Animal Care Manager

Grow your professional career at one of the most unique workplaces in Calgary by joining the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo We are currently We are looking for a Animal Care Manager.

Accountable to the Senior Manager, Animal Care, Health and Welfare, the Manger position is responsible for the daily management of the animals, personnel, facilities and programs of the area assigned. The **Animal Care Manager** oversees a specific zone within the zoo and will be required to manage areas that may include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and invertebrates.

**Our Mission | **Take and inspire action to sustain wildlife and wild places

**Our Values |** Effective collaboration and communication, honesty and integrity, customer focus, safety, and conservation

**What you will do**:

- Provide day-to-day direction and supervision of the animal care employees and animal care volunteers
- Responsible for the recruitment and training employees, performance reviews and employee recognition
- Addressing complaints and resolving problems; ensuring compliance with union contract
- Administers discipline and complies with collective agreement, Zoo policy or relevant legislation in the management of staff
- Do husbandry work as needed
- Assist and oversees animal moves, shipments, medical procedures, restraining and capturing animals.
- Actively participates in SSP and population planning meetings, as well as acquire animals based on the zoo needs and SSP recommendations.
- Authors, edits, promotes and enforces zoo guidelines, policies and standards. Identifies need for and initiates new guidelines.
- Ensures accurate, current records are kept on each animal and exhibit.
- Writes, updates and reviews animal management / husbandry protocols ensuring husbandry standards are met
- Uses existing knowledge of animal care and welfare to guide management of various species and individual animals in existing and new habitats and scenarios.
- Collaborates with other departments to help develop, plan and implement educational programs, publicity, graphics, construction projects and general maintenance and other support services for the section
- Participates in planning and implementation of special projects, minor renovations and improvements in assigned zone
- Initiates necessary requests for maintenance and horticultural work within assigned zone
- Acts as zone manager in other areas when other managers are away
- Participates in emergency response, and potentially the firearms response team
- Works as a member of the team to provide best possible animal care for entire zoo
- Completes administrative tasks and other duties as assigned including maintaining and managing a budget

**What you will bring**:

- A bachelor’s degree in biology, Zoology Ecology or a related discipline
- Minimum of 4 years of animal management experience with direct staff supervision preferably in an accredited institution
- Exceptional problem solving, analytical skills, accuracy and attention to detail.
- Expertise in leading and implementing business change.
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Must have good observational skills
- Self-starter, skilled at proactively identifying areas for improvement.
- Ability to interact effectively with employees at all levels of the organization, specifically within the Animal Care branch.
- Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain an effective rapport with all levels of management, employees and park guests
- The position requires inclusion on the zoo’s emergency response team
- Team player with excellent skills in coordinating internal and external animal movements, and husbandry programs which may include a component of animal training
- Class 5 Driver's License required
- Possession and Acquisition License is an asset

**Working Conditions**:

- Working weekends and statutory holidays is required
- Required to be on call to deal with animal emergencies on a rotational basis
- Must be able to walk, stand, sit, kneel, stoop, crawl, twist, reach above head, pull, bend, climb stairs and ladders, and carry up to 50lbs.
- Involves outdoor work and heavy lifting
- Exposure to fauna and pungent odors
- Must be able to work in inclement weather
- Working on the ground alongside animal care staff
- Computer work, meetings, etc. approximately 50% of the time.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is an outdoor facility and all staff working at the zoo must be comfortable working in a large variety of outdoor conditions. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo follows the advice of Environment Canada when responding to temperature and air quality issues.

**What We Offer**:

- Competitive Compensation
- Flexible benefits plan, including a health spending account
- Employer matching RRSP
- Participation in the Staff Pass Benefit Program
- Discounts on food, beverage, and merchandise
- A fun, rewarding work environment and the opportunity to work in a park full of animals from around the world

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