Animal Care Assistant - canine

JOB TITLE: Animal Care Assistant - Canine

The Organisation

Springboard is a registered charity which aims to support the development of sustainable communities where people have the skills they need for work and life.
With over 40 years of leadership in the sector the organisation provides a wide range of training and community development programmes across the north east of England. Springboard is an Investor in People, holds the Matrix Award for IAG and is a Disability Confident Employer.

Position Summary

The Animal Care Assistant (ACA) will engage and support our most vulnerable learners by ensuring that effective support is in place to enable them to fulfil their potential. Take The Leap Doggy Day Care will provide education and training opportunities to learners with a range of abilities and needs to provide a small, industry-standard canine daycare facility. The ACA will under the guidance of delivery staff will occasionally take responsibility for whole sessions where the primary focus will be to maintain good order and keep learners on task.

Conditions of Employment

Position: Animal Care Assistant - Canine
Responsible to: Practical Skills Team Leader

Salary range: £18,470.00 – £20,010.00
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract Term: Non temporary
Location: Doggy Day Care – Take the Lead Southwick Sunderland

Leave: 25 days per annum, pro rata, subject to local conditions, plus statutory holidays

All posts will be subject to DBS check. A copy of our Ex Offender recruitment policy and Equal Opportunities policy will be included in the recruitment pack.

The following list of duties and responsibilities must be taken as a guide and is not intended to be comprehensive.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

Springboard operates in a demanding and often changing environment. Members of staff must be flexible, adaptable and willing to face up to changing circumstances and new opportunities. The following list of duties and responsibilities must therefore be taken as a guide and is not to be regarded as fully comprehensive:

· Work alongside the Delivery Officer to develop a commercial Doggy Day Care offer for external customers

· Support the day to day operation of the Doggy Day Care facility and to ensure that the highest standards of animal welfare are maintained

· Participate in the animal welfare and husbandry rota within the unit

· Develop and maintain good working relationships with animal welfare agencies and stakeholders

· Promote positive values, attitudes and good behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage learners to take responsibility for their own behaviour

· Successfully support the complex needs of individual learners

· Promote independence and employ strategies to recognise and reward achievement of self-reliance, encouraging learners to take responsibility for their own behaviour

· Encourage learners to interact and work cooperatively with others and engage all learners in activities

· Provide information and advice to enable learners to make choices about their own learning, behaviour and attitude

· Establish productive working relationships with learners acting as a role model and setting high expectations

· Promote the inclusion and acceptance of all learners

· Provide feedback to learners in relation to progress and achievement

· Work with delivery staff to establish an appropriate learning environment and agreed support plans

· Supervise learners on educational visits and experiences as required

· Liaise sensitively and effectively with parents/carers as agreed with the Delivery Officer and participate in feedback sessions/meetings with parents and carers

· Carry out duties in accordance with the quality systems and procedures currently in place throughout the organisation

· Market Doggy Day Care within the community, working in the best interests of Springboard promoting and maintaining its goodwill at all times

· Assist in the development of new initiatives to support Springboard’s commitment to quality and continuous improvement

· Establish a learning and teaching environment in which learners demonstrate commitment to their studies, appropriate behaviour and a high level of motivation which promotes retention and attendance

· Contribute to the maintenance of an efficient and safe environment within the guidelines of Springboard Sunderland’s policies on Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and other policy guidance

· Carry out any duties which, from time to time, may be considered relevant to the post and within the scope of the post holder

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
● Sound knowledge and experience of animal welfare legislation
● Recognised Animal Welfare qualification (or willing to work towards)
● Experience of staff and animal facility management
● Experience of liaison with commercial customers
● Good time management and organisational skills
● Commitment
● Enthusiasm

Desirable

● Level 3 Diploma in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare or equivalent
● Experience of working with young people

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £18,470.00 – £20,010.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Free parking on-site
• Wellness programme

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Animal Care: 1 year (preferred)
• Learning support 1 year (preferred)

Work Location: One location

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £18,470.00-£20,010.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Free parking
• Gym membership
• On-site parking
• Wellness programme

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Tutor: 1 year (preferred)
• Animal Care: 1 year (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: AnimalCareAssisApr23