Discovery Trail - Head Keeper Reporting to: Head of Wildlife Hours: Up to 42.5 hours per week Work pattern: 5 days per week including weekends and bank holidays Duration: Permanent Description: West Midlands Safari Park is currently seeking a Head Keeper for the Discovery Trail. This section manages a wide variety of taxa that include sea lions, penguins, bats, lorikeets, red panda, lemurs, meerkats, reptiles, fish and invertebrates in the walk round area of the park. The role also manages the animals that are in our Safari Academy animal area. The role requires direct involvement in the daily management of the animals on the section, along with mentoring, training and developing the team. The Discovery department delivers many keeper talks and presentations so the ideal candidate must be confident and engaging. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate: · A proven track record of the management of these species or at least some of them and be able to demonstrate a range of skills and knowledge in this field. · A high level of interpersonal and people management skills. · An ability to interact with visitors and a high level of customer care. · Excellent leadership qualities and a proven track record of supervising a team. · An ability to liaise with managers and communicate at all levels. · An excellent understanding of animal husbandry and animal training. · A professional and methodical approach to record keeping, staff training and health and safety. The role requires someone who is confident, motivated and enthusiastic about wildlife conservation and has excellent communication skills. The successful candidate must have an appropriate related qualification in an Animal Management discipline and/or DMZAA, along with previous experience in managing staff in a similar role. Previous experience working with sea lions is desirable but not essential to the role. Weekends, bank holiday working and flexibility in working hours is essential to this role. Some evening work will be required during special events throughout the year. Benefits As well as benefiting from working in a unique and beautiful setting, you will also receive a range of additional perks to employment including: 14 staff tickets (3parks) Drayton Manor, WMSP, Water world - exclusion dates as per 3 park annual pass. Staff member must visit with the group 20% Discount in our retail shops while visiting the park 30% off F&B while visiting the park 24 Hour access to an online doctor and access to online prescriptions. Counselling access. Online retailer discount portal. What we are We are an award-winning visitor attraction, located in Worcestershire in the heart of England. It is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and critically endangered species, with a four-mile safari drive-through, walk-through Discovery Trail, African Village and Lemur Woods, as well beautiful walking trails, allowing guests to experience up close encounters with hundreds of exotic animals. Guests can also choose from a wide range of catering and retail outlets, as well as enjoying a large amusement area with over 25 rides and attractions providing the ideal venue for family days out. In 2021, the Park introduced Safari Lodges – luxury accommodation allowing guests to stay overnight for the first time. Guests can wake up to incredible sights of elephants, giraffe, rhino and red panda, or sleep just a ‘whisker’ away from lions, tigers and cheetahs. In addition, the park is home to three incredible venues – Spring Grove House, Treetops Pavillion and Cellarz, which play host to weddings, corporate events and social celebrations. What we do Our mission is to bring people together to create unique wildlife experiences that exhilarate, educate and leave memories to last a lifetime. Our 200-acre site allows us to do just that, whether you’re a day guest, wedding guest or overnight guest! We create experiences unlike no other, attracting visitors from across the Midlands and beyond. Our brand and our team members live by our core values. We’re passionate and work with a sense of togetherness, always striving to be progressive, with preservation at the heart of everything we do, all while creating unforgettable experiences. Through these principles we aspire to achieve our vision: to be the number one UK wildlife attraction through the creation of immersive animal habitats and unique visitor experiences.