Hobbledown Adventure Farm Park & Zoo is recruiting for a Full time Animal Team Leader to support the Zoo and Education Manager and Senior Animal Team Leader in overseeing the team and managing the animal collection.
This role is for all animal sections including; small mammals (including primates), birds, hoofstock, reptiles/invertebrates and domestics.
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Full Time, Permanent contract
- £22,880/annum
- Epsom, Surrey
- Candidates must be 18+ due to the nature of these roles
About the Company
Escapade Group Limited operate the ultimate indoor and outdoor adventure parks. Currently operating four popular brands across six sites, the business has ambitious plans to continue growing and expanding. At present, there is an established Hobbledown Adventure Farm Park & Zoo at Epsom, Hobbledown Heath in West London which is situated next to Gripped London, an incredible Adrenaline Park and two Kidspace indoor play and children’s party venues at Croydon and Romford.
About the role
The animal team leader is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Animal team, as well as ensuring high standards of welfare and husbandry for the animals.
The team leader will ensure that all team are prepared for the days operation, the team are briefed and trained on the area/section/unit that they are designated to do, and that all processes are followed and recorded using daily paperwork/digital audits.
Leading by example, they will deliver outstanding guest service and ensure that the teams in their care demonstrate high service standards consistently.
The animal team leader will demonstrate sound levels of knowledge and understanding relevant to Animal Standard Operating Procedures, Regulations, and legislations such as SSSMZP, Zoo Licensing, NFAN and the BALAI Directive. Maintains outstanding levels of biosecurity and cleanliness and ensures the team adhere to the training received.
Records and files (or digital audits) all required paperwork such as opening, closing, DSR’s and ZIMS management. They will also ensure the cleanliness and presentation of the park on a daily basis.
Can perform specific tasks on various systems that may include Trello, ZIMS, Fuse Metrix and Teams.
This role will also be required to carry out specific training, i.e., Section training, equipment training, operational management, COSHH and husbandry and welfare training.
Main Responsibilities
1. Operations
- Responsible for general day to day running and ensuring the animal team adhere to complete their daily health and safety audits (if required) and checklists.
- Lead the team to deliver a fantastic and safe visitor experience.
- Contribute to positive visitor feedback by leading by example.
- Work safely to protect themselves, the team around them and our guests and animals.
- Ensure the respective area is clean, tidy, and well presented at all times.
- Report any operational issues that are safety, guest service critical or commercial impact through the correct channels, i.e. to the Duty Manager or line manager promptly.
- Ensuring the conditions of the animals are suitable and reporting any problems to the Line Manager and other relevant departments required to support the work needed.
- Observing the behaviour, health and security of animals and reporting any problems to the Line Manager.
- Manage the daily duties of the department by organising the workload for the team, volunteers, and daily schedules of schools and animal experiences.
- The ability to take the lead in an animal escape or emergency.
- Adhere to all Safe Systems of Work and Species-Specific Operation Protocols (SOP’s) for animals and set the example for the team.
2. Ad hoc Training & Systems
- As a team leader, there may be technical or specific training relevant to the department, ensure any training for team is documented and recorded adequately and passed to line manager to record on Bamboo or held on file.
- Ensure new team members are buddied up accordingly and any training is recorded, i.e., Animal section training, and Standard Operating Procedures.
- Sound knowledge will/may be required on Trello, Xcenta, iauditor and Fuse Metrix. If issues are experienced, can quick fix or raise issues through the correct channels to minimise disruption to guest experience or team efficiency.
- Assist Zoo & Education Manager with team training and supporting animal team.
3. Customer Service
- Leads by exceptional example on all guest facing activities.
- Confident in challenging and supporting peers to deliver a safer and better experience for our guests/team.
- Confident in dealing with guest conflict and guest resolution.
- Ensures good communication and the same levels of service provided to guests to internal customers.
- Deal with team and guest enquiries, feedback, and complaints in a timely manner and report to line manager
- Deliver educational and interactive public talks, workshops, and experiences, including our popular Junior Zookeeper for a Day.
4. Marketing
- Ensure all departmental guest communications contain all the correct updated marketing material, i.e., posters, walkthrough opening times.
- Provides regular feedback to line managers from guest/team feedback on the day.
- Follows social media guidelines on social platforms.
