Colchester Zoo Hiring for Conservation Educator x2 Job at Colchester, England Full Time

Colchester Zoo is home to over 180 species and is dedicated to supporting conservation projects

around the globe. As an award-winning visitor attraction with over 1 million guests visiting each year,

every staff member at the zoo works together to ensure that our guests have an enjoyable

and unforgettable experience.

JOB TITLE: CONSERVATION EDUCATOR X2

1x full time permanent position and 1x 12-month Maternity Cover Position

We are looking for two passionate, enthusiastic and well organised people to join our Conservation

Education team as Conservation Educators.

The role will see the successful candidates book school visits and ensure teachers and school staff have

all the information they need for a smooth trip. The candidates will also research, design and deliver

outcome driven education sessions to groups and schools on a wide range of subjects from Lifecycles,

Psychology and Art to the Role of Zoos, Maths and Marketing. They will prepare and deliver the

sessions in one of our teaching spaces and follow up the visit with evaluation to help us improve our

programme.

The role will also prepare, deliver and evaluate activities for zoo visitors across holiday periods. These

activities will be part of our conservation campaigns to engage our visitors with topical issues

surrounding wildlife in the UK and globally.

These are both full-time positions with an anticipated start date of 28th Nov 2022, but later start

dates could be considered for the right candidate. Successful candidates will work 5 days out of 7.

Some weekend and occasional evening work will be required.

Closing date is 4pm on 17th Oct 2022.

If your application is successful to the interview stage, there will be a mandatory all-day assessment &

selection day on the 24th Oct 2022.

We are unable to reply to all applicants individually, so if you don’t hear from us within 5 working days

of the closing date, please assume that you have been unsuccessful and thank you for applying.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The candidate will work within the Conservation Education team and be responsible for

delivery of education sessions for EYFS, Primary, Secondary, and Post 16 school groups. The

candidate will also be involved with the delivery of conservation education around

Colchester Zoo, including, education stalls, sessions for groups, development of displays,

and running games and activities.

Knowledge of animal species and conservation is an advantage.

MAIN JOB PURPOSE

• Deliver school educational activities for EYFS-Post 16 school groups on a range of subjects that

are inclusive and outcome driven.

• To assist schools in the planning and booking of their visits.

• Deliver a range of other educational activities including outreach sessions and education for

other groups.

• To assist with running the Zoo’s visitor education programme.

• To deliver training and develop resources for conservation education volunteers.

JOB ROLE – Deliver school educational activities for Primary-Post 16 school groups:

• Present school talks and workshops for school groups on a wide range of subjects including

(but not limited to): habitats, endangered species, art, classification, maths, English debating

skills, enrichment, sustainability, business, and marketing.

• Deliver educational sessions for a range of age groups from EYFS-Post 16.

• Creating and maintaining teaching and learning resources.

JOB ROLE – To assist schools in the planning and booking of their visits:

• Carry out the administration role of the education department, booking in school visits,

arranging invoices, liaising with schools and the accounts department.

• Answer and reply to phone messages, emails, and in-person teacher enquiries.

JOB ROLE – To assist with running the Zoo’s visitor education programmes:

• Provide educational information to visitors in a variety of ways including; touch tables, short

talks, games, activities, or interactive displays.

• Participate in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of special event

activities.

• Participate in fundraising events and activities for Colchester Zoo’s Action for the Wild

Conservation Programmes.

• Providing research for marketing team for press releases, reports, magazines.

• To deliver training and develop resources for conservation education volunteers.

JOB ROLE – Deliver a range of other educational activities:

• Deliver educational sessions for visiting groups (such as Home educators and Scouting and

Guiding groups), including on weekends and evenings.

• Deliver outreach educational sessions at schools, events etc. off-site, including organisation of

supplies, transport to location, and delivery of session.

JOB ROLE – To assist with the evaluation of conservation education programmes:

• To ensure teachers and leaders are given appropriate signposting to evaluation.

• To assist in creating outcomes for our programmes.

• Devising evaluation methods appropriate for audience, activity and outcomes.

