Ambassador Animal Program Supervisor

Position Title: Ambassador Animal Program Supervisor

Department: Learning & Engagement

Reports To: Ambassador Animal Program Manager

Location: Audubon Zoo

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Type: Full-time

Who We Are 

Audubon Nature Institute comprises Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, Audubon Insectarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, and Audubon Wilderness Park.

At Audubon Nature Institute, we are more than a collection of parks, museums, and conservation centers—we are a dedicated team with a shared mission to celebrate, protect, and connect people to the wonders of nature. Our work is guided by our culture code, which is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in Activating Impact by integrating tangible, real-world outcomes into all our initiatives, fostering a culture where every action contributes to a positive environmental impact. We are committed to Empowering Optimism, using positivity to inspire others to act and believe in their capacity to create meaningful change. We strive to Create Connection by engaging with people from all walks of life, knowing that the collective strength of a diverse community can address the most pressing challenges facing our natural world. At Audubon, we embody the spirit of Le Bon Temps, infusing the joy and vibrant culture of Louisiana into our everyday work, celebrating our unique heritage while advancing our mission. As Leaders of the Pack, we constantly seek smarter, innovative solutions, challenging conventions to drive the change we want to see in the world.

What You’ll Do

The Ambassador Animal Program Supervisor (“Supervisor”) is a key member of the Learning & Engagement (L&E) Team and is responsible for supporting and supervising the overall daily care and management of the Ambassador Animal program at Audubon Zoo under the guidance of the Ambassador Animal Program Manager. With guidance and input from the Director of Learning and Engagement, the Ambassador Animal Program leadership team works in close collaboration and partnership with the Zoo Engagement Program leadership team to ensure we maintain a cohesive and effective system to deliver engaging programming with our ambassador animals while providing an excellent level of animal welfare.   

The main responsibilities of this position are daily oversight of a team of Ambassador Animal Care Specialists, interns and volunteers (including scheduling, training, coaching and support), partaking in daily husbandry, animal training and behavior management for the Ambassador collection, and coordinating animal scheduling, usage and analytics.  As a leader on the Ambassador Animal team, the Supervisor will provide leadership and support to the team including but not limited to payroll, staff scheduling and communication, coaching and feedback, and more.  This position will also play an integral role in the training and certification process for use of ambassador animals, both in development of policies and the recordkeeping and training of other staff, interns and volunteers.  To support the many diverse programming needs within the L&E team, this position will manage the animal requests and animal usage data and collaborate with other Engagement team leadership to analyze and assess the data.  This position will directly support programming which may include but is not limited to onsite guest-facing ambassador programming, special event encounters which may be evening hours (both onsite and off), outreach, media programming, premium experiences, tours and more. The Supervisor may be called upon as a leader to provide general operational support for the zoo as needed.  

As a leader on the L&E team, the Supervisor participates in strategic and financial planning, effective resource management, proactive communication both internally and externally, and promotes appropriate professional development opportunities for the entire team.  

As a member of the L&E Department, this position will participate in and support a variety of educational and volunteer programming as necessary. The Supervisor will support the needs of Audubon Nature Institute and its various facilities as required.

Day to Day Responsibilities 

• Supervising, scheduling, training and coachingAmbassador Animal Programstaff,internsand volunteers at Audubon Zoo
• Working with theAmbassador Animal Program Managerto recruit, interview and hireAmbassador Animalprogramstaff and interns.
• Working with the Ambassador Animal Program Manager to developandimplementmulti-faceted training and support resources forAmbassador Animalstaff, interns, and volunteers.
• Providing excellent daily care and welfare to a group of ambassador animals thatprovide unique engagement opportunities for our guests. 
• Maintaining the health and wellbeing of all ambassador animals through daily observation, active communication with veterinary staff, andassistancewith medical procedures and treatment as needed. 
• Maintaining all necessary daily records and communications for the collection to adhere to best practices and to meet all required standardsand regulations. 
• Delivering andmaintaininga robust enrichment and behavioral management program for all animals in the collection including operant conditioning and environmental enrichment
• Supporting andparticipatingin the development and delivery of a variety of programs thatutilizeambassador animals
• Collectingdata and feedback on programming and interpretiveimpact.
• Communicating clearly and professionally with other departments to promote a cooperative work environment and ensure that guests have positive interactions andappropriate programmingduring their visit.
• Actively collaborating with Marketing, Development, Membership and Special Events to support non-routinespecial events.
• Ensuringall the Learning & Engagement spaces are wellmaintainedand organized.

Additional/Overall Skills:

• Maintain a positive attitude anda strong senseof accountability, fostering a collaborative team environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute.
• Thrive in a team environment, using your organizational and technical skills to ensure the smooth execution of creative projects that resonate with our audience.
• Celebrate the successes of your team and bring enthusiasm to your work, reflecting the joyful culture that is at the heart of Audubon’s mission.
• Stay adaptable and open to learning new skills, embracing change and innovation as opportunities to lead and grow.
• The above listed duties are general statements of required major duties and responsibilities performed on a regular and continuous basis. They do not exclude other duties as assigned.

What We’re Looking For

Must Haves:

• 3+ years workingexperiencein anAmbassadorAnimal program 
• Experience with team leadership and coordination
• Experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating educational programs tailored to diverse audiences
• Bachelor’s degreerequiredin Education, Biology, Zoology, Communications, Ecology, Environmental Education, ora relatedfield, and/or equivalent work experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with a wide variety of species including reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates,mammalsand birds.
• Demonstrated experience withoperantconditioning and environmental enrichment 
• Demonstrate ability to develop partnerships and good working relations with others. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of wildlife conservation and environmental issues.
• Demonstrate awareness and understanding of customer service and service recovery.
• Must have a valid, state-issued driver’s license.
• Must be able to work holidays, weekend and occasional after hour events.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Experience in an AZA institution and familiarity with AZA standards 
• Experience with free flight training and programming 
• Formal leadership/supervisory experience
• Experience working with or overseeing volunteers 
• Extensive knowledge ofwildlife conservation 
• Experience working with program accessibility and inclusion 
• Certified Interpretive Guide certification or equivalent credential

Physical Requirements

• Physical Demands:

• Ability to stand and walk for up to 2/3 of the day.
• Ability to pass annual TB tests.
• Ability to lift and carry objects up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to reach above shoulder level,stoopand squat to retrieve kennels and animals, which also may require stepping on stools.
• Ability to perceive visual, odor, or behavioral changes in animals todeterminechanges in animals’ stresslevelor general wellbeing. Must have excellent peripheral vision, depth perception, and quick motor response for animal and audience control during presentations.
• Ability to speak loudly to crowds in a variety of situations included moderate to loud crowds. 
• Frequent use of hands and arms tooperateoffice equipment and manual tools.
• Visual ability to read, write, andoperatestandard office machinery.

• Environmental Conditions:

• May be exposed to high, medium, or low noise intensity
• Works effectively in a moderately noisy office
• Constant contact with co-workersrequired
• Exposure to fluctuations in temperature isrequired
• Exposure to extreme heat and outdoor conditions isrequired