Zoo Director Hamilton Zoo is a key visitor attraction in New Zealands fourthlargest city The position of Hamilton Zoo Director recently became vacant and were looking for an experienced and strategic zoo sector professional to take the helm Youll take charge of a popular publicly owned facility staffed by a group of committed and passionate zoo professionals responsible for more than 600 animals Our zoo plays a key role in breeding programmes for rare and endangered species and you will have a part in the planning and delivery of those alongside our curator and keepers and our industry partners Animal welfare and care is a key focus for our team and for our zoo we want the best for our animals and aim to ensure the best possible quality of life for them In addition this role will also look after Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park our beautiful awardwinning and communityled urban island ecological restoration This 65ha park is being restored to bring back Hamiltons native flora and fauna and to reconstruct the natural forest wetland and lake ecosystems and recently opened to the public A key focus of this role will be an emphasis on building a positive and collaborative team culture and ensuring the health and safety standards are exemplary Your management and leadership style will be positive strategic and tactical with a desire to create a cohesive team environment in which strategic goals can be delivered A cando attitude will be a key to success as is knowing when to celebrate success and achievements Animal husbandry experience is vital and you will already be in a senior position in the zoos sector We expect to see a relevant qualification and experience in your CV and you must be able to demonstrate highlevel understanding of zoo practice and principles Similarly you need to be commercially savvy with a strong grasp of the financial and budgetary requirements which come with this kind of leadership position We have an ambitious masterplan for Hamilton Zoo and you will be instrumental in its implementation We want our zoo and its people to be industry leaders and to be seen as setting the standards for our industry nationally and globally This is a senior position in Hamilton City Councils Community Group and youll be reporting to our Visitor Destinations Manager Staff reporting to this role are experienced highcalibre zoo professionals Opportunities of this kind are rare and if you are inspired to lead a highquality zoo with a positive and safe culture wed like to hear from you For the right candidate we will explore options around relocation and accommodation to ensure you and your family feel comfortable and welcome here Hamilton is a fastgrowing city enjoying a recognised renaissance with lively hospitality cultural and creative sectors regular international events and an attractive green environment Were confident our next Zoo Director will love and thrive Hamilton like we do All candidates will be notified of the outcome on their application via email Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete an interview process reference checks preemployment medical and drug assessments and Ministry of Justice or Police vetting check Hamilton City Council is committed to being a highperformance organisation with people who think differently act with integrity make it happen and work together Please note this role is being sourced directly and we are not accepting applications via external recruitment agencies hamilton govt nz ourcouncil careers
