Assistant Team Manager – Visitor Engagement – The Reserve

BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums); Chester; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 32,000

Job description

Assistant Team Manager – Visitor Engagement – The Reserve

Chester Zoo

Closing date for applications is: 6th Apr 2025

Salary: Salary of £31,929.47 per annum inclusive of our 1st April pay award

Permanent, Full-time contract.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Conservation Education and Engagement team, to support in establishing and managing our brand new engagement team at The Reserve, our new overnight experience.

You will be supporting the Visitor Engagement Manager with developing and delivering our new engagement programme, spending the first few months in role developing experiences and recruiting and training a new team of Zoo Rangers; building relationships with our animal and science teams will be key.

The Reserve

Chester Zoo’s brand-new safari-style luxury lodge accommodation opens from mid-August. This unique destination is the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation, designed to protect and celebrate the natural world. Guests can immerse themselves in luxurious surroundings while enjoying animal experiences, enriched by the knowledge that their stay is helping fund Chester Zoo’s vital conservation work around the world.

To deliver this exciting project, Chester Zoo is working with TROO Hospitality, experts in luxury hospitality. All exclusive guest activities are rooted in nature and led by expert Zoo Rangers, delivering experiences like no other.

As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and 500 seasonal team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development.

Within the Conservation Education & Engagement team we are proud to develop and deliver material to engage our visitors with our plant and animal collection and our worldwide conservation work through a range of diverse, fun and exciting educational experiences.

We’re looking for someone who can:

1. Ensure excellence in the delivery of our programme, collaborating internally and externally to ensure stakeholder buy-in and authentic content creation.
2. Support the Visitor Engagement Manager to develop and deliver consistently high-quality conservation engagement.
3. Recruit, lead, develop and motivate a team of Zoo Rangers to ensure efficient delivery for The Reserve.
4. Increase the conservation impact of commercial activity (e.g. Weddings and corporate events) through delivering memorable, audience-focused engagements that surprise and delight.
5. Implement policies, standard operating procedures and safe working practices to ensure the team follow best practice and are compliant with all relevant guidelines and legislation. Ensure that departmental assets, in particular Article 60 items are documented and monitored appropriately.
6. Ensure that all learning programmes are safe and appropriately risk assessed and comply with relevant legislation (e.g. copyright, DDA). In particular ensuring that our programmes with children, young people and adults at risk follow best practice in regard to safeguarding.
7. Develop skills and knowledge in the areas of conservation education, science communication and public engagement, keeping up to date with best practice, researching excellence and sharing practice both internally and externally.
8. Collate and use KPI and evaluation data to drive a process of continual improvement, contributing to research about the impact of our engagement and education.
9. Manage allocated resources, ensuring initiatives are well planned and deliver maximum value for money and effort.
10. Interact with guests of all ages, including children, families and other audiences.
11. Be expected to deliver across a wide range of mediums including talks, table-top activities, play-based activities and storytelling.
12. Collaborate and build a strong working relationship with the Hotel General Manager at TROO hospitality and assist with the operational oversight of The Reserve experience.

The Package

• Contract Type – Permanent
• Working Hours – 40 hours. Working on a 2-week roster working every other weekend. General hours of working will be between 1pm - 10pm. Some early morning will be required. You will occasionally cover daytime operations for the wider Ranger Team. During the first few months in role, flexibility to work 9am – 5pm shifts may be an option.
• Salary of £31,929.47 per annum inclusive of our 1st April pay award
• 33 days annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%

Our Requirements

1. A sound knowledge and an ongoing interest of zoo-based conservation and the natural world, most likely gained through a Zoo Biology/Conservation-related degree.
2. Experience of leading and motivating a team.
3. Good project management skills and the ability to manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
4. Experience of developing engaging content for a variety of audiences including corporate groups.
5. Outstanding communication skills, in particular verbal and written communication.
6. Excellent attention to detail, organisational skills and time management skills.
7. A wide-ranging knowledge of the natural world.
8. A creative mind, and ability to develop and deliver engaging, high quality public engagement opportunities for our guests.
9. The ability to confidently deliver stories, shows, games and other playful, interactive engagement styles.

Although not essential, the following would be desirable:

1. Experience of working in a childcare setting or a childcare qualification.
2. Experience of working in the hospitality sector.
3. A full driving licence valid in the UK.

Due to the nature of the organisation and the role, this post is subject to a DBS check.