As Orana approaches its 50th year, we are reflective and determined to continue achieving our conservation goals. We are looking for team members to help us continue our mission to connect people with nature, and to educate and inspire ourcommunitytowards creating a bright future for the next 50 years, and beyond.
Orana is owned and operated by Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charitable trust and not-for-profit organisation. Conservation is a core part of our mission and the key reason Orana exists. Our on-site habitat restoration and predator pest control programmes provide a connecting wildlife corridor and safe haven for some of Canterbury’s most threatened species.
Orana Wildlife Park participates in many zoo-based breeding programmes in partnership with the World Association of Zoos & Aquariums (WAZA), the Zoo & Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA), DOC and others. We are committed to continuing our efforts towards these breeding programmes into the future.
Imagine spending your day greeting our visitors with a warm welcome and help to provide amazing experiences from the moment they arrive to when they leave the park.
Orana Wildlife Park is looking for a proactive, customer-focused leader to join our team as a Retail & Admissions Senior
This is more than a retail role As a key holder and duty manager, you will play an important part in leading our front-of-house operations, supporting team members and ensuring our excellent customer service standards are met.
Your responsibilities will include:
Every day offers something different bringing you opportunities to engage with visitors from around New Zealand and the world, all while contributing to Orana's mission of connecting people with nature.
What’s in it for you?
This is a part-time role, perfect for someone who enjoys leading by example and takes pride in delivering exceptional customer experiences.
You thrive in busy environments, remain calm under pressure and enjoy supporting both visitors and colleagues. You're organised, dependable and confident in making decisions.
You'll be a great fit if you:
You will join a passionate team who are committed to their animals and the Trust’s conservation goals.
If you're passionate about customer service, enjoy leading others and adaptable, APPLY NOW through one of our advertised platforms. Please include a letter of introduction and CV highlighting the relevant skills and experience you can offer to this role.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and will close on Sunday 30th August 2026, 5pm.
For over 46 years, Orana Wildlife Trust (a registered charity) has operated Orana Wildlife Park, an internationally recognised zoo and Canterbury icon attraction. The Trust operates in a commercially astute manner to: provide quality recreational experiences for local people and visitors to Canterbury; conserve endangered native and exotic wildlife; educate all visitors (especially children) about environmental and conservation issues; and support research.
Set in 185 hectares, Orana Wildlife Park is Aotearoa’s only open range wildlife park. We care for over 1,000 animals representing 90 different species, many of which are critically endangered. Orana is a conservation powerhouse making significant contributions to recovery programmes for Aotearoa’s threatened species (e.g. kākāriki karaka, Aotearoa’s rarest parakeet). We connect visitors with wildlife and inspire people to care about the plight of endangered species.
Orana specialises in providing amazing visitor experiences, including the fantastic Lion Encounter (the only one of its type in the Southern Hemisphere), meeting NZ’s only gorillas, encountering mischievous kea, observing kiwi, hand feeding majestic giraffe, eyeballing the magnificent white rhino and much more. The Park is a key regional asset contributing to economic recovery and growth and an important facility for community well-being.
As a registered charity, Orana relies on gate-takings to operate. We separately raise 100% of funds for all developments, animal transfers and involvement in key conservation programmes.
