Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoo Education Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Zoo Education Supervisor leads day-to-day education operations at a zoological institution, designing and delivering interpretive programs and curricula that promote conservation, animal welfare, and visitor engagement. This role supervises educators and volunteers, manages program logistics and budgets, ensures safety and compliance with AZA and institutional policies, partners with classroom teachers and community organizations, and measures learning outcomes to continually improve visitor experiences and outreach impact.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Zoo Educator / Interpretive Educator
Environmental Education Specialist
School Programs Coordinator

Advancement To:

Director of Education and Outreach
Chief Scientific Officer (with combined qualifications)
Community Engagement or Conservation Program Director

Lateral Moves:

Volunteer Services Manager
Visitor Experience Manager
Exhibit Interpretation Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement, and continuously improve formal and informal education programs (school field trips, summer camps, workshops, interpreter-led talks, teen ambassador programs) that align with the zoo's conservation mission and meet learning objectives for diverse age groups.
Supervise, hire, train, schedule, mentor, and evaluate a team of education staff, docents, and seasonal instructors to ensure high-quality delivery of programs and consistent adherence to safety and interpretive standards.
Create, maintain, and evaluate curricula, lesson plans, and supporting materials for K–12 school programs and community outreach initiatives, aligning content to state education standards and informal learning frameworks.
Design and manage visitor-facing interpretive experiences (talks, demonstrations, guided tours, signage, hands-on stations) that increase conservation literacy and motivate pro-conservation behavior change.
Build and manage the education program budget, including forecasting expenses, tracking program revenue, allocating resources for supplies and staffing, and reporting on financial performance.
Establish, monitor, and enforce safety protocols and risk assessments for education activities, ensuring compliance with AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) standards, institutional animal handling policies, and local regulations.
Coordinate logistics for outreach programs, mobile classrooms, and off-site events, including transportation of materials, scheduling with partner organizations, and risk mitigation for remote activities.
Recruit, train, and coordinate volunteer and intern programs that support education delivery, including creating position descriptions, onboarding plans, and volunteer recognition initiatives.
Implement evaluation methodologies (surveys, pre/post testing, observation checklists, learning outcome metrics) to measure program effectiveness and produce regular reports for leadership and funders.
Lead public, school, and private group bookings, serving as primary contact for teachers and community partners to plan field trip content, accommodations for special needs, and curriculum alignment.
Collaborate with animal care staff, curators, researchers, and veterinary teams to ensure interpretive content is factually accurate, animal welfare-friendly, and reflective of current conservation science.
Write, manage, and contribute to grant proposals, donor reports, sponsorship packages, and funding requests to secure external support for education programs and special projects.
Develop and maintain educational exhibits, signage content, multimedia interpretation, and digital learning resources (virtual field trips, e-learning modules) to expand reach and accessibility.
Create seasonal and special event programming (conservation awareness days, overnight camps, family science nights) that drives visitation, membership engagement, and earned revenue.
Oversee program registration platforms, ticketing policies, record keeping, and data entry to maintain accurate attendance metrics and participant database integrity.
Provide training and ongoing professional development for education staff in interpretive techniques, behavior management, accessibility best practices, and cultural competency.
Serve as a visible frontline ambassador during public programs, modeling excellent customer service, effective public speaking, and evidence-based conservation messaging.
Establish and maintain partnerships with schools, universities, community organizations, and cultural institutions to expand program reach and co-develop curriculum or joint events.
Coordinate marketing and communications for education offerings with the marketing team, providing copy, photos, program calendars, and measurable outcomes for campaign optimization.
Act as liaison to the institution’s diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) initiatives, ensuring programming meets accessibility standards and serves underrepresented communities.
Maintain inventory of educational materials, live-animal program supplies (when applicable), AV equipment, and curriculum resources, ensuring proper storage, maintenance, and replacement planning.
Prepare and present program performance summaries, impact statements, and recommendations to senior leadership, board committees, and external stakeholders to inform strategic planning.
Respond to incidents, participant concerns, and emergency situations during education programs, coordinating with safety officers and following institutional incident reporting procedures.
Lead or contribute to institutional accreditation processes (AZA or regional bodies) by providing documentation and evidence of education program quality, compliance, and community impact.

Secondary Functions

Assist with cross-departmental special projects such as exhibit openings, conservation campaigns, or research outreach initiatives.
Support development of branded educational merchandise, interpretive materials, and curricular toolkits for sale in the gift shop or distribution to partners.
Help maintain social media calendars and produce short-form education content (videos, infographics) to promote programs and conservation messaging.
Coordinate continuing education opportunities for staff and volunteers, including external workshops, certifications, and conference participation.
Participate in conservation messaging campaigns and contribute copy for newsletters, membership communications, and grant reports.
Represent the education department in institutional committees (visitor experience, accessibility, safety) and contribute to strategic planning meetings.
Support limited animal handling or ambassador animal programming only as authorized and trained, partnering with animal care staff to ensure welfare and safety.
Provide occasional weekend or evening supervision for events, camps, and private rentals as needed.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Curriculum development for K–12 and informal education settings, aligning with state standards and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Interpretive techniques and adult learning principles for delivering engaging conservation messaging.
Volunteer and seasonal staff management, including recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and performance evaluation.
Program evaluation and data analysis for learning outcomes (survey design, pre/post assessment, basic statistics).
Budget management and financial forecasting for education programs and camp operations.
Grant writing and donor stewardship, including proposal development and impact reporting.
Familiarity with AZA accreditation standards and best practices in zoo education and welfare.
Proficiency with registration/ticketing platforms and CRMs (e.g., Altru, Blackbaud, Tessitura, or similar).
Comfortable with digital education tools and multimedia content creation (LMS, Zoom/virtual field trips, basic video editing).
First Aid/CPR certification and knowledge of safety protocols for public programming and live-animal encounters.
Experience writing accessible interpretive copy and signage, and applying universal design/accessibility principles.
Basic knowledge of animal behavior, welfare considerations, and conservation biology to inform program content.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace for reporting and curriculum distribution.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and supervisory abilities with a proven track record of coaching and developing staff.
Excellent public speaking and presentation skills for diverse audiences and large-group interpretation.
Outstanding written communication for curriculum, grants, reports, and outreach copy.
High emotional intelligence, patience, and classroom management skills for working with children and families.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for scheduling, inventory, and logistics management.
Collaboration and partnership-building skills to work effectively across departments and with external partners.
Problem solving and conflict resolution skills for de-escalating visitor issues and resolving staff concerns.
Cultural competency and commitment to inclusive programming that serves diverse communities.
Adaptability and resilience to respond to changing schedules, weather, and institutional priorities.
Creativity and instructional design mindset to innovate with interactive learning modalities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Education, Environmental Education, Nonprofit Management, Conservation Biology, or related discipline, or equivalent professional certifications in informal science education or zoo interpretation.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Education
Biology / Zoology / Wildlife Conservation
Curriculum & Instruction / Education
Museum Studies / Interpretive Planning
Nonprofit Management / Public Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years professional experience in zoo, aquarium, museum, environmental education, or K–12 education roles with progressive responsibility.

Preferred:

5+ years supervising educators, volunteers, or seasonal staff; demonstrated success in program design, grant writing, and partnership development; prior experience with AZA-accredited institutions or similar cultural organizations.