Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoo Planner

🎯 Role Definition

The Zoo Planner is responsible for developing long-range master plans and managing capital projects that balance animal welfare, guest experience, conservation objectives, and operational efficiency. This role leads cross-disciplinary teams — including architects, landscape architects, animal care staff, interpretive planners, engineers, and community stakeholders — to deliver humane, sustainable, code-compliant exhibits and public spaces that meet AZA standards and municipal requirements. The Zoo Planner translates biological needs into built environments, manages budgets and schedules, oversees permitting and construction, and ensures post-occupancy evaluation and continuous improvement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Planner or Project Coordinator in Parks, Recreation, or Zoo Operations
Junior Exhibit Designer, Landscape Architect, or Architect with interest in zoological facilities
Conservation or Wildlife Biologist transitioning into planning/operations

Advancement To:

Senior Zoo Planner / Head of Planning and Capital Projects
Director of Facilities & Capital Projects
Chief Operating Officer or Deputy Director (Operations/Planning)

Lateral Moves:

Exhibit Design Director
Master Planner for Botanical Gardens or Cultural Attractions

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the development and maintenance of the zoo’s long-range master plan, integrating animal welfare, conservation mission, visitor flow, accessibility, sustainability, and phased capital projects to achieve strategic goals.
Conduct feasibility studies and site assessments for new exhibits and major renovations, including habitat suitability analysis, utility capacity review, grading and drainage impact, and constructability evaluation.
Translate species-specific behavioral and husbandry requirements into exhibit concepts and technical design briefs that guide architects, landscape architects, and contractors.
Prepare and manage capital project budgets, cost estimates, and multi-year funding forecasts, ensuring alignment with annual budgeting cycles and grant funding timelines.
Coordinate and lead cross-functional project teams (animal care, veterinary, education, operations, facilities, marketing) to ensure design solutions meet programmatic and operational needs.
Serve as the primary point of contact for consultants and design professionals; write and administer RFPs, evaluate proposals, negotiate scopes of work, and manage consultant contracts and deliverables.
Oversee permit applications and regulatory approvals (building permits, environmental reviews, wetlands, stormwater, public right-of-way encroachments), and coordinate with local authorities having jurisdiction.
Establish and enforce exhibit design standards and best practices consistent with AZA accreditation requirements, animal welfare science, and current industry guidance.
Develop interpretive planning and wayfinding strategies with education and marketing teams to maximize visitor learning, circulation efficiency, and dwell time.
Manage construction administration activities including reviewing submittals, responding to RFIs, conducting site inspections, coordinating commissioning, and approving change orders to protect scope, budget, and schedule.
Lead risk assessment and safety planning for new exhibits and landscapes, including emergency evacuation, fire protection integration, non-toxic planting palettes, and visitor-animal separation systems.
Integrate sustainability and resilience measures into projects — energy-efficient systems, water management, native planting, habitat restoration, and opportunities for LEED or similar certification.
Use GIS, site analysis tools, and 3D visualization (e.g., SketchUp, Revit, Lumion) to produce functional plans, renderings, massing studies, and phasing diagrams for stakeholder review.
Facilitate public engagement and community outreach processes, organize stakeholder workshops, present master plans to boards and municipal bodies, and incorporate public feedback into planning decisions.
Provide procurement support for specialty exhibit elements (life support systems, animal furniture, specialized enclosures), including vendor pre-qualification and performance specification development.
Establish and manage project schedules with critical path identification, milestone tracking, and resource planning to ensure timely delivery of capital projects.
Support fundraising and grant writing efforts by preparing conceptual materials, cost estimates, and impact statements that communicate conservation and education outcomes.
Coordinate post-occupancy evaluation and animal behavior monitoring to verify that constructed habitats meet intended welfare and exhibit objectives, and recommend iterative improvements.
Maintain a repository of technical standards, drawings, and maintenance manuals; create training documentation to transfer operational knowledge to facilities and animal care teams.
Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior planners, interns, and project coordinators, building institutional capacity in zoo planning and design.
Monitor industry trends, emerging research on animal welfare and enrichment, and advances in exhibit technology to continuously improve planning standards and visitor experience offerings.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Support operations staff with seasonal planning, exhibit closing/opening logistics, and space allocation during construction phases.
Assist in preparing presentation materials, board packets, and interpretive concept documents for donors, stakeholders, and accreditation reviews.
Coordinate with marketing and ticketing teams to assess project impacts on attendance modeling and visitor revenue forecasting.
Track and document permits, inspection reports, warranties and contractor close-out information for lifecycle asset management.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Master Planning & Program Development — proven ability to create phased master plans, site programs, and capital project roadmaps tailored to zoological operations and conservation goals.
Exhibit Design & Animal Habitat Planning — experience converting biological and behavioral requirements into secure, enriching, and operationally efficient exhibits and back-of-house spaces.
Project & Construction Management — knowledge of CPM scheduling, construction contract administration, RFI and change order processes, and contractor oversight on site.
Budgeting, Cost Estimating & Grant Proposal Support — ability to develop detailed cost estimates, monitor budget performance, and prepare financial narratives for capital campaigns and grant applications.
Regulatory Compliance & Permitting — familiarity with municipal permitting, environmental review processes, building codes, ADA/UFAS requirements, and AZA accreditation standards.
CAD, Revit & 3D Visualization — proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Lumion or similar tools to produce plans, sections, and realistic renderings for stakeholders.
GIS & Site Analysis — capability to perform spatial analysis, utility mapping, topographic assessment and integrate GIS outputs into planning deliverables.
Sustainable Design Integration — understanding of LEED concepts, water conservation, native planting strategies, renewable energy options and low-impact site design.
Life Support & MEP Coordination — working knowledge of specialized systems such as aquatic life support systems, HVAC for animal spaces, and wastewater management for exhibit areas.
Animal Care & Welfare Knowledge — basic understanding of husbandry workflows, animal quarantine and quarantine facility design, enrichment programs and behavioral monitoring metrics.
Vendor & Procurement Management — experience preparing specifications for specialty suppliers, vetting fabricators, and administering procurement to meet performance standards.
Data Analysis & KPIs — ability to collect and interpret operational metrics (visitor flow, dwell time, revenue per guest, maintenance costs) to inform planning decisions.

