WILD Engagement Assistant

Jacksonville Zoo; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is seeking an Administrative Support and Program Assistant to help manage the W.I.L.D. program. You will maintain records, schedule events, coordinate materials, and communicate with stakeholders to keep programs running smoothly.

The role supports education and non-profit initiatives, requires a high school diploma and 1+ years in admin work or event planning, and involves working with youth, volunteers, and staff in a dynamic zoo environment.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• 1+ years of experience with advanced administrative work or event planning.
• Six (6) months experience supporting a program in education, science and/or environmental science or non-profit.
• Preferred 1+ years of experience working with high school age youth programming.
• Bachelor's degree in biology, education, or environmental science, or related field.
• Associate degree in youth development or related field; Training in vocational schools, or related on-the-job experience.
• Previous teaching experience with youth in an informal learning center such as a zoo, museum, nature center, or parks department.

Responsibilities

• Act as a primary resource for team members and support decision-making during shifts.
• Facilitate program operations, maintain records, coordinate events and activities, and ensure effective communication with stakeholders.
• Train and mentor staff, interns, teens, and volunteers fostering an inclusive, collaborative team environment.
• Build a high-performance team through mentorship, skill development, and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for the W.I.L.D. teens and all program collaborators.
• Maintain organized and accurate records of program participants, schedules, attendance, and progress reports.
• Assist in creating and distributing program materials, including applications, promotional content, training manuals, and educational resources.
• Process and track program expenses, reimbursements, and invoices, ensuring alignment with grant requirements.
• Schedule meetings, interviews, and training sessions for W.I.L.D. Program staff, participants, and stakeholders.
• Manage program calendars, including event planning, deadlines, and team schedules.
• Support the onboarding process for new participants, ensuring the completion of necessary forms, background checks, trainings, and orientation materials.
• Coordinate transportation, meals, and supplies for program activities, field trips, and events.
• Provide logistical support for outdoor experiences, public speaking events, and community engagement activities.
• Manage program correspondence, including emails, phone calls, and social media updates.
• Assist with the development of content for program newsletters, blogs, and reports to highlight achievements and milestones.
• Support public relations efforts by preparing presentations, event materials, and advocacy resources.
• Assist in training and mentoring W.I.L.D. Stewards in administrative and organizational skills.
• Contribute ideas and feedback to improve program processes, activities, and participant experiences
• Ensure compliance with grant and donor requirements by maintaining detailed records and documentation of program activities, outcomes, and expenditures.
• Complete or participate in any required training or continued education required for grant compliance
• Assist in the preparation of grant reports, summarizing program achievements, challenges, and financial updates.
• Assist in monitoring budgets and expenditures, identifying opportunities for cost savings or reallocations as needed.

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree in biology, education, or environmental science, or related field

Associate degree in youth development or related field

Job description

• Act as a primary resource for team members and support decision-making during shifts.
• Facilitate program operations, maintain records, coordinate events and activities, and ensure effective communication with stakeholders.
• Effectively manage resources to meet project deadlines and quality standards. Monitor team performance, provide feedback, and hold team members accountable.
• Train and mentor staff, interns, teens, and volunteers fostering an inclusive, collaborative team environment.
• Build a high-performance team through mentorship, skill development, and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for the W.I.L.D. teens and all program collaborators.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

• Maintain organized and accurate records of program participants, schedules, attendance, and progress reports.
• Assist in creating and distributing program materials, including applications, promotional content, training manuals, and educational resources.
• Process and track program expenses, reimbursements, and invoices, ensuring alignment with grant requirements.
• Schedule meetings, interviews, and training sessions for W.I.L.D. Program staff, participants, and stakeholders.
• Manage program calendars, including event planning, deadlines, and team schedules.
• Support the onboarding process for new participants, ensuring the completion of necessary forms, background checks, trainings, and orientation materials.
• Coordinate transportation, meals, and supplies for program activities, field trips, and events.
• Provide logistical support for outdoor experiences, public speaking events, and community engagement activities.
• Manage program correspondence, including emails, phone calls, and social media updates.
• Assist with the development of content for program newsletters, blogs, and reports to highlight achievements and milestones.
• Support public relations efforts by preparing presentations, event materials, and advocacy resources.
• Assist in training and mentoring W.I.L.D. Stewards in administrative and organizational skills.
• Contribute ideas and feedback to improve program processes, activities, and participant experiences
• Ensure compliance with grant and donor requirements by maintaining detailed records and documentation of program activities, outcomes, and expenditures.
• Complete or participate in any required training or continued education required for grant compliance
• Assist in the preparation of grant reports, summarizing program achievements, challenges, and financial updates.
• Assist in monitoring budgets and expenditures, identifying opportunities for cost savings or reallocations as needed.

SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

• Monitor and maintain essential supplies.
• Identify any potential safety hazards within the exhibit areas, education spaces, offsite locations or zoo vehicles including risks to both guests, animals and program participants.
• Immediately report any safety issues to the appropriate department head and the Volunteer and Teen Programs Supervisor, ensuring swift resolution and maintaining a safe environment for all visitors and staff.
• Preferred experience in a mission based conservation organization.
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
• Emotional maturity.
• Ability to work under general supervision and take initiative to solve problems without continual supervision.
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently.
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Proven ability to build strong interpersonal relationships through respectful and empathetic communication
• Good sense of accountability, strong dependability, and impeccable integrity.
• Willingness to take on various responsibilities as needed.
• Genuine passion for animals.
• Embraces diversity and fosters an inclusive work environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and related software.
• Proficient with virtual meeting platforms; MS Teams, Zoom and any other platforms.

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• 1+ years of experience with advanced administrative work or event planning.
• Six (6) months experience supporting a program in education, science and/or environmental science or non-profit.
• Preferred 1+ years of experience working with high school age youth programming.
• Bachelor's degree in biology, education, or environmental science, or related field.
• Associate degree in youth development or related field; Training in vocational schools, or related on-the-job experience.
• Previous teaching experience with youth in an informal learning center such as a zoo, museum, nature center, or parks department.

AddiTIONAL RequireMENTS:

• Availability to accommodate a flexible schedule, including extended hours, holidays, and weekends.
• Ability to work with a variety of animals including invertebrates, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
• Requires hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills for tasks such as grasping, turning, and manipulating objects of varying size and weight.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move objects up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to walk, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, and reach.
• Requires visual acuity for reading, writing, and observing surroundings, and auditory acuity for communication.

WORK CONDITIONS

• Exposure to various weather conditions, including extreme heat, sunlight, cold, rain, snow, and wind.
• Potential exposure to allergens (dust, animal dander, pollen, etc.), bloodborne pathogens, zoonotic diseases and injuries from animals.
• Irregular work hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays are sometimes required .
• This position will be on a Thursday through Saturday work schedule.
• Exposure to hazards such wildlife, waste, equipment, loud noises, chemicals, and heights.

TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS

• Must maintain a valid driver's license and clear driving record and be over age 18 to operate organizational vehicles.
• May require travel locally to deliver educational programs at off-site community locations.
• May be required to drive zoo vehicles including golf carts, zoo trucks or a 12 passenger van.

COMMITMENT TO JACKSONVILLE ZOO & GARDENS

• Support Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens' (JZG) mission and vision of "Connecting communities with wildlife and wild places," to create "a vibrant community energized by a connection to nature that enriches lives and inspires all to preserve and protect our natural world."
• Live JZG's values of:
  • CULTURE: We strive to developacollaborative culturewhere safety is the foundation driving our actions and interactions to create safe spaces and habitats through the cultivation ofequity andwell-being forall forms of life
  • CONSERVATION: We committo being proactive,emphasizingthe urgencyof environmentalandsustainabilitychallengeswhile fostering empathy,supportand compassiontowardsourplanet anditsinhabitants
  • EDUCATION: Werecognize that every interaction is alearning andteaching opportunity that inspires change,enrichesone another and ourvisitors,promotes accessibility, and connectsour communities
  • INNOVATION: Weembrace thechallengetocontinuouslygrow anddevelop our organization,valuing creativity anddiversity to support one anotherandremain relevantwithin our community

Please note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and that the requirements of the job are subject to change as required.

About JZG:

• Inclusion, diversity, and equality as a value: At Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, we recognize that an inclusive and healthy culture is paramount to our success. We aspire to be the employer of choice, where every team member feels valued and has the agency to contribute their unique skills and perspectives. Committed to our team’s wellbeing, we invest in providing exceptional benefits, fostering a collaborative work environment and creating opportunities for learning and growth. By prioritizing our people, we ensure that everyone thrives and contributes wholeheartedly to our mission of connecting our community to wildlife and wild places.
• We are also proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, age, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, weight, or height.
• We are a Drug-Free workplace and participate in E-verify .
• JZG is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities.