Animal jobs

About this role

At SPANA, we support a network of global partners working through both a short- term small grants and long- term programmes – known as our Senior Partners. Senior Partners represent key strategic investments in our mission to enhance working animal welfare. These programmes are established country offices, each led by dedicated Country Directors who oversee the implementation of our work. Our initiatives in these regions reflect a commitment to delivering holistic programming across a range of interventions to improve the welfare of working animals. 

As Programme Manager you will lead our critical relationships and day to day activities with SPANA Senior Partners in overseas country offices delivering our international programmes. You will be responsible for managing activities across SPANA’s international programme work including budget reporting, grant making and management as well as procurement. You are a key part of SPANA’s Global Programs Department (GPD) team and report to the Senior Programmes Manager.

For full details including a person specification please see the job descriptiom. 

Contract, location & salary

This is a full-time (34.5 hours per week) permanent role working remotely with regular attendance in our London office. The salary is approximately £40k per annumb subject to skills and experience. 

Deadline & how to apply

Please see the job description for full information including details on how to apply. The deadline for applications is 23:59 BST on Sunday 18 May 2025. 

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

WHO WE ARE

Animal Equality is an international animal protection organisation working with society, governments and companies to end cruelty to farmed animals. Animal Equality has offices in the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and India.

Animal Equality releases investigative materials captured from inside factory farms and slaughterhouses, exposing the conditions that farmed animals face around the world. We publish our findings on television, in newspapers and online. We routinely secure mainstream media coverage, including on the BBC, ITV, Sky news, The Times, the Guardian, New York Times and many more.

Animal Equality also advocates for political change. Our current campaigns include a UK ban on foie gras imports, increased enforcement of existing animal protection laws, legal protections for farmed fish, and Government subsidies for transitioning towards a plant-based food system.

We focus on farmed animals because of the scale and severity of the issue. More than a billion animals are confined and killed for human consumption every year in the UK. Farmed animals also often suffer in some of the worst ways: pigs typically endure painful mutilations, many chickens die of heart attacks, fish are confined in underwater cages, and some farmed animals are victims of deliberate abuse and neglect. But the problem is solvable! By utilising effective campaigning strategies, Animal Equality is having an impact for animals around the world and building a future where all animals are respected and protected, and are no longer exploited for human consumption.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Remote working, in the UK (with travel to London once a month).

The Philanthropy Specialist plays a major role in meeting the organisation’s ambitious fundraising goals. Responsible for major giving and grants portfolios, the Philanthropy Specialist identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards financial support from generous individuals and granting bodies.

With a proven track record the successful candidate will network with key stakeholders, present compelling communications and generate significant funds. In turn, these funds will enable Animal Equality to achieve its ambitious financial targets and carry out its crucial campaigns to meaningfully transform and save the lives of farmed animals.

BENEFITS

• Holiday entitlement equal to 33 days per year (including standard public holidays).
• Personalised Employee Assistance Program (EAP): an Animal Equality-funded benefit that offers employees confidential counselling and advice on a wide range of work and personal issues. The program offers several services, such as a 24/7 confidential helpline and expert Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
• Flexible hours, with the option to start between 8am-10am and finish between 4pm-6pm.
• Able Futures Support: The service is a nine month, practical and confidential support service for employees whose circumstances or mental health may impact their wellbeing or work. Employees can work with a mental health professional to deepen their understanding of how their mental health may impact them and will build coping skills and resilience to thrive at work.
• Yearly stipend to access learning and development resources, to help employees further grow their personal and professional skills.
• A free vegan lunch every month at the Animal Equality monthly meetups.

HOW TO APPLY

For more information and details of how to apply, please visit our website via the apply button.

The interview process comprises a multiple-stage interview and skills test. The appointment process will run throughout April, with Animal Equality UK making an offer to the successful candidate that same month.

Our expert team of canine behaviourists provide behavioural support and advice to teams within Battersea, members of the public, and the rescue organisations we work with around the world. The team design and help implement behaviour modification and training plans for dogs whilst coaching members of the canine care groups through the practical day-to-day steps. They also assist with behavioural and welfare assessments of animals who come into our centres and are on hand to help manage and provide further support with dogs with more complex behavioural needs. The team provide support to dogs during their stay at Battersea, and are also available for continued advice after rehoming.

