Parrot Keeper and Engagement Specialist

Job Overview: The World Parrot Trust are seeking a dedicated Parrot Keeper and Engagement Specialist to oversee the daily husbandry and care of a diverse collection of parrots. This position involves providing enriching environments, working on conservation projects, training parrots, maintaining facilities, coordinating with veterinary professionals, managing records, facilitating training sessions, and staying on top of the best animal welfare standards and practices. The ideal candidate will be passionate about caring for parrots, possess strong bird care skills, and exhibit a passion for conservation efforts aligned with the objectives of the World Parrot Trust. You’ll be working at our Kiwa Centre, dedicated to parrot welfare. Established in 2017 following the urgent rescue of over 200 parrots from a critical situation, the Kiwa Centre serves as our welfare hub in the UK. It offers shelter to parrots confiscated from illegal trade, facilitates the transfer of birds to conservation projects and serves as an education tool on social media and in-person to educate and inspire parrot owners on best care practices. You can find out more about the story here:  The Centre is undergoing a period of expansion and we are looking for more dedicated staff to expand our welfare and conservation work with parrots. Key Responsibilities: Daily Husbandry and Care: Ensure the well-being and health of the parrots through attentive husbandry practices, including feeding, cleaning, and monitoring behavioural cues. Enrichment and Training: Implement an enrichment schedule to stimulate natural behaviors and cognitive abilities of the birds. Conduct regular positive reinforcement training sessions to promote mental and physical engagement in addition to enhancing trained behaviours for health checks and movement of birds.
Natural Enrichment Cultivation: Maintain and expand sources of natural enrichment on-site, creating a stimulating environment for the parrots. Education, Outreach and Fundraising: Be a passionate advocate for parrots, using outreach opportunities to build public support and awareness. Conduct visits with other organisation's, zoos and schools to talk about the work WPT, spread awareness and engage the public in our mission, building support for the centre through a wider audience and increased donations. Build educational opportunities and share the enthusiasm for protecting parrots, their conservation, and welfare with visiting members of the public and through online channels. You will need strong verbal and written communication skills to engage and inspire the public on all aspects of our mission. Work closely with the Parrot Care Communications Coordinator to help develop engaging content and education opportunities. This includes sharing detailed information on selected parrots for a symbolic adoption scheme.
Developing Free-Flight Abilities: Utilise positive reinforcement training to train selected parrots at the centre to fly freely for education and outreach initiatives, enhancing public understanding and appreciation for these birds. Facility Maintenance: Oversee the care and maintenance of the facility's structure and infrastructure, ensuring a safe and functional environment for both staff and birds. Veterinary Liaison: Collaborate with veterinary professionals to address health concerns, administer treatments, and ensure the overall well-being of the parrots. Coordinating Volunteers: Work with other team members to coordinate tasks and optimise experiences for our volunteer workforce. Facilitate keeper exchange and knowledge-sharing opportunities. Record Keeping: Maintain accurate and comprehensive records using ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System) to track individual bird profiles, medical histories, and behavioral observations. Supply Management: Proactively order supplies and resources necessary for the smooth operation of the collection, ensuring timely delivery and adequate inventory levels. Pest Management: Implement pest management strategies while upholding humane treatment standards for designated pest species, safeguarding the well-being of the parrots and maintaining facility hygiene. Continuous Learning: Stay informed about current industry resources, research findings, and best practices related to animal welfare, training methodologies, and innovative enrichment techniques. Collaboration and Expansion: Work closely with the Kiwa Centre Manager to coordinate conservation initiatives, explore opportunities for operational expansion, and contribute to the diversification of conservation projects aligned with the goals of WPT.
Join Us: If you are passionate about avian conservation and dedicated to providing exceptional care for parrots, we invite you to apply for our team. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on the well-being and conservation of these magnificent birds. We highly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team of employees with diverse skills, experiences, and heritage.
What do we offer?
Our employee benefits include the following:
Diverse Working Opportunities: Collaborate with colleagues passionate about international conservation, contributing to the mission of inspiring, informing, and empowering individuals to protect parrots across the globe. Pension Scheme: Enjoy the security of our pension scheme with up to a 3% contributory pension, supporting your financial well-being for the future. Flexible Working: We offer flexible working arrangements, ensuring a healthy work-life balance. Holiday Allowance: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave per year. Continued Professional Development: Access ongoing learning and growth opportunities to enhance your skills, qualifications and expertise, empowering you to thrive in your role and beyond.
Job Specification: A relevant animal care qualification (essential). Previous practical experience working with parrots or exotic birds in a zoo, sanctuary, or similar setting (essential). Previous experience of breeding parrots in a professional setting (advantageous).
Strong verbal and written communication skills through presentations, education opportunities and events (advantageous).
Experience in free-flight training and recall for parrots (advantageous). Proficiency in animal husbandry practices, enrichment techniques, and positive reinforcement training for behavioural management. Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with team members and external partners. Enthusiasm and experience for engaging with members of the public, major donors and educating audiences of all ages, both in-person and online.
Experience in managing volunteers and engaging in skills exchange with peers in the zoo community.
Familiarity with ZIMS or similar database management systems. Use industry-recognised techniques to handle parrots where movements or veterinary procedures require it. Commitment to animal welfare principles and conservation ethics. Be outgoing and enthusiastic about engaging donors and the public in our work. Ability to adapt to a dynamic work environment and prioritise tasks efficiently. Contribute positively to the centre, exhibit professionalism and work well in a team environment. Maintain a consistent record of punctuality and attendance, demonstrating reliability. Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, as required. Have a full clean manual driving license.
About Us: The World Parrot Trust (WPT) is an international leader in science-based, results-oriented parrot conservation and welfare efforts. As a registered charity (800944) in the United Kingdom, WPT’s efforts have aided over 80 parrot species in 45 countries since 1989.
WPT was established with the mission of helping parrots survive in the wild and thrive in captivity and has grown rapidly to become a globally influential conservation and welfare organisation. Capture and trade to supply the global pet trade is a major threat and has been a major focus of the WPT's work over the last 35 years. Nearly 1 in 3 parrot species are threatened with extinction, more than any other group of birds.
Through our work, we aim to: fight to end trade in wild parrots, save threatened and endangered species, engage with local communities, protect and restore critical habitat and improve welfare for captive birds.
"If man can save the parrots, he may yet save himself" - Mike Reynolds, World Parrot Trust Founder.