Job Details

In this role, you'll ensure that every pet finds the perfect match with their new family as quickly as possible, while maintaining top-quality care for both our pets and clients throughout the entire adoption journey. Join us in making a difference, one pet at a time! This role is based onsite at our Exeter centre and does not offer hybrid working arrangements. 

In this role, you’ll play a key part in ensuring exceptional care for both pets and clients while making well-connected, efficient decisions that prioritise pet welfare. As the leader of our home-based pet operations, you’ll oversee the smooth running of daily activities, acting as the subject matter expert in practical animal handling and assessment. Your goal will be to prepare pets for adoption as quickly and effectively as possible. You’ll work closely with your team to ensure timely pet assessments, behaviour management, and training, while providing full support to foster carers. 

You’ll also be responsible for achieving pet-related targets, ensuring your team of Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Coordinator's maintains the highest standards of animal care and adheres to national processes in case management. Since we don’t have cattery or kennel facilities, innovation and teamwork are essential to address the most urgent cases effectively. 
 
Motivating and managing your team is central to this role, enabling the centre to provide top-quality home-based pet care while helping your team develop professionally. 
 
This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work 1 in 3 weekends. Please note that this is not a hybrid role, and each working day is based at the centre

You’ll be a great people manager, bringing finely honed skills from your experience in an animal-related environment, along with expert knowledge of pet welfare and care. 
 
As a dynamic and innovative leader, you know how to inspire and motivate your team, driving continuous improvement. You’ll lead a team of Pet Welfare Assistants, empowering them through effective management and coaching. 
 
With excellent communication skills, you adapt your approach for different audiences, ensuring your message resonates. While juggling multiple tasks, you remain calm and organised, making confident decisions in high-pressure situations. 
 
Your strong analytical skills enable you to monitor and evaluate effectively, implementing meaningful improvements. Rather than resting on your laurels, you’ll have a genuine desire to enhance onsite facilities and services, actively engaging your team in the process. 
 
Having worked in emotionally charged environments, you understand the importance of resilience and have excellent “bounce-back ability.” Your emotional intelligence and empathy will shine as you support your team and the public, creating a compassionate and effective workplace. 

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

At Blue Cross, we want you to feel that you belong, without the need to hide any part of who you are. Diversity and inclusion at Blue Cross means creating a workplace where all people, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, nation or country of origin, disability, age, and socioeconomic backgrounds are welcome, respected, supported, and have access to equal opportunities.  

We are working hard to reflect the world we live in and the communities we serve at every level of our organisation. As much as we have made positive advances, we consider diversity and inclusion to be a work in progress – a continual commitment that remains a priority for all of us. 

Disability Confident Employer. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience  

• Significant experience in managing a team. 
• Significant experience in delivering high level Customer service in a fast-paced environment. 
• Significant subject matter expertise and application of pet welfare and handling of domestic animals 
• High standard of verbal and written communication. 
• Current full driving licence 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values  

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:  

• Performance management and improvement experience.  
• Experience working with volunteers. 
• Understanding of safeguarding issues.