Animal care assistant jobs

Team: Advocacy

Location: Remote

Work pattern: Mon-Fri, 35 hours per week

Salary: Up to £30,809.83 per year

Contract: fixed-term contract until the end of April 2026

We are the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. All over the country, our passionate employees, volunteers and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.

Will you join us and make life better for cats?

Responsibilities of our Advocacy and Government Relations Assistant:

- providing day-to-day support for the whole advocacy team

- undertake core advocacy tasks such as leading on daily political and media monitoring

- conducting online research to add value and support overall work of the team

- provide meeting and event support

- assisting with preparation of briefings for parliamentary debates

- reporting on the outcome of campaigns to the advocacy team

- content creation for the advocacy web pages

- general administration duties

About the Advocacy team:

The Advocacy & Government Relations team leads the charity in influencing decision-makers and those whose policies, practices and decisions affect cat welfare across the UK. The small, highly motivated team works to influence legislators (national and devolved governments), professional organisations and corporates. The team has successfully influenced the law on microchipping, pet theft and commercial kitten sales in England and worked with the Scottish Government to regulate cat breeding and rehoming activities. The team has run digital campaigns as part of its strategy for several years but is now looking to increase capacity and build a stronger level of engagement with our campaigners.

What we’re looking for in our Advocacy and Government Relations Assistant:

- experience working in, or an understanding of, advocacy, public affairs or influencing work (which may include campaigns) and knowledge of UK political systems

- strong administration skills, including project and spreadsheet management

- experience, or any understanding, of dealing with high profile/ VIP individuals e.g Ministers, MSPs, MLAs, MPs, etc

- experience completing online and desk research

- experience or understanding of event organisation/preparing PowerPoint presentations

- proven ability to multi-task and work independently on own initiative, accurately and under pressure

- confident using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, Zoom and MS Teams)

- knowledge our work and campaigns and an understanding of the charity sector

What we can offer you:

- range of health benefits

- 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service

- Salary Finance, which empowers you to take control of your financial wellbeing

- and much more, which you can learn about

Application closing date: 2nd June 2025

Virtual interview date: w/c 16th June 2025

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment. Please note, applications received after the closing date may not be responded to.

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable.  You may be just the right candidate. 

If successful, your recruitment journey will include:

1. anonymised application form

2. video screening

3. virtual interview

Please note, the process may change slightly dependent on application numbers. We will inform you of any relevant changes.

Please email us if you require any adjustments to be made for you to complete your application or to participate in the recruitment journey.

Community Volunteer Officer

35 hours per week, temporary contract until September 2028

We are Chester Zoo

We’re not just an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction that’s home to over 37,000 incredible animals inside 128 acres of stunning gardens. We’re not just the UK’s most popular zoo. We’re a major wildlife charity that’s committed to the recovery of endangered species, globally. And, as the world faces an extinction crisis, we’re making a hugely significant contribution to conservation at a time when it’s needed most. We are Chester Zoo and we prevent extinction.

The Role

We now have an exciting new role for a Community Volunteer Officer to join our Conservation Education and Engagement Directorate. This role is part of the Networks for Nature project team.

Networks for Nature spans c60 square miles from the River Dee to the River Mersey, including Chester and Ellesmere Port. This is a collaborative partnership project working with Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Land Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Canal and River Trust, and Sustrans with the aim to drive nature recovery in a mixed-use landscape, creating diverse habitats for species to thrive now and for years to come. We will empower communities to have an active role in conservation action and stewardship and will focus on making nature more accessible to and inclusive for everyone to enable connection and improve wellbeing. To find out more about Networks for Nature visit Networks For Nature | Conservation at Chester Zoo.

As a Community Volunteer Officer, you'll work closely with the Community Volunteer Assistant Manager and Networks for Nature project staff to engage and empower volunteers to make a real impact on conservation efforts. You’ll be responsible for day-to-day volunteer administration, recruitment, and support, while helping to deliver exciting activities, including hands-on conservation projects and training sessions. This is your chance to be at the heart of the Networks for Nature project, contributing to positive change in nature while gaining valuable experience and skills.

