Director of Animal Care

Job Purpose: Zoo Atlanta seeks a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as its Director of Animal Care. This role oversees the daily operations of the Animal Collections Department, ensuring the highest standards of animal wellbeing and care, team and staff development, animal and team safety, and guest experience. Reporting to the Vice President of Animal Collections and Conservation, the Director will play a vital role in advancing Zoo Atlanta's mission to save wildlife and their habitats through conservation, research, education and engaging experiences. In addition to the strong focus on mission, Zoo Atlanta places emphasis on living our organization’s values, and prioritizes a positive culture of belonging.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Leadership and Oversight:

• With oversight from the VP of Animal Collections and Conservation, provide strategic direction and operational oversight for all aspects of animal care, including husbandry, facility maintenance and habitat design, and emergency protocols.
• Develop and maintain a cohesive, inclusive, and motivated team culture, fostering collaboration and innovation among all animal care team members.
• Recruit, coach, mentor, evaluate, and inspire animal care management staff, ensuring continuous professional growth and alignment with Zoo Atlanta’s values and goals. Understand issues facing staff to work with Zoo Atlanta leaders to increase or maintain staff wellbeing and retention.
• Lead the development and implementation of policies and practices to ensure safe, effective procedures of animal care, management, transport, acquisition, transfer, and emergency response in coordination with the VP of Animal Collections and Conservation.
• Assist in the ongoing evaluation and execution of Zoo Atlanta’s Species Collection Plan, aligning with institutional priorities, key commitments, and strategic goals, as well as play a key role in the acquisition and transfer of animals, ensuring decisions align with ethical guidelines and organizational objectives.

Animal Care and Wellbeing:

• Ensure animal husbandry practices, facilities, and safety protocols meet or exceed all USDA and AZA standards.
• Collaborate with veterinary, animal welfare, and scientific staff, and Zoo Atlanta’s Behavioral Management Committee to design and implement species-specific care and training and enrichment programs that prioritize animal health and wellbeing.
• Oversee implementation of recommendations from AZA Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs), species survival plans (SSPs), and other cooperative conservation programs in which Zoo Atlanta participates.

Guest Experience and Community Engagement:

• Collaborate with the Education and Guest Experience teams to enhance visitor engagement with the animal collection, creating meaningful opportunities for our guests to connect with animals through memorable experiences including educational and conservation messages.
• Represent Zoo Atlanta at local, national, and international meetings, conferences, and events.
• Administrative and Budgetary Management
• Develop, manage, and monitor department budgets, ensuring efficient use of resources.
• Oversee the maintenance of accurate records and partner with VP of Collections and Conservation, Registrar, and Curators to generate reports on animal care activities, compliance, and performance metrics.
• Contribute to organizational strategic planning and interdepartmental collaboration to support Zoo Atlanta’s mission.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated aptitude in multiple leadership competencies with the ability to develop teams and culture, manage through conflict and change, and develop and maintain relationships across zoo team disciplines.
• Commitment to proactively improving one’s own leadership skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent decision-making, time-management, and verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to use critical thinking and creativity to problem-solve with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Commitment to fostering a healthy, inclusive, and inspiring workplace, and interest in the professional development of staff and teams.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in zoology, biology, animal behavior, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in animal care, with at least 7 years in a leadership or curatorial role overseeing teams with varying roles and responsibilities at an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium, or similar facility.
• Demonstrated expertise in animal husbandry and welfare practices for diverse taxonomic groups.

Work Environment:

• Work outdoors in all types of weather.
• Zoo Atlanta is open to the public 363 days out of the year, therefore, all positions at Zoo Atlanta may require employees to work some weekends, holidays, and evenings.
• The position could require occasional travel to other locations.
• A valid Georgia license is required.

MISC:

• This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive.
• Therefore, the employee may be required to perform other reasonably related duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor or other management.
• The company reserves the right to revise or change job duties as business requirements dictate.
• It is mutually agreed that this job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
• Zoo Atlanta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides a Smoke-free and Drug-free Work Environment.

Perks

• Health,
• Dental,
• Vision,
• 403(B),
• PTO,
• and more.