Please note this is not a starting role and only serious applications will be considered.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is a long-established charity based in Brentwood, and we’ve been running for over 40 years. We provide a forever home to over 600 rescued, neglected, or unwanted animals. At first, we started by rescuing horses and goats on our 53-acre site. We’re now home to rescued farm animals, equine, birds, reptiles, and more recently (sadly) – exotic animals.

To help find the funds to continue doing the vital work we do, the sanctuary is open to the public. We use this to showcase our beautiful animals, and to tell people their stories, whilst helping them realize that these creatures are not a throw-away commodity. The right candidate will understand our animals are our priority but without offering a quality visitor experience the sanctuary could not continue.

Job details:

This is a great opportunity for the right candidate, and it’s incredibly rewarding being able to see animals that have been through so much in their previous lives, now living happy, carefree lives at the sanctuary. There is an opportunity to advance your role and if you are willing to put the effort in this may lead to a management role in the future. This would really suit someone with yard management experience

You must:

• Have experience with large animals including equine
• Have practical people management experience
• Be hard-working and willing to muck in
• Have a positive can-do attitude
• Understand the visitors, sanctuary balance
• You will need to have high standards.
• Be steadfast and reliable
• Working with animals and people can be stressful so will need to be resilient

The role:

• Leading our staff units and our dedicated volunteers assisted by our two seniors.
• Monitoring the health and well-being of our animals.
• Monitoring health records
• Helping with the general day-to-day care of the animals including (but not limited to): cleaning, feeding, watering, and other animal care duties e.g. veterinary care/treatment, monitoring, and weighing, but your priority will be supervising
• Assisting with monitoring health and safety
• Encourage staff and volunteers to grow positively and constructively and help with training.
• Making sure the sanctuary is clean, safe, and ready for the public by 10am
• Helping get ready for events
• We are opening a small animal boarding and will be part of our pets section. You will be expected to oversee this.
• Monitor wastage

Additional information:

• The role will be 5 days a week, working from 8am to 4pm with a 30-minute unpaid tea break, and a 60-minute unpaid lunch break.
• Days to be discussed but will include one weekend day.
• Rate of pay £14.21ph
• Uniform will be provided, but you must have steel toe cap boots
• You will receive a discount in our plant-based café and gift shop

Experience: Animal care: 2 years (essential) including managerial