Supervisor - Natives

The Royal Zoological Society of SA Inc; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoos SA is seeking an experienced Native Supervisor for Monarto Safari Park on a permanent full-time basis. You will lead the Native fauna team, oversee daily husbandry, and mentor staff across exhibits, working to maintain high welfare and safety while supporting conservation initiatives.

You will collaborate with curatorial and veterinary teams, contribute to enrichment programs, and deliver keeper talks to the public as part of our Life Sciences management group.

Qualifications

• Minimum of Certificate III in Captive Animals or other relevant and acceptable Zoo Keeping experience.
• Previous experience with Native fauna within a zoological setting.
• Previous experience managing and mentoring a team.
• Previous field experience and/or working with breed for release programs.
• Knowledge and experience in captive management of a range of species.
• High level of communication and interpersonal skills with external stakeholders, peers, staff, volunteers and public, with the ability to deliver engaging and professional public presentations and review visitor experiences.
• Ability to arrange personal work routines and practices to make optimum use of time.
• Apply creative and outside the box solutions to difficult challenges.
• Knowledge of Workplace Health and Safety and applying those principles.
• Ability to drive a manual vehicle.
• Experience driving a 4WD vehicle on off-road conditions (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Provide mentoring and leadership to the Native team.
• Perform daily operational tasks and husbandry aspects required for the collection.
• Providing input into exhibit and enclosure planning, development, design, and maintenance, ensuring animal husbandry and welfare standards are met and relevant protocols followed.
• Liaising closely with the Assistant Curator, Curator, Animal Health, Animal Behaviour and Creative Programs and Conservation departments with regards to conservation initiatives and messaging of ZSA support of these programs.
• Participating in the implementation and monitoring of behavioural enrichment and training and conditioning programs to affect animal behaviour and allow routine examinations and procedures without distress.
• Providing guidance and direction to the Native team, as well as other sections where appropriate.
• Undertaking informal presentations and ‘Keeper Talks' presenting to public groups and responding to questions.
• Working consistently in accordance with established safety procedures to ensure animal security, personal safety, protection of co-workers and the public.
• Working in line with relevant Policy and Procedures/Standard Operating Procedures and providing feedback and proactive suggestions for change as required.
• Actively participating in regular meetings with the Veterinary team to discuss the wellbeing and health of the Native collection, communicating this to the wider team and effectively implementing any required action.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with outside suppliers and manage food supplies.
• Undertake routine and specialist administrative and front-line management tasks.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Public speaking

Communication

Education

Certificate III in Captive Animals

Job description

Zoos SA is a not-for-profit conservation charity that exists to save species from extinction and connect people with nature. Zoos SA manages Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park which is one of the largest open range zoos outside of Africa, spanning more than 1,500 hectares of diverse fauna and flora, having recently expanded with the inclusion of our Asian Elephant habitat.

Zoos SA has a long history of initiating and participating in many successful innovative conservation programs, including the establishment of breed for release programs for threatened species, playing a leading role in these programs for exotic and native species.

ABOUT THE ROLE...

Monarto Safari Park is looking for an experienced and motivated Natives Supervisor to join the team in a permanent full-time position across a seven-day roster. They will support and lead the Natives team in the daily operational aspects of the native fauna collection including tours and public presentations and providing excellent husbandry and welfare in a safe and efficient manner. This position will support the Assistant Curator with mentoring, training, and development of team members.

The successful candidate will be guided by Zoos SA's values and work with the Keeping team to achieve the goals set out in the Strategic and Business Plans. In addition, they will, under general supervision and within specified guidelines, perform all keeping duties in a safe, efficient, and effective manner.

As part of our Life Sciences management team, day-to-day tasks may include:

• Provide mentoring and leadership to the Natives team.
• Perform daily operational tasks and husbandry aspects required for the collection.
• Providing input into exhibit and enclosure planning, development, design, and maintenance, ensuring animal husbandry and welfare standards are met and relevant protocols followed.
• Liaising closely with the Assistant Curator, Curator, Animal Health, Animal Behaviour and Creative Programs and Conservation departments with regards to conservation initiatives and messaging of ZSA support of these programs.
• Participating in the implementation and monitoring of behavioural enrichment and training and conditioning programs to affect animal behaviour and allow routine examinations and procedures without distress.
• Providing guidance and direction to the Native team, as well as other sections where appropriate.
• Undertaking informal presentations and ‘Keeper Talks' presenting to public groups and responding to questions.
• Working consistently in accordance with established safety procedures to ensure animal security, personal safety, protection of co-workers and the public.
• Working in line with relevant Policy and Procedures/Standard Operating Procedures and providing feedback and proactive suggestions for change as required.
• Actively participating in regular meetings with the Veterinary team to discuss the wellbeing and health of the Native collection, communicating this to the wider team and effectively implementing any required action.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with outside suppliers and manage food supplies.
• Undertake routine and specialist administrative and front-line management tasks.

ABOUT YOU...

To be considered for this position, you will need to meet the following selection criteria:

• Minimum of Certificate III in Captive Animals or other relevant and acceptable Zoo Keeping experience.
• Previous experience with Native fauna within a zoological setting.
• Previous experience managing and mentoring a team.
• Previous field experience and/or working with breed for release programs.
• Knowledge and experience in captive management of a range of species.
• High level of communication and interpersonal skills with external stakeholders, peers, staff, volunteers and public, with the ability to deliver engaging and professional public presentations and review visitor experiences.
• Ability to arrange personal work routines and practices to make optimum use of time.
• Apply creative and outside the box solutions to difficult challenges.
• Knowledge of Workplace Health and Safety and applying those principles.
• Ability to drive a manual vehicle.
• Experience driving a 4WD vehicle on off-road conditions (desirable).

Other positions that may arise from this recruitment process may be filled from this application pool.

Zoos SA is passionately committed to equal employment opportunity. We believe diversity, inclusion and reconciliation are fundamental to our rich organisational culture and values, and we demonstrate this commitment through all our employment practices so that our people continue to reflect the local communities in which we work.

If you are unable to submit your application because of incompatible assistive technology or require reasonable adjustments, please contact Kaila at 08 8548 9541 or via [e-mail].

If you have a strong passion in animal welfare, species conservation, and an eagerness to support the operation of a major safari park’s Life Sciences team, we would love to hear from you!