Christmas Grotto Head Elf

**Purpose of the role**:
As a Christmas Elf at ZSL London Zoo, you’ll help bring the magic and sparkle to our _Magic of Christmas_ event, creating unforgettable memories for every visitor. With boundless enthusiasm and festive cheer, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring guests of all ages enjoy a truly special experience.

As Head Elf, you’ll bring the magic of Christmas to life at ZSL London Zoo. Based primarily in Santa’s Grotto, you’ll help families create unforgettable festive memories while overseeing a team of dedicated Christmas Elves. You’ll lead by example, ensuring every guest enjoys a joyful, high-quality experience with Father Christmas.

This role is all about spreading joy, laughter, and festive spirit. From engaging with excited children and their families to creating a fun and immersive atmosphere across the zoo, you’ll be at the heart of the Christmas magic. Of course, a love of Christmas and Santa is absolutely essential

This role is offered as a 7-week fixed-term contract, working 12 hours per week. As part of a busy festive event, some flexibility will be essential.

**Key responsibilities**:

- **Bring the Magic to Life**:Play a Christmas Elf at London Zoo, primarily based in Santa’s Grotto but also supporting across other festive event locations. As an Elf, you’ll ensure every visitor, big and small, has a truly magical experience.
- **Lead and Supervise**:Oversee a team of Christmas Elves, guiding them to deliver exceptional customer service and festive cheer throughout the event.
- **Resolve Guest Queries**:Take the lead in handling guest queries within the Grotto, ensuring any issues are resolved quickly and effectively.
- **Keep the Magic on Schedule**:Manage the Grotto’s daily schedule, ensuring everything runs smoothly, on time, and without delays.

**About You**:

- A proven track record of delivering outstanding customer service, ensuring every visitor has a memorable experience.
- Experience of working with children or young people in either formal or informal settings, with the ability to create a fun and supportive atmosphere.
- Confident and comfortable engaging with the public in a busy, face-to-face environment.
- Previous experience of supporting and supervising a team.
- Enjoys working outdoors and is happy to do so in all weather conditions throughout the festive season.
- Flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, with the judgement to know when to seek support from management.

**About Us**:
We’re ZSL, an international conservation charity. Through our unrivalled animal experts in our two zoos (London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo), the work of our pioneering scientists, our dedicated conservationists, our purpose is to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wild animals going extinct. Our vision is a world where wildlife thrives and we’re working every day to achieve this. From investigating the health threats facing animals, to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, we are committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction.

**What do we offer?**

At ZSL, we are proud of our approach to employee benefits. Our benefits include:

- Our vision and purpose - you’ll work alongside colleagues who are passionate about science-led conservation, knowing that you will help us to inspire, inform and empower people to stop wildlife going extinct
- Pension scheme - we offer a generous pension scheme with up to 12% contributory pension
- Flexible working - talk to us about your flexible working requirements and we will do everything we can to make sure you work in a way that suits you
- Holidays - 25 days annual leave allowance, plus UK bank holidays Wellbeing - access to a blended programme of wellbeing initiatives, including confidential access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- Life assurance - eligible employees will be enrolled in ZSL’s life assurance scheme from their first day
- Complimentary tickets - annual allocation of Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo tickets, with a 30% discount in online and retail shops
- Cycle2Work - our cycle to work scheme enables you to lease a bicycle
- Season ticket loan - we offer an interest free loan for eligibly London-based employees to buy a season ticket for travel between home and work
- Family friendly policies - we offer enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption packages