Deputy Director

Position :  Deputy Director

Location :  Red River Zoo, Fargo, North Dakota

About Us :  The Red River Zoo is an AZA-accredited organization located in Fargo, North Dakota. We specialize in the care and conservation of cold-adapted species, while providing meaningful education and conservation programming that connects our guests to wildlife year-round. We have a positive, collaborative, and passionate staff culture made up of many young professionals. This is a unique opportunity for a dynamic leader to mentor staff, build capacity, and contribute to the zoo’s long-term vision and future development.

Position Summary : The Deputy Director serves as a primary member of the Senior Management team, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the zoo. Reporting directly to the President & CEO, this role oversees animal care, education, guest services, facilities, and administration. The Deputy Director also serves as Acting Director when the President & CEO is absent. This position requires a hands-on leader who enjoys wearing many hats, mentoring staff, encouraging and managing departmental collaboration, and helping shape the zoo's present and future.

Key Responsibilities :

• Provide daily leadership, support, supervision and guidance for the zoo’s animal care, education, guest services, and facilities departments.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and accountable culture where staff feel valued, supported, and empowered.
• Mentor and coach staff at all levels, building leadership capacity and supporting professional growth.
• Ensure full compliance with AZA accreditation standards, USDA regulations, and all applicable laws.
• Ensure and maintain exceptional standards of animal welfare, enrichment, and wellbeing.
• Lead emergency preparedness and response, including but not limited to animal escape and emergency drills compliance and staff training.
• Partner with the President & CEO on strategic planning and master planning.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in animal care, education, operations, and guest engagement.
• Build strong connections with AZA networks, professional organizations, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Support fundraising and donor engagement efforts.

Experience Required

Ideal Candidate Profile :

Further Comments

Why Red River Zoo? This is a rare opportunity to help actively lead and develop a self-funded, AZA-accredited institution deeply connected to its mission and community. If you’re ready to bring your passion, creativity, and hands-on leadership to a team that values meaningful work, we would love to hear from you.