Senior Learning Officer

Overview of the role:  

This role sits within the Community & Learning team at London Zoo, playing a key role in delivering ZSL’s Learning strategy. The post holder will be one of three Senior Learning Officers based at London Zoo, and would be primarily responsible for London Zoo’s school programme, leading on the development, coordination and delivery of a range of activities and events that maximise the learning experience for our school audience. This includes ensuring that the programme is in line with ZSL’s Strategy, aligns with school curriculums and supports us to meet the BIAZA & EAZA conservation education standards. The post holder shall be responsible for reporting on the reach and impact of their lead areas within the learning programme and look to continually improve the offer for schools.  Although each Senior Learning Officer leads on different aspects of the Learning Programme, they use their skills and experience to collaboratively support all aspects of the Learning Programme. To complement the expertise of our team, the post-holder would ideally bring experience working with primary-aged students in a learning environment (formal or informal), but we do welcome applications from anyone who feels that their experiences and skills would make a valuable contribution to our team and enable us to inspire and empower our education audiences to be advocates for nature.

Key responsibilities:  

• Lead on developing ZSL’s learning programmes for their key areas of responsibility and audience specialisms. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying ways to improve the experience for our audience, ensuring all educational products for their lead area are up to date and resources are well maintained, overseeing evaluation of activities, and training colleagues to deliver educational activities for their lead audience(s) and/or learning programmes.
• Line manage and/or coordinate staff and volunteers where required.
• Work with Learning Manager to identify impact measures and KPIs for their lead engagement products. 
• As part of the team responsible for the delivery and smooth running of the department, you would also be responsible for:
  • Delivering our onsite and digital schools and careers programme for a range of ages and abilities
  • Providing specialist support and guidance for colleagues across ZSL in line with their expertise
  • Supporting departments (e.g. Conservation and Policy, Fundraising) with information for the funding application process for ZSL-wide key conservation work which would be delivered through the Learning Programme
  • Collaborating with colleagues in other ZSL departments and other BIAZA/EAZA zoos to raise the positive profile of Zoo & Aquarium education.
  • Continually improving the education offer of ZSL by networking with relevant bodies and ensuring staff are actively engaged with key audience representatives.

You will have experience developing and delivering courses, one-off programmes and/or events for students from a range of ages and abilities as well as experience managing projects with multiple stakeholders to strict deadlines and budgets. You will hold at least an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (e.g. biology, zoology, geography, social science, education), or have significant equivalent experience. You would be able to use your knowledge of natural history, wildlife conservation issues, and your strong written and verbal communication skills, to engage audiences of all ages in activities linked to ZSL’s work, knowing how to adapt these activities to suit a range of different needs and abilities. You would also understand how to create and evaluate learning outcomes.

Experience delivering conservation and environmental educational programming in an informal learning environment and/or formal teaching experience would be an advantage, but not essential. To complement the expertise of the existing team, experience working with primary school-aged children would also be an advantage, but we welcome experience from candidates who have worked with students across a range of ages.  Experience managing or coordinating staff and/or volunteers is also advantageous. 

We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage. We recognise that some people may be strong candidates for the role without meeting all of the desired criteria described in the job description. If you think this role is right for you, please explain in your accompanying covering letter how your experience and skills would make you an asset to our team. If you have any questions about the expectations of this role ahead of applying, please do get in touch at [email protected].

We are committed to ensuring our teams can bring their authentic selves to work without fear of discrimination. ZSL has active equality networks for our staff with lived experience and those who provide active allyship in Race and Culture, Team Pride, Disability Network, and Menopause Network, complemented by our strategic EDI Steering Group.

We’re ZSL, an international conservation charity. Through our unrivalled animal experts in our two zoos (London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo), the work of our pioneering scientists, our dedicated conservationists, our purpose is to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wild animals going extinct. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and we’re working every day to achieve this. From investigating the health threats facing animals, to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, we are committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction.  

What do we offer?  

At ZSL, we are proud of our approach to employee benefits. Our benefits include: 

• Our vision and purpose - you’ll work alongside colleagues who are passionate about science-led conservation, knowing that you will help us to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wildlife going extinct  
• Pension scheme - we offer a generous pension scheme with up to 12% contributory pension
• Flexible working – talk to us about your flexible working requirements and we will do everything we can to make sure you work in a way that suits you  
• Holidays – 25 days annual leave allowance, plus UK bank holidays  Wellbeing – access to a blended programme of wellbeing initiatives, including confidential access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme  
• Life assurance – eligible employees will be enrolled in ZSL’s life assurance scheme from their first day 
• Complimentary tickets – annual allocation of Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo tickets, with a 30% discount in online and retail shops  
• Cycle2Work - our cycle to work scheme enables you to lease a bicycle  
• Season ticket loan - we offer an interest free loan for eligibly London-based employees to buy a season ticket for travel between home and work 
• Family friendly policies – we offer enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption packages