We are now looking to recruit a Canine Behaviour and Training Advisor for our team in London. Within this role, you will work with our operational teams in the assessment and welfare of the dogs in our care and in the provision of behavioural training and advice for staff, volunteers, customers and external organisations. You will be working as part of a care group to create behaviour modification plans, support with handling difficult dogs and make recommendations, along with the individual care group, for individual dog outcomes.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources
• Generous pension contributions – up to 10% employer contribution
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Working with our dogs and cats:

We are here for every dog and cat. Within our operational roles, this means providing the highest level of care and husbandry to our animals. Every day will be different and will sometimes involve emotionally challenging situations. Battersea has created an ethos of open conversations and carefully curated wellbeing initiatives to support our employees handling these scenarios. It is also important to note that the role is very physical and does involve a lot of manual tasks which are required to provide the exceptional standards of care to our animals. We ask you consider these aspects of the role carefully before applying.

Diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. 

More about us:

At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 11th May 2025
Interview date(s): 28th May 2025

For full details, please download our recruitment pack.

To apply for the role, please click the button below. All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Contract: Permanent, part time  
Location: London Victoria animal hospital  
Salary: £26,063 - £30,306 plus £3,027 London Weighting Allowance per annum 
Rota: 7 on 14 off: Work 7 consecutive nights followed by 14 nights off
Closing date: Monday 5th May 2025 
Interviews: W/C 12th May 2025

We're seeking dedicated Night Veterinary Nurses to join our team at London Victoria Animal Hospital. Working 7 consecutive nights followed by 14 nights off; by joining our team, you'll play a crucial role in ensuring our hospital provides a 24/7 service, catering to the needs of our furry friends around the clock. 

More about the role

Our Victoria animal hospital provides care to thousands of animals annually. From routine procedures to intricate surgeries, we offer a wide range of treatments to ensure the well-being of every patient. We are a first opinion practice providing essential emergency and first aid treatment to eligible pet owners. This means our business as usual is highly critical cases and surgical procedures, emergency triage over the phone and face to face, and inpatient care to a high nursing standard. 

We have well equipped veterinary facilities, the hospital spans six floors, with six consultation rooms, two theatres, four minor procedure rooms and a laboratory.

While our primary focus is on dogs and cats, our compassionate team is equipped to care for a variety of pets. You'll be helping to deliver excellent veterinary care for a wide range of small animals, providing both routine healthcare and attending a large number of emergencies, which provides our team excellent opportunities to develop their skills. 

With this 7 on, 14 off rota, you'll have a unique work pattern that offers an excellent balance between work and personal time. Please note that holidays will need to be taken within the 14 nights off. By joining our team, you'll play a crucial role in ensuring our hospital provides a 24/7 service, catering to the needs of our furry friends around the clock. 

Due to the nature of the work of Blue Cross, and this post, it may be necessary to exceed these hours when the workload demands.  

About you

You will be a fully qualified Veterinary Nurse registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Excellent communication skills are a must-have in this role. You'll be interacting with pet owners, veterinary colleagues, and other members of our team on a daily basis. Strong customer service skills are also essential for ensuring a positive experience for our clients. 

Veterinary care can be unpredictable, so it's important to be adaptable and able to handle whatever comes your way. We're looking for candidates who are reliable and can be counted on to deliver consistently high-quality care, regardless of the circumstances. 

While you'll need to be able to work independently, you'll also be part of a dedicated team of veterinary professionals. Collaboration and teamwork are key to ensuring the smooth operation of our clinic and the well-being of our patients. 

Above all, you will be passionate about animal welfare and share our commitment to providing compassionate care. A caring attitude and a dedication to our values are essential qualities that we look for in all our team members. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience 

• Fully qualified Veterinary Nurse or final year students 
• Registered with RCVS or pending registration for students 
• Experience of emergency service and critical care nursing  
• Experience in nursing duties 
• Experience of working nights in a veterinary practice 

Although not essential, it would be great if you also had experience of:   

• Radiography 
• Use of computerised vet records 
• Triage 
• Critical care nursing 
• Surgical and medical nursing 
• Emergency and critical care nursing certificate 

How to apply 

CVs will be reviewed as we receive them. Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. 

