Zoo Manager - Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (HHPZ) - Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS)

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The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

Are you ready to join the team that is “Building Community Through Fun?” Are you ready to make a difference?

The City of San José’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) is looking for people who want to make San José a better place to live and visit. Our mission is to connect people through parks, recreation, and neighborhood services for an active San José. ActivateSJ, PRNS’s strategic plan, envisions healthy communities that inspire belonging by following the guiding principles of stewardship, nature, equity & access, identity, and public life.

The Department creates and activates thriving public places, including over 40 community centers, 10 regional parks, over 200 neighborhood parks, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, and over 65 miles of trail. We also offer diverse programming for all ages and abilities. We take a fun approach to public service, and value the public’s trust. Our team is collaborative, supportive, and innovative. We are a fast-paced organization that takes decisive action after thoughtful planning.

For more information, please visit sanjoseca.gov/prns.

Position Duties

The Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) Department is seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to fill one (1) Zoo Manager position at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (HHPZ)—a City of San Jose flagship destination that blends a fully accredited zoo, amusement park, and nature-based play experience in the heart of San José, California (population 1M+).

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a 16-acre, Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA)-accredited facility dedicated to connecting people to nature through play. Open year-round and supported by the Happy Hollow Foundation, HHPZ offers immersive experiences for guests of all ages, including animal exhibits, nature-themed rides, educational programming, and conservation initiatives.
HHPZ is home to approximately 100 animals representing nearly 50 species, including participation in 19 Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs. The zoo features thoughtfully designed habitats that prioritize animal welfare, encourage species-specific behaviors, and support positive reinforcement training practices. These environments provide animals with choice and control, while enabling high-quality care, veterinary collaboration, and enriching guest experiences.

In addition to animal care and exhibits, Happy Hollow delivers a wide range of educational opportunities including school programs, camps, scout experiences, virtual encounters, and conservation-focused learning. The park also hosts public and private events, contributing to its role as a key community destination and regional asset.

Position Overview
The Zoo Manager is a key member of the Happy Hollow leadership team and is responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing zoo operations, including animal care, education programs, zoo and education volunteers, maintenance coordination, and capital project implementation.

This position plays a critical leadership role in:
•Ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of the animal collection
•Advancing AZA accreditation standards and conservation initiatives
•Supporting strategic planning, exhibit development, and capital improvements
•Delivering high-quality guest and educational experiences

The Zoo Manager serves as a subject matter expert in animal care, conservation, and zoo operations, and contributes to shaping the future direction of the zoo in alignment with its mission.

Typical duties of the Zoo Manager include, but are not limited to the following:
•Provides overall leadership and direction for zoo operations, including animal care, veterinary coordination, education, maintenance, and capital improvement projects.
•Oversees the health, safety, and welfare of the animal collection, ensuring compliance with Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) standards and all applicable regulatory requirements.
•Plans, coordinates, and oversees animal collection management, including acquisition, disposition, transport, and habitat planning in alignment with SSP programs and institutional goals.
•Establishes and maintains policies and procedures for animal care and records management, including handling, restraint, veterinary coordination, and health monitoring programs.
•Develops and implements strategic goals, policies, and operational priorities aligned with the mission of Happy Hollow Park & Zoo and PRNS Department objectives.
•Leads conservation and education initiatives with a strong focus on enhancing guest experience, accessibility, and community engagement.
•Directs and coordinates facility maintenance, improvements, and capital projects, working closely with Parks Facilities staff, contractors, and volunteers.
•Participates in the development and administration of the zoo budget, including identifying resource needs and supporting operational and capital planning.
•Builds and maintains strong working relationships with staff, City departments, nonprofit partners, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders.
•Collaborates closely with the Happy Hollow Foundation on fundraising initiatives, capital projects, partnerships, and program development.
•Represents the zoo in professional settings, including meetings, conferences, and industry events to stay current with trends and best practices in zoological management.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Biology, Zoology or a related field.

Experience: Three (3) years of increasingly responsible experience managing and supervising an institution or facility responsible for the care of zoo animals and public exhibits of diverse and exotic animals, including two (2) years of experience at the level of Zoo Curator.

Acceptable Substitutions: Completion of two (2) years of course work from an accredited college or university and five (5) years increasingly responsible experience managing and supervising the care of zoo animals. There is no substitution for the required Zoo Curator experience.

Licenses: Must have valid CA driver’s license.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise: Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations. Demonstrates skills and experience with the following:

• Organization, staffing, and operational activities of a zoo, including husbandry, veterinary services, conservation, education, maintenance and capital programs.
• Leadership in conservation and education with a focus on visitor experience.
• Cultivating and maintaining effective relationships with non-profit partners, regulatory agencies and partner organizations and agencies.

Collaboration: Develops networks and builds alliances; engages in cross-functional activities.

Fiscal Management: Understands the relationship of the budget and resources to the strategic plan; complies with administrative controls over funds, contracts, and procurements.

Leadership: Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational support and direction.

Planning: Acts to align own unit’s goals with the strategic direction of the organization; defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet those objectives.

Problem Solving: Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.

Supervision: Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.

Management: Evaluates priorities to ensure the 'true' top priorities are handled satisfactorily; sets clear goals for the employees and the work unit.

Vision/Strategic Thinking: Supports, promotes, and ensures alignment with the organization’s vision and values; understands how an organization must change in light of internal and external trends and influences; builds a shared vision with others and influences others to translate vision to action.

Communication Skills: Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews, one of which may include a practical/writing exercise.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Jaine Davies at jaine.davies@sanjoseca.gov.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 4/22/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of San Jose

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