We are looking for a Foster Scheme Coordinator to coordinate Battersea’s London Foster Scheme, working in conjunction with Operations and Clinic in sourcing suitable temporary homes for those dogs in our London site requiring foster and supporting both foster carers and dogs during their time away from Battersea.
The Foster Scheme Coordinator will maximise further growth impact and development of the Foster Scheme and the engagement and retention of our Foster Carers through the implementation of the Volunteering and Fostering strategy for Battersea.
They will provide guidance and support to existing and potential Foster Carers including managing their expectations.
Finally, they will ensure that all the behavioural and medical needs of foster dogs are met whilst on foster, sometimes dealing with contentious issues in a professional and sensitive manner.
What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:
- 36 days of annual leave (inclusive of 8 days Bank Holiday leave allowance) per year for full time employees (pro-rated for part-time employees).
- Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
- Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
- Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.
Working with our animals:
Working with our rescues is a very rewarding experience. Your work plays a vital role in giving our dogs and cats a chance at finding their forever home. Everyday will be different and will come with its own unique challenges. We are looking for people with the resilience and adaptability to handle all aspects of this role. It is important to note that the role does involve a lot of physical tasks which are required to provide the exceptional standards of care to our animals.
Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.
We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.
As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. If you would like to talk more about this, please contact us. Greyscale copies of the recruitment pack are also available on request.
More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.
Acceptable use of AI:
At Battersea, we value expertise. We recognise each candidate that applies to us will have a range of expertise they can offer us, so we want to hear about this in your own words. We understand the support that generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can offer but it can also lead to numerous applications presenting as generic and impersonal. This makes it difficult to gain understanding of your unique experience.
To best showcase yourself, we encourage you to write your responses without the assistance of AI. If you require the use of AI software to aid in completing your application, we ask you use the generative responses as a prompt for writing your answers and avoid copying and pasting. You must also ensure the information presented in your application accurately reflects your experience.
If you are successful to the interview stage of the recruitment process, we ask that you follow the below guidelines on the use of AI at interview stages:
Acceptable use:
• Researching sector trends, company information, or general interview tips.
• Practicing interview questions with AI tools to improve communication skills.
• Using AI to support with structuring your responses.
Please do not:
• Submit AI-generated responses as your own during the interview.
• Use AI to impersonate or misrepresent your experience or skills.
• Use AI tools during real-time interviews.
Closing date: 8th February 2026
All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.
Interview date: 16th and 17th February 2026 (in person)
For full details on the role, please download the recruitment pack.
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
Battersea is here for every dog and cat, and has been since 1860. We believe that every dog and cat deserves the best.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
WORKING WITH US
The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.
We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.
As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.
Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.
To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.
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ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY
We are looking for a receptionist to work within the Harris Federation Head Office, undertaking Reception and other administrative duties within the CEO's team.
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MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Your responsibilities will include:
- Greeting and receiving all visitors to Head Office in a professional manner, ensuring compliance with safeguarding and Health & Safety protocols
- Operating the telephone switchboard, directing calls to appropriate departments or staff members, taking messages, and responding promptly to enquiries from parents/carers and the public
- Maintaining the reception area and meeting rooms to a high standard, ensuring they are tidy, presentable and reset after use, and reporting any maintenance issues to the Office Manager
- Supporting the Office Manager with office maintenance tasks, including coordinating fire drills, liaising with engineers and managing heating/air con servicing
- Organising and preparing refreshments for meetings and events
- Updating employee records to reflect staff changes for switchboard/Inventry accuracy
- Managing incoming and outgoing mail and parcels, including maintaining the franking machine account and ordering supplies
- Coordinating courier services and managing related accounts
- Maintaining the academy contact sheet, ensuring Principal and PA details are current
- Building positive relationships with staff, contractors and external agencies to support the Federation’s objectives
A full list of responsibilities can be found in the Job Pack.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We would like to hear from you if you have:
- Flexibility and ability to respond to multiple demands and to prioritise
- The ability to work well with colleagues and visitors
- A high level of adaptability to changing demands
- The ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
- The ability to plan and organise work to meet varying deadlines
- The ability to work on own and take initiative
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience of delivering a high-quality service
- Experience of a range of general administrative duties.
- Good ICT skills and experience, including Word, Excel and management information systems (MIS)
Please download the Job Pack for a full person specification.
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APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION
If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.
Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.
When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.
A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.
OUR VISION & VALUES
Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.
We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Safeguarding Notice
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Equal Opportunities
The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.
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WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.
You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:
- Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
- Annual performance and loyalty bonus
- Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
- 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
- Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
- Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
- Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
- Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
- 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
- Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans
For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.