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

• Our generous benefits package includes:  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution  
• Life assurance  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme 
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support 
• Free access to GP via MetLife 
• Recognition scheme 
• Annual volunteer days  
• Claim for professional fees 
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers.  

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.

Are you a passionate and experienced people manager with a love for animals? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where your management skills can truly make a difference?

We are looking for a Team Leader to join us in our Cats and Small Pets team, the team who are responsible for providing support to six different species and working with around 100 cats and small pets at our site, as well as supporting a similar number within our foster provision.

As Team Leader Cats and Small Pets you will oversee the entire pet journey from admission to rehoming. You will supervise day-to-day operations as point of contact whilst ensuring adherence to relevant policies, procedures, risk and safety assessments. Through a clear understanding of the pet's journey, you will focus on maximising throughput, resolving issues, and collaborating across departments.

As someone with strong problem-solving and coaching skills you will inspire and develop the team, managing and motivating your direct reports and the wider team to deliver on departmental goals. This will include working alongside other Team Leaders with recruitment, development and performance management to build a positive team culture.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with the right skills to make a significant impact in helping pets in need; last year Woodgreen provided safe shelter, specialist care, and a brighter future for over 1100 cats and small pets.

This is a full time, permanent opportunity with the expectation that our successful candidate will work from our site. In return you will receive a salary of £28,873 per annum and we can also offer you;

• 36 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays) rising by 1 day each year to 40 days after five years
• Up to 8% employer pension contributions
• Support towards healthcare costs (cashplan)
• Free access to Headspace
• Life assurance (4x salary)
• 25% discount in our charity shops.

To apply for this opportunity please submit your cover letter and CV.

This vacancy may close earlier should we receive high volumes of applications.  Interviews may commence prior to the closing date.

Woodgreen is committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk and protecting anyone that comes into contact with us from harm. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Battersea is entering an exciting phase of innovation and transformation as we embark on the first year of our new five-year strategy. With increased investment in income generation starting in 2025, we are expanding our team to drive the growth necessary to achieve our organisational goals. Our fundraising team bridges the journey of the animals in our care with the wider public, demonstrating how their contributions enable us to support every dog and cat. We now have several new roles within this team to further our mission. 

This is a new role working across Battersea’s Income Generation department, in particular Philanthropy, Partnerships and Commercial (PP&C), to help drive income growth and maintain strong funder relationships. 

As part of this role, you will work primarily on information gathering and management, and the creation of inspiring cases for support, funding propositions and impact reports. You will keep fundraisers informed of updates and progress in key projects and areas of work, supporting funder meetings by providing up to date information. You will also help us explore more creative ways of delivering cases for support, funding propositions and impact reports, so that we stand out from other organisations.

What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

- 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
- Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
- Generous pension contributions – up to 10% employer contribution
- Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
- Annual interest-free season ticket loans

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. 

More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 30th April 2025
Interview date(s): w/c 12th May 2025

To apply for the role, please click the button below. All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Join the Team Transforming Lives with Pets As Therapy
 

Charity People is thrilled to be supporting Pets as Therapy (PAT) in their search for a Volunteer Experience Team Leader.

Location: PAT Head Office, Chalgrove
Hours: Full time
Salary: Circa £30K
Reports to: Volunteer Experience Manager
Line Reports: Volunteer Advisors (x3)

Hybrid working with 3 days in the office

Benefits: 28 days pro rata + pension scheme

About Pets As Therapy (PAT):

This UK-wide charity that improves wellbeing and mental health by enabling volunteers to share the joy of their pets. With 5,000 volunteers, PAT brings comfort and companionship to people in hospitals, schools, care homes, and more. Volunteers are central to everything they do, and the Volunteer Experience Team (VET) ensures they are supported every step of the way.

Role Overview:

As the Volunteer Experience Team Leader, you will lead and inspire a passionate team, ensuring exceptional support for PAT's volunteers. This is an opportunity to make a tangible impact on volunteer experience and help people connect through the power of pets. If you have a love for animals and experience in customer service or similar sectors, this could be a great opportunity to apply your transferable skills in a meaningful and rewarding way.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the Volunteer Experience Team, ensuring high-quality service for volunteers.
• Oversee volunteer queries via phone and email, maintaining excellent communication.
• Set team objectives, conduct 1:1s, and provide support through appraisals.
• Improve systems to ensure efficient handling of volunteer inquiries.
• Collaborate with internal teams to enhance the volunteer portal (MyPAT).
• Provide direct support (approx. 70% of time) by covering phone and email enquiries.

