The successful candidate will demonstrate most of the following attributes:

• Committed to Mission – Understands and believes in the organization’s mission, and has a passion to advance that mission for greater impact at the Zoo, in the community and across the zoo profession.
• Animal Expert – Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of implementing progressive management in zoo animal care standards and practices. Maximize the welfare of the animals in the care of the Los Angeles Zoo applying the most up-to-date research and advanced understanding in animal care, zoo husbandry, zoo management and exhibit design to ensure each individual animal thrives.
• Proven Leader – Has strong leadership abilities and superior interpersonal and communication skills, with a capacity for managing and leading people with diverse backgrounds, views and work styles. Possess a track record of recognized and demonstrated leadership and working collaboratively throughout the organization, as well as external audiences including City officials, other governmental entities, non-profit partner, community partners, labor partners, the general public, donors and others. Ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments and issues and to facilitate change.
• Team Builder – Builds and maintains a high-performing organizational culture while overseeing the development and nurturing of the next generation of zoo animal professionals. Also, must prioritize empowering, coaching, mentoring and recognizing staff to increase their individual and shared capacity for success. Has the skills necessary to define a direction and inspire teamwork.
• Strategic Thinker – Has a proven ability to display the competencies of strategic thinking with a focus on finding and developing solutions through innovation that creates value and aligns with organizational strategies and objectives.
• Collaborative & Communicative – Is able to build trust within their team, among other senior managers and across all Zoo divisions. Must establish a transparent culture, and clearly share information which can help the team be more effective and efficient in their roles. Care deeply about fostering a culture of ongoing learning, collaboration, innovation, creativity, and community engagement.
• Listener – Is approachable and will listen and learn from their team, leveraging and celebrating their knowledge and expertise, and share learnings across the team and divisions.
• Committed to Equity & Inclusion – Creates an inclusive and welcoming organizational culture and is open to a wide variety of perspectives, thoughts, and ideas. Is an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility through actions that demonstrate emotional intelligence, transparency, compassion and authenticity.
• Professional & Organized – Can handle organizational details including budgets, reporting, presentations and professionally represent the Zoo in all settings.
• Connected to the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) – Is a member in good standing in the AZA and can easily work with colleagues throughout the profession to help advance the Zoo’s practices and programs, and enhance its reputation in the zoo field.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

A Bachelor’s degree or higher from a recognized four-year college or university and at least five years of management experience in an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium, or comparable organization, working with a diverse collection of species. An advanced degree is highly desirable. 

Applicants with demonstrated knowledge and understanding of animal welfare and wellbeing, progressive zoo management concepts and programs, zoology, animal biology, veterinary medicine, or wildlife care, and management experience leading others with that expertise or in an organization devoted to those fields are strongly encouraged to apply.