Professional Training Program Specialist

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums is building North America's largest wildlife conservation movement, by engaging and inspiring our 143 million annual visitors and their communities to care about and take action to help protect wildlife. In order to accomplish this goal, AZA is seeking an organized and dynamic person to work with the Professional Training Program.

The AZA Professional Training Program began in 1975 and currently serves over 500 zoo and aquarium professionals each year with fifteen courses in seven locations being offered in 2007. The program includes a Master's degree in zoo and aquarium leadership through George Mason University, currently with over 60 students. With over 100 dedicated expert instructors, the Professional Training Program maintains the highest standards and constantly strives to improve upon them for the benefit of the members.

See our website for the list of courses:  http://www.aza.org/prodev/

Responsibilities

The Professional Training Program Specialist is responsible for, but not limited to:

• Coordinating all aspects of student registration including the processing of applications, payment, academic credit, follow-up, acceptance notification, curriculum distribution, on-site check-in, distribution of grade reporting letter and course completion certificates.  
• Performing contract negotiations and vendor service agreements for consolidated and single site course hotels and vendors.  
• Traveling to courses for on-site management of week-long intensive classes.  
• Maintaining databases for students, instructors and Regents. Assessing systems and recommending improvements to increase efficiency and tracking capabilities.  
• Processing course exams, student evaluations, and scholarship applications.  
• Overseeing the production of curriculum materials.  
• Performing various other duties to support the Professional Training Program.

This is an exempt position reporting to the Professional Training Program Manager.

Qualifications

A successful candidate should possess:

• Excellent written/oral communication and customer service skills  
• Ability to work independently  
• Strong organizational skills  
• Aptitude for multi-tasking with excellent time management skills  
• Ability and willingness to travel to schools to engage students and instructors  
• Capacity to establish and maintain effective working relationships with instructors, students, members, contractors, and site hosts

Minimum training and experience:

• A Bachelor's degree in education or event planning is preferred.  
• 2-3 years of proven experience with administration of education or training programs.  
• Additional non-profit or conservation experience is desired.  
• Experience contracting with vendors and/or hotels is preferred.  
• Experience with meetings and/or event planning is preferred.  
• Experience with Windows-based software (Word, Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.). Intermediate experience with Access preferred.

To Apply

Please send a resume and salary history by email, fax, or postal mail to:

Association of Zoos & Aquariums
8403 Colesville Rd  Ste 710
Silver Spring MD  20910-3397