About You:

You're a dynamic leader with strong customer service experience and a passion for supporting volunteers. Whether you have worked in customer service, the charity sector, or another relevant field, your transferable skills will be highly valued. You're organised, proactive, and ready to lead a small, dedicated team to ensure every volunteer's experience is rewarding and fulfilling.

Essential Skills:

• Proven experience in customer service, volunteer management, or a similar sector.
• Strong leadership skills with a focus on team development.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
• Experience using CRM systems and managing databases.

This is an exciting chance to join a charity that is truly making a difference. As the Volunteer Experience Team Leader, you'll help shape the volunteer journey, leading a supportive and passionate team. If you're looking to create lasting impact and be part of a rewarding cause, apply today!

How to Apply:

If you're ready to make an impactful difference, then we want to hear from you. Please send your CV to Priya Vencatasawmy at Charity People for further details of the application process.

Due to the urgency of this role, we are advertising this position on a rolling basis, which means applications will be shared as and when received if this affects you in anyway, please reach out directly to Priya.

Interview dates: TBC

Legacy Officer

Location:  London

Hiring range: 34,000-40,000 GBP per year

Make a lasting impact on animals through careful legacy administration.

We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Legacy Officer to join our team. You would be responsible for your share of the legacy administration cases in the UK, ensuring that gifts left to IFAW in Wills are handled efficiently, sensitively, and in accordance with legal and organisational standards. You would report to the Global Legacy Administration Manager on a day-to-day basis. Your work will directly support IFAW’s mission by maximising income from legacies to fund our animal welfare and conservation efforts.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is a global leader in animal welfare and conservation.

We work tirelessly to protect animals and their habitats around the world. We help animals and people thrive together. Our UK office works to tackle various animal welfare issues at home and abroad. Legacy gifts play a vital role in sustaining our critical work worldwide. Join us in making a lasting impact for animals and the planet.

Role and Responsibilities

· Managing a caseload of legacy gifts: This includes pecuniary, residuary and life interest legacies, ensuring IFAW receives its full entitlement in a timely manner. This may include a small selection of contentious cases.

· Working closely with solicitors, executors, and beneficiaries: You’ll provide accurate and sensitive support throughout the probate process, building trust and ensuring a smooth experience for all parties involved.

· Maintaining meticulous records and reports: You’ll ensure accurate financial and contact records are kept, reports are generated on time, and compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements is met.

· Providing recommendations for action: You’ll provide your suggestions to move forward any legacy case where action needs to be sanctioned by management or Trustees, or where there may be a risk to the charity's reputation.

· Assisting with monthly/annual reconciliation and audit: This includes following our financial rules to make appropriate accruals, adjustments, and provide audit-ready case files.

· Liasing with other teams within IFAW: When appropriate, you’ll work collaboratively with other teams, such as Finance, Donor Relations or the Legal team, to ensure a seamless process for legacy gifts, and to promote the legacy team’s recognition and standing in the organisation through internal engagement.

· Staying up to date on relevant legislation and best practices: You’ll be a member of the ILM and regularly keep abreast of changes in the world on legacy case management, to ensure IFAW’s legacy administration remains efficient and compliant.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

· At least 1 year of experience in legacy administration or estate management: You’ll have a strong understanding of probate laws, Wills, trust, and estate administration. Experience of using FirstClass is desirable.

· Achieved or willing to work towards certification: You have or will work towards gaining the ILM’s Certificate in Charity Legacy Administration (CiCLA).

Core Competencies

· Excellent attention to detail: You’re numerate, careful and ensure accuracy in all your work.

· Strong communication skills: You can build rapport with solicitors, executors, and bereaved families, providing sensitive and clear communication.

· Proactive and organized: You can manage multiple tasks effectively and keep up with work and deadlines without compromising quality.

· Know when to ask for help: You’re comfortable working unsupervised and as part of a team and you can identify when you should consult with your manager.

· IT proficiency: You’re comfortable using CRM’s like FirstClass and other relevant software for record-keeping and reporting. You understand Microsoft 365 software like Word and Excel.

