Visitor Experience and Retail Manager

Location: Paignton Zoo, Totnes Road, Paignton, Devon, TQ4 7EU

Salary: £33,325.50 per annum

Application Deadline: Sunday, March 16, 2025

Wild Planet Trust is a registered education, scientific and conservation charity established in 1957 and based in Devon, UK. We own two zoos in south west England, plus two local nature reserves and a National Nature Reserve. We support conservation in the United Kingdom and overseas using funds generated by the people who visit the zoos and the expertise and dedication of our staff.

Paignton Zoo first opened its doors as the Torbay Zoological Gardens in 1923. Over 100 years later, our site, and work, has grown considerably and we are now one of the South West’s largest conservation organisations and top visitor attractions. There are over 230 species of animal that call Paignton Zoo home. As well as being a zoo, we’re also an award winning botanical garden with over 4,000 species on record.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Visitor Experience and Retail Manager to join our Visitor Experience and Retail team on a permanent contract. Hours of work will be 37.5 hours a week, varying over a 7 day rota, including weekends and bank holidays.

What will this role involve?

You will be a champion of the overall visitor experience at Paignton Zoo, helping to drive that ethos across the organisation. The remit extends across the whole site ensuring that exceptional standards are met and maintained, working with all departments to ensure this. You will also be responsible for the operational running and contribution to the strategic development of the Retail outlets at Paignton Zoo. You will work alongside the Head of Commercial - Visitor Services to provide an efficient, reliable, visitor-oriented, and profitable service to all of our visitors. This includes maximizing Gift Aid and using the back office system to gain valuable information on financial performance. You will be responsible for the line management of the Visitor Experience and Retail Supervisors.

What skills and experience are required?

The ideal candidates will have at least 2 years’ experience of providing excellent customer service and a relevant level 3 qualification. They should have experience of working to deadlines in a fast-paced working environment and team management. They should understand financial tasks such as budgeting and be proactive and target-driven. They should be innovative with the ability to find new ways to promote offers and discounts. They have a team-oriented mindset with a positive attitude and demonstrate cooperation and a willingness to work collaboratively with others.

Benefits of joining our team include:

• 33 days paid holiday pro-rata (inclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Branded uniform provided (as required)
• Relevant internal and external training provided
• Free entry to our zoos for staff and family
• Discounts in our Catering and Retail outlets (as applicable)
• Free staff parking
• Employee Assistance Programme

Please note, we will be reviewing applications and conducting interviews throughout the advertising period for this role. The role may therefore be filled prior to the closing date. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.