Head Elf Whipsnade Zoo

Step into the magic this festive season as Head Elf at Whipsnade Zoo! You’ll lead the daily running of our Meet Santa and Gift-Giving experiences, ensuring every visitor enjoys a truly unforgettable time.

As Head Elf, you’ll keep the grotto running smoothly and on schedule, making sure every family leaves with smiles and festive cheer. You’ll be the go-to problem solver, handling guest queries quickly and kindly, resolving any technical hiccups, and supporting your team to deliver outstanding customer experiences.

You’ll also motivate and inspire a team of elves, engage with the public in a fun and professional way, and keep in close contact with the Event Point of Contact. Each day, you’ll collect and report visitor data to help the Events team make the experience even more magical. Bring your energy, organisation, and Christmas spirit, and help us make this festive season sparkle for every guest at Whipsnade Zoo.

This role is offered as a 10-week fixed-term contract, working 24 hours per week. As part of a busy festive event, some flexibility will be essential. 

Key responsibilities:  

• Bring the Magic to Life: Play a Christmas Elf at Whipsnade Zoo, primarily based in Santa’s Grotto but also supporting across other festive event locations. As an Elf, you’ll ensure every visitor, big and small, has a truly magical experience. 
• Lead and Supervise: Oversee a team of Christmas Elves, guiding them to deliver exceptional customer service and festive cheer throughout the event.
• Resolve Guest Queries: Take the lead in handling guest queries within the Grotto, ensuring any issues are resolved quickly and effectively.
• Keep the Magic on Schedule: Manage the Grotto, ensuring everything runs smoothly, on time, and without delays.

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