Senior Director, Living Exhibits (Animal Welfare)

Description

 The Virginia Living Museum seeks an experienced leader to ensure the highest quality of Animal Welfare to support the Museum's engaging mission to connect people to nature through educational experiences that promote conservation. This division leader is directly responsible for the Aquariums, Bird and Mammal, Herpetology, Veterinary, Registrar, Training and Enrichment, and Horticulture Departments. 

Goals

• Support aggressive Museum growth goals as the leading education organization for Virginia biodiversity and natural sciences.
• Ensure the highest standards championed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, state and national agencies are achieved.
• Create exceptional guest experiences through engaging Living Exhibits and programs.
• Build a highly inclusive culture that ensures team members can thrive and organizational goals are met in a safe environment.

Objectives

• Lead and implement a comprehensive Institutional Collection Plan to ensure optimal care for the museum's live collections and appropriateness of species in the plans.
• Lead accreditation standards, ensuring modern zoological process and procedures, and utmost safety.
• Develop the division's long and short term strategic objectives and goals, as well as the strategic plan to reach them. 
• Lead daily operations of Aquariums, Bird & Mammal, Herpetology, Horticulture, Training/Enrichment, Registrar, and Veterinary Departments by ensuring robust annual plans are prepared and executed.
• Build and maintain trusting relationships with key customers, clients, partners, and stakeholders.

Requirements

 Required skills and qualifications

• Minimum of (3) years'  experience as a department head at a zoo, natural science museum,      non-traditional zoo or related facility.
• Excellent leadership skills, with steadfast resolve, personal integrity and discernment.
• Ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues.
• Knowledge of native wildlife acquisition, captive care requirements and exhibit techniques.
• BS Degree in Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Management or related field, Master's degree      preferred.

Qualified applicants please submit a VLM application, cover letter, resume and references.No phone calls, please. 

Website: https://thevlm.org/join/employment/openings/