Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Head Keeper

🎯 Role Definition

The Head Keeper is the senior keeper responsible for the day-to-day leadership and strategic oversight of a designated species collection or exhibit. This role ensures exemplary animal welfare, implements and monitors husbandry protocols, leads and develops keeper teams, coordinates clinical and husbandry procedures with veterinary staff, manages resource and budget allocations for the section, and represents the department in cross-functional projects including conservation, education and operations. The Head Keeper is accountable for maintaining regulatory compliance (including licensing, permits and biosecurity), developing enrichment and training programs that meet welfare and conservation objectives, and delivering excellent guest-facing interpretation when required.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Keeper / Senior Keeper
Animal Attendant / Junior Keeper
Animal Care Officer / Volunteer Keeper

Advancement To:

Curator of Animals / Senior Curator
Collections Manager / Head of Department
Animal Welfare & Conservation Manager

Lateral Moves:

Education & Interpretation Officer
Conservation Program Coordinator
Health & Safety or Facilities Manager (within zoological institutions)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead, supervise and develop a team of keepers and volunteers, creating rotas, allocating daily duties and ensuring consistency in husbandry standards across all shifts to maintain continuous high-quality care.
Plan, implement and evaluate species-specific husbandry programs (feeding, bedding, shelter, water systems, temperature control, substrate management) to meet optimal physical and psychological welfare outcomes.
Design, implement and monitor behavioral enrichment programs tailored to individual animals and species groups, recording impact, adapting approaches and driving continuous welfare improvements.
Oversee and conduct routine and emergency health checks, coordinate clinical procedures with the veterinary team, and ensure accurate, timely medical record-keeping using institutional databases (e.g., ZIMS or equivalent).
Manage breeding and population management programs in collaboration with regional and international studbook coordinators, including mate selection, reproductive monitoring and hand-rearing protocols when necessary.
Ensure compliance with legal, licensing and permit requirements (including CITES and local wildlife legislation), maintain up-to-date records and support inspections from regulatory authorities.
Develop, review and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and biosecurity protocols for quarantine, disease prevention, pest control, and animal transport to minimize risk and meet professional standards.
Plan and manage the section budget and procurement needs, including forecasting feed, equipment, materials and veterinary supplies; evaluate suppliers and control expenditure to meet financial targets.
Supervise and conduct safe animal restraint, capture, handling and transport operations for transfers, exhibitions, fieldwork or veterinary treatment, ensuring welfare and staff safety at all times.
Mentor, train and assess keeper staff through formal development plans, on-the-job coaching, performance reviews and induction of new staff, interns and trainees.
Monitor behavioural and health data, analyze trends and produce reports for senior management, conservation partners and scientific collaborators to inform husbandry and research decisions.
Coordinate exhibit maintenance and improvements (enclosure design, habitat enrichment, water systems, plantings and climbing structures) with maintenance teams and contractors to meet welfare and visitor experience goals.
Lead incident response and emergency planning for animal escapes, fire, power outages, extreme weather events and disease outbreaks; conduct drills and review emergency procedures regularly.
Represent the department at internal meetings and cross-functional project teams (planning, fundraising, education, marketing) to ensure animal welfare considerations are integrated into institutional initiatives.
Deliver high-quality public interpretation, behind-the-scenes talks and keeper-led experiences to engage visitors and support education and fundraising objectives when required.
Oversee recruitment processes within the section, conducting interviews and making staffing recommendations aligned with skill needs and diversity objectives.
Implement health and safety risk assessments for all husbandry and public-facing activities, ensuring staff are trained in manual handling, PPE use, and safe working practices.
Maintain and audit inventories for equipment, enrichment materials, feedstocks and chemicals; ensure safe storage and compliance with COSHH or equivalent hazardous material regulations.
Facilitate collaborative research and conservation projects with external partners, academic institutions and NGOs, including fieldwork planning, data sharing and reporting obligations.
Lead on welfare audits, accreditation visits and quality assurance processes, preparing evidence, implementing corrective actions and reporting outcomes to senior management.
Coordinate volunteer and student placement programs, setting learning objectives, supervising activities and evaluating contributions to section objectives.
Ensure ethical standards are upheld in all animal handling, training sessions, experimental procedures and public demonstrations, promoting a culture of respect and evidence-based practice.

