Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoo Education Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Zoo Education Coordinator designs, delivers, and evaluates formal and informal learning experiences that connect visitors and community partners to wildlife conservation, animal welfare, and ecological literacy. This role blends curriculum development, interpretive skills, animal ambassador program coordination, volunteer and docent management, and outreach to schools and community groups. The ideal candidate is an educator with strong program management experience, a passion for conservation messaging, and the ability to translate scientific content into engaging, standards-aligned learning experiences for diverse audiences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Educator / Naturalist
Volunteer or Docent Coordinator
Classroom Teacher (K–12) with outreach experience

Advancement To:

Manager of Education & Interpretation
Senior Education Coordinator / Program Lead
Director of Education & Community Engagement

Lateral Moves:

Outreach & Community Engagement Coordinator
Volunteer Services Manager
Visitor Experience or Guest Services Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, plan, and deliver curriculum-based school programs, field trip experiences, and off-site outreach workshops that align with state and national learning standards (e.g., NGSS, Common Core) and meet the learning goals of teachers and student groups.
Design and lead public interpretive programming including keeper talks, animal ambassador presentations, guided tours, family programs, and evening events that communicate conservation messages and institution priorities.
Create, test, and revise lesson plans, educator guides, activity sheets, and multimedia resources for audiences ranging from pre-K to adult learners, ensuring materials are accessible, culturally responsive, and curriculum-aligned.
Coordinate and manage seasonal and year-round youth programs, including summer camps, after-school programs, internships, and teen conservation corps — responsible for curriculum design, staff/volunteer training, scheduling, and program evaluation.
Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, and evaluate a team of education staff, docents, volunteers, and seasonal instructors; create training modules that cover animal handling protocols, interpretive techniques, safety procedures, and customer service.
Oversee the Animal Ambassador program: select appropriate ambassador species, ensure training and welfare standards are met, maintain documentation and permits, coordinate presentations, and collaborate with animal care staff to match animals to program objectives.
Manage registration systems, group reservations, and logistics for school groups and large public programs; administer online booking platforms, process payments or invoicing, and maintain accurate attendance and revenue records.
Build and nurture relationships with schools, youth organizations, community groups, and educators; conduct outreach to promote educational offerings, secure bookings, and tailor programs to partner needs.
Develop and implement evaluation metrics and assessment tools (surveys, pre/post-tests, observational rubrics) to measure learning outcomes, participant satisfaction, and program impact; analyze data and prepare summary reports for leadership and funders.
Prepare and manage education program budgets, track expenditures, order supplies and educational materials, and recommend resource allocation to maximize program quality and cost-effectiveness.
Write and contribute to grant proposals, sponsorship packages, and fundraising materials to secure external funding for education initiatives, special programs, and capital improvements to learning spaces.
Coordinate cross-department collaboration with animal care, conservation science, marketing, exhibits, and guest services to ensure consistent messaging, animal welfare compliance, and successful integrated programming.
Serve as the on-site subject matter expert for animal handling and public presentation safety, ensuring all staff and volunteers follow handling protocols, emergency response procedures, and relevant health & safety regulations.
Maintain comprehensive program documentation, attendance logs, incident reports, permit records, and outreach contact databases in CRM or LMS systems to support continuity and institutional memory.
Develop and execute marketing and communication plans for education programs; create web copy, social media content, newsletters, and promotional materials in partnership with marketing to drive attendance and awareness.
Lead the design and implementation of special events and community days focused on conservation themes, coordinating vendors, logistics, staffing, and post-event evaluation to maximize community engagement.
Provide professional development and workshops for teachers and partner organizations on using the zoo as a classroom, NGSS integration, inquiry-based learning, and citizen science participation.
Maintain and manage education spaces and interpretive exhibits (classrooms, discovery areas, outreach kits), ensuring they are safe, well-stocked, accessible, and aligned with curriculum goals.
Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations related to animal welfare, collections, transportation, and public programming; maintain permits and liaise with regulatory agencies as needed.
Act as a public-facing ambassador for the institution by representing the zoo at community meetings, educational conferences, school fairs, and professional networks to raise program profile and build partnerships.
Monitor industry best practices in informal education and conservation pedagogy, incorporate new methodologies, technologies, and inclusive practices into program design, and lead pilot initiatives to innovate offerings.
Provide mentorship and performance feedback for educators and interns, cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, and lead staff meetings and training sessions focused on teaching techniques and learning science.
Respond to participant needs and incidents in real time, applying de-escalation, first aid, or emergency procedures as required; document incidents and recommend procedural improvements to reduce risk.
Track and report key performance indicators (attendance, revenue, program reach, learning outcomes) to senior leadership; use insights to refine programming, adjust resource allocation, and inform strategic education planning.

