Closing date: Monday 16 November 2026
Salary: Competitive, Dependant on Experience and Qualifications, Plus Desirable Benefits
Full Time, Permanent Position
Primarily based at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve
Are you wild about creating memorable experiences?
Do you want to work in a place where you can hear calls from troops of howler monkeys, or the roars from a pride of lions?
The Site Services Trade team at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve and Howletts Wild Animal Park is looking for a Plumber to join our team.
As a Plumber, you will be responsible for carrying out a range of plumbing maintenance and repairs across our parks, including guest accommodation, operational buildings and estate facilities. This will include diagnosing and repairing faults, maintaining hot and cold water systems, repairing leaks and responding to plumbing-related breakdowns.
While plumbing will be your primary focus, you will also be expected to support the wider Site Services team with general maintenance callouts and other maintenance tasks across the estate when required. You will play an important role in keeping our facilities safe, reliable and operational, ensuring all work is completed to a high standard and with minimal disruption to our guests, colleagues and animal welfare.
A full job description is available on request.
Who we are looking for:
We are looking for an experienced, practical and reliable Plumber with a strong background in plumbing maintenance and repairs. You will have experience diagnosing faults, maintaining hot and cold water systems, carrying out repairs and responding to reactive maintenance issues. You will be organised, proactive and confident working independently, with good problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
You will hold an NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Plumbing and Heating, City & Guilds Plumbing qualification or equivalent, alongside a full UK manual driving licence. A good understanding of Health & Safety and safe working practices is essential, as is an awareness of water hygiene and Legionella control. Experience working within hospitality, accommodation or other operational environments, along with knowledge of pumps, plant rooms and water systems, would be advantageous. Additional qualifications such as PASMA, IPAF, Asbestos & Legionella Awareness or First Aid at Work would also be beneficial.
You will be a good team player with a flexible approach, able to work across both parks and support wider maintenance activities when required, while maintaining high standards and minimising disruption to guests, colleagues and animal welfare.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced maintenance operative or working foreman looking to develop their leadership skills, with ongoing training and support in team supervision, maintenance planning and operational coordination, offering scope to progress into a broader maintenance leadership role over time.
Contract details:
The hours of work are 40 hours per week, worked five days out of seven on a rota basis. Normal shifts will be scheduled between 7:00am and 8:00pm. Flexibility is required to work early starts, evenings and weekends, with occasional out-of-hours support and shift cover as required by the needs of the business.
All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. A reliable mode of transport is recommended due to our remote location. The role will be predominantly based at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, with occasional work required at Howletts Wild Animal Park.
The location:
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve is a world-renowned wild animal park set within 600 acres of Kentish savannah. The Reserve is home to some of the world’s most rare and endangered animals and offers luxury short breaks accommodation, free roaming animal safaris, once-in-a-lifetime animal encounters and exquisite dining experiences. Our sister park, Howletts Wild Animal Park is located near Canterbury and set within 90 acres of land. Howletts is home to over 300 rare and endangered species, including Kents only giant anteaters, the largest herd of African elephants in the UK, and more gorillas, leopards and monkeys than any zoo in the county!
Most importantly, every one of our employees is part of real conservation in action and their efforts have contributed to animals such as black rhino and western lowland gorillas being returned to their natural habitats in collaboration with our partners at The Aspinall Foundation.
Why you should join us:
We’re on a mission to create memorable experiences that matter, and our Core Values ‘One Team’, Customer’ and ‘Pride’ are what drive us each day to become part of something extraordinary. As well as walking to work surrounded by the calls of Howler monkeys and the roars from our pride of Lions, you will join a supportive team who are passionate about their place of work. Be part of the Port Lympne and Howletts family and join our pride.
You can also expect a host of other benefits including:
- 28 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays, rising with length of service. (Pro-rata to start date and working hours)
- Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including workshops and e-learning
- Enhanced Sickness, Maternity and Paternity Policies.
- Unlimited free entry for you and a person of your choice into both of our parks as well as friends and family tickets.
- Exceptional discounts on food, retail and accommodation at our parks.
- Numerous retail discounts and access to a 24-hour counselling line through our Healthy Extras Scheme.
- And many more length or service-related rewards and Benefits.
(Please note, this role may close early if we receive a high volume of applications.)
To apply: Please email your CV along with a covering letter to – beng@howlettsandportlympne.com
Visit our website at www.aspinallfoundation.org to find out more about us.
Internal applicants will be given priority for interview before external applications are considered.
