Vice President Conservation Education & Community Engagement

The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is looking for its next VP of Conservation Education & Community Engagement. Candidates must be dynamic and detail-oriented leaders who excel in building relationships, customer service, strategic thinking and bringing people together. This position will oversee the conservation education department and will be directly responsible for building the zoo’s community engagement programs and ensuring the zoo meets our strategic goal of meaningful engagement of our surrounding communities.

With new leadership, the zoo is pursuing a new vision that centers around best practices for animal care, education, employee engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, customer service, community engagement and partnerships and overall excellence.

The Pittsburgh Zoo is currently accredited by the ZAA, Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and is certified by American Humane. The zoo is currently enrolled in the AZA’s Pathway towards membership program and anticipates applying for AZA accreditation in 2023.

JOB SUMMARY:

The newly created position of VP of Conservation Education & Community Engagement exercises considerable authority and direct responsibility in the overall management and direction of the conservation education staff, educational programming, and interactions with the surrounding communities in a manner which continues the Zoo’s leadership on a national level. The VP of Conservation Education & Community Engagement will ensure that the goals and objectives established by the Pittsburgh Zoo in support of its mission and strategic plan are met both at the zoo and the zoo’s 1,000 acre off sight facility (ICC). Responsibilities include personnel hiring, training and evaluation, budget development and management, departmental strategic planning, participation in site and facility planning, program development and implementation, assistance in development and fundraising activities, professional networking, public relations and public speaking, and collaborating with other institutions and organizations. This is a Senior Leadership position which reports to the President & CEO and may be required to serve as on-site supervisor for the entire facility.

Essential Job Functions:

• Helming a collaborative process between the education and community engagement departments and other departments in the zoo to further the zoo’s mission;
• Provide leadership to the department in the form of long-range planning;
• Work with senior leadership on strategy for the organization;
• Hires, supervises and monitors performance of all education staff;
• Oversees the development of formal programs for schools and teachers;
• Oversees the development of informal programming for Zoo members, community groups and general Zoo visitors;
• Attend community meetings representing the zoo;
• Develop programming and projects for the zoo to partner with surrounding communities;
• Prepares and manages departmental budgets, tracks expenses and writes reports;
• Provides leadership to staff and teachers;
• Monitors all animal care aspects of the ambassador animal collection; 
• Supervises assistant curator, education specialists, reservations coordinator, aides and kid science coordinator.
• Develops goal and projects for the department;

• Advances the goals in the zoo’s strategic plan;

• Completes annual performance reviews for all staff in a timely manner;
• Oversees development and implementation of special programming specific to the Zoo’s conservation partners such as Polar Bears International and Seafood Watch program;
• Works with assistant curator to monitor staff performance and document any necessary disciplinary action.
• Attends weekly animal management meetings and department head meetings as required;
• Work with Development department to apply for grants, track fund expenditures as needed;
• Works with Creative Services department to develop interpretives and other signage for exhibits;
• Actively participates in spring and fall staff retreats;
• Live the core values of the institution

For more information and to apply visit

https://www.pittsburghzoo.org/career-vice-president-of-conservation-education-and-community-engagement/