· Passion for animal welfare: You understand the impact of IFAW’s work and are motivated to contribute to our mission.

At IFAW, we aim to create and foster a workforce that reflects and contributes to the diverse, global community in which we work to improve the lives of both animals and people. We are dedicated to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion so we actively encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Application deadline:  30 April 2025

To apply, please submit CV and letter of interest at Careers | IFAW

A skilled project manager and technical advisor, with a proven ability to work with external stakeholders, you will work in support of the Technical Manager to manage the technical aspects of Leaping Bunny and other organisational programmes. You will have excellent administrative skills gained in a customer-facing environment, including the ability to deal with multiple complex enquiries in a calm manner.

From the provision of technical advice and guidance to existing members and prospective new joiners, to supporting complex third-party supply chains; your meticulous approach, eye for detail and flexibility will help advance the organisation’s Vision, Mission, and Values.

You will act as a main point of contact for all Leaping Bunny technical enquiries and other potential new programmes, and in doing so, you will enjoy dealing with a wide and diverse range of people mainly via phone/email/video calls.

Your energy, commitment and experience will help propel the department and organisation successfully forward; and in doing so, you will help end testing on animals worldwide.

The role

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Senior Programmes Manager to lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of our international programs. This pivotal role requires a strategic thinker with extensive programme management experience and a deep commitment to our mission.

The Senior Programmes Manager will be responsible for ensuring that our programmes are effectively designed and delivered, meet the needs of the communities and animals we serve, and align with our organizational strategy and donor expectations. 

Positioned within the Global Programmes Department the role will involve close collaboration across teams in both the Global Support Office and our implementing partners.

Responsibilities include: programme management, strategic planning & stakeholder engagement, budget management, monitoring & evaluation, cross-team collaboration. 

Contract, location and salary

This is a full-time (34.5 hours per week), permanent role. This is a remote position with regular attendance required at SPANA's London office. Benefits include a generous company pension scheme, health care cash plan and life insurance. The salary is c.£45k per annum subject to skills and experience. 

Further details and how to apply

Please review the job description for full details including a person specification. The deadline for applications is 23:59 BST on Sunday 11 May 2025.

About Open Cages

Open Cages is a UK-registered charity fighting animal suffering. We are part of an international organisation, Anima International. To achieve our goal we use scientific evidence, careful reasoning, and draw upon decades of collective experience. Just in the last few years, we have successfully helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of farmed animals in the UK.

We are impact-oriented and use a wide array of tools to make the world a better place. Our current toolkit includes:

• Investigations which reveal the reality hidden behind the walls of factory farms
• Negotiations with companies to encourage them to eliminate cruel practices from their policies
• Advocacy to secure legal milestones for animals

At Open Cages we won’t stop until we end animal suffering. We would like to invite you to join us and help us achieve this goal.

What do you gain by working at Open Cages?

• Meaningful work – you will help build a world free from animal suffering
• Time – you will be able to focus full-time on helping animals
• High degree of flexibility – the work is almost totally remote and you will organise your working hours and workflow yourself
• Trust – we expect you to make mistakes as a given and learn from them
• Autonomy – you will experience freedom and independence in your decision-making
• Transparency – you will have access to the work and decisions of others
• Honest work culture – you will know what your colleagues are doing and what they really think
• Knowledge – you will learn and receive support from people who have been fighting for animals for many years
• Opportunity to grow – you will learn every day and be encouraged to experiment beyond your skill set
• Ability to influence the organisation – we encourage our people to openly speak their mind and thus you will be able to impact what kind of organisation we are
• A laugh – animal advocacy can be dark at times, we think that having a fun atmosphere is key to balance this
• Transparently set compensation – Our salaries are not negotiable and are based on a transparent algorithm that is the same for each role

Following a 3-month probation period, you will transition to a fixed-term contract. Upon successful completion of this term, you will be offered a permanent employment contract. A minimum salary of £39,695.24 gross (our salary base for people resident in the UK) will apply from the beginning of the probationary period. The salary base may change due to your previous experience related to the position, or your experience in animal advocacy (+3% for each year). In addition, the salary increases with your seniority in Open Cages according to the following model:

+ 7% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the first 5 years of work

+ 5% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 3% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 2% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next years of work

About your role

We are a small and ambitious early-stage organisation with two full-time team members. Our current objective: to help the 1 billion chickens raised annually in the UK. By joining us as our first employee focussed on operations, you will help lay the foundations of the organisation as it prepares for rapid scaling, not only increasing our impact for animals now but by also helping to shape the organisation we want to become. If you have an engineering mindset, like to organise things (ideally in spreadsheets), and navigate through novel problems, it’s time to use your strengths for animals. Whilst it may sound challenging, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of making a historic change for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Someone has to pick up that challenge, and we hope it will be You.

