Zoo Jobs: Experienced Elephant Keeper

Experienced Elephant Keeper

Salary: from £20,694 to £23,802 p.a. (inclusive of Weekend Enhancement), depending on experience.

A vacancy has arisen for an experienced elephant keeper at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. This is an exciting opportunity to join our innovative and dynamic elephant team in the management of our breeding herd of Asian elephants. Primarily free contact the Elephants are given daily walks around our 600 acre site as well as providing public education demonstrations. ZSL has and continues to contribute to research and AI projects.

If you are currently an Elephant Keeper and would like to join ZSL’s world class Elephant team and you match the following requirements:

§ A proven track record of working with Elephants and familiar with all aspects of elephant management.

§ Have attained the DMZAA in the Management of Zoo Animals or equivalent, or be prepared to undertake the 2 year Animal Management Course.

§ Have good communication skills, enthusiasm and an outgoing and friendly personality in order to communicate with visitors on a one-to-one basis and in front of a large audience.

§ Be flexible both in approach to work and working hours.

§ Be totally reliable, and be able to work effectively within a well disciplined team

§ Have a full driving licence

To apply please complete and attach separately the ZSL Application Form and Equality of Opportunity Monitoring form on our website (www.zsl.org) and email to wzhr@zsl.org

Closing date for applications is: Sunday 19 October 2014

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY MONITORING FORM

In order to monitor the effectiveness of our Equal Opportunities Policy, we would request that all applications provide the following information, which will be treated as confidential. This information will not be used in any part of the recruitment process other than for statistical monitoring. It will be detached from the application form prior to short-listing.

Job Applied for:

Your Full Names:

1. Date of Birth

2. Gender

Female

Male

Prefer not to say

3. Have you ever identified as transgender?	Yes		No		Prefer not to say
For the purpose of this question, “transgender” is defined as an individual who lives, or wants to live, full time in the gender opposite to that they were assigned at birth.

4. Your sexual orientation

	Bisexual		Heterosexual
	Gay man		Prefer not to say
	Gay woman / lesbian		Other (specify if you wish):

5. Your race or ethnic origin

Asian or Asian British		Mixed
	Bangladeshi		White and Asian
	Indian		White and Black African
	Pakistani		White and Black Caribbean
	Any other Asian background		Any other Mixed background
Black or Black British		White
	African		British
	Caribbean		Irish
	Any other Black background		Any other White background
Chinese or other ethnic group
	Chinese		Other (specify if you wish):
	Prefer not to say

6. Your religion or belief

Which group below do you most identify with?

	No religion		Jewish
	Baha’i		Muslim
	Buddhist		Sikh
	Christian		Prefer not to say
	Hindu		Other (specify if you wish):
	Jain

7. Do you consider yourself to have a disability according to the terms given in the DDA?	Yes	No	Prefer not to say

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) protects disabled people. The DDA defines a person as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long term (i.e. has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months) and has an adverse effect on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

8. If you have answered yes, please indicate the type of impairment which applies to you:

People may experience more than one type of impairment, in which case tick all the types that apply. If your disability does not fit any of these types, please mark other.

	Physical impairment, such as difficulty using your arms or mobility issues which means using a wheelchair or crutches.
	Sensory impairment, such as being blind / having a serious visual impairment or being deaf / having a serious hearing impairment.
	Mental health condition, such as depression or schizophrenia.
	Learning disability, (such as Down’s syndrome or dyslexia) or cognitive impairment (such as autism or head-injury).
	Long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy.
	Other, such as disfigurement (specify below if you wish).

Please email your application form to hr@zsl.org or wzhr@zsl.org if you applying for a Whipsnade vacancy.

Please note, we are unable to accept speculative applications

JOB APPLICATION FORM

Please carefully complete each section of the form in black ink or typewritten and email to hr@zsl.org or wzhr@zsl.org for Whipsnade Zoo positions. In the subject line of the email please clearly state what position you are applying for. Please note, we are unable to accept speculative applications.

POST APPLIED FOR:

DEPARTMENT/ LOCATION:

DATE AVAILABLE TO START:

PERSONAL DETAILS

Surname: First Names: Title:

Other surnames you have been known by:

Address:

Post code:

Home (: Work (:

Mobile (: Email address:

Do you require a work permit to work in the UK? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, what type of Home Office UK Border Agency visa do you currently hold:

Visa expiry date:

National Insurance No:

PRESENT OR MOST RECENT EMPLOYMENT

Employer:

Address:

From: To: Salary: £

Job Title: Grade if applicable:

Main Responsibilities:

Notice Period: Reason for Leaving:

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Please give details of all previous employment starting with the most recent (including periods of unemployment). If you are still in full time education, please give details of any vacation or part time employment. The information given may be used to obtain references at a later date.

Employer	Employed from __ / __ / __	Employed to __ / __ / __	Position held, duties and reasons for leaving
Full Name and Address (:
Full Name and Address (:
Full Name and Address (:
Full Name and Address (:
Full Name and Address (:

Please continue on a separate sheet using the same format if necessary

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Starting with the most recent:

Secondary/Further Education

School / College or University	Subject or Course	Examination e.g. GCSE	Grade

Further Academic Qualifications

From	To	Qualification / Award	Obtained at

Membership of Professional Organisations / Bodies

Date	Membership and Level

Relevant Training Courses Attended

From	To	Training Provider	Course Title

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

In this section you must give full details of how your skills, abilities and experience match the person specification of the post that you are applying for. Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary. (Please note that CV’s will not be accepted as a supporting statement)

REFERENCES

Please give the details of two referees who can verify your employment record and give information about your suitability for this post. References must include one current and one previous employer. If you have worked for one employer, for your second reference please chose someone who can comment on your ability to meet the requirements of the job. If you have not been in paid employment, one reference must be from a School/College/University and one from someone who can comment on your ability to meet the requirements of the job.

Please tick this box if you do not wish us to seek your references prior to interview

Name:

Job Title:

Address:

Tel(:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

Name:

Job Title:

Address:

Tel(:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL RECORD

All candidates for posts which give them access to children or young people are required under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, if offered an appointment, to disclose details of all previous convictions. Disclosure of any criminal conviction(s) will not necessarily debar you from employment with the Society - this would depend on the nature of the offence(s) and their relevance to this appointment.

Failure to declare previous convictions may prevent your employment if it subsequently becomes apparent that you do, in fact, have a criminal record. Some employment offered by the Society will be subject to completion of a DBS and a receipt by the Society of a satisfactory Disclosure certificate.

Please answer the following questions:

“Do you have any unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings?”

Yes No

ASSOCIATION WITH ZSL

Have you been employed (either in a paid or unpaid capacity) by the Zoological Society of London before?

If yes, please give details (dates, role etc.): ______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Are you related to an employee, volunteer, Fellow or Trustee of the Society?

If yes, please give details: __________________________________________________________

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US?

To help us monitor our advertising, please state where you first saw this post advertised:

________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING THIS FORM

I declare that the information given in this application is to the best of my knowledge complete and correct. I understand that the Society reserves the right to seek verification of any information provided. I understand that if it is discovered that I have given false information I may be dismissed from the Society’s employment. I suffer no legal impediment to taking up appointment.

The Society complies with the Data Protection Act 1998.

I agree to the Society using the information contained in this form for the proper administration of the recruitment process and should I be successful I agree that the information will be used as part of the employment relationship.

Signature.................................................................... Date.............................................….........

Name (Print)...............................................................…………….……………………………….........

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