The General Curator is a positive individual who is passionate and committed to lead a team through mentorship, motivation, and inspiration. They manage two areas of the Zoo: Animal Care Team and Facilities Team. Serves under the direction of the Zoo Director as part of the Zoos dynamic, kind, passionate and expert Animal Care team. Should demonstrate a leadership style that fosters an atmosphere of inclusion, teamwork and safety, and must promote the Zoos core values: Integrity, Accountability, Teamwork, Ethics, Innovation, Diversity and Communication. Should show experience in and be committed to assessing and improving animal well-being through training, enrichment, social management, professional development and other approaches. In addition, this leadership position plays an important role in the Ellen Trout Zoos goals: to create a memorable guest experience, and to connect our community with our mission, animal care, wildlife and wild places.QUALIFICATIONS Bachelors Degree in Biology, Zoology, Animal Science or related field from a recognized college or university Five (5) years of relevant supervisory experience at an accredited facility Professional Fellow membership (in good standing) in the AZA Fluent in Spanish is a plus but not required Valid Texas Drivers LicenseKNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Ability to represent the City of Lufkin and Ellen Trout zoo in a positive manner Demonstrate knowledge of the REPORTS TO Zoo DirectorANNUAL RATE $65,000.00 FULL TIME SCHEDULE Varies 8:00am - 5:00pm operation of a zoo, aquarium, or similar public facility as well as a willingness to learn new skills in/ Zoo/aquarium management and leadership Working knowledge of AZA Accreditation Standards and USDA Animal Welfare Standards Strong managerial background Must be well-versed in animal care and safety protocols and lead by example Must be able to collaborate and work closely with the veterinary, education and other zoo teams to provide the best animal welfare and contribute to conservation efforts Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite software and ZIMS Animal Record Keeping System Must have good customer service skills in order to foster positive relationships with members of the public, other staff members, other City employees and vendors Must be able to communicate effectively, understand and give, written and verbal instructions Must be able to stand, stoop, sit, twist, walk and lift up to 50 - 75 pounds Ability to work outdoors in adverse weather conditionsESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Perform in a leadership role: coordinate, manage, and be available to the animal care staff in the professional best practices of animal management Approachable advocate for both Zoo Director and subordinate staff to help ensure a healthy relationship between senior management and subordinates Responsible for long-term planning and vision, as well as the day-to-day operational management of the Animal Care and Facilities team members, the animals under their care, and the facilities and habitats in which they live Responsible for meeting and exceeding the current and future USDA Animal Welfare Act standards, AZA accreditation standards and see future trends in the Zoo field Provide leadership in hiring, training, and management of Animal and Facility Departments staff Be present and available to Zoo staff Collaborate in training staff in animal APPLY NOW PHONE 936-633-0228 This position is an essential service position and will require providing services during emergency situations. husbandry techniques and handling of dangerous animals, enrichment programs, behavioral training strategies, and wellness assessments Oversee the scheduling and training of the Emergency Animal Recapture Team Participates in Ride-Out Teams in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster Provides expertise to Collection Planning and implementation: Serves as a liaison with SSPs, TAGs, PMPs, SAFE, PMC, Consortiums and local conservation initiativ s Provides input into the budget preparation for the Zoo as it relates to the City of Lufkin municipal guidelines Communicate and actively collaborate with other departments that interact regularly with the Animal Department (e.g. Education, Veterinarian, Maintenance, and Friends of Ellen Trout Zoo) Participate as a member of exhibit design teams (new and upgrades to existing exhibits) to ensure that proposed animal facility designs meet animal and staff requirements Review staff performance consistently to assure that established husbandry standards are met and develop individualized plans to meet these standards Actively support, advance, and uphold the City of Lufkin policies regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Represent Ellen Trout Zoo in a professional manner, establish and maintain positive, effective working relationship with employees, colleagues, City of Lufkin departments, governmental agencies, outside contractors and the general public Must be resourceful and able to work well in stressful, high pressure situations Perform facility and exhibit maintenance, including but not limited to, trash and debris removal, floor cleaning, painting, building repair, horticultural duties, etc. Various other duties may be assigned in keeping with the mission of the City of Lufkin and the Ellen Trout Zoo