SEASONAL ANIMAL TRAINER AND PRESENTER

Based at AFRICA ALIVE!

(April to October)

We have an exciting vacancy for an Animal Trainer and Presenter to join our team on a fixed term contract, based at Africa Alive.

About the role:

Working under the direction of the Head of Animal Training and Presentations (AT&P), you will provide the best possible care and management for the animals on the training and presentation department, delivering daily presentations at Africa Alive! The successful candidate should be able to conduct presentations to the agreed standard.

This position is based on a 40hr a week contract and will run from April to 31^st October 2021. Please note that no accommodation is offered with this role.

Some of the tasks you will do:

· Ensure a high level of care for all animals and birds.

· Deliver quality animal presentations that include our key messages to guests at Africa Alive, ensuring that they are fun and educational.

· Collect relevant animal information and report back effectively to your senior/s.

· Keep up to date, accurate animal records for all stock in your care.

· Ensure work practices are carried out with the highest consideration for the animals and birds in your care.

· Provide excellent customer care and ensure customer satisfaction at all times.

· Ensure and encourage the highest level of safety for public and colleagues at all times, by operating in accordance with the Zoo Health & Safety Policy and Procedures.

About you:

· The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate relevant animal training experience and be familiar with positive operant conditioning. In addition to this and a key requirement for the role, are excellent communication and public presentation skills.

· Working under the direction of the Head of Animal Training and Presentations, you should already have a minimum of two years’ experience working with and training animals, preferably with some exotic animal training.

· An animal care related qualification/s would be an advantage but more important is the desire to interact both formally and informally with our guests at every opportunity, providing an additional educational experience that enhances their visit.

· You must be prepared to work with all kinds of domestic and exotic species and be hard-working and conscientious.

· Be prepared to work as part of a team and expect to work some weekends, Bank Holidays and occasional evenings.

· A full driving licence is essential.

· Whilst the role is based at Africa Alive! candidates may be required to travel to Banham Zoo for training and to provide additional cover.

In return we offer: Competitive salary and guaranteed average hours of 40hrs per week, a contributory pension, 28 days paid holiday including bank holidays (pro-rata).

If you would like an opportunity to join our fantastic team, please download an application form from our website and then send it with a covering email explaining why you would be a suitable candidate for this position to:

HR mailbox: hr@zsea.org

Closing date for applications is 31^st March 2021. Emails sent after this date will not be considered and due to the expected volume of applicants, unfortunately, we will not be able to advise if they were unsuccessful or provide feedback on their applications.

ZSEA is an Equal Opportunities employer.

Reach the right people. Advertise here.

This vacancy has been posted out to the many thousands who read the popular Zoo Jobs Blog Page and then on to the 129,400 plus followers of the ZooNews Digest Facebook Page. It is then immediately forwarded on to Twitter and then to Pinterest and Linkedin (8,000+ connections). Many vacancies are shared to individuals and groups. In short your vacancy will have the potential of reaching something in the region of some 80,000 plus people within 24 hours. Most of these people are working in a zoo environment, Keepers, Curators, Vets, Zoo Directors, Trainers, Aquarists and more.

ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 1200 Zoos in 150+ countries. Zoo professionals are International.

The number of people who will actually read the posted vacancy will actually be considerably less. Usually this will be between two hundred and three thousand. This will depend on the type of post, the time of the year and where it is located…of course not all will apply. I wish you the very best of luck in finding the right candidate for your post.

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