Zoo Guest Services Assistant

Santa Fe College; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in Gainesville, Florida, invites applications for a support role managing day-to-day zoo operations, admissions, data management, and budget-related tasks. The position ensures accuracy, regulatory compliance, and efficient service to students and guests.

Responsibilities include coordinating visits, maintaining records, and assisting with payroll and hiring processes. Strong multi-tasking and communication skills are essential in a campus-based environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; 2 years of related work experience.
• A criminal background check will be conducted.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/Workday systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide guest services support for the Teaching Zoo, including admissions, inquiries, and visitor assistance.
• Assist with day-to-day administration, budget processing, and financial transactions.
• Schedule group visits and coordinate field trips, tours, and events.
• Maintain departmental databases and records, ensuring data integrity.
• Support payroll and hiring processes as needed.
• Communicate with campus safety and respond to emergencies when required.

Skills

Guest services

Communication

Critical thinking

Customer service

Detail oriented

Ethics

Organization & time management

Problem solving

Team orientation

Relationship management

Results orientation

Microsoft Office

Workday familiarity

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Workday

Job description

Compensation

$37,454.00 Annual

Job Description Summary

The application deadline for this position is 11:59pm EST onOctober 26, 2026.

Job Description

The Santa Fe College (SF) Teaching Zoo is a unique, 10- acre zoo inGainesville, Florida, and is the only zoo on a college campusaccredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Home toover 70 different species of animal and maintained by SF studentsin the premier Zoo Animal Technology program, the zoo showcases adiverse collection that contains both native and exotic speciesforall to enjoy. This position facilitates and administers the day-to-day operationsof a tailored program or a unique activity focus, providingspecialized support services and performing routine duties as partof a team that emphasizes accuracy, regulatory compliance,operational integrity, and/or stewardship of financial resources. Work is generally task-oriented and commonly supports a program,department, division or collegewide purpose which includesnon-college student lifecycle program administration. This positionoperates within ownership of defined work areas but withinestablished procedures and departmental direction. This position performs routine tasks within structured workflowswith limited complexity in day-to-day tasks. This position appliesestablished departmental and college policies in daily work anduses limited discretion to resolve routine problems or issues, withdecisions primarily being task focused and impacting the accuracy,timeliness and quality of assigned work. This position may alsosupport budget activities through routine fiscal processing,including monitoring and tracking expenditures and processingfinancial transactions. Additionally, this position may providedirection and guidance to other workers to support completion ofwork and may be the supervisor of record for other staff includingfull-time employees.

Responsibilities and Duties Include:

• Provides guest services support for the Teaching Zoo bygreeting visitors, answering phones and emails, responding toinquiries, processing admissions and sales, and assisting in theresolution of routine issues in accordance with pre-determinedcollege policies and department practices, making appropriatereferrals as needed.
• Performs a variety of tasks involving routine, step-by-stepwork that follows established procedures and guidelines, withlimited discretion in resolving issues and which requiresescalation for guidance and determination of appropriateactions.
• Supports the day-to-day administration of the tailored programor unique activity focus by performing routine operational tasks inaccordance with departmental procedures and practices.
• Schedules group visits and related logistics, including fieldtrips, tours, birthday parties, and special programs by receivingrequests, obtaining required information, confirming availabilityand arrangements, and communicating visit requirements.
• Assigns students to daily roles and coverage based onestablished staffing needs and student availability, providingdirection and adjusting assignments as needed to address absencesand maintain coverage.
• Completes data entry and maintenance functions for zoomembership activities, including entering and maintaining memberinformation and tracking membership expirations and renewals, anddrafts, edits, and revises correspondence, reports, and othermaterials following established procedures and directives.
• Researches, compiles, and reviews data to prepare reports,summaries, and/or replies to inquiries, and maintains spreadsheetsand other data tools to support reporting and special projectneeds.
• Maintains accurate departmental databases, program records, andoperational documentation ensuring accuracy, organization,confidentiality, and data integrity.
• Processes and reconciles admissions, gift shop, and otherpoint-of-sale transactions, resolving routine discrepancies asneeded and referring unresolved or complex issues tosupervisor.
• Monitors gift shop inventory, organizes and stocks merchandise,and assists with selecting gift shop items.
• Assists with fiscal and budget-related operations by preparing,processing, and maintaining documentation for transactionsincluding requisitions, purchase orders, invoices, spendauthorizations, expense reports, receipts, and budget amendments inaccordance with established procedures.
• Supports procurement and operational activities by submittingpurchasing transactions, maintaining related documentation,monitoring orders through completion, and assisting with otheroperational support functions as assigned.
• Responds to guest or student emergencies by communicating withSFPD, EMS, and other responders; facilitating access andcommunication; providing assistance to the individual; andcompleting related incident documentation in accordance withestablished procedures.
• Assists with facility, IT, and other work orders byfacilitating access and communicating with Zoo staff.
• May monitor and track expenditures by reviewing budget reportsand may support budget development by maintaining accurate recordsand ensuring spending remains aligned with approved budgets.
• May organize and facilitate meetings and special events bycoordinating logistics such as space scheduling, venue selection,facility arrangements, staffing, and agenda development; supportsthe event by tracking attendance, distributing materials, takingminutes, hospitality services, and clean up.
• May maintain individual schedules, coordinate appointments andpriorities and arrange travel arrangements when appropriate,including submitting travel requisitions.
• May support payroll functions by auditing and verifyingtimesheet entries and absence requests in Workday, ensuring timelysubmission and accuracy prior to supervisor approval.
• May support hiring processes by performing various tasksincluding but not limited to initiating job requisitions,retrieving and compiling candidate documentation, and providingdocumentation to new hires to include policies and procedures andpay schedules.
• May assist in maintaining the department’s web and social mediapresence by coordinating content updates and submitting requests toMarketing and Communications for publication.
• May provide direction and guidance to other workers to supportthe completion of work and may be the supervisor of record forfull-time employees.
• Communicates, collaborates and maintains relationships withinternal and external community constituents.
• Keeps a record of operating procedures and may share positionspecific knowledge, including use of collegewide ERP and relatedsystem processes, by providing guidance on standard operations andestablished departmental procedures as needed.
• Provides service to the college through participation inevents, committees, and other college activities.
• Complies with all published College Rules, procedures,guidelines, and laws/regulations governing public employees,including but not limited to those related to document retentionand destruction, FERPA, and confidentiality.
• Strictly honors the privacy, security, and confidentiality ofrecords and other sensitive information according to appropriatestate, federal, and college regulations, policies, andprocedures.