Secondary Functions

Support institutional conservation messaging by providing specialist content for marketing, fundraising proposals and grant applications related to the section’s species and programs.
Contribute to interpretive material development, social media content and visitor-facing campaigns to increase awareness of conservation priorities and husbandry innovations.
Assist with cross-departmental projects such as exhibit design, sustainability initiatives and visitor flow improvements to enhance both animal welfare and guest experience.
Participate in continuing professional development, attending conferences, workshops and courses to bring best practice and innovation into the team.
Act as a liaison with research partners and student projects, providing access, guidance and data while ensuring compliance with ethical and institutional policies.
Support the design and delivery of keeper training modules, health & safety briefings and competency assessments for new techniques or equipment.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced animal husbandry and species-specific care knowledge across mammals, birds, reptiles or the collection relevant to the role, including diet formulation and nutritional interventions.
Practical experience designing, implementing and evaluating enrichment programs that address cognitive, social and physical needs of animals.
Competence in positive reinforcement training and behavioral management techniques to support welfare, voluntary participation in procedures and reduce stress.
Proficiency in clinical support tasks: administering medications, collecting samples, assisting during veterinary procedures and maintaining accurate medical records in ZIMS or similar systems.
Strong understanding of quarantine, biosecurity and disease control procedures, including diagnostic sampling and coordinated response to infectious disease events.
Experience in animal transport logistics, including export/import documentation, crate design, sedation protocols (if applicable) and welfare-focused transfer planning.
Budget management and procurement skills: forecasting, ordering, supplier evaluation and cost control for feed, equipment and maintenance.
Ability to prepare and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), risk assessments and compliance documentation (CITES, licences, local statutes).
Familiarity with basic enclosure maintenance systems (plumbing for pools, filtration, HVAC controls, substrate management) and contract supervision.
Data literacy: ability to collect, manage and analyze behavioural and health datasets to inform husbandry improvements and reporting.
Experience with staff rota planning, performance review systems and training program delivery for multi-shift teams.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership with the ability to motivate, mentor and develop a diverse team of keepers, volunteers and interns.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clear handovers, reports, public talks and stakeholder liaison.
High level of emotional intelligence and decision-making under pressure, particularly during animal health emergencies or behavioural incidents.
Problem-solving mindset with practical initiative to improve welfare outcomes and operational efficiencies.
Organizational ability to manage concurrent priorities, scheduling, events and long-term projects within tight timelines.
Collaboration and stakeholder management skills for working with vets, curators, external researchers and regulatory bodies.
Attention to detail and record-keeping accuracy to ensure regulatory compliance and continuity of care.
Customer-facing confidence for engagement with visitors, supporters and educational groups when representing the section.
Resilience and adaptability to work outdoors, in shift patterns and under physically demanding conditions.
Coaching and teaching ability to upskill team members and embed best practice across the department.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; recognised animal care qualifications (e.g., Level 3/Level 4 diplomas, City & Guilds, NVQ) or substantial demonstrable keeper experience required.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree or higher in Zoology, Animal Science, Biology, Ecology, Wildlife Management, Veterinary Nursing or related discipline.
Professional certifications in animal handling, first aid for animals, biosecurity, or professional courses relevant to zoo/husbandry practice.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Zoology / Animal Science
Wildlife Conservation / Ecology
Veterinary Nursing / Animal Behaviour
Environmental Science / Biology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8+ years of progressive animal keeping experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or senior keeper role.

Preferred:

5+ years managing a species collection or exhibit within a zoo, wildlife park, aquarium or sanctuary environment, including demonstrable experience in staff leadership, breeding programs and regulatory compliance.
Prior experience using ZIMS or equivalent record systems, involvement in conservation or research projects, and experience liaising with national or international studbooks/SSPs.
Proven track record of delivering measurable welfare improvements, successful enrichment programs and effective emergency response leadership.