To help the billions of animals trapped on factory farms, we need an organisation that is expertly designed and not weighed down by inefficiencies. In this role your first task will be to help us manage, monitor and speed up our internal processes such as accounting, finances, payments, staff operations, donor management and event planning.

We can accommodate to you

Due to the broad scope of our work, there is no simple description of the perfect employee. There may also be certain areas where you are stronger than others, and we are open to fitting the role around you. We are looking for a generalist rather than a specialist. However, you do need to have some particular strengths such as conscientiousness and an analytical mind. Ideally, some day, you will be able to lead a team of your own and transfer your knowledge to them.

No previous experience is required for this role. While experience will be valued (and reflected in the salary), we welcome applications from both seasoned professionals and passionate newcomers who align with our organisational culture.

What do we require from you?

• Strong belief in the mission of our organisation. Working for us should not be thought of as a ‘career step’. We want people who are motivated by our mission above all.

• Flexible availability. We think of ourselves as a small startup. The fate of the organisation rests on a handful of highly motivated advocates who want to do something ambitious with their lives. We want to maintain the intensity of our current operating culture, so you should expect to work the occasional weekends and late evenings.

• Not being an asshole. We expect you to treat others with respect, decency and compassion – even the occasional adversaries.

• A preference for hard work. Activism is our passion and one of the main motivations in life. To fit our culture, you have to be a person that is proactive and enjoys work.

• Growth mindset. Nobody knows how to fix the world, so we need you to keep learning. We constantly strive to be better at our activism, but also as people.

• Strong interest in a high-feedback culture. We have a culture of honest and direct communication. We talk openly about our strengths and weaknesses on a daily basis because we want to be the best. You will know what your colleagues really think of you and be encouraged to speak your mind.

• Ability to reason and communicate your thinking, especially in written form. In order to thrive in our organisation you must be able to think carefully, try to back up your ideas with reasonable evidence, and above all be open to being proven wrong and changing your mind.

• Fluency in English. You will be working in a UK-based organisation which will require constant communication with English speakers.

• Ability to work in the UK. This offer is open to candidates who are either currently UK-based, or are willing to move to the UK for the job. We are happy to do whatever we can to help you in relocating, depending on your needs and our ability. If you have any questions about what we can help with, don’t hesitate to write to us!

You do not need to be vegan or vegetarian. While all of our events provide only plant-based meals, we are open to anyone who wants to fight for a world that is free from animal suffering. We won’t turn down any help.

What will you do?

• Build culture – you will help build and reinforce our culture, so we never lose what makes up the strength of Open Cages.

• Embrace reality – you will make it your mission to understand the world as it is rather than as you would like it to be.

• Manage activists – you will manage and work with teams of both employed and voluntary activists.

• Experience frustration – you will feel frustrated about things you could do better or things that are not working in the organisation or your team, and use this frustration as an opportunity to refine and elevate our organisation.

• Question ideas – you will question common knowledge, especially your own ideas, so that our results are always as good as they can be.

• Optimise your performance – you will continuously deepen your knowledge – both about particular areas of animal advocacy and about how the world works – and enjoy this process.

• Prioritise action – you will act even when there is not sufficient data.

• Abandon projects – you will change your objectives when it makes sense, no matter the time already invested.

• Respect and trust others – you will be there for others and trust their intentions. You will support them when they succeed and when they fail.

• Seek information independently – you will be responsible for acting very independently which will require you to obtain and verify data.

• Make mistakes – you will embrace your mistakes without being ashamed with the desire to learn from them.

• Oversee employment – you will oversee payroll, staff contracts, and employment matters and payments.

• Manage and optimise finances – you will be in charge of our income and expenses. This will include making sure that we have efficient and accurate accounting, and that we have enough income to achieve our goals.

