Purpose of the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lead Keeper to join the Domestic section at Whipsnade Zoo, the UK’s largest zoo, set in over 600 acres of beautiful countryside and home to more than 11,000 animals.

In this role, you’ll lead a dedicated and passionate team of zookeepers who are committed to continually improving welfare and husbandry for a diverse range of domestic species. The section cares for a variety of rare and traditional breeds recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST), including Dartmoor Ponies, Shetland Cattle, Middle White pigs, Bagot goats, Guernsey goats, Boreray sheep, Soay sheep, Manx Loaghtan sheep, and Grey Faced Dartmoor sheep. The team also manages a large herd of Soay sheep, Bagot, and Cashmere goats for conservation grazing across our Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in a world-leading conservation organisation, contributing directly to our global mission: a world where wildlife thrives.

ZSL’s zoos operate 7 days a week, and this role requires an average of 37.5 hours per week, worked on a rota that includes weekends and bank holidays.

Key responsibilities: 

Team Leadership: Supervise the Animal Team daily, including zookeepers, apprentices, seasonal staff, and volunteers, ensuring effective operations and providing mentoring and support.
Animal Care & Welfare: Maintain the highest standards of animal care, monitor health and welfare, and report or advise on any concerns within the section.
Operational Oversight: Oversee day-to-day section operations, ensuring agreed procedures, safety standards, and best practices are consistently followed.
Record Keeping & Systems: Lead on accurate record keeping, including the use and supervision of the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS).
Representation & Collaboration: Engage with industry Working Groups, Committees, and Programmes, actively representing ZSL and contributing to sector-wide collaboration.
Inclusion & Flexibility: Promote and adhere to ZSL’s equality and diversity policies.

About You

A thorough understanding of the legal duty of care under animal health and welfare legislation and the secretary of state’s standard of modern zoos practice.
Good working knowledge of heath and safety implementation, policies, and procedures.
Be responsible for own time management to reconcile the demands of the job with those of general Zoo Keeping.
An ability to deliver presentations and keeper talks confidently and professionally.
Strong commitment to creating a culture that lives ZSL values and a commitment to safeguarding.
This post will require extensive outside working with direct exposure to the weather and animals.
Staff who are contracted in this role at our Whipsnade Zoo site require a full manual driving license as an essential requirement.

This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including confirmation of your right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

ZSL recognises that conservation is one of the least diverse sectors, and we actively encourage applications from candidates who identify as part of underrepresented communities. We are committed to building a supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage.

About Us

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

We may close this role early or extend the closing date due to the number of applications we receive, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We anonymise applications until interview stage to ensure a fair hiring process. It’s important to highlight your unique skills, experience, and knowledge. Over reliance on AI-generated content may miss key criteria outlined in the job description and reduce the effectiveness of your application.

If you have any questions about this role, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch with our recruitment team at – [email protected]

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Advertising End Date:

26 Mar 2026

All Locations:

Whipsnade Zoo

All Departments:

Animal operations and zookeeping

Salary Details:

£29,172.78 per annum

Vacancy Type:

Permanent

Workplace type:

On-site

Business Area:

Conservation Zoos

Contract length:

Not Specified

Job Description Information Pack

Conservation Zoos

Find out more

What our team say...

Section manager, London Zoo

Gemma Metcalf

Junior Merchandiser

Ariana Theodoro

Learning Officer, Whipsnade Zoo

Marcus Merriman

Team Leader, Overnight Experiences

Josh Pope

More Info

Lead Keeper

Purpose of the role

About You

About Us

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What our team say...

Section manager, London Zoo

Gemma Metcalf

Section manager, London Zoo

Gemma Metcalf

Junior Merchandiser

Ariana Theodoro

Junior Merchandiser

Ariana Theodoro

Learning Officer, Whipsnade Zoo

Marcus Merriman

Learning Officer, Whipsnade Zoo

Marcus Merriman

Team Leader, Overnight Experiences

Josh Pope

Team Leader, Overnight Experiences

Josh Pope

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