusiastic and
motivated team player
• Be
able to organise and prioritise tasks in a dynamic environment and have good
problem solving skills
• Have
a good understanding of risk assessments to ensure all staff are fully aware of
safety and management procedures
• Have
excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Have
a full driving licence valid in the UK
Competency in the
use of computers and basic Microsoft Office software, including an
understanding of ZIMS, would be advantageous for this role.
Hours of work are 40
hours per week, worked 10 days out of 14, including weekends and Bank Holidays
as rostered.
Salary is £21,866.96
per annum for a 40 hour week and in addition we offer a range of amazing
benefits which can be found at http://www.chesterzoo.org/footer/careers/working-at-chester-zoo.
To apply for this
position, please provide your current CV and complete the application form
highlighting your skills and experience including why you believe you should be
considered for our Lead Keeper role to http://www.chesterzoo.org/footer/careers.
Closing date for
applications is 28th February 2017.
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant        |
