Permanent – Full-time 

As a Security Assistant Team Manager, you will work as part of our Guest Experience team to ensure that our visitors have a fantastic day out. Alongside providing a warm welcome to our visitors and providing exceptional customer service, you will line manage the security team to help to deter crime, reduce risks and de-escalate confrontational situations.

You will be responsible for line management and leadership of the Security Supervisors and Security Officer team to ensure that we provide a safe and secure environment for our staff, visitors and animal/plant collection 24 hours a day.

Responsibilities will include taking a lead role in the development, recruitment and motivation of the in house security team. You will be confident in setting direction to support the leadership team to ensure that the team works to its best ability each day.

We are looking for candidates, who are outgoing and personable, someone with experience of leading and line managing a team ideally providing customer service is essential. Whilst having a security or loss prevention background is a possibility, this is by no means necessary, as we will provide extensive training. What is key is an ability to cope with and diffuse challenging situations. Candidates in this role will be expected to manage a control room environment so an ability to work under pressure, with strong IT and communication skills are a must. You will be driven by doing the right thing to get things resolved quickly and efficiently.

Some of your time will be spent working alongside the team conducting site patrols, CCTV operations, access control, control room operation, dealing with lost children and providing first aid while at all times ensuring that great service is provided. You must be physically fit, as your patrols will mean that you will regularly walk many miles each day around the zoo and wider estate. You will take the lead role in the security team in the event of any incident situation.

The successful candidate will:

• Have previous experience of managing a team in a fast paced environment, ideally customer facing.
• Have a flexible approach to work, the role will involve working a mix of shifts including early, core day, late and nights.
• Have previous experience delivering customer service in a high footfall environment.
• Be a confident IT systems user able to use basic Microsoft office programs.
• Experience in operating and managing CCTV would be an advantage but full training will be provided.
• Be comfortable implementing operational related policies and developing procedures.
• Have experience in deterring crime, conflict resolution and de-escalating confrontational situations.
• Have an understanding of GDPR and the impact on security.
• Having experience of playing a lead role incident management situations would be an advantage but full training will be provided in this area.
• Be physically fit, this job will include patrolling our 125 acres and wider estate so will involve lots of walking.
• Have experience of working with and managing shrinkage.
• Outstanding communication skills – both verbal and written.
• Have the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Hold a full driving license valid in the UK.
• Holding a valid First Aid at Work certificate would be an advantage but full training will be provided in this area.
• Have experience in implementing policy, and producing Standard Operating Procedures/ safe working practices.
• Be experienced in delivering training on a variety of subject areas.
• Holding an IOSH Managing Safely qualification would be an advantage but full training will be provided in this area.
• Holding an SIA door supervisor & CCTV public surveillance license will be required for the role, but if you do not hold this on application we would provide the training in this area.

The salary for this role is £26,516.71 per annum, on a rota basis which will include day shifts, night shifts weekends and bank holidays 5 days out of 7. Candidates are expected to have a flexible attitude to enable to cover within the department. In addition we offer a range of amazing benefits which can be found at https://www.chesterzoo.org/work-with-us/staff-benefits/.

Due to the nature of the organisation and the role, this post is subject to a DBS check.

To apply for this position, please click here https://www.chesterzoo.org/work-with-us/ to provide your current CV and complete the application form. Please ensure you include the following points within your application which will be used to help us shortlist:-

• Outline your skills and experience that are relevant for this role
• Why you are interested in a role in security
• Why believe you are the best candidate for our Security Assistant Team Manager role