Are you ready to take the lead in delivering unforgettable animal experiences at one of the South West’s top family attractions? At Puxton Park, we’re looking for a dynamic, creative, and hands-on Head of Animals to captivate visitors with an engaging, interactive animal collection. You’ll create immersive encounters, ensuring guests leave with lasting memories, while driving smart, sustainable development and upholding the highest welfare standards. If you’re passionate about education, entertainment, and making a real impact, this is your chance to be at the heart of the adventure!

YOUR ROLE

As Head of Animals, you’ll play a key role in bringing our animal experiences to life, ensuring visitors enjoy engaging, educational, and immersive encounters. You’ll oversee the daily operations of our animal team, shaping a collection that fascinates guests while maintaining the highest standards of care and welfare.
Your expertise will help develop interactive experiences that make every visit memorable—whether through hands-on animal encounters, captivating public talks, or behind-the-scenes insights that spark curiosity. You’ll lead a dedicated team of keepers, students, and volunteers, fostering an environment where both animals and visitors thrive.
Beyond the day-to-day, you’ll shape the future of our animal department, balancing innovation with sustainability to create a dynamic and commercially sound collection that aligns with visitor expectations and educational goals.
You’ll also play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of animal care professionals through our partnership with Weston College. By integrating hands-on learning opportunities into daily operations, you’ll inspire students and enrich the visitor experience with live demonstrations and interactive educational moments.
This is the perfect role for someone who’s as confident in engaging audiences with compelling presentations as they are in delivering hands-on animal care in all weathers. If you’re passionate about bringing people and animals together, this is your chance to make an impact!

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Oversee all aspects of animal husbandry, enrichment, welfare, and health across the collection
· Manage, support, and develop your team of keepers, student placements, and volunteers
· Review our existing animal collection and create an inspiring, sustainable plan for the future
· Ensure the animal collection remains ethical, commercially viable, and adds real value to the wider business
· Build and maintain a strong partnership with Weston College, embedding education into daily operations
· Deliver engaging, educational, and safe animal talks, interactions, and experiences for visitors
· Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and tidiness, ensuring your department is ‘show ready’ at all times
· Liaise with governing bodies and regulatory authorities to ensure full compliance with welfare, licensing, and safety requirements
· Maintain robust health & safety, safeguarding, and welfare standards across the department
· Monitor supplies, manage budgets, and ensure efficient department operations
· Support the ongoing improvement of enclosures and visitor-facing animal spaces