Assistant Manager Offsite Services

Assistant Manager Offsite Services – Blue Cross UK

Department
:
Rehoming & Fostering Services

Location
:
Southampton

Final date to receive applications
: 18 January 2026

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

Salary
: £25,787 – £27,047 per annum

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!

• Lead and streamline our home‑based pet operations, ensuring rapid and successful pet placements.
• Oversee the smooth running of foster and home‑direct services, placing pets directly from one home to another.
• Prepare pets for adoption as quickly and effectively as possible.
• Work closely with the team to ensure timely pet assessments, behaviour management, and training.
• Provide full support to foster carers and current owners.
• Achieve pet‑related targets, ensuring Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Coordinators maintain the highest standards of animal care.
• Ensure adherence to national processes in case management.
• Motivate, manage and develop the team, enabling professional growth.
• Work 37.5 hours per week, including one in every three weekends.

• Excellent people‑management skills with experience in an animal‑related environment and extensive knowledge of pet welfare.
• Dynamic, innovative leader who can inspire and motivate a team.
• Strong communication skills, able to adapt to different audiences.
• Calm, organised and confident decision‑maker under pressure.
• Analytical mindset, able to monitor, evaluate and implement meaningful improvements.
• Resilient with high emotional intelligence and empathy towards the public and team.

• Significant experience in managing a team.
• Experience 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 licence.
• Ability to demonstrate, understand and apply Blue Cross values.

• Performance management and improvement experience.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Understanding of safeguarding issues.

Click the apply button below and complete the online application before the closing date on 18 January 2026. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive an overwhelming response.

• Full‑time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
• Well‑being support programmes for physical and mental health
• Free GP access via Met Life – 24/7 GP services and private prescriptions for you and your family
• Health cash plan
• Unlimited employee assistance programme access
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
• Professional fees paid with CPD and personal development support
• Life assurance
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Recognition scheme
• Annual volunteer days
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers