Animal support coordinator jobs

Contract:  Permanent, full time (37.5 hours per week) 

Salary:£25,787 to £27,047 per annum 

Location: Southampton SO30 2HL  

Closing date:Sunday 18th January 2026 

Interview date: Monday 26th January 2026 

We're recruiting an Assistant Manager – Offsite Services to lead and streamline our home-based pet operations. 

In this role you'll ensure that every pet finds the perfect match with their new family as quickly as possible, while maintaining top-quality care for both our pets and clients throughout the entire adoption journey. Join us in making a difference, one pet at a time! 

More about the role 

Our beautiful centre opened in 1988 and occupies approximately three acres of land in a discrete location surrounded by fields where we can walk our dogs, providing some wonderful enrichment in a quiet environment. The centre has facilities to care for dogs and cats, as well as a specialised area for kittens.

In this role, you’ll play a key part in ensuring exceptional care for both pets and clients while identifying efficiencies and making decisions that prioritise offsite pet welfare. As the leader of our home-based pet operations, you’ll oversee the smooth running of our foster and home direct services, placing pets directly from one home to another, with experience in practical animal handling and assessment. Your goal will be to prepare pets for adoption as quickly and effectively as possible. You’ll work closely with your team to ensure timely pet assessments, behaviour management, and training, while providing full support to foster carers and current owners. 

You’ll also be responsible for achieving pet-related targets, ensuring your team of Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Coordinators maintain the highest standards of animal care and adheres to national processes in case management. Teamwork is essential to address the most urgent cases effectively. 

Motivating and managing your team is central to this role, enabling the centre to provide top-quality home-based pet care while helping your team develop professionally. 

At our Southampton rehoming centre, we provide onsite accommodation for pets in our care 24/7.  Overnight shifts are usually undertaken by team members who live on site.  Occasionally you will be expected to carry out night checks when the resident team members are either not working or away for a period of time. 

This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work 1 in 3 weekends.

About you 

You’ll be a great people manager, bringing finely honed skills from your experience in an animal-related environment, along with extensive knowledge of pet welfare and care. 

As a dynamic and innovative leader, you know how to inspire and motivate your team, driving continuous improvement, empowering them through effective management and coaching. 

With excellent communication skills, you adapt your approach for different audiences, ensuring your message resonates. While juggling multiple tasks, you remain calm and organised, making confident decisions in high-pressure situations. 

Your strong analytical skills enable you to monitor and evaluate effectively, implementing meaningful improvements. Rather than resting on your laurels, you’ll have a genuine desire to enhance offsite pet care services, actively engaging your team in the process. 

Having worked in emotionally charged environments, you understand the importance of resilience. Your emotional intelligence and empathy will shine as you support your team and the public, creating a compassionate and effective workplace. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience   

• Significant experience in managing a team. 

• Significant experience in delivering high level Customer service in a fast-paced environment. 

• Expertise and application of pet welfare and handling of domestic animals 

• High standard of verbal and written communication. 

• Current full driving license 

• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values 

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:   

• Performance management and improvement experience.

• Experience working with volunteers. 

• Understanding of safeguarding issues. 

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.   

How to apply  

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 18th January. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.   

Blue Cross benefits    

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.   

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.   

Our generous benefits package includes:   

• Enhanced annual leave entitlement: 30 days plus bank holidays    

• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution   

• Health cash plan  

• Life assurance   

• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  

• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  

• Free access to GP via MetLife  

• Recognition scheme Annual volunteer days 

• Claim for professional fees  

Passionate about rivers? Become a Catchment Officer at SERT and lead partnerships, inspire communities, and deliver projects that make a real difference to the UK’s waterways.

About the Role

As a Catchment Officer, you’ll act as a coordinator and investigator—gathering data, uncovering issues, engaging communities, and creating momentum for change. Working within our Water, Land & Catchments Team, you’ll lead an ambitious programme of projects focused on river restoration, citizen science, and evidence-led environmental management.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a passionate team, working predominantly within the Rother, Cuckmere and Pevensey catchments, tackling some of the UK’s most urgent environmental challenges. We’ll support your development, amplify your impact, and help you thrive.

Key Responsibilities

• Host Catchment Partnerships: Coordinate collaboration across stakeholders using the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) to drive action grounded in data and evidence.
• Investigate Catchments: Collect and analyse data, engage with local communities, and build a detailed picture of pressures and opportunities.
• Build the Evidence Base: Set up monitoring systems and identify data gaps.
• Deliver Projects: Design and implement river restoration, pollution prevention, natural flood management, and engagement initiatives.
• Secure Funding: Develop proposals and secure funding from diverse sources.
• Engage and Inspire: Lead communications and stakeholder engagement to foster a shared vision for healthier rivers.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong understanding of river catchment management, ecology, hydrology, or environmental science.
• Experience in project development and delivery, ideally with nature-based solutions or citizen science.
• Confidence in collecting, analysing, and using environmental data.
• Excellent facilitation and communication skills.
• Ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders.

Why Join Us?

• Work on meaningful projects that improve river health and biodiversity.
• Be part of a friendly, talented, and passionate team.
• Opportunities for professional development and growth.

Ready to make a difference?
Apply now and help us create healthier rivers for people and wildlife.

Interested? Apply now and help us create a healthier, more resilient catchment, see the full Job Description for more information.

Application process

• Closing date for applications: Sunday 18th January 2026 at 11:59pm.
• Interviews:  w/c Monday 29th January 2026

Role Summary

Job title: Communications Lead
Contract: Part-time (80% FTE), permanent position 
Location: Hybrid working: office base is at Somerset House, London: we are flexible on approach, within a hybrid model of in-person & virtual. This can be discussed at interview (*) 
Salary: £44k p.a. (pro rata)
Reporting to: Director of Julie’s Bicycle
Start date: Ideally beginning of March 2026 - depending on candidate’s notice period 
Hours: Working hours are 9.30am - 5.30pm, Monday to Friday
(requests for flexible working hours will be considered) 

Other:

• Annual leave is 25 days per year (pro rata) plus standard bank holidays
• Cultural entitlement of £250 per annum (pro rata) to spend on arts/cultural events & activities
• All employees are able to claim 1 hour a week for personal wellbeing
• Pension scheme enrolment and 6% employer contributions (reviewed annually)

(*) Access to office space in London is always available to staff who can't or don't want to work from home. 

If you would like this application pack in a different format (e.g. large print or audio file), please contact us (information in the link provided).

About Julie’s Bicycle (JB)

JB is a leading non-profit putting climate action at the heart of culture. We believe that creativity is a powerful catalyst for change — and that the arts and cultural sector has a vital role to play in building a just, regenerative future.

For over 15 years, we’ve worked with artists, cultural institutions, funders, and policymakers to mobilise creative climate leadership and action through advocacy, research, policy influence, training, path-finding projects and community building. We champion climate justice, centre equity, and believe that environmental solutions must be driven by cultural shifts as well as systems change. For more information on all our programmes, please visit our website.

The Role

We’re seeking a visionary and collaborative Communications Lead to lead the next phase of our communications strategy. This role is about more than messaging — it’s about shaping a compelling and inspiring public voice for creative climate action.

You will be responsible for our brand, storytelling, content strategy, and creative outputs—ensuring that everything we do reflects our values, amplifies our impact, and deepens our reach across the cultural and climate landscape. You’ll also play a key role in supporting our impact including welcoming new cultural organisations, creative practitioners, environmental partners, and funders into our network.

This is a digital-first communications role, with a strong focus on content development, storytelling, and designing varied communication campaigns. You’ll oversee our editorial voice across blogs, email, social media, and digital content. Alongside our Marketing Lead, you will ensure our insights, tools, and narratives are warm, purpose-focused, clear, accessible, and optimised for reach and engagement. You will be someone who thrives on the combination of ambitious strategic thinking and delivering content and projects on the ground.

You will collaborate with partner organisations to co-create communications, support joint campaigns, and ensure our voice is visible and aligned in the broader climate and culture movement. And while press/media remains part of the role, your primary focus will be digital content, brand positioning, and reaching new audiences.

You will be part of a small Marketing and Communications team and work closely with the rest of JB’s 20-person, supportive and mission-driven team.

We encourage people from any background to apply for this post. We are committed to creating a workforce which is representative of our society, and to bringing together those with a variety of skills and experiences to help shape what we do and how we work. We are particularly keen to hear from people of colour and those who self-identify as disabled.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and deliver an inclusive, digital-first communications strategy that positions Julie’s Bicycle as a cultural leader in climate action.
• Work with senior leadership to drive communications that support organisational growth, impact and fundraising, helping to expand our network and deepen engagement with the arts and cultural sector and the climate and environmental movement.
• Embed climate justice and equity throughout our communications, ensuring our language, images, and stories reflect a diverse, accessible, and fair transition.
• Champion our core narrative: putting climate action at the heart of culture.

Brand, Creative & Campaigns

• Lead on brand implementation, ensuring coherence of messaging and tone across all channels and materials.
• Deliver innovative and values-led communications campaigns in collaboration with partners and internal teams. Lead on key messaging, ensuring we are consistent and confident across all our channels.
• Take a data-led approach to maximise impact of our communications.
• Oversee design and creative production for campaigns, reports and digital content, (working alongside our Marketing Lead and with support from external designers/freelancers).
• Ensure communications projects are managed on time and on budget.
• Develop and implement communications for newer target audiences in particular leaders and change-makers across the environmental sector.
• Collaborate with our Marketing Lead to co-develop mar/comms strategies for individual programmes and projects, working closely with our programme leads.

Content & Digital

• Develop engaging, inclusive content across web, blogs, newsletters and social media.
• Shape and oversee editorial calendars that reflect our programmes, partnerships, research, and events.
• Lead on our content management and storytelling strategy.
• Ensure all content is optimised for audience growth, accessibility, and search (SEO), working closely with our Marketing Lead who leads on our overall web and SEO strategy.
• Support on the production of public reports and external briefing materials, ensuring appropriate tone and key messages.
• Manage internal and freelance team members producing social media content.

Partnerships & Profile

• Collaborate with cultural, environmental, and funding partners to co-create shared messaging, campaigns, and communications assets.
• Ensure JB’s story, voice, and impact are clearly represented in all collaborations and public-facing materials.
• Support JB’s role in coalitions and networks by developing communications that reflect collective aims and shared values.
• Work with the JB CEO and programme leads to create and implement a strategy for public-facing thought leadership.

Media & External Relations

• Maintain relationships with relevant journalists and media outlets, responding to media opportunities that align with our strategy.
• Support the Director and other team members with media briefings and public communications as needed.
• When funded opportunities arise, lead liaison with external PR and media consultants.

Team & Collaboration

• Line manage / support the management of the Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
• Work closely with all internal teams — partnership, consultancy, research, advocacy, programmes — to align messaging and amplify impact.
• Contribute to organisational learning, planning, and shared values.
• Support the implementation and day to day running of JB’s new CRM.
• With the Marketing Lead, strengthen internal editorial and brand sign off processes for publications, media releases and key content.
• Support impact measurement and communication of impact.

Person Specification

Essential

• Substantial experience in a senior communications role, ideally within the cultural, environmental, or non-profit sectors.
• Significant experience in designing and delivering successful communications strategies.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with a track record of developing clear, creative, and inclusive content.
• Strong experience in campaign development, brand implementation, visual storytelling, and communications project management.
• Knowledge of content strategy, SEO, and audience engagement across digital platforms.
• Demonstrable ability to embed equity, diversity, and commitment to climate justice into communications practice.
• Collaborative and confident communicator with experience working across teams and with external partners.
• Strategic thinker with a commitment to Julie’s Bicycle’s mission and values.
• Strong design aesthetic and use of design skills (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud suite and Canva).
• Strong project management skills: the ability to meet deadlines and work flexibly across priorities in a fast-changing environment.
• Attention to detail and excellent proof reading.

Desirable

• Familiarity with climate and/or cultural policy environments.
• Experience working with funders, public bodies, or large-scale cultural partnerships.
• PR and media relations experience and contacts across digital and print channels
• Design, photography, or multimedia experience (or managing those with those skills).
• Experience contributing to organisational growth and development through communications.

Why Join Us?

At Julie’s Bicycle, you’ll join a passionate team working at the intersection of creativity and climate action. We offer a collaborative, inclusive, and flexible working culture — where your voice will shape how the cultural sector responds to one of the greatest challenges of our time. 

How to Apply

If you’d like to apply, please complete the application form and equal opportunities monitoring form on our website and submit these by 11.59pm on Sunday 18th Jan 2026.

We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer; we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender, disability, culture, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Please note, this post is open to people who already have the right to live and work in the UK, as Julie’s Bicycle is not currently in a position to sponsor a work visa.

A note on AI

While we understand that some people may use AI tools for accessibility (and recognise and support that many assistive technologies may use elements of AI), we ask candidates to consider what tools are most appropriate during the application process. For example, we recognise the value for many people of machine learning language tools like Grammarly. On the other hand we would discourage the use of generative AI tools in writing your application, as we'd like to understand your personal interest in working for Julie's Bicycle, and be able to understand your non-AI-assisted communication skills just as they are. We also recognise that for many of the people and creative communities we work with, the rise of generative AI poses a threat to their livelihoods, while the environmental impacts of AI are only set to grow: this means we also have a responsibility as Julie's Bicycle to consider where and when (and if) we use AI in our work. 

Thank you for your interest in working at Julie’s Bicycle.