Due to the working rota of 10 days in 14 and working every other weekend, there will be some cross-over between the activities delivered within this role and the Wildlife and Wellbeing Officer role.

We’re looking for someone who can:

• Event Planning & Delivery: Help plan and run volunteer events, training, and networking opportunities for community volunteers and Wildlife Champions.
• Logistical Support: Provide support for activities like networking, micro-volunteering, and conservation action days, from small coffee mornings to large events for up to 250 participants.
• Engagement Monitoring: Track participant feedback through surveys and regular check-ins. Collate data about participation in community activities, share data with funders and internal teams.
• Daily Volunteer Engagement: Manage volunteer communications such as emails, newsletters, recruitment, rosters, and event sign-ups. Provide support, encourage engagement, and offer pastoral care as needed.
• Safety & Risk Assessments: With support from the Community Volunteer Assistant Manager, ensure all activities are safe and well-planned, creating personal risk assessments with volunteers if required.
• Training & Development: Assist with training sessions for volunteers and Wildlife Champions to enhance their skills, leading parts of the training when needed.
   

What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?

Well, where do we start? Here goes…

We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place.

As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.

Our working environment could not be more different from a typical office – where else can you see critically endangered orangutans from your office window, or stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?

The Package

• Fixed term contract until September 2028
• 35 hours per week
• Salary £23,893.59 per annum pro rata
• The postholder will work 10 days over 14, working every other weekend and with two regular days off in the week
• 33 days annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days (pro rota)
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%

Our Requirements

• An understanding & affinity to the organisation’s mission, vision & values, with a strong interest in the conservation of UK nature.
• Experience in working with volunteers
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, with some experience organising events and training
• Experience of delivering activities/training with a wide range of audiences
• Sound working knowledge of computer software systems e.g. Microsoft Office Suite
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication and literacy skills including by phone, face to face and via email/online discussion boards
• Excellent time management, administration and planning skills.
• Experience of working in a busy office environment as part of a team & on own initiative
• Full driving licence

Although not essential, the following would be desirable:

• Working knowledge of volunteer management systems
• Experience monitoring and evaluating volunteering activities

Due to the nature of the organisation and the role, this post is subject to a DBS check.

The closing date for applications is midnight 1st June 2025

Shortlisting of applications and interviews for the role will take place while the advert is live; the advert will close once the successful candidate is found and it is possible this will be prior to the advertised end date. Candidates are therefore encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible.

Networks for Nature is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

About us

We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. We’re the place to turn to for anything and everything to do with breast cancer. However you’re experiencing breast cancer, we’re here. 

The brightest minds in breast cancer research are here. Making life-saving research happen in labs across the UK and Ireland. Support services, trustworthy breast cancer information and specialist nurses are here. Ready to support you whenever you need it. Dedicated campaigners are here. Fighting for the best possible treatment, services and care for anyone affected by breast cancer.

About the role

We’re recruiting for a team co-ordinator to support our busy legal, compliance and governance team and to support the good functioning of our team. Working with us will provide wide experience of how a busy and efficient in-house legal team deals with contracts, compliance, policies, processes and communications. There’s scope for the right candidate to take on more responsibility for  project work. We’ll provide a good quality handover as there’s many processes that you’ll need to understand and manage.

About you

You’ll need excellent Microsoft 365 skills, particularly in word, outlook, teams and excel. You should have a great eye for detail, be efficient, proactive and accurate. Experience of organising meetings and minute-taking would be an advantage. You should be able to manage your own workload, maintain your own to-do lists, organisational registers and respond to requests in a timely and efficient manner. You’ll be able to maintain confidentiality and understand its importance. You should have a commitment to building and maintaining excellent personal relationships with colleagues across the organisation.