Secondary Functions

Support institutional fundraising by participating in donor outreach, developing education-focused giving tiers, and hosting donor or VIP educational tours.
Collaborate with exhibit teams to advise on educational content, interactive elements, signage, and visitor flow to enhance informal learning opportunities across the campus.
Assist with hiring processes for education staff: draft job descriptions, participate in interviews, and onboard new hires to the education team.
Maintain inventory of education program assets and animal ambassador equipment, schedule maintenance, and coordinate repairs or replacements with facilities.
Participate in cross-functional committees (accessibility, inclusion, sustainability) to ensure programs reflect institutional commitments and expand reach to underserved communities.
Contribute to crisis communications related to education visits or animal ambassador incidents by providing factual, timely updates to communications and leadership teams.
Support seasonal exhibit programming and holiday events with themed educational content, special workshops, and volunteer coordination when needed.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Curriculum development and lesson-plan design for informal and formal education settings, including alignment with NGSS and local/state standards.
Interpretive program design for zoos, wildlife centers, and aquariums; experience creating interactive exhibits, guided tours, and interpretation scripts.
Animal ambassador handling and species-specific husbandry knowledge (demonstrated experience or training) with an emphasis on welfare, safety, and behavioral signs.
Classroom management and youth program facilitation for a variety of age groups (pre-K through teens and adults).
Program management competencies: scheduling, registration systems (Eventbrite, Rezdy, Talech, or similar), budget tracking, and logistical coordination.
Grant writing and fundraising experience, including proposal development, budget justification, and reporting to funders.
Data collection and program evaluation: survey design, basic quantitative and qualitative analysis, reporting, and using insights to inform program improvement.
Familiarity with CRM/LMS tools (Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, eTapestry, Google Workspace, Learning Management Systems) and standard office productivity software (MS Office / Google Suite).
First aid, CPR/AED certification (or willingness to obtain) and knowledge of emergency response protocols in public animal settings.
Strong writing and digital content production skills for web pages, social media, educational print materials, and grant narratives.

Soft Skills

Exceptional verbal presentation and public speaking skills; comfortable addressing small classrooms and large crowds with clarity and enthusiasm.
Strong project management and organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple concurrent programs and deadlines.
Relationship-building and partnership development skills; ability to recruit and maintain relationships with schools, community groups, and internal stakeholders.
Leadership and team development capabilities; experience training, coaching, and supervising staff and volunteers.
Flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic, visitor-facing environment; calm under pressure and able to triage competing priorities.
Creative problem solving and instructional design thinking to translate scientific content into engaging learning experiences.
Cultural sensitivity and inclusive communication practices to design programs for diverse audiences and learners of varied abilities.
Strong customer-service orientation and conflict-resolution skills for interacting with teachers, families, volunteers, and the general public.
Reliable ethical judgment, professionalism, and discretion when handling sensitive program data, student information, or personnel matters.
Enthusiasm for conservation, wildlife, and environmental education with the ability to inspire others and motivate action toward stewardship.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Education, Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Conservation, Education, Museum Studies, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or graduate coursework in Education, Environmental Education, Interpretive Studies, or Conservation Science.
Professional certificates in Interpretive Naturalist Training, Informal Science Education, or Museum Education are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Education
Wildlife Biology / Zoology
Education / Curriculum & Instruction
Conservation Biology
Museum or Interpretive Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of progressively responsible experience in informal education, environmental education, zoo or aquarium programming, youth programming, or classroom teaching.

Preferred:

3–7+ years with demonstrated experience managing education programs, supervising staff/volunteers, running camps and school programs, and coordinating animal ambassador presentations.
Experience with grant writing, program evaluation, and partnerships with school districts or community organizations preferred.

Keywords: Zoo Education Coordinator, environmental education, conservation education, interpretive programming, school group workshops, summer camps, animal ambassador program, docent training, curriculum development, program evaluation, grant writing, youth education.