Job Description

Job title:Rehoming Manager

Directorate: Rehoming

Responsible to: Senior Rehoming Manager, Oxfordshire

Location: Lewknor rehoming centre

Main purpose of job

To make maximum use of all available resources to admit, rehabilitate and rehome unwanted and abandoned animals. To help ensure that the rehoming centre delivers first class rehoming service customer experience to all stakeholders.The Rehoming Manager along with the Rehoming ManagerBurford, will deputise for the Senior Rehoming Manager (Ox) in their absence.

The Rehoming Manager will supervise and mentor a team of Animal Welfare Supervisors, AWAs and receptionists. They will be required to work closely and collaboratively with the Rehoming Manager Burford to ensure maximum efficiency in rehoming and a consistent approach between the two sites.

Essential qualifications,skills and experience

  • Valid manual driving licence
  • NVQ 3 in animal care or equivalent professional experience
  • Significant employment experience caring for companion animals
  • Working in an animal rehoming environment
  • Significant experience managing a large diverse team, with aproven ability to induct and train team members successfully
  • Working in customer service environment delivering excellent standards
  • Team performance management, supervising and mentoring
  • Sound knowledge of companion animal veterinary care
  • Sound knowledge and experience of current animal behaviour theory and practice
  • Knowledge of Health and Safety including Risk Assessments and COSHH, and experience of working to strict health and safety procedures
  • Excellent communication, literacy, numerical, computer and administrative skills
  • Managing finances, and working to a budget

Desirable experience

  • Presentation skills and public speaking
  • Employment within animal welfare and charity environment
  • Working with volunteers
  • Running on-site events and attending promotional events

The person

The successful candidate will have natural leadership skills, be assertive, enthusiastic, hardworking and reliable with excellent interpersonal and management skills. They will

have in depth knowledge and understanding of caring for animals in a rehoming environment and of matching animals to new homes. Articulate and confident in communicating at all levels; they will be good humoured and enjoy working with a close-knit team, developing a values based culture of effectiveness and excellent customer service. They will have the flexibility and empathy required when working with people and animals, demonstrated by handling emotive situations sensitively, while taking into account the interests of the animals in our care, the customers, and the organisation. They will show commitment to the aims of the Blue Cross. They will work accurately, meet targets and understand the importance of identifying rehoming and intake opportunities, and promoting and encouraging sales and donations. The Rehoming Manager will need to be flexible, adaptable and highly organised to be able to prioritise the variety of challenges and demands presented at a busy rehoming centre.

Key accountabilities

  • To ensure all animals in the Rehoming Centre and in foster care are cared for in accordance with Blue Cross policies and Operating Procedures (SOPs and LOPs)to ensure the highest possible levels of welfare are maintained
  • Ensure that the centre is run in accordance with current Blue CrossSOPs and LOPs
  • To optimise the rehoming operation both at the rehoming centre and through collaboration and integration with Burford centre, off site rehoming schemes and foster carers in order to maximise the number of animals helped
  • Work with Senior Rehoming Manager (SRM)to motivate the team to achieve performance targets for the centre
  • Work with the Senior Rehoming manager(SRM)) to ensure the team delivers excellent animal rehoming and customer care
  • Coordinate and manage the work of the Animal Welfare Supervisors, AWAs and Receptionists, including line management and performance management.
  • Maintain an efficient working team, promptly and appropriately with issues when they arise
  • Work with the SRM and RM Burfordto support the team though change and to plan an effective strategy for integration of rehoming in Oxfordshire, in line with the Rehoming Directorate business plan.
  • Work with SRM, and RM Burfordto develop local and national relationships with organisations and individuals in order to optimise intake and rehoming opportunities in order to increase animals helped and to help the most needy animals

Other duties and responsibilities

  • Work as directed by and support the SRM
  • To adhere to budgets, maximising cost saving opportunities and helping to foster a culture of cost awareness and income generation within the team
  • Ensure completion of all routine administration tasks to include all animal records and daily book-keeping, both computerised and paper; team records, holidays, rotas, sickness etc.
  • To coordinate and organise training and development of the team, and to oversee the induction ofnew team members.
  • Promote integration and knowledge transfer between team members within the centre and between Burford & Lewknor
  • Support and assist the development of centre volunteering
  • To assist with centrepromotional, fund raising, and education events and activities
  • Work to centre protocols to maintain high standards of presentation throughout the centre
  • Establish and maintain good working relationships within Blue Cross
  • Work with the animals as required

Salary

£25,280 - £29,760 per annum dependent on skills and experience.

Job details and information

Working hours are 42 hours per week on a locally determined rota, which will include weekend and bank holiday working. However, due to the nature of the work of The Blue Cross and this post in particular, it will be necessary to exceed these hours when the work load demands. If not required to live in, a unit manager will be required to cover some out of hours or overnight duties by arrangement, and should be prepared to stay at the centre should this be requested.A uniform is provided and must be worn during working hours. In the interest of Health & Safety and to perform a physically active job, team members are required to maintain a suitable level of fitness to enable them to perform their job effectively.

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE

If you feel you have the skills and experience to apply for this position, please complete and return the application from. You may submit your CV together with any supporting information as part of your application. You can either email your completed application form to or post it to:

Human Resources

Blue Cross

Shilton Road

Burford

Oxfordshire

OX18 4PF

Closing date for receipt of applications is7 August 2017

Interviews will be held week commencing 21 August 2017

Integrity Dynamic Responsible Compassionate Fair &Reasonable 1