• Help ensure legal governance – you will help submit our annual accounts to the charity commission and ensure compliance with all legal duties, such as making tax payments.

• Manage supporters – you will handle communication with our supporter base and manage donors, primarily through email.

• Improve team coordination – you will worry about how to make the team more effective and help us work better together by improving structure, tools, and internal processes.

• Build and improve tools – you will spot inefficiencies and opportunities in our processes – such as our newsletter and payments software – and improve them, for example by building automation tools.

• Plan events – you will handle logistics and planning for internal and external events such as recruitments, training, and team building activities.

• Obsess over speed – your job will not be to simply manage internal operations, but to reduce the organisation’s time spent on them so that it becomes faster and more efficient.

Do you think this role is too challenging and you're not fit for it?

You may be thinking that this role would be interesting for you, but you won’t make the cut. 

We encourage you not to worry and fill out the application nonetheless, especially if you meet our requirements (even on a basic level) and you think this position could bring you a lot of joy. Leave the judgment about your competence to us. You may even learn something useful along the way.

We prepared support materials to help you through the application process. We'll also be hosting informational webinars about this role and our recruitment process – click ‘Redirect to recruiter’ to see the website for more details.

We are working in partnership with SongBird Survival, an independent charity working to solve the ecological crisis for songbirds through scientific research, to secure their new Scientific Research and Impact Manager.

Since 2000, SongBird Survival has been fighting for a better future for UK songbirds, and they are the only national UK charity solely dedicated to make a positive impact for songbirds in the face of this devastating ecological emergency. Their goals are to drive impactful conservation through scientific research, protect songbirds by raising awareness and inspiring action, and safeguarding the most at-risk songbird species in the UK. SongBird Survival do this by commissioning independent scientific research into the causes of the catastrophic decline in songbird numbers, translating research findings into actionable strategies, which aim to make a tangible difference in the protection and preservation of songbird populations. They also campaign for change, working with other NGOs and policymakers.

The Scientific Research and Impact Manager role is at the heart of SongBird Survival’s mission, ensuring that their research not only advances scientific understanding but also influences policy change, engages stakeholders, and strengthens communications and fundraising strategies. The postholder will oversee research projects, build key partnerships, and turn findings into practical conservation strategies. 

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Degree level education in Ecology or an appropriate discipline or equivalent experience, with comprehensive knowledge of songbird and other small bird ecology.
• Knowledge and understanding of how scientific research is commissioned and delivered, as well as the ability to assimilate and appraise relevant information.
• Track record of translating scientific findings into policy, communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Knowledge of UK environmental policy and its impact on conservation efforts. 

For more information, please contact Katherine Anderson-Scott, Associate Director, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Your application should be submitted through the Charisma website and include your CV and supporting statement.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or other category protected by law. 

Hours: 0.8-1.0 FTE (Full time is 37.5 hours with use of flexi hours)
Location: Remote/home working with occasional travel and visits to SongBird Survival office in Diss Norfolk.

Closing date: 21 May 2025

Charisma interviews must be completed by EOD 28th May in preparation for submission of the shortlist on the 29th. 

Our Adventure Playground Manager plays an integral role within our Children, Young People and Families team, supporting our Head of Service to create inspiring, high quality and child focused youth and play services. The work of the Children, Young People and Families team is diverse, and service includes after-school and weekend adventure play, school play sessions, mentoring, holiday activities and youth leadership programmes.

Tulse Hill Adventure Playground is at the centre of our Children, Young People and Families service, and you will have solid experience working in an Adventure Playground, or similar outdoor setting, as you will hold managerial responsibility of the site and resources ensuring that the environment meets the needs of all the children who use it and to enable children to obtain the full benefit of the playground and its facilities.

As a strong and inspiring manager you will lead a team of play practitioners to deliver a range of dynamic, exciting, and meaningful services, ensuring the children who need them most are supported to play, develop, and thrive. You will take both an ambitious, organised, yet hands on approach to your management of the service - we are a small but dynamic team and truly believe services are best when all are involved, from management to practitioners. You will bring enthusiasm and passion to ensure an exceptional service for the children and young people we work with.

