CAREERS AT CHESTER ZOO
Admissions Assistant
Job reference:001563
Salary:£12,698.40 per annum based on 20 hours per week
Closing date:07/01/2026
Department:Admissions
Location:Chester
Employment type:Permanent
Hours Per Week:20 hours
Job Description
Our working environment could not be more different from your usual setting – where else could you stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?
The Role
We have an exciting opportunity for friendly, confident and passionate individuals to join our busy Admissions team and support us in our delivery of a world class visitor experience.
Our Admissions Assistants are often the first people our guests come into contact with at the Zoo; whether that be on the day at our Admission Lanes, at our Ticket Sales windows or by answering their email enquiries and phone calls pre/post visit. Our Admissions Assistants are also involved in the sale and delivery of commercial products and services. The role includes working during Zoo events throughout the year such as Afterglow and our Lanterns and Light Christmas event. The role also involves some cleaning duties.
What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?
As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development.
The Package
- Permanent contract
- 20 hours per week, worked 5 days out of 7 including weekends and bank holidays. These shifts tend to fall between 8:00am and 6:00pm, however, there are occasions where the shifts will begin later in the afternoon for events when required, these shifts normally fall between 12:00pm and 10:30pm.
- Opportunity to work overtime up to a maximum of 40 hours per week based on operational requirements throughout the year.
- 33 days annual leave pro rata
- Salary of £12,698.40 per annum
- Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off plus a number of complimentary tickets for your family and friends
- Access to healthcare plan
- Employer contributory pension scheme
Our Requirements
- Experience working in a sales/customer experience environment; confident and able to deliver exceptional service face to face, over the phone and via email.
- Experience in a fast-paced call centre environment handling inbound and outbound phone calls.
- Experience in complaint handling, conflict resolution and service recovery.
- Good organisational capability, with the competence to organise team breaks, assist in the monitoring of KPIs and support colleagues.
- Confident using IT systems including an excellent understanding of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook and use of EPOS systems.
- Cash handling experience.
- Comfortable working for long periods on your feet in static positions in an outdoor environment.
- A team ethic, flexible and willing to take on any task assigned.
- Valid right to work in the UK
More About Us
We’re not just an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction that’s home to 30,000 incredible animals. We’re not just the UK’s most popular zoo. We’re a major wildlife charity that’s committed to the recovery of endangered species, globally. And, as the world faces an extinction crisis, we’re making a hugely significant contribution to conservation at a time when it’s needed most. We are Chester Zoo and we prevent extinction.