Assistant Team Manager - Visitor Engagement - The Reserve in Chester

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Conservation Education and Engagement team, supporting the management of our Engagement team at The Reserve, our overnight experience. You will support the Visitor Engagement Manager in developing and delivering our engagement programme, with a primary focus on The Reserve and corporate activities, while also contributing to the in‑zoo programme.

The Reserve Chester Zoo's brand-new safari‑style luxury lodge accommodation opened in August 2025. This unique destination offers the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation, designed to protect and celebrate the natural world. Guests can immerse themselves in luxurious surroundings while enjoying animal views, enriched by the knowledge that their stay helps fund Chester Zoo's vital conservation work around the world.

To deliver this exciting project, Chester Zoo works with TROO Hospitality, experts in luxury hospitality. All exclusive guest activities are rooted in nature and led by expert Zoo Rangers, delivering experiences like no other.

As the UK's biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there's always lots going on here. We're an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development.

Within the Conservation Education & Engagement team we are proud to develop and deliver material to engage our visitors with our plant and animal collection and our worldwide conservation work through a range of diverse, fun and exciting educational experiences.

We're looking for someone who can:

• Ensure excellence in the delivery of our programme, collaborating internally and externally to ensure stakeholder buy‑in and authentic content creation.
• Support the Visitor Engagement Manager to develop and deliver consistently high‑quality conservation engagement.
• Line manage, recruit, lead, develop and motivate a team of Zoo Rangers to ensure efficient delivery for The Reserve.
• Increase the conservation impact of commercial activity (e.g. Weddings and corporate events) through delivering memorable, audience focused engagements that surprise and delight.
• Implement policies, standard operating procedures and safe working practices to ensure the team follow best practice and are compliant with all relevant guidelines and legislation.
• Ensure that all learning programmes are safe and appropriately risk assessed and comply with relevant legislation, particularly ensuring that our programmes with children, young people and adults at risk follow best practice in regard to safeguarding.
• Develop skills and knowledge in the areas of conservation education, science communication and public engagement, keeping up to date with best practice, researching excellence and sharing practice both internally and externally.
• Collate and use KPI and evaluation data to drive a process of continual improvement, contributing to research about the impact of our engagement and education.
• Manage allocated resources, ensuring initiatives are well planned and deliver maximum value for money and effort.
• Interact with guests of all ages, including children, families and other audiences.
• Deliver across a wide range of mediums including talks, table‑top activities, play based activities and storytelling.
• Collaborate and build a strong working relationship with the Hotel General Manager at TROO hospitality and assist with the operational oversight of The Reserve experience.

The Package

• Contract Type - Permanent
• This is a full‑time role (40 hours per week) operating on a two‑week rotating roster, which includes working every other weekend.
• Core working hours are typically between 1:00pm and 9:30pm, with one to two office‑based days per week worked from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
• Some early morning shifts will be required, and you will occasionally provide cover for daytime operations for the wider Ranger Team.
• Starting salary of £30,000 per annum
• 33 days annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%
• Permanent contract

Our Requirements

• A sound knowledge and an ongoing interest of zoo based conservation and the natural world, most likely gained through a Zoo Biology/Conservation-related degree
• Experience of leading and motivating a team.
• Good project management skills and the ability to manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of developing engaging content for a variety of audiences including corporate groups.
• Outstanding communication skills, in particular verbal and written communication.
• Excellent attention to detail, organisational skills and time management skills
• A wide-ranging knowledge of the natural world
• A creative mind, and ability to develop and deliver engaging, high quality public engagement opportunities for our guests.
• The ability to confidently deliver stories, shows, games and other playful, interactive engagement styles

Although not essential, the following would be desirable:

• Experience of working in the hospitality sector.
• Experience of working in a childcare setting or a childcare qualification
• A full driving licence valid in the UK

Due to the nature of the organisation and the role, this post is subject to a DBS check. The closing date for applications is midnight Friday 30 January 2026 with a planned date for interviews of Monday 9 February 2026.