About Wildwood
Opened in 1999 as a
centre of excellence for the conservation of British wildlife and established
as a registered charity in 2002, the Wildwood Trust is one of the South East’s
leading specialists in native species conservation.
At the heart of our
work is our British wildlife park, which is home to over 200 native and once
native animals set in 40 acres of stunning ancient woodland. Every year we
attract over 130,000 visitors who enjoy a fun day out as well as learning about
the importance of our wildlife and woodlands.
As well as being a
busy visitor attraction, Wildwood is also a respected conservation charity
which is dedicated to saving British wildlife, and strives to protect our
native species through captive breeding and reintroduction projects and to
educate and inspire future generations as to the importance of protecting our
British wildlife and wild spaces. Our range of pioneering conservation
programmes includes water voles, pine
martens, hazel dormice, red squirrels, Konik horses, European beavers, harvest
mice, and water shrews.
Wildwood has
developed 3 unique skills which we will develop over the coming years.
• The
careful husbandry of Wildwood’s extensive collection of British native and once
native wildlife.
• Engaging
the wider public and educating people about our relationship with wildlife, its
historical context and its future conservation.
• Develop
our wildlife husbandry skills and knowledge to pioneer conservation projects
that need such skills to produce balanced, semi natural ecological systems.
Leading ecologists believe this to be key to the long term survival of our
natural heritage.
Floating Keeper
This post is for an
experienced keeper with two years employment history in a zoo or wildlife
park.
This role will suit
a highly motivated, practical person who can work outdoors during all weathers
doing a physically demanding job.
Specifically:
• Care
for our collection of British native and once native wildlife
• Build
and maintain our natural woodland animal enclosures
• Help
educate the public through talks and demonstrations about our animals
• Help
our conservation projects to promote wildlife conservation
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job
Title: Floating
Keeper
Function: Looking
after the Wildwood collection and conservation projects.
Responsible
to: Head keeper and assistant
head keeper
1 Principal
Duties
1.1 Looking
after the Wildwood collection
Your primary focus
will be the care of wildwood’s unique collection of British wildlife. This will
encompass food preparation, feeding and cleaning. As a Floating Keeper you will
cover sections that are the primary responsibility of other Keepers on their
days off.
You will be
responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of these animals, monitoring health
issues and improving their enclosures to provide behavioural enrichment.
You will take
instruction from the Senior Keepers, working to priorities to achieve the best
animal welfare within the resources we have.
1.2 Exhibit
design and maintenance
You will be required
to assist in the day to day maintenance of exhibits so you will use small tools
and perform general DIY functions.
You will have a
substantial input into exhibit design and building to provide the highest
standards on animal care and efficiency of operations.
1.3 Meeting
zoo legislation
You will help to
keep animal records to meet all zoo legislation. You will follow all procedures
on safe practice and hygiene regulations.
1.4 Internal
communications
You will play a key
role in the Keeper team and as such attend all staff meetings and produce any
required reports. You will be expected to play a positive and helpful role in
developing a happy, productive team working towards common objectives as laid out
by your line manager.
1.5 Cost
control
You will be required
to play a role in cost control and making financial systems effective e.g. help
investigate and acquire animal food from local sources who donate them.
1.6 Health
and safety
You will be required
to support your line manager to ensure that Wildwood’s Health and Safety
arrangements are effective, consistent and well documented.
1.7 Customer
care and animal talks
As a charity
Wildwood’s ultimate success will depend on the value we can deliver to our
members, donors and visitors. ‘Making every visitor a friend’ will be a key
role for the post holder. This will include giving public animal feeds, helping
organise themed weekends, helping run membership events and giving guidance for
effective signage and interpretation.
Above all this will be fostering a customer focused attitude within the
keeper team.
As a membership
organisation Wildwood’s success will depend on our ability to recruit and
retain members. This will involve instilling in your self a ‘customer focused
ethos’ to actively engage visitors and recruit members through membership forms
and giving advice on membership at every available opportunity.
1.8 Conservation
Projects
You will be required
to look after animals in our captive breeding programme and to play an active
role in our conservation and contract work.
1.9 Special
Projects
From time to time,
with direction from the Park Manager, you will support the activities of other
departments when it’s ‘all hands to the pump’.
2 Skills,
Knowledge & Experience
2.1 Essential
The post-holder will
be mature in outlook, confident, hard working and practical. Common sense and
the ability to concentrate and prioritise on the essentials of a task will be
key elements of your personality. You will need to be prepared to work through
peak times in what is a seasonal business.
• A
minimum work history of two years of paid employment working with a range of
relevant species, such as large hoofstock and carnivores, in a zoo or wildlife
park.
• Demonstrable
understanding of animal management.
• Experience
of captive animal husbandry.
• The
ability and desire to enhance and develop your knowledge.
• Ability
to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Must
be a team player with the ability to multi-task.
• A
genuine love of British wildlife.
2.2 Desirable
Experience in these
areas is desirable; you must be able to demonstrate recent practical experience
in at least one:
• Experience
of captive breeding and animal care
• Experience
of practical building work and construction
• Experience
in giving public talks and demonstrations
• Experience
of conservation reintroduction projects
• Experience
of health and safety systems
• A
relevant animal qualification such as the DMZAA qualification
3 Other
Considerations
1. The
post is advertised as full time.
2. Appointment
will be subject to a six month probationary period.
3. Understanding
of and sympathy with Wildwood’s role as a conservation body would be helpful.
4. No
person shall be treated less favourably than another on the grounds of sex,
sexual orientation, marital status, race, ethnic or national origin, religion,
colour, age or disability. As an equal
opportunities employer, applicants for staff vacancies shall be short listed
for interview and appointed purely on the grounds of their suitability for the
post as laid out in the advertised job description.
5. Wildwood
operates a no smoking policy in the park and in its offices.
4 Employment
Package
The salary band for
keepers is £14,271.08 per annum. Finances permitting, salaries are updated once
a year to allow for the rate of inflation.
Normal working hours
are a 37.5 hour week average over the year. Normal working hours will be from
8.00 am to 4.00 pm in winter and 8.00 am to 5.00 pm in summer with a lunch
break of half an hour each day.
Due to the nature of
the work you will be required to work bank holidays, weekends and some
evenings. Overtime is not usually paid, but time may be taken off in lieu. The
holiday allowance is 30 days a year, this includes statutory holidays.
Appointments are
subject to confirmation after a six month probation period.
5 Procedure
for Applicants
5.1 Applications
Application is by
C.V. and must contain the following information:
• Name,
address, contact phone numbers at home and work (for discreet calls only)
• Employment
history
• Educational
history
You should include a
statement of the relevant skills and experience that you believe you will bring
to the job, paying careful attention to the requirements of the job outlined
above.
You should give two
referees to whom we can turn for a confidential reference, one of whom should
be your current or most recent employer.
References will only be taken up for those candidates chosen for
interview or, with regard to current employer, on offer of contract.
By post: Wildwood
Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ.
The vacancy will
continue to be advertised until a sufficient number of suitable applications
have been received.
5.2 Interview
and Selection Procedure
Interviews and
selection tests (if applicable) will be held at Wildwood Trust at Wealden
Forest Park, Herne Common by arrangement during the following two weeks after
the closing date for applications. The interview may involve at least two hours
working alongside our keepers.
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