Wildlife Visitor Experience Host

Take the next step in your career by joining the team at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo and grow your experience at one of the most unique sites in Calgary! The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is seeking temporary Wildlife Visitor Experience Hosts to create and inspire memorable experiences for our guests!

The Wildlife Visitor Experience Hosts are high energy and positive team members that activate the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo's Brand and Engagement vision for zoo visitors. They are responsible for facilitating exceptional experiences and customer service for zoo visitors of all ages including memory making moments, zoo storytelling, and inspiring a love of wildlife conservation. Core responsibilities include facilitating conversations with visitors, escorting visitors through "surprise and delight" moments, and providing exceptional customer focused way finding and queuing.

Our Purpose | We act for wildlife; saving species and inspiring people to join us.

Our Core Values | Drive impact, nurture connection, cultivate hope, and be bold.

Contract:

• Start Date: April 2025
• End Date: September 2025

What you will do:

• Facilitate visitor experiences to create magical, memory making moments that are visitor focused while working together with various members of the zoo team, contractors, and partners as part of our surprise and delight experiences.
• Manage wayfinding and movement of visitors, reinforce rules, and maintain a safe environment with endless enthusiasm while showcasing the zoo's brand.
• Support special experiences, animal care, event sales, and other departments as required. May include sharing specific content, queuing and crowd control, and facilitating activities.
• Converse with people of all ages and ability to weave in storytelling, conservation connections, and inspiring actions humans can take to support animals and the habitat they rely on.
• Understand a commitment to excellent customer service with every encounter, with no fear of the ability to find solutions or improvise to support a visitors' best day ever.
• Willingness to listen to visitors, staff, and volunteers, continually learn, and keep up to date in a quickly changing environment.
• Develop an understanding of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo animals, park amenities and conservation efforts.
• Identify opportunities to engage with visitors and enhance their zoo experience through a lens of curiosity and taking initiative.
• Participate with the trial of different experiences and moments and provide feedback.
• Work constructively with zoo volunteers and collaborate to enhance the visitor experience.
• Perform all duties in a professional manner according to zoo policies and guidelines.
• Maintain a safe, clean working environment for animals, visitors, and zoo staff.
• Have comfort with public speaking, with or without amplification.
• Be comfortable delivering organizational messaging aligned with our brand and voice.
• Support Senior Wildlife Visitor Experience Hosts and volunteers in immersive habitats as required. \
• Support on-park messaging for significant animal events (births, deaths, etc.) as required.
• Other duties are assigned to support zoo operations.

What you will bring:

• High school diploma is preferred
• Excellent conversational skills with the ability to facilitate dialogue with individuals or groups.
• Friendly, extroverted, high energy, positive attitude with the ability to work within a dynamic environment and pivot quickly, adapt, and improvise.
• Reliability, commitment and regular attendance
• Resilience and a quick learner.
• Passion for making every moment the best for others.
• Tourism, hospitality, customer service experiences and asset
• Self-starter, takes initiative, and curious about the world and people around them.
• Basic competency in Microsoft Office
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• An interest in animals and conservation
• Organized, punctual, solutions focused
• Conflict resolution and detail oriented
• Able to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays as required

Working Conditions:

• Ability to walk across the Zoo from one habitat to another, stand on your feet for long periods of time, and be exposed to all weather conditions and various climates
• Some heavy lifting required, pulling/pushing of wagons, and moving supplies.
• Exposure to outdoor work in all weather conditions including extreme heat, cold, rain, snow, or smoke.
• Working indoors in climate controlled buildings including hot and humid environments.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is an outdoor facility and all staff working at the zoo must be comfortable working in a large variety of outdoor conditions. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo follows the advice of Environment Canada when responding to temperature and air quality issues.

What the Zoo Offers:

• Discounts on food, beverage, and merchandise
• Participation in the Staff Pass Benefit plan
• A fun, rewarding work environment and the opportunity to work in a park full of wild animals

Are you ready to join one of Canada's leaders in wildlife conservation? If this position suits your skills, experience and personal attributes, we want to talk to you.

Apply by doing the following:

• Watch this video about the conservation work being done at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0)
• Submit your resume with an optional cover letter via our online application system.
• Fill in the application questions:
  • If hired, when would you be available to start?
  • Please list any upcoming vacation requirements we should be aware of
  • Please provide your general availability.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

If this position is a fit for you, we encourage you to apply with a resume and cover letter online. The posting will remain active until the position is filled.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcome and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. As a conservation organization, we respect and value the diversity of all life and come together as individuals and teammates to achieve the organization's mission and vision. We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work to advance our culture to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard and everyone has an equitable chance to succeed and thrive.

All candidates are thanked for their applications and advised that only those selected for interviews will be contacted.