Description

POSITION SUMMARY: The Manager of Learning is part of the dedicated team of Birmingham Zoo education leaders committed to promoting the Zoo’s mission with a unified and consistent education and conservation message. They are responsible for ensuring the Zoo’s education programs promote the Zoo mission and run in an efficient manner. The Manager of Learning is also responsible for general departmental operations, supervision and evaluation of staff, and developing and monitoring budgets.

DUTIES

1. Participates in long term-planning, goal setting, and budgeting for department
2. Continually evaluates and improves existing educational programs and implements new innovative educational programs to advance the mission of the Zoo
3. Collaborates with Education Department staff to develop, implement, coordinate and evaluate curriculum to be used throughout the Zoo
4. Collaborates with representatives from the education community to provide curriculum support for students and teachers to establish the Birmingham Zoo as an educational resource
5. Develops education programs based on state and national standards using current education methodology
6. Works collaboratively with all departments to incorporate consistent educational messages in all areas of the Zoo
7. Collaborates with Zoo’s Marketing and Groups Departments to develop a comprehensive marketing and sales plan to promote Zoo educational programming
8. Collaborates with Zoo’s Development Department to secure continued funding for educational programming
9. Creates and maintains relationships with school-level and district-level staff from regional school districts to ensure success of educational programming
10. Works closely with all management levels within the Zoo to achieve departmental and overall Zoo goals
11. Maintains ties with colleagues from regional educational institutions as well as other community organizations
12. Coordinates with other departments to provide resources needed to successfully implement educational programming
13. Responsible for administration of detailed programming records, weekly reports, projecting and maintaining budget data
14. Maintains, monitors and distributes supplies to support educational programming
15. Hires, supervises and evaluates full-time, part-time and seasonal.
16. Staffs and oversees scheduling of classes, camps, educational events, and other programs for grade-school aged community members
17. Completes administrative paperwork as needed/directed
18. Works to ensure that all educational programming and events are accessible to all individuals
19. Leads educational programs as needed
20. Researches and writes for publication as requested
21. Participates in Birmingham Zoo teams and projects
22. Maintains a working knowledge of current research, models and philosophies regarding both informal and formal education
23. Makes presentations to various boards, committees, community organizations and media outlets in the effort to advance the mission of the Zoo
24. Provides employee support through training, evaluation, coaching, counseling and progressive discipline activities
25. Works proactively to advance a team spirit and positive work climate among Zoo employees, closely monitors the morale of staff and takes appropriate action to resolve issues
26. Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Designated staff
2. Interns
3. Volunteers

SAFETY ANALYSIS

The Manager of Learning is impacted by hazardous exposures common to an office environment as well as public safety in an outdoor environment. Some of the following exposures will occur daily:

• Hazardous waste management
• The proper use and understanding of cleaning agents
• Thorough understanding of guest safety protocols, particularly with young children.

Specific training and procedures will be provided, designed to maintain safety of people as the highest priority of the zoo followed by the safety of the animal collection.

The use and understanding of a variety of personal safety equipment is mandatory.

All employees of the Zoo are required to be familiar with the Zoo’s overall safety policies as outlined in the employee handbook as well as being responsible for reporting any injury immediately to the first aid department.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee should expect:

• Requires frequent moving about for long distances
• Frequent exposure to the elements can be expected
• Exposure to wet surfaces

Qualifications

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

The Birmingham Zoo recognizes that skills and knowledge come from both formal and informal experiences including education, paid work, volunteer service, and life experience. Those who meet the majority of the requirements for a position are encouraged to apply.

1. At least two years of experience in educational program development and evaluation, curriculum development and implementation, best practice instructional techniques and supervision.
2. Preferred teaching philosophy aligned with interdisciplinary teaching, environmental education, inquiry-based learning, and child development.

1. Effective communication, leadership, and collaboration skills
2. Available to work evenings and weekends as needed.
3. Flexible and team oriented.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

Birmingham Zoo is dedicated to creating a global community where all people value wildlife and wild places. As a workplace, the Zoo is guided by its core values: Passion, Excellence, Teamwork, Sustainability, and Diversity & Inclusion. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA community, neurodiverse individuals, and those with diverse lived experiences are encouraged to apply for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and functions of this position. 

Birmingham Zoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected status or any other characteristic protected by law. 

APPLICATION PROCESS 

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If selected, a background check and drug test will be conducted prior to beginning employment.