Deputy Team Leader – Familiar Friends Section

Colchester Source: WhatJobs

£32,000–£42,000

An exciting position has arisen for an experienced Deputy Team Leader to join our team and contribute to our mission at Colchester Zoo in a full-time role working within our Familiar Friends section; a mixed taxa section responsible for meerkats, rainbow lorikeets, Aldabra tortoises, koi carp, invertebrate species, and domestic and companion animals.

Role Responsibilities

The candidate will work within the Animal Department to carry out husbandry duties and maintain high standards of welfare for the animal species in their care. As a Deputy Team Leader, the candidate will be required to input ideas for the continual progression and development of animal husbandry, breeding management and enclosure design on the section.

Alongside the section’s Team Leader, the job holder will be responsible for mentoring and managing more junior employed staff members; lead keepers, senior keepers and qualified keepers, and volunteers; student keepers and work experience students. The job holder will also be responsible for deputising to the Team Leader and leading the section in their absence.

The candidate will ensure, and be able to develop, safe working protocols, practices and risk assessments for working in and around the species on the section.

The job holder will deliver enclosure encounters and experiences to zoo visitors for a range of species across the section, as well as deliver educational husbandry content to visiting college groups. The candidate will also look to lead internal zoo subcommittees, where appropriate, and be willing to represent, and present, at external conferences on behalf of CZS.

Main Job Purpose:

Provide excellent husbandry standards and welfare for a range of species
Manage employed and voluntary members of the animal section and lead the section in the Team Leader’s absence
Produce safe working practices across the animal section
Deliver enclosure encounters and experiences to zoo visitors, educational groups and for social media
Represent CZS in external settings where required

Other Key Activities:

Demonstrate commitment to continuous personal development.
Perform other duties as reasonably directed by the animal section’s Team Leader and the Animal Management Team (Zoological Director, Animal Manager, Manager of Living Collections and Head Keeper)

Role Requirements

Husbandry Skills & Experience

7+ years’ experience in a zoological collection
Excellent standard of practical skill in animal husbandry, including training and enrichment
Excellent standard of animal observation skills
Excellent ability to develop animal husbandry, breeding management and enclosure design on the section
Ability to manage the animal section in the absence of the Team Leader, with limited assistance
Ability to drive forward the overall standards of the section to a higher level (excellent competency)
Excellent knowledge of ZIMS
Vast knowledge of zoo licencing and legislation
Excellent skills in handling and restraint of various species
High confidence and ability in dealing with medical issues Knowledge of water quality parameters and management for a range of species
Experience in operating filtration systems and life support systems
Knowledge of uv requirements for a range of species

Team Work & Ability to Follow Instruction

Ability to work in a team and contribute to team goals (excellent competency)
Ability to harness positive relationships with all other team members regardless of level / section (excellent competency)
Ability to follow instruction and carry out tasks at manager’s / senior staff member’s request (excellent competency)
Ability and willingness to sit on additional zoo subgroups and committees

Leadership & Mentoring

Ability to mentor and allocate work duties to the animal section’s employed staff members and volunteers (excellent competency)
Ability to lead an internal zoo team e.g. subgroup or committee

Health & Safety

Excellent understanding of risk assessments
Ability to ensure safe working practices at Deputy Team Leader level
Ability to manage risk in a zoo environment
Ability to develop safe working protocols
Excellent understanding of zoo emergency procedures

Communication & Presentation Skills

Excellent communication and presentation skills to deliver animal encounters and experiences
Excellent communication and presentation skills to deliver education sessions and media

Skills & Experience

Computer literate with excellent knowledge of the major Microsoft Office programmes
Excellent written skills, including record keeping
Excellent written skills, including proposals and protocols Trained in manual handling
Trained in working at height

Other

DMZAA or equivalent qualification
Full driving licence
Ability to use own initiative to solve problems (excellent competency)
Hard working and highly-motivated
Excellent punctuality and time keeping
Dependable and trustworthy
Flexible and adaptable
Warm, open-minded and professional
Ability and willingness to represent CZS at external conferences
Ability and willingness to present at external conferences and lead internal training at CZS
Commitment to employment at CZS Firearms certificate

Working Hours

This is a full-time position. An average of 40 hours a week (5 days) which will include regular weekend work and will increase in busy periods.

Uniform

Full uniform (including boots) will be provided. Full uniform must be worn at all times.

Evaluation

For the first three months of employment, the jobholder will be asked to complete a one month, three month self-assessment. This will gauge their feelings of the job and assess their progress towards meeting targets.

CZS is a non-smoking environment and smoking is not permitted by members of staff whilst on the premises.
CZS is an equal opportunities employer.
You may be required to work off site on animal transfers on occasion.

Whilst doing this job, the employee is likely to be exposed to: