General Curator in Hythe

Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve are excited to recruit for a brand‐new senior role: General Curator. This key leadership position within the Animal Department is responsible for the strategic and day‐to‐day management of the animal collection, ensuring the highest standards of welfare, husbandry, and compliance, while supporting the organisation's conservation objectives.

Working closely with the Animal Collections Manager, Veterinary Department, Animal Records team, and Section Heads, the General Curator oversees animal movements, quarantine procedures, record keeping, breeding programmes, and surplus placements. The role also directs animal capture, transport, and veterinary interventions, supports preventative healthcare, and leads emergency responses. Acting as deputy to the Animal Collections Manager, the role ensures leadership continuity across teams.

People & Culture Leadership

As a senior people leader, the General Curator develops and manages Section Heads and animal teams, fostering a professional, welfare‐focused culture. Responsibilities include recruitment, training, mentoring, performance management, rota planning, and supporting staff wellbeing, while leading organisational change. The role contributes to the planning, design, and delivery of new enclosures and refurbishments, managing projects from proposal to completion. It also supports visitor experience and education through talks, tours, VIP experiences, and external representation. Financial and administrative duties include budget support, strategic planning, correspondence, and acting as Person Responsible when required.

Who We Are Looking For

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated senior animal professional with at least five years in a leadership role within a zoological or wildlife collection, such as deputy curator, head of section, or equivalent. You will have a strong track record of managing and developing teams, making strategic decisions, and overseeing animal welfare and collection management across a range of species, including large mammals. It is essential to have a valid UK driving licence (manual).

You will also have experience managing departmental or operational budgets, working within financial constraints, and broad management experience including logistics, problem‐solving, team development, and delivering initiatives. Experience acting in a senior deputy capacity, such as deputising for an Animal Collections Manager or equivalent, is essential.

You will hold a degree or equivalent experience in a zoological, conservation, or animal‐related discipline, with excellent knowledge of global conservation issues, welfare standards, and regulatory requirements. The successful candidate will be adaptable, collaborative, and passionate about wildlife conservation, visitor engagement, and education, leading with professionalism and integrity.

Contract Details

The position is full time, working 40 hours per week, worked five days out of seven and will include weekends and bank holidays. Hours of work will be 8.00am to 5:00pm with a 60‐minute unpaid lunch break. A flexible approach to working hours is essential in any animal job. All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. This position is based at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve and reports directly to the Animal Collections Manager. Travel to Howletts Wild Animal Park may be required on occasion.

Location

Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve is a world‐renowned wild animal park set within 600 acres of Kentish savannah. The Reserve is home to some of the world's most rare and endangered animals and offers luxury short‐breaks accommodation, free‐roaming animal safaris, once‐in‐a‐lifetime animal encounters and exquisite dining experiences. Every employee is part of real conservation in action and their efforts have contributed to animals such as black rhino and western lowland gorillas being returned to their natural habitats in collaboration with The Aspinall Foundation.

Why You Should Join Us

We're on a mission to create memorable experiences that matter, and our core values 'One Team', 'Customer', and 'Pride' are what drive us each day to become part of something extraordinary. As well as walking to work surrounded by the calls of howler monkeys and the roars from our pride of lions, you will join a supportive team who are passionate about their place of work.

Benefits

• 28 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays, rising with length of service (pro‐rata to start date and working hours)
• Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including workshops and e‐learning
• Enhanced Sick Leave, Maternity and Paternity Policies
• Unlimited free entry for you and a person of your choice into both of our parks as well as friends and family tickets
• Exceptional discounts on food, retail and accommodation at our parks
• Numerous retail discounts and access to a 24‐hour counselling line through our Healthy Extras Scheme
• Company Pension
• Many more length‐or‐service related rewards and benefits

Application

To apply, please email your full C.V. and covering letter to recruitment@howlettsandportlympne.com. Closing Date: 20th February 2026. Please note, this role may close early if we receive a high volume of applications.