Animal Farm Manager, Full Time, Permanent

Wellington Country Park are looking to recruit an Animal Farm Manager.

Job Summary
Reporting to: General Manager (or Duty Representative)

Overall Objective: We are looking for a permanent Animal Farm Manager to help us develop the children’s Farm to its full potential. This individual will be totally responsible for the running of our Animal Farm attraction alongside a small team of both part-time and full-time Animal Farm staff.

Hours of Work: 8 hours a day average based on business operating times and seasons, 5 days a week out of 7.

You must have the Right to Work in the UK. Sponsorship is not available for this role.

Rate of Pay: circa £28,000
21 days holiday plus statutory holidays on a pro-rata basis
Highly discounted meals
Free family entry to the Park
Free parking
Free uniform provided
Excellent staff discounts are available across all Wellington Estate businesses

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

• Completing daily husbandry tasks such as feeding, cleaning out animal pens, animal handling and grooming. Ensure all tasks are completed to the appropriate standard
• To set larger monthly jobs and ongoing projects
• Maintaining a health plan and ensuring all aspects are completed by appropriately trained staff
• Remaining up to date with new advances in animal care through attendance of workshops and training courses
• To review and update diet plans for all animals
• Arranging routine treatments including vaccinations, shearing and farrier treatment
• Leading any animal medical treatment
• To develop and maintain an enrichment and animal training program on the farm
• To raise any concerns over animal welfare/health with the General Manager

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Staff management- recruiting and interviewing new staff. Produce the farm staff rota and ensure all staff are notified of working hours
• Create and maintain staff training plan and ensure all staff are trained to the agreed standards. Ensure training sheets are kept up to date and signed off. Review annually to ensure training is kept up to date
• Leading farm team to include setting tasks and job lists, guidance and training. Ensuring all tasks are completed to a high standard within time constraints
• Supervising the education team whilst on the farm running sessions
• To schedule in and lead work experience inductions and training. To review placements with colleges once complete
• To carry out ongoing reviews of performance

FARM OPERATIONS

• To ensure the cleanliness and presentation of the farm, with particular regard to all public facilities such as toilets, hand wash stations etc are kept to the agreed standards of presentation
• To comply with all standards of both the NFAN Code of Practice and Hart DC Animal Activities License
• Public activities - running an interactive activity schedule daily with various animals whilst interacting with visitors by providing information, answering questions and general conversation
• To review existing animal activities and plan for new activities
• Develop the educational offering for school groups. Running these sessions and ensuring staff are trained to also run them
• To ensure all H&S practices are followed correctly to the laid down regulations ensuring the safety of both staff, visitors and animals at all times
• Customer service - ensuring all visitors receive high quality customer care by ensuring staff are approachable and accommodating at all times. Dealing with any complaints, escalating them if required
• To be the key person for communication between other departments or senior management and farm staff on a daily basis
• To be the point of contact on the farm for any contractors undertaking work
• To complete weekly stock checks and to ensure all orders are placed to allow smooth running of the animal farm such as feed, bedding, medication, cleaning supplies etc
• To ensure all daily records are maintained including medical records, movement records and diaries
• To do monthly updates of records and inputting data onto spreadsheets to include animal records, diet sheet reviews and medical records
• To create an annual budget for the farm
• Liaising with colleges and universities and being the contact for work experience enquiries
• To further develop the farm
• To source new animals when required

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organising and running the Farm on a day to day basis, ensuring the Farm is always presented in a manner which compliments the Park as a whole
• Ensuring the highest standard of animal care and welfare is maintained at all times including veterinary care and medication and the accurate keeping of all medical records and movement forms
• To help develop the Farm as a ‘Visitor Attraction’ through the continual introduction of and participation in friendly and informed interactive activities, including petting sessions, with all visitors (including school groups)
• To ensure standards and procedures of Health & Safety are followed and maintained for the safety both of visitors to the farm as well as our staff and animals

PRINTABLE JOB ROLE HERE

• Job Category: Animal Farm
• Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
• Job Business: Wellington Country Park
• Job Location: Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road, Riseley, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 1SP