Step into a role where every day is full of discovery, wonder, and unforgettable experiences As an Engagement Officer, you'll be at the heart of bringing every visitor's journey to life. From sparking curiosity to creating moments of wonder, your work helps people connect with the natural world in meaningful, memorable ways.
You'll be part of our dynamic Visitor Engagement team, delivering a vibrant programme of talks, tours, and interactive experiences for all ages. From playful parent-and-toddler sessions to thought provoking tours, your energy and enthusiasm will help deepen connections with wildlife and support ZSL's global conservation mission.
We're looking for passionate individuals who love engaging with people, inspiring curiosity, and thriving in a lively, visitor-facing environment. If you're excited by wildlife, enjoy creating magical moments, and want to make every visit extraordinary, we'd love to hear from you.
This is a part-time role, with an average of 400 hours over the duration of the contract. As our zoos are open seven days a week, your schedule will follow a rotating rota, including weekends, school holidays and bank holidays. You'll need to be available to work Fridays and Saturdays between March and September. We aim to balance business needs with personal flexibility, providing advance notice of your shifts so you can plan your time effectively.
Key Responsibilities:
Be a ZSL Ambassador: Welcome visitors with energy and enthusiasm, creating a safe and inspiring environment that sparks curiosity about wildlife and the planet.
Bring Experiences to Life: Lead talks, storytelling sessions, games, and seasonal activities that make every visit memorable.
Create Engaging Content: Help design scripts, workshops, and shows that are accurate, exciting, and aligned with ZSL's mission.
Champion Safety: Ensure the wellbeing of visitors and animals, responding calmly and effectively to any situations that arise.
Bring Wildlife to Life: Enjoy performing or presenting to diverse audiences, inspiring visitors to connect with wildlife in fun and meaningful ways.
Enthusiastic about wildlife, thriving on engaging visitors and creating unforgettable experiences.
Comfortable leading tours, talks, shows, and events for audiences of all sizes.
Skilled in informal learning settings, helping young people discover the joy of nature in fun and creative ways.
Degree, qualification, or equivalent experience in Animal Studies, Zoology, Wildlife Conservation, or Performance, bringing accuracy and storytelling flair.
Experienced working with or supporting volunteers, understanding their vital role in delivering great visitor experiences.
Successful candidates will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check
This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including confirmation of your right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
ZSL recognises that conservation is one of the least diverse sectors, and we actively encourage applications from candidates who identify as part of underrepresented communities. We are committed to building a supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage.
We're ZSL, an international conservation charity. Through our unrivalled animal experts in our two zoos (London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo), the work of our pioneering scientists, our dedicated conservationists, our purpose is to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wild animals going extinct. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and we're working every day to achieve this. From investigating the health threats facing animals, to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, we are committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction.
What We Offer?
At ZSL, we are proud of our approach to employee benefits. Our benefits include:
Purpose driven work - join an organisation where every role contributes to creating a world where wildlife thrives.
Pension scheme - we offer a generous pension scheme with up to 12% contributory pension.
Flexible working - talk to us about your flexible working requirements and we will do everything we can to make sure you work in a way that suits you.
Holidays - 25 days annual leave allowance, plus UK bank holidays (increasing with milestone anniversaries).
Access to ZSL's staff Equality Networks -Race & Culture, Team Pride, Disability, and Menopause, supporting an inclusive and welcoming workplace for those with lived experience.
Wellbeing - access to a blended programme of wellbeing initiatives, including confidential access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
Life assurance - eligible employees will be enrolled in ZSL's life assurance scheme from their first day.
Complimentary tickets - annual allocation of Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo tickets, with a 30% discount in online and retail shops.
Cycle2Work - our cycle to work scheme enables you to lease a bicycle.
Season ticket loan - we offer an interest free loan for eligibly London-based employees to buy a season ticket for travel between home and work.
Family friendly policies - we offer enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption packages.
We may close this role early or extend the closing date due to the number of applications we receive, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
We anonymise applications until interview stage to ensure a fair hiring process. It's important to highlight your unique skills, experience, and knowledge. Over reliance on AI-generated content may miss key criteria outlined in the job description and reduce the effectiveness of your application.
If you have any questions about this role, we'd love to hear from you Please get in touch with our recruitment team at -