Visitor Services Host

Join our team as a Visitor Services Host at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, where you'll deliver outstanding customer service across Retail, Admissions, and our lively Hullabazoo play area. As the first point of contact for our guests, you'll create a warm, welcoming atmosphere and ensure every visitor, both new and returning, enjoys a seamless and memorable day.

If you’re passionate about delivering exceptional service and thrive in a fun, fast-paced environment, we’d love for you to be part of our team.  

This role is offered at a minimum commitment of 6 hours per month, with additional hours available during peak periods. 

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver Outstanding Customer Service: Maintain high standards of customer service across all Visitor Services functions, ensuring every visitor enjoys a positive and memorable experience.
• Be a ZSL Ambassador: Represent ZSL with professionalism and enthusiasm at all times, while actively participating in ongoing training, including mandatory courses.
• Visitor Support and Complaint Resolution: Serve as the first point of contact for visitor enquiries and complaints, resolving issues effectively and escalating to line management when necessary.
• Ensure Policy and Procedure Compliance: Adhere to all ZSL policies and procedures, including GDPR and Health & Safety regulations, to maintain a safe and secure environment.
• Foster Open Communication: Promote clear and open communication within the Visitor Services team by contributing to daily performance briefings and sharing valuable insights.

• Confidence in front-of-house operations, often outdoors in all weather conditions, while maintaining a positive and welcoming presence for our visitors.
• Reliable and willing to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays, to meet the needs of the team.
• A strong communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, allowing you to engage effectively with colleagues across departments and with the wider Zoo team.
• A supportive team member with a hands-on approach, particularly during busy periods, to support your team and ensure smooth operations. 
• Committed to Equality and Diversity, acting as an ambassador for ZSL’s equality and diversity policies, ensuring professionalism and compliance across the department.
• While previous experience in a visitor or customer service role is an advantage, it’s not essential.

We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage. 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