Park Caretaker in City of London

Wildwood Trust – Park Caretaker

Contract: Full time, permanent

Location: Wildwood Devon, Escot Park, Ottery St Mary, EX11 1LU

Reports to: Director of Park Operations

Pay: £24,155 per annum

Contact: Julie Lyness, jobs@wildwoodtrust.org

This role plays an important part in the smooth running of the park, ensuring it is presentable, safe and welcoming for visitors, staff, and the animals in our care.

Key Responsibilities

• Grounds work, including gardening, grass cutting, maze hedging and keeping paths safe and clear at all times.
• Maintain and repair animal enclosures, visitor and staff spaces, and unique features such as the yurts and Saxon village.
• Practical hands‑on tasks, general repairs and manual labour as required.
• Keep both public and staff areas clean and welcoming.
• Help with park security, including opening and closing the park each day.
• Manage workload confidently, prioritise and respond to urgent issues as needed.
• Use tools, machinery and vehicles safely and responsibly at all times, adhering to safe ways of working with minimal supervision.
• Occasionally support other departments with a variety of customer‑facing situations.
• Work closely with colleagues across all departments to deliver on Wildwood’s strategic vision and mission.

Working Week

Your working week will be varied and busy, with no two days the same. Core working hours are Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 with an unpaid half‑hour lunch break. This post is 37.5 hours per week over five days and may involve overtime, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays. You may be required to travel occasionally between parks.

Health, Safety & Wellbeing

• Use of machinery / tools
• Hand‑arm vibration
• Repetitive limb movements
• Lone working
• Use of company vehicle

Mandatory Training

• Manual Handling
• Equality & Diversity
• Safeguarding Awareness
• GDPR / Data Protection Awareness
• Fire Safety Awareness
• Ladder Safety
• First Aid
• Fire Warden & Extinguishers

Skills, Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

Essential:

• A good understanding of basic Health & Safety matters relating to the role.
• Gardening experience, including the safe use of strimmers and lawn mowers.
• Confidence to carry out tasks independently, while working productively and successfully with a team.
• Hands‑on experience with repairs, construction tasks, and power tools.
• Good time‑management skills, able to prioritise and think on your feet.
• Friendly, approachable manner, especially in customer‑facing situations.
• Demonstrate a genuine love of British wildlife and belief in Wildwood’s Mission to protect, conserve and rewild British wildlife.

Desirable:

• Experience within the construction industry, demonstrating competence in a range of construction disciplines.
• Experience in small to medium‑sized plant operation, power tools and chainsaws.
• Specific experience within family attractions, zoos or agricultural/animal management sectors.

Employment Package

• Annual salary of £24,155.00
• 30 days annual leave, including statutory holidays
• Workplace pension (auto‑enrolled after three months)
• Inclusive and family‑friendly working policies
• Training & development opportunities
• Selective staff benefits including discounts
• Free or reduced price entry to BIAZA accredited zoos and aquariums

Apply For This Job

Please submit a CV and letter of application to jobs@wildwoodtrust.org.