- Is aware and can brief teams on specific events/product offering.
5. Financial
- Be aware of team wage/labour budgets for the day to ensure agreed daily budgets are adhered to and/or decreased/increased to meet operational demands.
- Looks after equipment/stock/buildings in their care and reports any issues with missing/faulty equipment/stock. In line with training provided.
- Ensure teams are actively upselling at every opportunity. Ensure portion control is maintained.
6. People
- Ensure compliance in terms of working times, break times and working duties in relation to young workers and also the Working Time Regulation.
- Responsible for training of team in their care and recording training accordingly. Ensure team are not working on equipment they are not trained to work with.
- Report any poor performance to line manager and support in corrective training/performance management.
- Drive and lead a positive working environment for the team.
- Conduct daily briefings for team to ensure teams are engaged and aware of the daily requirements.
- Acknowledge positive visitor feedback and ensure team recognition.
- Conduct performance reviews and set SMART objectives.
- Ensure all team members are smart, well presented and following the uniform standards.
- Ensuring the team members are routinely recording data and communicating using DSR’s, ZIMS and daily diaries.
- Ensure daily tasks are prioritised and allocated fairly to team that meet the welfare of the animals.
7. Health & Safety
- Responsible for complying with the company policy regarding Health & Safety.
- Ensure job role is performed safely in line with the standard operating procedures and any specific safety controls.
- Ensure animal enclosures and surrounding areas are safe for animals, guests and team I.E Heat lamps, enclosure security and stand off barriers.
- Will open, close, secure departments responsible for according to site specific requirements.
- Take lead in the event of an animal escape.
- Can identify where gas, electric, water isolation points are.
- In the event of an evacuation, or emergency, can safely lead evacuation of team and surrounding guests and ensure any equipment is safe, i.e., Gas, electrics, fire suppression systems, gate locks, activities closed safely.
- Ensure hygiene standards are adhered to in specific work areas. Areas are clean and well maintained.
- Report any Health & Safety issues, potential hazards, accidents or near misses to your Line Manager, Duty Manager or member of the Management team immediately and on internal QR code system.
- Ensure any first aid is dealt with and recorded accordingly.
- Adheres to COSHH for department and can train team on chemicals for department.
- Maintaining, and following our Disease Surveillance Plan and Prophylactics Programme ensuring the correct biosecurity measures are in place when needed.
Animal Team
- To ensure the highest standards of animal welfare is always being adhered to.
- Adhering to all requirements from The Zoo Licensing Act 1981.
- Following all requirements and guidelines from BIAZA, NFAN and BALAI.
- To be capable in the safe handling and restraint of a variety of animals.
- Maintaining exhibits and carry out weekly checks in line with our Zoo Licensing.
- Maintaining back of house areas and carry out weekly checks in line with our Zoo Licensing.
- Ordering feed and supplies.
- Maintaining records and inputting relevant information into ZIMS.
- Maintain and develop knowledge of species-specific enrichment and training protocols.
- Demonstrate professionalism towards sensitive and confidential information regarding animals.
- Take lead with the movement of animals and training of animals.
- Committed to professional self-development, through participation in specific training opportunities aimed and supporting and developing
- the post.
- The ability to confidently liaise with our team of off-site vets and carry out veterinary procedures under the vet’s direction.
- Assist the Zoo & Education Manager in the creation and implementation of changes related to animal husbandry and welfare.
- Assist the Zoo & Education Manager in the creation and implementations of changes related to team and guest welfare.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
About you
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A proven people manager who leads by example and is happy to be very hands on.
- Knowledgeable and experienced in terms of handling animals and dealing with a variety of species including, primates, birds, reptiles, hoofstock and small mammals.
- Knowledgeable and aware of relevant legislation, rules and regulations in relation to the animal and zoo industry.
- Passionate about delivering the best visitor experience.
- Passionate about the wellbeing of our animals.
- Focused on health and safety, employee engagement, the visitor experience, and cleanliness.
- Flexible and able to respond to reactive issues and problems.
- Customer and visitor focused.
- Resilient and tenacious.
- Dynamic, creative and solutions focused.
- Very organised, structured and always striving for excellence and continuous improvement.
- Comfortable working in a very fast paced environment.
- Previous experience of working in a visitor attraction/venue is highly attractive.