Job description and benefits

Please download the job description and our attractive benefits package.

Primary location of role and hybrid working

This role is based in our London office. Our hybrid working model allows you to work up to 3 days per week at home.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who we support.

Closing date: Thursday 22 May at 9am

Interview date:  Tuesday 3, and Wednesday 4 June 2025 (in person at our London office at The White Chapel Building E1 8QS)

Band 7 Counselling / Clinical Psychologist

Reports to: Clinical Lead, Dose of Nature

Job Overview:

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and innovative psychologist to join our warm and friendly team at our Dose of Nature hub in Surrey. Dose of Nature is in an exciting phase as we continue to receive funding to expand our reach, particularly increasing accessibility to our service for clients living in the Waverley area.

We are seeking a psychologist with passion for the natural world and there is great potential for the psychologist to lead on areas in which we seek to develop and expand. The post-holder would be closely supported by the psychology team, as well as the wider team, to do so.

Dose of Nature is a mental health charity whose objective is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals through increased engagement with the natural world. Our work is rooted in a wealth of scientific evidence that demonstrates the physiological and psychological benefits of spending time in nature.  We deliver ‘Nature Prescriptions’ to adults (aged 18+) referred by their GP with a wide range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction.

Our Dose of Nature Prescription is overseen by psychologists and is a genuine alternative to both medication and more traditional psychological interventions. Through a combination of education, first-hand experience, and practical and motivational support, we aim to encourage a greater connection with nature and inspire lifestyle changes that will have a significant and lasting impact on mental wellbeing.  Dose of Nature is a fun, supportive and lively organisation that encourages creativity and independence, as well as a strong sense of working together as a team.

The nature of the role requires occasional evenings and weekends to cover monthly volunteer training evenings and social events as necessitated by the needs of the charity.

Key Responsibilities 

Clinical 

• To carry out psychological assessments of clients referred to the service, to reach a psychological formulation of the client’s difficulties and understand their wider contextual needs, and to support those clients throughout their journey with Dose of Nature, offering ad-hoc support where needed.
• To subsequently pair clients with an appropriate volunteer Nature Guide who then delivers the Dose of Nature Prescription.
• To review clients at the end of their Dose of Nature Prescription and ensure that those clients who would like to and / or need to, maintain connection with Dose of Nature by attending groups, social events, and through ad-hoc support.
• To maintain relationships with GP practices and other referrers, and to inform them of client progress.
• To support the Clinical Lead to offer workshops and presentations to other agencies, professional colleagues and in the wider community.
• To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals, staff members and volunteers contributing to a client’s recovery.
• To undertake risk assessment, formulation, and management of clients and to provide advice to the Dose of Nature team on psychological aspects of risk assessment, formulation, and management.
• To actively promote client involvement in their recovery and service development.

Teaching, Training, and Supervision

• To receive and provide regular clinical supervision.
• To gain additional experience and skills relevant to the Dose of Nature model.
• To provide clinical placements for trainee counsellors and / or trainee psychologists where needed and if appropriate, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills and experience to contribute effectively to client recovery, utilising the Dose of Nature model.
• To provide advice, consultation and training to staff and volunteers.

Management, Leadership, Recruitment, Policy and Service Development

• To participate in identifying and implementing the development of a high quality, responsible and accessible service.
• To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the team’s operational policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit
• To participate in the management of psychological resources available to the team.
• To manage the workloads of assistant and trainee applied psychologists.
• To be involved, as appropriate, in the short listing and interviewing of assistant psychologists
  and other staff.
• To provide effective leadership and management to staff which promotes high performance
  standards both individually and as a team. 

Research and Service Evaluation

• To utilise theory, evidence-based literature, and research to support practice.
• To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research
• To undertake project management, including service evaluation, with colleagues within the service to help develop service provision.

This job description sets out the main responsibilities and duties of the post, but is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and the postholder may be required to undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected of an employee of this grade.