Job opportunities

Animal Centre Manager

The Animal Centre Manager will lead a team responsible for the day-to-day operation and development of the Animal Centre. The postholder will:

• Ensure facilities and equipment meet the needs of teaching staff and support smooth lesson delivery, including managing room bookings.

• Oversee the health and welfare of a diverse range of species, ensuring compliance with legislation, current guidance, and best practice standards.

• Maintain accurate records related to all aspects of animal care.

• Seek opportunities to enhance and expand the animal collection, ensuring the Centre remains a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

• Support the Directorate’s commitment to excellence in education and learner experience.

Main Duties and Responsibilites 

1. To provide technical support and advice to staff and students in Animal Care and, in liaison with teaching staff, assist learners one to one or in small groups with practical skills.

2. To undertake all aspects of line management for Technicians within the Animal Centre, such as recruitment and selection, induction, probation, absence management, performance management, and training and development.

3. To be responsible for ensuring the Animal Centre facilities run smoothly at all times, creating a rota for weekends and bank holidays and ensuring on call cover is in place for out of hours emergencies, including sickness and holiday cover.

4. To ensure the day-to-day care and management of the animal collection kept at the college meets the highest welfare standards according to college policies and procedures, and current legislation (including zoo licensing standards), liaising with teaching staff (using their specialisms) as necessary.

5. To be responsible for ensuring that the animal facilities and associated areas are kept in clean, tidy and fully functioning workspaces, including security and compliance with health and safety in line with college policy, current industry standards, and to ensure safe systems of working are consistently maintained and recorded across all areas.

6. To regularly update teaching staff of any changes to the collection including new additions, deceases, and illnesses. 

7. To ensure that the animal facilities meet the regulatory requirements for record keeping, including monitoring and reviewing the usage of animals within the Animal Centre and reporting to the line manager regularly.

8. To implement protocols, college policies and procedures for husbandry and welfare standards and promote best practice in order to ensure learners experience industry standard.

9. To prepare and maintain teaching areas, equipment and materials in accordance with teaching requirements and as requested by teaching staff.

10. To provide demonstrations to learners in relation to practical or technical skills including demonstrating workspace protocols and processes as required by teaching staff.

11. To support and assist staff and learners in the use and safe practice of all equipment in the workspace and ensure safe working practices, including providing advice on specific individual training needs in respect of safe working practices and processes. 

12. To be responsible for the supervision of learners during sessions and external trips and visits as required.

13. To respond to learners’ enquiries, offering information, advice and guidance or referring the matter as appropriate.

14. To undertake risk assessments in line with college policy and ensure teaching staff are aware of workspace risk assessments and advised when risk assessments are required.

15. To order materials and be responsible for stock management in the Animal Centre, providing a breakdown of animal requisites for the budget holder prior to submitting orders.

16. To liaise with management before contacting external services such as veterinary care in order for the budget holder to monitor effectively.

17. To undertake PAT testing of equipment and machinery within the working environment.

18. To ensure implementation of industry specific health & safety best practice, legislation and College policy within working environment and undertake relevant health and safety training and updates e.g., fire marshal and evacuation chair operator duties and any other cross college health and safety initiatives as required.

19. To undertake relevant first aid training and updates and carry out first aid duties as required. 

20. To participate in cross college activities such as open events and external promotion activities (on and off site)

21. To take a pro-active approach and responsibility for the well-being and safeguarding of all learners.

22. Any other duties and training as may be required by management, which fall reasonably within the competence and level of job role.