Zoological Education Centre Manager

The Bedford College Group; Biggleswade; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flat provided (1-bedroom)

Annual leave 27 days + bank holidays

Pension

Discounts

Professional development

Job summary

The Bedford College Group is seeking a Zoological Education Centre Manager to lead the zoological education centre within the Animal Sciences department. The role includes overseeing animal welfare, regulatory compliance, budgeting, and student-focused teaching activities at Shuttleworth College, Old Warden.

Applicants should have a degree in Animal Management or Zoology and extensive zoological sector experience, with readiness to work evenings and weekends as required.

Qualifications

• Hold a degree in Animal Management, Zoology, or a related subject with ongoing professional development and substantial current zoological experience.
• Strong knowledge of Zoo Licensing, UK animal welfare legislation, enclosure management, welfare auditing, and health and safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Zoological Centre operations and animal welfare to maintain exemplary standards across 350+ species.
• Oversee Zoo Licensing, regulatory compliance, and record-keeping including Species360/ZIMS.
• Manage budgets, procurement, staffing rotas, and stakeholder relations to promote the centre's reputation.
• Support teaching and recruitment activities, ensuring safe visitor-animal interactions and student learning.
• Promote health, safety, safeguarding, and continuous professional development.

Skills

Animal management

Zoology knowledge

Leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree in Animal Management or Zoology

Tools

Species360/ZIMS

Job description

Role

Zoological Education Centre Manager

Location

Shuttleworth College - Old Warden. Note: This post comes with a 1-bedroom flat to stay in.

Salary/Benefits

Salary is between £41,086 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays,People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks

37 hours per week - 52 weeks per year

Contract Type

Permanent - Full Time

UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role

We are currently seeking a Zoological Education Centre Manager to join our Animal Sciences department at The Bedford College Group.

As a Zoological Education Centre Manager, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Zoological Centre Leadership & Animal Welfare – Manage the day-to-day operation of the Zoological Education Centre, ensuring exemplary standards of animal health, welfare, husbandry, feeding programmes, conservation activities, training, and legislative compliance across more than 350 species.
• Zoo Licensing & Regulatory Compliance – Lead preparation for inspections and ensure full compliance with Zoo Licensing, BIAZA, BALAI, biosecurity, veterinary, animal transfer, welfare audit, and record-keeping requirements, including the use of Species360/ZIMS.
• Operations, Resources & Stakeholder Management – Oversee budgets, procurement, staffing rotas, customer service, and professional relationships with veterinary teams, contractors, external stakeholders, and the local community to maintain and promote the centre’s reputation.
• Student Experience & Educational Support – Work closely with curriculum teams to support practical teaching, facilitate student learning opportunities, contribute to student recruitment activities, and ensure visitor and animal interaction experiences are safely managed and regularly reviewed.
• Health, Safety & Professional Standards – Promote a strong health and safety culture, maintain safe working practices and environmental standards, respond to out-of-hours emergencies, support college-wide activities, and uphold safeguarding, equality, diversity, inclusion, and continuous professional development requirements.

About you

• Qualifications & Industry Expertise – Hold a degree in Animal Management, Zoology, or a related subject, supported by ongoing professional development and substantial current experience within the zoological and animal care sector.
• Zoo Compliance & Animal Welfare – Demonstrate strong knowledge of Zoo Licensing, BIAZA, BALAI, UK animal welfare legislation, enclosure management, welfare auditing, and health and safety requirements, with the ability to maintain exceptional welfare standards across a diverse animal collection.
• Leadership, Operations & Record Management – Have experience managing budgets, maintaining accurate records and inspection documentation, acting as a key point of contact, and ensuring facilities operate efficiently while supporting educational and welfare objectives.
• Communication, Teamwork & Professional Values – Communicate confidently with a wide range of stakeholders, work effectively within diverse teams, promote equality and inclusion, contribute positively to organisational culture, and uphold the College’s values of Student Focus, High Performance, Respect, Openness, and Honesty.
• Flexibility, Safeguarding & Commitment – Be reliable, adaptable, and willing to work evenings, weekends, and emergency call-outs; hold a driving licence with access to a vehicle; maintain appropriate safeguarding boundaries; and commit to continuous professional development, health and safety compliance, and First Aid training.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 30 November 2026.

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.