A bit about us
Do you want to create a better world for animals? At the RSPCA, we believe all animals deserve kindness and respect. We work for the benefit of every animal – as well as pets, that includes farmed animals, wildlife, and animals used in science.
Choose a career with us and make a difference for every kind.
Join us during this exciting time as our organisation and our frontline services are undergoing a transformation change, which focuses on animals’ voices in our care.
We are looking for a Animal Centre Manager based at Blackberry Farm, which is located in Aylesbury.
Our RSPCA Blackberry Farm Animal Centre occupies a stunning 10-acre site overlooking the rural villages of Waddesdon and Quainton in Buckinghamshire. We are just two minutes from the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester.
The centre has 42 rehoming kennels and 34 cat rehoming pens, and a small animal house. We look after and re-home cats, dogs, rabbits and other small domestic animals, at any one time we could be caring for over 180 animals!
Visit our social media pages to find out more about life at the centre:
RSPCA Blackberry Farm Facebook
RSPCA Blackberry Farm Instagram
Working hours: 35 hours per week which will be on a rolling rota, including weekends and public holidays.
The postholder will be responsible for arranging overnight cover, and be prepared to cover some overnight shifts when required.
Are you ready to be part of our journey and make a difference?
What a day might look like for you
We’ve added a short summary of what a typical day might look like, but for a full insight please refer to the job description.
The Animal Centre Manager role is varied and busy, but also very rewarding, and is critical in ensuring the smooth operation of our centres and positive outcomes for the animals in our care.
As an Animal Centre Manager you’ll have overall responsibility for the recruitment and management of staff and volunteers, overseeing centre finances, and ensuring the centre’s facilities and practices are fit for purpose and meet health and safety standards.
What makes a great Animal Centre Manager?
It is essential that you;
- Have a full manual driving licence (subject to reasonable adjustments where necessary)
- Have budget and financial management experience
- Have a proven line management experience
- Have a proven track record of leading a team through an organisational and transformational change
- Able to manage conflict and problem solve in a pressurised environment
- Be adaptable and resilient to changing priorities and requirements
- Be a strong communicator, adapting to different stakeholders and able influence others
- Experience using SalesForce platforms, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and/or Google Drive applications.
Desirable:
- Veterinary Nursing qualifications
- Knowledge of animal anatomy and behaviour
- HNC/HND or equivalent animal qualification
- NVQ level 2 or equivalent or equivalent qualification
- Animal handling, management and behaviours experience
- Media/comms and fundraising experience
- Equine experience.
Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK – We are unable to sponsor visas at RSPCA.
Final note from us & good luck with your application!
Due to high interest in some of our roles, we review applications as they are received. This can occasionally result in positions closing earlier than advertised. Therefore, we strongly recommend submitting applications early.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications after the posted closing date.
We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible.
We recognise that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to achieving our core mission. For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications – in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities – as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA.
Should you need any support with your application or interview process please contact [email protected] / 0300 123 0685.
Our mission is to ensure animals have a good life by rescuing and caring for those in need, by advocating on behalf of all animals and by inspiring everyone to treat them with compassion and respect.
