Head of Section - Carnivores

Salary: £22,045.00 to £24,516.00 per annum DOE

(If on-site accommodation is not available or required, then a living out allowance is paid. Living out allowance is

£2,600 gross per annum, pro rata to working hours.)

Howletts Wild Animal Park, based in Kent, in conjunction with The Aspinall Foundation, a charity committed to the conservation of rare and endangered animals through breeding and reintroduction programmes. This position offers a fantastic opportunity to work with a wide range of species from honey badgers to Sumatran tigers and contribute to in-situ conservation programs.

It is a very exciting time on the Carnivore section, with future breeding of Sumatran tigers and current breeding of various small cats including Serval and Caracal. The successful candidate will need ideas on which new species should be added to the collection. Focus will be on our overseas work and rewilding species. We have previously been the first ever institute to rewild Cheetah to South Africa.

The Role

The successful applicant will have the responsibility of managing the Carnivore section – including both animals and staff. It is a physical role, and the successful applicant will be expected to undertake all duties on the section from butchering carcasses to enclosure maintenance, as well as general husbandry tasks and record keeping.

Conservation education plays a big role in the park so there will be plenty of opportunities for talks and encounters with the public. The company encourages succession planning. We provide extensive staff training and will offer the opportunity to develop your professional skills and abilities.

The Person

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 5 years large carnivore experience gained in a mainstream zoological collection. We are looking for an individual who has extensive experience of managing a team. You will be a good communicator with the ability to motivate and impart knowledge to the section. You will need to be confident around large carnivores with a hands-on approach to the restraint and handling of animals where necessary. As sound knowledge of health and safety is needed along with the drive to enforce its compliance. A firearm licence, or the willingness to acquire one, is advantageous, as is the ability to prepare budgets. A working knowledge of basic Office software will be essential.

A full valid driving licence is essential.

To apply: Please email you CV and covering letter to – personnel@aspinallfoundation.org

Please visit our website: www.aspinallfoundation.org to find out more about us.

The position is full time, working 40 hours over a five-day week and will include weekends and bank holidays. A flexible approach to working hours is essential in any animal job.

All applicants must have right to work in the UK

The Benefits:

As a Howletts employee, you will benefit from free entry into both of our parks, free tickets for your family and friends, onsite parking, plus discounts on food, retail and accommodation products.