Behaviour and Welfare Advisor (2871)

Are you a passionate and experienced animal welfare professional looking for a rewarding new role?

The RSPCA is seeking a dedicated Behaviour and Welfare Advisor to join our team at the Leybourne Animal Centre. This is a vital role where you'll be instrumental in providing expert behaviour and welfare support for dogs, cats, and small animals in our care. You'll be making a profound difference to their lives, helping them to thrive and find their forever homes.

This is a permanent, full-time role working 35 hours a week. You will work 08:30 - 17:00 on  a 6 week rolling rota that includes working 2 weekends.

Our recruitment journey - key dates for you to note: 

We believe in transparency and a stress-free experience. Here is a quick look at what you can expect.

1. Application

You'll be asked a few targeted questions designed to help us understand your experience, unique skills, and future potential. This is your first chance to stand out!

2. Panel Interview & Site Visit - 19th March

If your application hits the mark, we'll invite you to meet us in person. You'll sit down with the Hiring Manager and our Deputy Manager for a competency based interview and a tour of the site. We'll also be asking some scenario based questions on animal handling and would welcome your thoughts and discussion on the content. This stage is designed for you to:

• Explore the Role: Get a feel for the team culture and the real-world impact you'll be making.
• Demonstrate Your Strengths: Show us how you work in a supportive, relaxed environment.

If you're ready for this challenging yet incredibly rewarding role, we encourage you to apply now.

Here at RSPCA no two days are the same, as a Behaviour and Welfare Advisor  we've added a short summary of what a typical day might look like, for a full insight please refer to the attached job description.

• Assessing and Planning: You will be responsible for assessing the behaviour and welfare of animals at intake and throughout their stay. You'll use this information to devise and implement tailored behavioural and training plans.
• Training and Support: You will provide proactive advice, training, and support to our staff, volunteers, and the public on animal welfare and behaviour modification techniques.
• Complex Cases: You will be the first point of contact for animals with more complex or challenging behaviours, working closely with the National Behaviour Team and our Regional Clinical Animal Behaviourist (RCAB).
• Adoption Support: Your expertise will be crucial in providing pre-adoption meetings and post-adoption support to help new owners and ensure a smooth, successful rehoming process.

Essential:

• A Level 5 qualification in dog welfare, behaviour, and training.
• Practical experience in the care, husbandry, and handling of dogs, cats, or small animals within the animal welfare industry. Ideally you will have a minimum of 2 years experience.
• Proven experience in applying theoretical behaviour modification and training principles.
• Strong communication and customer care skills, a pragmatic approach to animal welfare, and the ability to lead on euthanasia decisions.
• A full UK driving licence is required, as the role involves some travel to other locations

Desirable:

• Experience working with other species other than dogs

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK - We are unable to sponsor visas at RSPCA

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed  to our mission.  For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family! 

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.