Animal Care and Rehabilitation Manager

Lilongwe Wildlife Trust are looking to recruit an Animal Care and Rehabilitation Manager. This position is based at the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Lilongwe, Malawi. The successful applicant will report to the Head of the Wildlife Rescue and Welfare Programme. There are three equally important components to this position:

• Deliver the highest level of care and rehabilitation to all animals at the centre while preparing as many as possible for release back into the wild.
• Training, mentoring and building the capacity of members of staff
• Mentoring volunteers, interns and externs who pass through the centre

Specific duties
• Reporting to the Head of LWT’s Wildlife Rescue and Welfare Programme.

• Overseeing, training and managing a team of people involved in the care and rehabilitation of animals

• Leading all work associated with the care and rehabilitation of animals in the wildlife centre to the highest standard

• Designing, building and implementing the management and operational policies, procedures and systems for the care, hygiene, quarantine and rehabilitation of wildlife at the centre

• Overseeing the volunteer programme at the wildlife centre – including engaging with the volunteers, and overseeing and guiding the interactions between the volunteers and the Integrations Coordinator.

• Provide regular updates, and monthly, biannual, and annual reports

• Working to hire motivated, competent staff, and provide appropriate mentoring and support to ensure staff retention

• Contributing significantly to the identification of suitable release sites

• Contributing significantly to the development of release methodologies

• Carrying out “quality of life assessments” of animals at the LWC, especially those that are geriatric or chronically ill

• Working with veterinary staff to deliver treatments to sick/injured animals

• Ensuring that all activities comply with national and international welfare standards

• Working with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife on confiscation and rehabilitation of protected species

Education and/or work experience requirements:

• Minimum experience of 5 years rehabilitating and/or caring for different species in a captive care setting including primates, ungulates, birds, reptiles and carnivores.
  The successful candidate will have experience in the following fields of rehabilitation and/or animal care:
• Ability to evaluate animal behaviour in a captive setting
• Experience rehabilitating animals that may have undergone trauma or abuse
• Experience developing and implementing individual enrichment plans
• Experience integrating animals of different species, but especially primates
• Formulate diets for different species
• Physical capture and restraint of animals (especially those species that come through the LWC)
• Experience with training different species is desired
• Experience in leading diverse teams of people; sensitivity to different socio-cultural situations
• Experience training people with different backgrounds, including unskilled volunteers
• Able to design and construct safe enclosures for different species
• Proven experience in developing and implementing policies, strategies and protocols for a captive facility equivalent to the LWC
• Must be flexible, adaptable, and capable of developing innovative and practical solutions to challenges, along with having attention to detail and being able to multi-task
• Physically fit and able to work in a hot climate
• Highly self-motivated, self-driven and self-learning attitude
• Excellent English communication and writing skills

Remuneration
• Accommodation in Lilongwe will be provided at the LWC

• Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications

• Health insurance with the Medical Aid Society of Malawi (MASM)

• Annual leave of 23 working days

• Annual flight home, after the initial probation period of 6 months

Application
Please apply by email by submitting a cover letter and detailed CV to applications@lilongwewildlife.org and putting “LWT Manager, Animal Care and Rehabilitation” in the subject line of the email. Full Terms of Reference for the position will be supplied to candidates who meet the initial requirements.

The position will remain open until filled by a suitable candidate.