Wildlife Supervisor (3027)

At the RSPCA, our Wildlife Centres are dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and eventual release of wild animal casualties back into their natural habitats. From injured birds of prey to orphaned mammals, our mission is to provide expert care that allows nature to take its course with a helping hand.

Joining our team as a Wildlife Supervisor means becoming part of a passionate, hands-on community. We work tirelessly to ensure every creature that comes through our doors has the best possible shot at a life in the wild. If you have a deep respect for British wildlife and the grit to handle the challenges of rehabilitation, you'll find a home here.

Shifts can vary depending on the season but mostly you will work on a 6 week rolling roster that includes some weekends, with a requirement to be available for both 08:00 - 16:00 and 12:00 - 20:00 shifts.

Are you one of our kind?

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 

If your application hits the mark, we'll invite you to meet us in person. You'll sit down with the Hiring Manager and another member of the team 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.

As a Wildlife Supervisor, no two days are the same. You will be the heartbeat of the centre's daily operations, balancing hands on clinical care with team leadership. Your day will include:

• Overseeing the daily workflow to ensure Wildlife Assistants and volunteers are working efficiently and following strict rehabilitation protocols.
• Admitting and assessing new casualties, administering prescribed medications, and when necessary performing euthanasia in line with our welfare standards to prevent suffering.
• Identifying when animals are ready for the next stage, surveying potential release sites, and coordinating the logistics to get them back to the wild.
• Supporting your team through regular one to ones, appraisals, and inductions to keep morale and standards high.
• Contributing to the design of new enclosures, stock management, and even helping coordinate post release research projects like radio tracking.
• Ensuring safety is upheld through regular audits and risk assessments.

Essential

• A solid background in wildlife care, including handling, assessment, and first aid skills.
• Experience managing or supervising people whether that's a paid team, volunteers, or students.
• An understanding of British wildlife identification (including tracks and signs) and the ability to manage complex rehab cases from admission to release.
• The ability to present information clearly, whether you're collating statistics, leading a team briefing, or delivering a lecture on wildlife issues.
• You must be a team player who remains calm under pressure and is fully committed to the RSPCA's core values.

Desirable

• A full manual driving licence

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.