Maternity Cover - Section Lead - Farm Team

This is a rare opportunity to join our dedicated Animal Team as a Section Leader to cover Maternity leave (minimum 9 months contract).

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm is proud of its Rare Breed focused Farm section.  It’s a prominent part of the collection and consists of a variety of breeding programmes throughout the year as well as seasonal changes on section.

For this role we are seeking to recruit someone with strong leadership and organisation skills, and who has an absolute minimum of 5 years’ experience working in a zoo setting, with at least some of the species held on our Farm section.

Primarily this role supports the Curator in the day-to-day running of the section, duties including facilitating the safe and efficient operation of all section activities, ensuring high standards of welfare and a positive team environment, also providing supportive Line Management for the section keepers.

This role will also involve joining the Lead Keeper team, occasionally deputizing for the Curator.  For this, the candidate will need to be able to demonstrate great team working skills, a working knowledge of a range of species and the ability to problem solve a variety of challenges.

This is a full-time position working a 40-hour week on a flexible rota (including weekends and public holidays) as per the staff rota.

Species held on Section: Bison, Red Deer, Reindeer, Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Pigs, Equines, Llama, Alpaca, Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Hamster, Gerbils and Rats.

Applicants must have:

• Minimum 5 years' paid zoo keeping experience.
• Be familiar and have knowledge and practical experience required for a variety of species on section.
• A strong work ethic.
• Excellent standards of animal care and hygiene, including record keeping.
• Hold an animal-based qualification or equivalent work-based learning.
• Strong teamwork and leadership skills, and excellent communication.
• Enthusiasm and experience for visitor engagement.
• Hold a full Manual Driving Licence.

Preferred criteria:

• Proven experience as a Team Leader.

Other key aspects of the role:

• Deliver top quality visitor experience.
• Deliver high quality talks and keeper experiences to our visitors.
• Drive the company vehicle for collection of resources, e.g., feed, etc.
• Join the Lead Keeper team and take department leadership duties and responsibilities as appropriate.

Other job holder expectations:

• Ensure effective quality control and continuous improvement in all aspects of the work and responsibilities.
• Mindful of the visitor experience in all aspects of your work.
• Demonstrate professionalism towards sensitive and confidential information.
• Comply with and promote Health and Safety policies and procedures, and to undertake recommended Health and Safety training as and when required.
• Undertake such other duties as are relevant with the position, including helping with other sections when required.
• Uphold a supportive positive team culture.

Salary Range (Level 4 – Level 5) from £26,499.20 - £27,955.20

To apply:  Please send a CV and covering letter to careers@noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk subject of emails should read application ‘Mat Cover – Farm application’.

Your application must include: an accurate summary of your relevant experience, a complete list of your working history and comments on your compatibility with our ‘must have’ list.  If your experience is with other zoo species, please describe and explain why you would like to work with these species.

Covering letters should be no longer than 250 words.

Closing date for applications: 28^th August 2024

Curator’s comments on vacancy – ‘I look forward to welcoming someone enthused by our farm section onto the team.  We will not be appointing anyone who sees the farm section as a steppingstone to more exotic species.

First Stage interviews will take place via zoom with a few selected candidates being invited to the zoo for a second stage.  This will include a trial working on the section in the morning followed by a second interview.