Soft Skills

Strategic Communication — clear, persuasive written and verbal communication for reports, public presentations, and donor-facing materials.
Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation — ability to convene and lead multi-disciplinary workshops, incorporate diverse input, and mediate competing priorities.
Leadership & Team Development — mentorship skills and capacity to inspire cross-functional teams and external consultants to meet program goals.
Problem Solving & Systems Thinking — aptitude for identifying root causes and developing integrated solutions that serve animals, guests, and operations.
Empathy & Ethical Judgment — sensitivity to animal welfare and community values and the ability to balance competing ethical considerations.
Attention to Detail — meticulous approach to technical drawings, specifications, and compliance documentation.
Negotiation & Contract Management — skill in negotiating scopes, schedules, and fees with consultants and contractors.
Time Management & Prioritization — capacity to manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines with limited resources.
Public Speaking & Presentation — confident presentation skills for public hearings, board meetings, donor events, and community outreach.
Adaptability & Resilience — ability to respond to changing biological, regulatory, or funding conditions with flexibility and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban/Regional Planning, Civil Engineering, Environmental Design, Zoology, Wildlife Biology, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, Zoological Management, Conservation Planning, or an allied discipline.
Professional licensure or certifications such as Registered Architect (RA), Registered Landscape Architect (RLA), AICP, PMP, or LEED AP are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Architecture / Landscape Architecture
Urban & Regional Planning
Wildlife Biology / Zoology
Environmental Science / Conservation Biology
Civil or Mechanical Engineering (for MEP and life support systems)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10 years of progressively responsible experience in master planning, exhibit design, project management, or a related built-environment role. Experience specific to zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, or large public attractions is highly valued.

Preferred:

7+ years managing capital projects and multi-disciplinary teams, with demonstrated experience in AZA-accredited institutions or similar cultural/visitor-serving organizations.
Track record of successful grant-supported projects, donor engagement for capital campaigns, and delivering projects on scope, budget, and schedule.