• Gather and analyses quantitative and qualitative data sets.

JOB ROLE – Other key activities:

• Demonstrate commitment to continuous personal development.

• Perform other duties as reasonably directed by the Zoo Director or Conservation Education

Manager.

• Assist in the care and repair of our biofact (taxidermy specimens, bones, furs etc) collection.

• There is no animal care activity in this role. We do not use live animals in our formal education

programme.

CONSERVATION EDUCATOR SPECIFICATIONS:

Essential Desirable

Education/

Qualifications/

Training

GCSEs at C or above in English, Maths

and Science

Sound zoological knowledge or knowledge of

species in the zoo and conservation

GCSE’s and A-levels in English, Maths,

Biology/Science.

A relevant degree in related subject.

Persons with experience teaching to a variety of

age levels (Primary-Tertiary) and other audiences.

Skills /

Knowledge

Computer literate with good

knowledge of the major Microsoft

Office programmes.

Communication and presentation

skills for all the age ranges taught.

Good knowledge of animals,

conservation and animal care and

welfare

Good working knowledge of school

curricula and how they are

implemented in schools and other

education settings.

Practical skills in making and maintaining teaching

resources.

Experience in evaluating learning in a variety of

settings.

Experience of managing a social media account for

a team; advertising events, sharing news and

promoting ideas.

Experience Experience delivering education and

communicating to large and small

groups as well as individuals.

Experience working in a team and

contributing to team goals.

Gathering and analysing data.

Booking administration.

Planning and evaluating projects.

Designing and delivering programmes for use by

volunteers.

Designing programmes that are inclusive and

accessible i.e. developing and evaluating sessions

and resources for students with SEND

General Ability to follow instruction.

Dependable and ability to meet

deadlines given.

Be able to deliver sessions

enthusiastically.

Able to use initiative to problem solve.

Warm, open minded and professional.

Full driving license.

Teaching qualification is helpful but not required.

WORKING HOURS

There is one permanent full-time position, and one 12-month maternity cover position. For

both job roles work is full time 5 days per week (and average of 40 hours). This will include

regular weekend and occasional evening work.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• Colchester Zoo is a non-smoking environment and smoking is not permitted by members of staff

whilst on the premises.

• Colchester Zoo is an equal opportunities employer.

• You may be required to work offsite on outreach programmes on occasion.

UNIFORM

Uniform will be provided. Uniform must be worn at all times.

SALARY £23,920 per annum

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please complete BOTH tasks as described below and attach: task 1, task 2, a covering

letter and a completed Colchester Zoo Employment application form, to an email and send to

[email protected]

Closing date is 4pm on Oct 17th 2022 and the assessment & selection day will be held on 24th Oct

2022.

If your application is successful to the interview stage, there will be a mandatory all day

assessment & selection day on the 24th Oct 2022.

We are unable to reply to all applicants individually, so if you don’t hear from us within 5 working

days of the closing date, please assume that you have been unsuccessful and thank you for

applying.

BRIEF FOR TASK 1

Design an activity for Zoo Volunteers to deliver at the Zoo

You should include:

• A description of the activity.

• How would you decide who the audience is?

• What resources you would use?

• Learning/conservation outcomes for the activity.

• How would you evaluate these outcomes?

• What methods of interaction you will use to deliver the activity?

• How will you make the activity inclusive?

• How does it relate to Colchester Zoo?

• How would you train volunteers to deliver the activity?

Work must all be presented logically and clearly on 1 A4 page

BRIEF FOR TASK 2

Write a maximum 45-word blurb of text to be used on a piece of signage in the zoo or in our zoo magazine.

This should be something interesting about an animal, habitat or wildlife related issue.

It should be easy to read and text only, no photos or other graphics.

SECTION ONE – Position Details (type in information)

Position applied for:

Department:

Previous employment at Colchester Zoo:
(Include job title, department and dates.)

Are you eligible to work in the UK in

accordance with the Immigration and

Asylum Act 1999?
(You must be able to provide documentary

evidence that you are entitled to work in the UK

without the need for Colchester Zoo to apply for any

kind of work permit.)