Senior Animal Keeper in Nantwich

We are looking to recruit a passionate and experienced Senior Animal Keeper to support the day‑to‑day running of our Animal Management Centre. The successful candidate will work closely with the Zoo Manager to oversee animal welfare, supervise students, and ensure the centre operates to the highest professional, educational and regulatory standards. This is a hands‑on role combining animal care, team supervision, and student support to deliver an outstanding learner and visitor experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Zoo Manager in the daily operation of the Animal Management Centre
• Ensure the highest standards of animal health, welfare and husbandry are maintained
• Supervise students and visitors, supporting practical learning and industry skills development
• Maintain clean, safe and well‑presented animal enclosures and working environments
• Monitor records, audits and compliance including ZIMS and animal keeper diaries
• Manage stock levels for feed, bedding, equipment and resource
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, zoo licensing, environmental health and animal welfare legislation

The successful candidate will

• Have relevant qualifications (minimum Level 2) including Maths and English
• Have proven experience within the animal management industry
• Bring experience of working in an educational or training environment (desirable)
• Demonstrate strong communication and organisational skills
• Be able to motivate, support and inspire learners
• Be confident working independently and as part of a team
• Have a flexible approach to working hours, including weekends and evenings
• Have demonstrable practical experience and knowledge across a range of taxa including Zoo mammals, birds, domestic and exotic species. Additional skills and knowledge for working with aquatic, lower vertebrate and invertebrate species would be a particular benefit to the current team
• Ideally hold a full UK driving licence and be willing to drive college vehicles

We can offer you

• 47 days annual leave including Bank Holidays and Christmas Closure
• Generous pension scheme with an employer contribution of 19.8%
• Enhanced maternity and adoption pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Pluxee reward scheme
• Free on site gym membership
• Onsite Starbucks along with multiple restaurant and cafe outlets
• Access to a multitude of external benefits through local businesses to the Cheshire area
• Specialist equipment reflecting industry practice

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Reaseheath College is committed to achieving its public sector general equality duty, which is set out in the Equality Act 2010. The College has a clear mission and clear values, which incorporate equality, diversity and inclusion. The College staff recruitment and selection process, CPD processes, policies and practice are designed to ensure that when employment decisions are made, they are based solely on the skills and qualities required for the position and comply with all relevant employment legislation and best practice standards.

Disability Support

The College is a Disability Confident Employer and will support any reasonable adjustments you require to perform your best during the recruitment process. You can contact the People Services team should you require any adjustments during either your application or during the assessment centre.

Safer Recruitment Statement

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (amended 2013 and 2020)) makes certain regulated activity (i.e. work with children and/or young people) exempt from the Act and therefore requires individuals seeking to work with these groups to be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with children’s barred list, amongst other safer recruitment checks. Where a post is classed as exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, you will be required to reveal all convictions not classed as ‘protected’ by the Ministry of Justice guidelines, both spent and unspent. Any information given will be completely confidential and will be considered in relation to an application for positions to which the Order applies. Please note that certain criminal convictions may affect your eligibility for employment with the college, but having a previous conviction will not automatically bar you from employment. Please refer to the college website for the policy statement on the recruitment of ex‑offenders. This information is considered sensitive personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018. It will only be used for the purposes of this recruitment exercise and will be safely disposed of after six months if you are not successful in your application for this vacancy. Other safer recruitment checks that will be carried out during the recruitment process include online checks and prohibition from teaching checks (where relevant).

Additional Information

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised close date if we receive a sufficient number of applications. We do not accept applications or speculative CVs through recruitment agencies.