Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Education Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Education Officer is responsible for designing, delivering, and evaluating engaging environmental education and outreach programs that increase public awareness of wildlife conservation, ecosystem health, and sustainable behavior. This role combines curriculum development, field interpretation, stakeholder engagement, volunteer coordination, and program management to deliver measurable conservation outcomes. The Officer will work with schools, community groups, indigenous partners, park staff, and volunteers to create inclusive learning experiences that support the organization's conservation goals.

Key priorities include translating complex ecological science into age-appropriate learning modules, coordinating field trips and public events, managing program budgets and grant-funded activities, measuring learning outcomes, and fostering long-term community stewardship. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong instructional skills, practical field experience with local fauna and habitats, and a track record of designing impactful outreach initiatives.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Educator / Naturalist with 1–3 years' field experience
Park Ranger or Visitor Services Officer transitioning into education
Conservation Volunteer Coordinator or Outreach Assistant

Advancement To:

Senior Wildlife Education Officer / Education Manager
Conservation Program Manager or Community Engagement Manager
Director of Education & Outreach or Regional Conservation Lead

Lateral Moves:

Volunteer & Community Engagement Coordinator
Interpretation & Visitor Experience Officer
Grants and Fundraising Officer (conservation-focused)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, develop, and deliver curriculum-aligned environmental education programs for diverse audiences (primary, secondary, adult learners, and community groups), ensuring content meets learning objectives and conservation messaging for the local landscape and key species.
Lead guided field experiences, nature walks, school excursions, and interpretive programs that safely engage participants with live wildlife, habitat features, and citizen science activities, tailoring delivery to age, accessibility needs, and group size.
Develop, maintain, and update interpretive materials and media — including lesson plans, field guides, signage, activity sheets, slide decks, and digital content — to support consistent, high-quality learning experiences across venues.
Coordinate and oversee live animal demonstrations and care (where applicable) in accordance with animal welfare policies and local regulations, ensuring all educational animal-program practices prioritize welfare and safety.
Plan and implement outreach campaigns and community events (festivals, open days, pop-up exhibits) to increase public awareness, attendance, and volunteer recruitment, with measurable targets for participation and behavior change.
Establish and maintain partnerships with schools, teachers, universities, indigenous communities, local councils, NGOs, and other stakeholders to co-design programs, secure program placements, and expand conservation impact.
Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise education volunteers and casual presenters; develop volunteer training materials, run induction sessions, and monitor volunteer performance to maintain program quality and compliance with health and safety standards.
Manage program budgets, process invoices, track expenses for education initiatives, and report financials for grant-funded projects, ensuring efficient use of resources and alignment with funder requirements.
Prepare, write, and submit grant applications, sponsorship proposals, and funding reports to secure and maintain financial support for education and community engagement programs.
Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness using surveys, pre/post assessments, attendance metrics, and behavior-change indicators; synthesize results into reports with recommendations for continuous improvement.
Design and run active citizen science projects (species monitoring, habitat assessments) that both contribute to conservation data and provide hands-on learning opportunities, including data collection protocols and quality assurance.
Develop and implement risk assessments and safety plans for fieldwork and education activities; maintain first aid and emergency response readiness, including up-to-date permits and welfare documentation.
Create inclusive education strategies that incorporate culturally responsive practice and engagement with indigenous knowledge holders, ensuring programs respect and reflect local cultural values and land management histories.
Deliver professional development workshops and resources for teachers and partner organizations on embedding wildlife and sustainability topics into curricula and student activities.
Maintain comprehensive participant records, learning resources, and program documentation in the organization’s CRM or LMS and ensure compliance with data protection and child safety policies.
Use digital platforms and social media to promote education programs, share learning resources, increase digital reach, and attract diverse audiences while tracking engagement analytics and optimizing content performance.
Act as a public-facing ambassador during media engagements, interviews, and public speaking engagements; prepare key messages and participate in community consultations on conservation and wildlife issues.
Collaborate with science and research teams to translate monitoring and research outcomes into digestible education content and to align public programs with ongoing conservation priorities.
Coordinate logistics for off-site programs including transport, equipment, site permissions, and liaison with land managers to ensure programs run smoothly and within regulatory constraints.
Oversee procurement, maintenance, and safe storage of field equipment, interpretive props, and educational kits; ensure inventory controls and replacement planning to sustain program delivery.
Design specialized programs for targeted audiences (youth at risk, Indigenous youth, senior groups, corporate volunteers), using evidence-based pedagogies to boost participation and long-term stewardship behaviours.
Provide technical input into organizational strategy and contribute to annual education workplans, KPIs, and reporting to senior management and boards to demonstrate impact and inform future investments.

Secondary Functions

Support development of marketing collateral, newsletters, and web content that showcase program outcomes, upcoming events, and opportunities for community involvement.
Assist in internal cross-team initiatives such as wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration events, and special conservation campaigns, lending education expertise to broader organizational efforts.
Maintain and update GIS maps and basic spatial datasets to support field trip planning, school catchment targeting, and habitat interpretation.
Support administrative tasks including participant registrations, volunteer rostering, permit applications, and incident reporting to ensure smooth program administration.
Contribute to the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives by suggesting accessible program modifications and community outreach strategies.
Help capture multimedia content (photos, short video, testimonials) during programs for evaluation and promotional use while ensuring permissions and consent are recorded.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Curriculum design and lesson planning for environmental education that aligns with school standards and learning outcomes.
Wildlife and habitat identification expertise relevant to the region (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, native plants).
Program evaluation and monitoring (survey design, pre/post testing, KPI tracking, outcomes reporting).
Field safety, risk assessment, and emergency response procedures (including current First Aid/CPR certification).
Volunteer management systems and experience recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers.
Grant writing and funder reporting experience, including budget preparation and financial tracking.
Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS), participant registration platforms, and CRM databases.
Basic GIS and mapping skills for site planning and participant logistics.
Proficiency with digital content tools (PowerPoint, Canva, basic video editing) and social media management to create outreach materials.
Data collection and basic analysis skills (Excel, Google Sheets, survey platforms) to synthesize program metrics.

Soft Skills

Excellent public speaking and group facilitation skills; comfortable presenting to school groups, community members, and media.
Strong written communication skills for curriculum development, grant proposals, and evaluation reporting.
Stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills; able to work respectfully with indigenous communities and diverse populations.
Classroom and behavior management skills to lead large and mixed-ability groups outdoors.
Empathy, cultural sensitivity, and diplomatic communication for community consultations and contentious topics.
Initiative and project management capabilities to deliver programs on time and within budget.
Adaptability and problem-solving skills to deal with unpredictable field conditions and last-minute changes.
Teamwork and collaboration skills for working across conservation, science, and operations teams.
Attention to detail in record-keeping, health & safety compliance, and equipment management.
Leadership and mentorship ability to develop junior staff and volunteers into confident educators.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Education, Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Environmental Science, Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Education, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Postgraduate qualification (Graduate Certificate or Master’s) in Environmental Education, Interpretive Planning, Conservation Science, or a formal teaching qualification.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Education
Ecology / Wildlife Biology
Conservation Science
Natural Resource Management
Primary or Secondary Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of professional experience in environmental education, outreach, or related conservation roles with demonstrable experience delivering programs to public and school audiences.

Preferred: 3–7+ years with experience managing multi-year education programs, supervising volunteers and casual staff, writing successful grants, and demonstrating measurable program outcomes.