Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zookeeper Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Zookeeper Manager leads a team of animal care professionals to deliver world-class animal welfare, maintain safe and engaging exhibits, ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards (e.g., USDA, AZA), and drive conservation and education initiatives. This hands-on leadership role balances day-to-day husbandry with staff development, budgeting, cross-department collaboration, and continuous improvement of animal care protocols.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Zookeeper or Lead Keeper with multi-species experience and proven supervisory skills.
Animal Trainer or Animal Husbandry Specialist with supervisory responsibility.
Exhibit Coordinator or Education Officer with strong animal care background.

Advancement To:

Curator of Animals / Senior Curator
Director of Animal Programs / Director of Animal Care
Associate Director of Collections or Executive Director (smaller institutions)

Lateral Moves:

Animal Health Technician / Clinic Supervisor
Conservation Program Manager or Field Conservation Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead and manage daily animal husbandry operations across assigned collections, ensuring consistent delivery of species-appropriate feeding, cleaning, enrichment, and behavioral management protocols that meet or exceed welfare and accreditation standards.
Supervise, mentor, and schedule a team of keepers, trainees, and volunteers; conduct hiring, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, and professional development to maintain a high-performing animal care staff.
Develop, document, and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for feeding, handling, restraint, enclosure maintenance, enrichment routines, and sanitation to minimize risk and maximize animal welfare.
Coordinate and oversee medical care logistics with veterinarians and veterinary technicians, including scheduling routine exams, monitoring post-procedural recovery, administering medications under veterinary direction, and maintaining accurate medical records.
Design, implement, and evaluate species-specific enrichment and behavioral training programs that promote natural behaviors, reduce stress, and support positive reinforcement husbandry and training goals.
Lead quarantine, transport, and translocation planning for inter-institutional transfers, new arrivals, and temporary relocations—ensuring proper veterinary checks, permits, and biosecurity protocols are in place.
Oversee breeding and propagation programs, maintain breeding records and demographic data, contribute to population management plans, and collaborate with regional and international studbook and species management programs.
Ensure compliance with statutory and accreditation requirements (USDA, AZA, local wildlife and permitting authorities), prepare for inspections, respond to findings, and implement corrective action plans.
Manage exhibit maintenance and improvements in collaboration with facilities and horticulture teams, prioritize animal-driven modifications, and oversee contractor work that affects animal habitats and safety.
Maintain and manage inventory of feed, pharmaceuticals, enrichment materials, PPE, and equipment; coordinate purchasing, cost control, and vendor relationships while maintaining stock control systems.
Develop and manage the animal care portion of departmental budgets; forecast staffing, supply, and maintenance needs; and track spending to meet financial targets and justification for capital requests.
Conduct regular animal welfare assessments using objective metrics, behavioral observations, and record analysis to inform care plans and long-term welfare strategies.
Provide leadership and hands-on support during animal-related emergencies (e.g., enclosure escapes, animal medical emergencies, severe weather response), including incident command, documentation, and after-action reviews.
Lead cross-departmental collaboration with education, guest experience, conservation, marketing, and safety teams to coordinate behind-the-scenes tours, keeper chats, and outreach programs that communicate animal care and conservation messages to the public.
Prepare, review, and submit permit applications, transport certificates, and regulatory documentation in coordination with compliance or legal teams and maintain audit-ready records for all regulated activities.
Implement and enforce biosecurity and zoonotic disease prevention protocols; train staff on PPE use, hygiene, and pathogen mitigation to protect animal and human health.
Analyze animal care data, behavioral logs, and health trends to identify issues, recommend interventions, and present findings to senior management and conservation partners.
Oversee training programs for staff and volunteers on animal handling, restraint techniques, safety protocols, and emergency procedures; maintain certifications and training logs.
Participate in conservation program development by providing species expertise, contributing to field conservation plans, and representing the institution in regional conservation working groups.
Create and lead public-facing educational content and programs in collaboration with the education team, including keeper talks, interpretive signage, and virtual content, to increase visitor understanding of species biology and conservation.
Coordinate and participate in necropsies and post-mortem data collection with veterinary staff; ensure appropriate sample submission, record keeping, and follow-up actions to improve husbandry and prevent recurrence.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives related to animal care workflows, exhibit design, and staff utilization; pilot new husbandry technologies and husbandry methods to increase efficiency and animal welfare.

