Join our team at the Wilder Institute and help grow conservation impact across Canada! The Wilder Institute is seeking a permanent full-time Specialist, Wilder Canada Action Plan Training who will be responsible for creating and delivering wildlife conservation training programs to support Wilder Impact Fund (WIF) applicants and grantees in their implementation of conservation translocation programs. The WIF supports wildlife conservation translocation projects for Canadian plant and animal species-at-risk, with the goal of preventing species extinctions and reversing population declines while empowering diverse groups to take action for wildlife.
These training programs will empower groups with the tools and skills they need to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate conservation translocation programs (i.e. capacity-strengthening). The Specialist will also support impact reporting and other WIF communications and may assist with other grant administration tasks. This role will play a key part in shaping capacity-strengthening and training strategies to maximize the impact of conservation translocation efforts across Canada.
Our Purpose | We act for wildlife; saving species and inspiring people to join us.
Our Core Values | Drive impact, nurture connection, cultivate hope, and be bold.
Location:
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Calgary, Alberta region preferred; but remote work arrangements across Canada may be considered.
Salary Range:
What you will do:
Capacity Strengthening & Training
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Leverage own conservation knowledge and expertise in species conservation, such as conservation planning, management of plants and/or animals in human care, monitoring methods and technologies (including animal capture, handling, marking, and tracking) and/or adaptive management, to develop conservation training programs.
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Create, coordinate and deliver in-person and virtual training workshops to WIF program applicants and grantees (approximately 4-5 per year).
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Lead needs assessment to understand and prioritize training and capacity-strengthening needs across grantees, applicants, and the broader community of potential collaborators.
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Collaborate with Wilder Institute (WI) and external experts to develop priority capacity-strengthening resources, ranging from technical training in areas such as population management in human care, adaptive management and use of technology, to planning and administration skills.
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Provide technical expertise and advisory support to WIF applicants and other WI conservation projects.
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Conduct research on conservation training and capacity-strengthening best practices and integrate these principles into the WIF strategy, with particular emphasis on accessibility and inclusion in delivery methodologies.
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Incorporate best practices in inclusive and community-led conservation (including valuing diverse knowledge systems and considering the human dimensions of conservation) into training modules.
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Develop reporting frameworks to monitor training and capacity-strengthening outcomes and integrate these learnings for continuous improvement of training offerings.
Community Engagement & Relationship Building
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Build strong relationships with applicants and grantees to better understand their training needs and deliver tailored or co-developed offerings.
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Research and engage potential external training offerings, as required.
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Cultivate collaborative relationships across internal WI teams to support knowledge-sharing and capacity-strengthening.
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Foster a network for connection, mentorship, learning and impact among grantees and conservation-focused organizations.
Reporting and Communications
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Assist in the collection and analysis of annual impact and financial reporting data.
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Contribute to communications and fundraising efforts by gathering stories of impact, meaningful content, and indicators of progress for funder reports and outreach.
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Support the creation and refinement of internal policies, procedures, and guidelines for training and capacity-sharing/strengthening delivery.
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Other tasks supporting operations of the Conservation & Science department as required.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
What you will bring:
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Bachelor’s degree in a field related to Wildlife Conservation, Biology, Zoology, Botany, Horticulture or other relevant discipline is required. Master’s degree in a field related to Wildlife Conservation, Biology, Zoology, Botany, Horticulture or other relevant discipline is desirable/advantageous.
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Minimum 5 to 7 years of relevant experience in a field related to Wildlife Conservation, Conservation Education or other relevant discipline (with a relevant Bachelor’s degree), OR 3 to 5 years of experience (with a relevant Master’s degree).
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A valid driver’s license is required.
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Experience leading or contributing to a species recovery-focused program is preferred, along with technical expertise in conservation translocation and inclusive conservation.
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Experience in conservation planning processes (e.g. Conservation Standards) along with strong facilitation skills is preferred.
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Experience in developing and delivering training/capacity-building programs is preferred. Experience in conservation program evaluation is also desirable.
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Project management skills and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively to achieve results is essential.
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Ability to work effectively both in office and remotely with teams and partners from across the country.
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Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
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Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with internal and external collaborators.
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Willingness to travel regularly across the country as needed to deliver training workshops and build/maintain relationships.
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams.
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Demonstrated cultural competency and experience in working with diverse communities, including Indigenous communities, is an asset.
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Familiarity with grantmaking or conservation funding processes is an asset.
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Expertise or certification with data management and security, particularly in the context of OCAP principles, is an asset.
Working Conditions:
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Although primarily Monday to Friday, occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
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Preference for candidates based in Calgary for on-site or hybrid work (working out of the Calgary Zoo head office location), but remote work arrangements across Canada may be considered.
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Extensive periods of office work involving long periods of sitting at computer workstations.
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Travel regularly across the country as needed (periods of 1 to 4 weeks throughout the year) to deliver training and maintain relationships with applicants and grantees, including driving on highways, dirt roads, or occasional air travel.
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Field visits to project sites which may involve hazards such as dangerous animals, insects, heat exhaustion, sunburn or frostbite, working with field equipment such as trucks or ATVs, heavy lifting of field equipment, exposure to wildlife diseases and/or wildfire smoke, and working in rural areas and/or remote communities. Field conditions might also involve working long, irregular hours in inclement weather.
The Wilder Institute may require working or traveling in a large variety of outdoor conditions. The Wilder Institute follows the advice of Environment Canada when responding to temperature and air quality issues.
What the Zoo Offers:
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Competitive compensation, vacation and flex days entitlement
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Flexible benefits plan, including a health spending account
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Employer matching RRSP program
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Discounts on food, beverage, and merchandise
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Participation in the Staff Pass Benefit plan
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A fun, rewarding work environment and the opportunity to work in a park full of wild animals
Are you ready to join one of Canada’s leaders in wildlife conservation? If this position suits your skills, experience and personal attributes, we want to talk to you.
Apply by doing the following:
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Watch this video about the conservation work being done at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0)
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Submit your resume with a cover letter via our online application system.
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Fill in the Application questions:
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Confirm eligibility to work in Canada.
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If hired, when would you be available to start?
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Do you have a valid driver’s license?
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This role requires traveling for conferences, events, presentations, etc. Do you have any concerns with traveling periodically for work?
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Please briefly describe how your experience and skills would align with this position?
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If hired, what is your expected salary for this position?
Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
If this position is a fit for you, we encourage you to apply with a resume and cover letter online by our application deadline: June 19, 2026.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcome and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. As a conservation organization, we respect and value the diversity of all life and come together as individuals and teammates to achieve the organization’s mission and vision. We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work to advance our culture to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard, and everyone has an equitable chance to succeed and thrive.
This position is an existing vacancy within our organization. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo uses basic knockout questions in application to support screening; applications are otherwise assessed and selected by real people.
All candidates are thanked for their applications and advised that they will be contacted once applications have been reviewed, and a final decision has been made.