You will champion the role that adventure play services play in supporting children and young people to thrive and be an advocate for partnership working, building relationships with parents, schools and other local organisations, to maximise use of the Adventure Playground and the range of services we provide. A strong understanding of how the service sits within the wider work of the organisation and building strong relationships internally and externally is essential to the role.

You will be joining the organisation at a very exciting time as we are just about to undertake a large scale rebuild of the outdoor adventure play structures which will be completed this summer - creating a new and exciting environment for children and young people to play. This will include a range of challenging play structures, a wildlife garden, growing area and outdoor kitchen, along with a small animal enclosure.

Employee Benefits
• 35 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays and 3 Christmas days) rising by 1 day each year
after 2 years’ service (capped at an additional 8 days)
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave after 2 years’ service
• Save money off a new bike with the Cycle to Work scheme
• Up to 7% contribution to the staff pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Support Line
• Clear pay structure with yearly increments (based on performance)
• Annual Staff away day
• Premium eye-care vouchers through Specsavers and season ticket loans

Are you experienced with sales or account management with a strong track record of successfully managing relationships and events?

We have an exciting opportunity for a Marketing Officer to join our growing Community Fundraising Team. You will bring a broad set of skills, including experience with promotional content, relationship management, and events.

This role is part of an exciting period of growth for the Community Fundraising team, with income increasing by over 200% over the past four years and supporter numbers rising by 165%. With a brand review and CRM migration also underway, this is an exciting time to join the MND Association!

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the delivery of community fundraising marketing activity, meeting recruitment and income targets
• Create and implement operational plans for the team including marketing and content
• Manage marketing campaigns through a mix of media from concept to delivery
• Work with digital and product teams to ensure marketing content is delivered efficiently and clearly
• Develop and manage supporter journeys across different media to ensure a consistent and engaging experience
• Keep community fundraising web pages up to date and user-friendly
• Promote and attend a variety of exciting fundraising events - including evenings and weekends
• Manage third-party relationships, including event suppliers, to support fundraising acquisition and recruitment activity
• Support budget planning and monitoring by reporting on performance and outcomes
• Maintain database records ensuring all relevant information about donors is promptly and accurately recorded

About You:

• Background in sales or account management and familiarity with campaign management ideally within fundraising
• Organises with the ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities and working to tight deadlines
• Experienced in creating and improving systems and procedures
• Able to produce compelling visual content to support campaigns
• Clear and confident communicator across different formats
• Comfortable working with people from a range of backgrounds and experiences
• Able to research, analyse and interpret data to make informed decision making

About Us:

Our vision is a world free from MND. Our mission is to improve care and support for people with MND, their families and carers. We fund and promote research that leads to new understanding and treatments and brings us closer to a cure for MND. The Association also campaigns and raises awareness so the needs of people with MND, and everyone who cares for them, are recognised, and addressed by wider society.

What We Offer:

• 28 days holiday, increasing to 33 days after 5 years, plus Bank Holidays.
• Access to UK Healthcare, including dental, eyecare, health screenings, and therapies.
• 24/7 GP access via phone and video.
• Life assurance and confidential counselling helplines.
• Salary sacrifice schemes (Cycle to Work, Buy/Sell Annual Leave).
• Access to Benefit Hub for discounts on everyday shopping.
• Enhanced pension scheme.
• Opportunities for training and personal development.
• Hybrid working.

The full job description is available in the candidate pack.

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We work to remove barriers for everyone affected by MND, employees, volunteers, and stakeholders.

As part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the role's requirements.

Hybrid Working and Flexibility: This role offers hybrid working, with the expectation to attend the office 1 day per week, with flexibility to attend more regularly in line with organisation needs. We are open to part-time applications or job shares - please indicate your preferred working arrangement in your application.

How to apply:

Please submit a CV and supporting statement. Your supporting statement should be no longer than one side of A4 and demonstrate how you meet the following areas of the role.

• Experience in fundraising or sales/account management background.
• Experience of working to targets.
• Experience of devising, implementing and monitoring systems and procedures.

Important Information:

• We may close applications early if we receive a high volume, so early submissions are encouraged.
• If you require sponsorship for this role, please clearly indicate this in your application.
• Depending on the role, a DBS check may be required.
• If you need reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please contact us for support.
• We are happy to consider alternative application formats for those who find the online form challenging.