• Provides service excellence through courteous, informed,accessible, and professional engagement.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required: A high school diploma or equivalent with two (2)years of related work experience or a combination of completededucation and/or related work experience equal to two (2)years.

Additional Requirements: A criminal background check will beconducted.

General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work successfully in a multi-culturalenvironment.
• Adaptability to Change – able to be flexible and supportive,able to positively and proactively assimilate change in rapidgrowth environment.
• Communication – able to effectively communicate in aprofessional, diplomatic, empathetic, and tactful manner usingpreferred method and level as applicable to the job.
• Critical Thinking & Judgement - able to make well-reasoned,sensible, and timely decisions based on careful, objective reviewand informed analysis of available information, considerations, andother factors.
• Customer Service – ability to respond promptly and courteouslyto all questions from students and faculty, demonstrating patienceand persistence when helping students with little or no computerskills.
• Detail Oriented - Proven accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ethics – able to demonstrate integrity, professionalism,civility, and a high degree of ethics in all job-relatedactions.
• Organization & Time Management – able to plan, schedule,and organize tasks related to the job to achieve goals within orahead of established time frames.
• Problem Solving – proven skills in identifying issues,determining their cause, developing creative solutions, andfollowing through with implementing resolutions.
• Team Orientation & Interpersonal — highly motivatedteam-player with ability to develop and maintain collaborativerelationships with all levels within and external to theorganization.
• Relationship Management – able to personally provide high levelof interactive service to others, building relationships andaddressing identified needs.
• Results Orientation – proven ability to set and exceedestablished targets.
• Systems & Software - proficient level of knowledge ofMicrosoft Office and/or relevant position software programs.
• Multi-task - Ability to expeditiously organize, coordinate,manage, prioritize, and perform multiple tasks simultaneously toswiftly assess a situation, determine a logical course of action,and apply the appropriate response.

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS),please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will beaffected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Yourcurrent retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemedineligible depending upon the date of yourretirement.

Santa Fe College (SF) is committed to maintaining a work andeducational environment that embraces diversity and where no memberof the college community is excluded from participation in, deniedthe benefits of, or subject to discrimination in any collegeprogram or activity based on: their race, ethnicity, nationalorigin, color, religion, age, disability, sex, pregnancy status,gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, geneticinformation, political opinions or affiliations, or veteran status.This commitment applies to employees, volunteers, students, and, tothe extent possible, to third parties, applicants for admission,applicants for employment, and the general public. sfcollege.edu/eaeo

Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies or concerns aboutdiscrimination or harassment, including concerns about sexualharassment or sexual violence under Title IX, should be directedto: [e-mail]

Santa Fe College reserves the right to extend deadlines and/or notto offer advertised positions. Preference will be given to eligibleveterans and spouses of veterans.