Hoofed Mammals - Director of Animal Care and Conservation

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Brookfield Zoo’s Animal Care and Programs unit has undergone a reorganization which has resulted in staff promotions and opened up several director positions, the Director of Hooved Mammal Care and Conservation being one of them. With the new institutional master plan nearing completion, we are preparing to undertake a series of large projects over the next decade. Our Hooved Mammal Department will be at the center of some of the first projects and we are looking for a person to help lead that effort. The new facilities will provide an opportunity for collection growth and development. The successful candidate will lead their team of talented and energetic Animal Care Specialists through these changes and redevelopment. This position will also be responsible for the development and management of our hooved mammal focused conservation programs. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of the redevelopment of a large section of our institution.

The Director, Animal Care and Conservation contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago by leading the overall direction and operations of the assigned department/taxon specialty in accordance with Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s long-range plans for animal welfare and conservation. 

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions of the position.

• Responsible for maintaining the highest quality of daily husbandry and welfare of assigned animal collection, collection planning, the supervision and development of the assigned animal care specialists.
• Responsible for the creation and management of the departmental budget.
• Responsible for the management of assigned facilities.
• Responsibilities include the development and management of the conservation programs related to the taxon specialty.
• As part of the Animal Care and Programs management team, will participate in the development and implementation of ACP programs, guidelines and procedures, and participate in facilities design, donor cultivation, and research.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to assure achievement of annual goals and objectives.

The requirements for this position include the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Zoology or related field or eight years’ equivalent combination of training and/or experience required.  High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• Minimum 5 years of captive management experience in a zoo or large-scale animal care facility or equivalent experience required within the taxon specialty. 
• Minimum 3 years of managerial experience required (not limited to, but including budget development and management, high-level animal collection management, staff recruitment, etc.)
• Positions managing aquatic taxa may require SCUBA certification.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, including verbal, written, and listening skills. Proficiency in MS Office applications (word processing and database management) essential.
• Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.   English fluency at a professional working proficiency.
• Valid driver’s license required.  Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois license within 90 days of hire.  Valid out-of-state license required for out-of-state license required for out-of-state residents.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with animal record keeping systems, studbook programs preferred.  
• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  This position is also part of the Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s senior leadership team.  This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position, but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer.