Zoo General Worker

Job title: Zoo General Worker

Salary: A £25,949 - £26,016

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Full Time

Location: Lotherton Wildlife World at Lotherton Hall

Lotherton Wildlife World is looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Zoo General Worker to join our team. This is a varied, hands-on role supporting the maintenance, horticulture and general upkeep of the zoo.

Working alongside the Zoo Maintenance Supervisor, you will help ensure that our facilities, landscapes and animal environments are maintained to the highest standards, creating a safe, attractive and enriching environment for both our animals and visitors.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Zoo General Worker you will bring to the role:

• Experience in general maintenance, horticulture and landscaping
• Can work independently and use their own initiative
• Has excellent organisational and time management skills
• Is a strong team player with good communication skills
• Is willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions and undertake physically demanding tasks
• Has a proactive approach to maintenance and problem solving

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Lotherton Wildlife World and play a vital role in delivering a first-class visitor experience. As a Zoo General Worker, your work will help ensure that the zoo remains an attractive, safe and welcoming destination for the thousands of guests who visit each year, while also supporting the high standards of animal welfare that sit at the heart of everything we do.

Working closely with the Zoo Maintenance Supervisor and wider wildlife team, you will help maintain visitor facilities, landscaped areas, animal exhibits and public spaces across the zoo. From improving exhibits and enhancing the appearance of the grounds to supporting development projects and ensuring the site is presented to the highest standard, your contribution will have a visible impact on every visitor's experience.

No two days are the same, making this an ideal role for someone who enjoys practical outdoor work, takes pride in their surroundings and wants to be part of a team dedicated to creating memorable experiences for all ages.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Daniel Messer, Zoo Manager Email: Daniel.Messer@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

To undertake horticultural and maintenance duties, within Lotherton Wildlife World, under the direction and working with the Zoo Maintenance supervisor.

Responsibilities

• The undertaking of all horticultural & maintenance operations within all Wildlife World.
• To assist with all maintenance and horticultural scheduling and service records for all site-based plant and machinery.
• To undertake a proactive approach to pest control and to manage the control of pest in all areas of the zoo working in collaboration with the pest control officer.
• To suggest and help plan improvements required in the facilities at Wildlife World including proactive maintenance, repairs and exterior landscaping.
• To undertake general housekeeping of the site to include, but not exclusive to, litter picking & emptying of bins.
• To maintain effective working relationships with other site-based personnel at Lotherton and to work in a collaborative manner to ensure efficiencies are achieved where possible.
• To undertake planned maintenance and work with the zoo maintenance supervisor, zoo manager and animal team to arrange site contingencies around planned works.
• To compile accurate records as required by all applicable legislation.
• To ensure that Climate Energy & Greenspaces Safety Policy and relevant Safe Working Practices are adhered to.
• To undertake any training as is deemed necessary to improve performance and to meet the needs of the maintenance of the parks and surrounding areas.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Recognised qualification in either joinery, plumbing and / or horticulture

Candidates who can demonstrate a relevant period of work experience, but who do not have a formal qualification, may be considered for the post.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Ability to communicate with a wide range of people individually, in groups and at all appropriate levels and work effectively as part of a team.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Ability to undertake physically demanding work in all weather conditions.
• Multi skilled within General maintenance of buildings and landscapes
• Experience in completing health and safety checks and compiling accurate records.

Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics

• Self starter with the ability to work on their own initiative.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

• Pest control experience.