Secondary Functions

Support development and submission of grant proposals and fundraising materials that highlight animal care needs, exhibit projects, and conservation initiatives.
Represent the animal care department at leadership meetings and contribute to long-term strategic planning for collection development and facility upgrades.
Facilitate internship and volunteer programs; oversee training, scheduling, and evaluation of non-staff contributors to ensure safety and learning outcomes.
Maintain public safety and guest interaction protocols during feeding demonstrations and close-encounter programs; coordinate with visitor services for capacity and signage.
Support cross-training initiatives to develop multi-species competency across the animal care team and minimize single-point-of-failure staffing risks.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced animal husbandry and species-specific care expertise across mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians depending on collection; proven experience developing husbandry plans that reflect ethology and welfare science.
Behavioral training and enrichment program design using positive reinforcement and operant conditioning techniques.
Medical care coordination: ability to execute veterinary-directed treatments, basic clinical procedures (e.g., sample collection, injections) and maintain accurate medical and treatment records.
Regulatory and accreditation compliance: demonstrated experience with USDA, AZA, CITES, and local wildlife permit systems, including inspection readiness and corrective plan implementation.
Quarantine, transport, and biosecurity management, including transport manifest preparation and logistics coordination.
Data-driven animal welfare assessment: proficiency collecting and analyzing behavioral and health metrics, using animal management software (e.g., ZIMS, Tracks, or similar).
Exhibit systems knowledge: understanding of exhibit design principles, plumbing, HVAC impacts on habitats, and safe contractor coordination.
Emergency response and incident management related to animal escapes, bite exposures, and animal health crises.
Budget management, purchasing, and inventory control for feed, pharmaceuticals, and husbandry supplies.
Permit application and documentation skills, including familiarity with CITES and state/federal wildlife regulations.
Basic technical skills in spreadsheet analysis, digital recordkeeping, and facility work order systems; familiarity with GIS or exhibit mapping a plus.
Project management skills for capital improvements, retrofits, and exhibit timelines.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and team-building ability with experience mentoring staff, conducting performance evaluations, and resolving workplace conflicts.
Clear, engaging communicator for internal staff, executive leadership, and diverse public audiences; skilled at translating technical animal care concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize competing operational demands in a fast-paced environment.
Problem-solving mindset and calm decision-making during emergencies or high-pressure scenarios.
Coaching and teaching aptitude to develop early-career keepers, interns, and volunteers.
Collaborative approach to cross-departmental initiatives with education, veterinary, facilities, and fundraising teams.
Cultural competence and inclusive leadership practices that foster a safe, respectful, and diverse workplace.
Initiative and continuous improvement orientation with a track record of implementing evidence-based husbandry changes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Wildlife Management, or closely related field, OR equivalent combination of relevant experience and vocational training.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or graduate coursework in animal behavior, zoo science, conservation biology, or related discipline preferred.
Certifications in animal training, wildlife handling, or zoo management are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Zoology
Animal Science
Wildlife Biology
Conservation Biology
Ecology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10+ years of progressive animal care experience with at least 2–4 years in a supervisory or lead keeper role.

Preferred:

Prior experience managing multi-species collections or a specific taxonomic group with documented success in breeding, enrichment, and welfare programs.
Demonstrated experience preparing for USDA/AZA inspections, managing permits, and leading emergency response for animal-related incidents.
Proven track record of staff development, budget oversight, and cross-functional project leadership within a zoo, aquarium, wildlife park, or related institution.